Hello fellow members,

I would like any wisdom you guys may have about buying a 996 GT3 that has been mainly tracked. Example would be a GT3 with 25k miles and majority if them track miles along with mileage driving to and from the track.

What type of maintenance should have been performed?

Warning signs of a "bad" car?

I will also be tracking the car and using it occasionally on the weekend for street driving. Around 3000 miles a year total.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

As you may have already read on forums, the oem lsd does not last very long at all so on a tracked car a good question to ask is if it has been rebuilt with a Guards internals or replaced all together. I have been told mine is not working but have enjoyed several track days since Oct this year and it is still fun to drive. Doing the Guards rebuild is in my near future, but for now just want to drive the car.

 

I'm suprised more haven't chimed in, I wouldn't shy away from a track car in the least. MOST of the time (this is where you'll need to ask some questions to make sure) track cars are maintained to a much higher level than street cars. Regular track inspections bring minor issues to attention that need to be resolved in order for the vehicle to be safe on the track.

Only downside is cosmetically it will probably have some rock chips on the front and rockers that a street car wouldn't.

Plus these cars are extremely robust and take track mileage quite well.

 

Ask Joe (4porsh) how great of an example you can buy of a car that has been tracked. Depending on who owned the car, you might actually get a BETTER example of a 3 than one that was just driven around as a street car. Many of us are uber-fanatical about our maintenance schedules and preventative work. Mine (that I sold to Joe) was in better condition than my street cars (which I take very good care of as well) if that tells you anything.

So.....do your due diligence finding out everything you can about the car's history. RECORDS RECORDS RECORDS. Chances are somebody here will know the car as well and can offer advice here or offline. If you find one you are interested in, post it up here and let us go to work

 

I sold my 2004 GT3 in 2007 when I got my RS .1. It had about 40,000 miles, half of which was track. Another local instructor bought it and tracked it for two years before he bought a GT3 RS. Now it is in the hands of yet another club member. The only issue after 6 years of track in the hands of Red drivers was the customary cooling fitting failure and in the last year a new pressure plate. They car is still being driven on a lot of track days. These cars are tough and as Dell points out, track cars get a lot more TLC than street cars. With a proper inspection, I'd have no hesitation assuming the car was not crashed.

Best,

 

You may save big money by buying a car that has been tracked, if it has been upgraded with track bits that you'll probably want if you plan to track the car. Add up the upgrades that are on the car you are considering, and see if you can find a comparable "street" GT3 that can match it in value.

 

I've owned mine for a year and a half. Bought it from pca instructor with 57.5k miles. All but 16k were track miles. According to my service mgr, it's the most overly maintained gt3 he's seen. Aside from LSD ( which is covered under easycare warranty but better to go guards) and coolant fittings, I'd actually recommend track vs garage queen (all things being equal with documentation).

 

Yep....4 years later with tons of "hammer down" time on track and she is still strong. Sure a fitting came loose, a water pump went bad, lots of rotors and pads but that is the cost of tracking a car. If one buys a car like this even if it has been tracked a lot and one just drives it on the street the car will just laugh at you.
Thanks for the car Dell, still love it.

 

I would expect a discount for a heavily tracked car. Yes, these cars are robust, but its naive to think that the continuous high RPM seen on track will not decrease engine and transmission life.

 

Great point since engine rebuilds can run $25K+.

 

^^ what is the real "end point" for one of these engines though? I know cup cars are 30-40 hours, but say for a regular car that has done 40K miles and a lot of track work but has been properly maintained? Im looking at a 6.2 GT3 atm with all the right records but lots of track work. I certainly dont want to be forking out for a rebuilt at any point in the 3-4 years that ill own the car before I go to a 997...

 

^ cup car engine is easily 125 hours unless you pro race or zing'd it.
6gt3 street engine: i know many that have 150+ track hours.
also, most trackers dont push these cars hard enough, that they may even last longer.

 

case in point, this fkg car is really really fast.
are you using any performance enhancing drug?

 

"Warning signs of a bad car?" Well, one sign is a 25K mile car that has been mainly tracked.

Even if the car has had superior servicing track miles are like 10 street miles maybe more. So the engine could have "250K" miles on it.

Also, the rest of the car will also have suffered from the stresses of trackikng.

 

Yes. REDBULL it gives me wings.