Zeus993

Hey guys - just sniffing around at a .2 GT3 to have as my primary Porsche. As you can see from my signature that I've been through a few on my quest to find something that continues to light me up past the initial honeymoon.

Anyone driving theirs daily?

Obviously it's not a car for everyone as witnessed by the ones that turn up on the market.

I've done a track day and some autocross etc... but what REALLY lights me up are local twisties up in the mountains on an early morning run where there is no traffic. I like to drive, not show off a car.

Thoughts?

Mr. Adair

I assume you mean 997.2?

FWIW, My 991.1 GT3 could daily. Leave it in auto grab a cuppa joe and cruise around town if needed. Get to the twisties and it turns into a animal. Porsche has definitely reached a duality with 991 products. Now I own a .2 997 RS and it's NOT a comfortable daily. That said it's the most visceral raw driving experience I have had. In the twisties it's the most involving Porsche I have driven. I think you would find a .2 GT3 to be pretty damn raw as well. You can daily anything if you want but when I have a choice to do errands in or shorts trips that involve traffic etc. I Take the Murano. Good luck-

ilko

Depends on a lot of factors - how comfy you want to be and the roads it will be driven on. The car is low and raw. If you can live with that on a daily basis then you'll be fine.

-eztrader-

I put almost 40k miles on my old 2010 gt3 before selling. The car was a perfect dd (when weather was nice) and I loved every second of it. You will not regret this

Igooz

Clutch is super stiff...and Vancouver, BC is a city with lots of traffic!
How bad is your commute?

Zeus993

Tx. I have two other cars from daily and inclement weather stuff so I'll be covered. I've heard the RS is considerably more raw than the "base" GT3. It appears that there are camps of drivers that 100% LOVE the GT3 and drive it daily and then others that see it as too raw. I like to drive and for example disliked driving the Macans I had. I know, I know. They're deemed to be a "sports SUV" but I just found them too big and numb. The base Cayman I'm in is a great daily driver but it's been 8 months and I'm getting the itch for something more exciting.

I'm going to test drive my neighbor's. He's itching to drive my 98 C2S so we'll swap them out for a drive.

Very, very cool. 40K is a good amount and the fact you loved every second of it says something. Tku.

Good point. I'm 8 -12 minutes from the office so I'll be good and can drive my 2010 Golf if needed.

Rick-A-Shay

That's too short a run as a daily driver. A Porsche needs to be up to FULL operating temperature to clear moisture from oil and exhaust..........

Hoyt

Being new to the Porsche world with a 997.2 GT3.... DD'ing a GT3 is very tolerable only if you've got decent roads. Where I live the roads suck. And after awhile things are not as enjoyable...kinda like getting punched in the side constantly. But, I still drive the **** outta her when I can

DYSL

I love my .2 GT3. As far as "rawness" goes both the GT3 and the RS are very analog cars and visceral. The RS has slightly more visceralness to the because of the LWFW. But that's really about it.

I would say the major drawback to daily driving a GT3 is the clutch stiffness. It's great for track or spirited roads but stop and go gets old.

Zeus993

It's is too short! I'm also in a city that has increasing numbers of bikes and hostilities towards cars. It's wild!

Nice. Such a great car. And I have local hills and good driving roads within 15 minutes of the city. A GT3 would be perfect for those.

Understood. Thanks.

DWNDRAFT

I have driven my .2 GT3 for 7000miles this summer.

Spirited drives, kinder garden runs, alp touring, to work, shopping, to dinner, you name it. Not my main daily, but I simply cannot stop driving it.

Judging what somebody finds raw or to much,is impossible, but here is my experience. I went from a 997 Carrera 4S to a 997.2GT3 because I missed that raw and exotic feeling my Ferrari and Lamborghinis offered.
Crusing along in my C4s I could easily forget if I was driving my volvo or the carrera, it was that good.... I the GT3 I am constantly reminded what I am driving. Its creaks and moans, it rattles and hums, the controls are stiff and direct, and it is absolutely perfect! A 1 hour commute is no problem, a 10 hours autobahn trip doable, but when you activate the bypass exhaust and PASM and use the revs from 5-8K, the car delivers incredible performance, noise and feel. In fact, this is hands-down the best steering feel I have had in any car.

Practical issues, worth noting, besides the lovely signatures GT3 noises.
I have the GT2 seats, and they make in/out into a little exercise. I put my right hand and weight on the handbrake leaver, and sink my self into the seat in one graceful....(seen from my inside my head...) motion. I would not have a GT3 without the GT2 or bucket seats, sofas defeat the idea imo.


In traffic the clutch is a tad stiff, but not that bad If you have driven vintage Lambos etc.

GT2/bucket seats does not adjust, other than back/forth.

The wing covers any cars behind you, at typical highway distance. Practical at night, a little impractical on in traffic.

Driving on rough roads does get old very fast, its simply too stiff.

IMO, any pistonhead would take a GT3 over a Carrera, also daily.

David911

I live in Northern California. The roads suck - bad condition and mostly straight. My GT3 is my primary car. I have put about 70K miles on it in 7 years.

What is special is that it never lets you forget that you are driving. Everything is direct, and relatively raw (not raw like a 1988 carrera, but more than a new car). This can also be a problem - if you want to zone out listening to music on your commute, it is not the best.

Practically, I have 3 "issues" with daily driving:

1. Clutch is really heavy - you just have to deal with it
2. I have the "lightweight" headlights - they are not the best, but they work
3. The car scrapes its front lip ALL THE TIME. My solution is to replace the lip at every tire change, but if this kind of thing bugs you, then you will need to get a front lift kit or not get this car

David
2008 GT3 - Speed Yellow

sixtyfiver

The 997.2 Gt3 is perfect daily transportation for open roads, twisties and high speed highways.

The two negatives of the Gt3 as daily transportation is safe parking to avoid door dings and high angle driveway apron's. The front lift will allieviate issues with driveways but parking is usually a hassle.

sfo

harder to see if there's a cop following you too!

Zeus993

Wow. You had me at "I simply cannot stop driving it.". Awesome.

And the LW GT2 seats? I purchased a set for my Gen 1 Spyder and I know all about the graceful - hand on the e-brake, launch over the left bolster and land in the seat. It's pretty awesome.

Thanks for your thoughts. It sounds like you are driving on roads, sans the Autobahn, like we have around here. The highways up in the mountains can be great, in fact excellent, but the city roads very bad. But that's what a GT3 is for - the twisties up in the mountains and the occasional track day.

Thanks David. I like your comment "it never lets you forget you are driving it". Perfect. And 70K miles? Well done. I seem to get 1/3 of that before I am slightly bored and my wandering eye takes over.

And 10-4 on your list. My Spyder I had lowered with H&R springs and scraped a bit. And the clutch? Well I'll see what that's like when I drive one but I think this will be very much and evening and weekend romper so not as much worry as lugging along in rush hour traffic.

Door dings. Yeesh. I have closed and protective parking at both home and office so I should be good.

Ha. Always on my mind. I've developed this constant scanning of my mirrors for them. Anyone running jammers?