696

I have the itch to buy another toy. I think a 997 GT3 may be the car. My reasons are that the car would be used sparingly and only for fun, Mezger reliability, should maintain value over time, end of an era for Porsche, special factor and doesn’t seem to have insanely expensive failure points compared to modern GT cars.

I’d love some tips on how to buy, i.e., what to look for and what to avoid.

A few questions: Does previous track use hurt the value if the DME is clean? Is ppi that helpful? Is all original important, as far as value is concerned? Is there anything that would make you definitely walk away from a car?

Bxstr

When buying a GT3, I'd suggest buying based on condition. Not number of owners, not mileage, not track time. A well maintained car that has seen one or two drivers ed PCA events each year but was well maintained would be worth as much or more to me than a street driven car that wasn't maintained since the owner figured he didn't need to maintain it driving to cars and coffee.

But to answer your questions:
The market would likely dictate a slightly lower price for a car that has seen track time vs not seen track time, if everything else is identical. The problem is, the two cars you're comparing are likely not identical, so way more factors are going to come into play.
Yes, get a PPI. Unless you're working around Porsche's for a living, it's likely that a PPI is going to give you a general idea of what the cars upcoming maintenance/repair needs are. Use a PPI as a tool to help make the final decision on a car you already like.
I'd recommend getting a DME report, which shows over revs. Remember, redline on this car is 8400, redline is 9k. So that means that any range 1 over revs are from a slightly early downshift.
A car with range 6 over revs would likely have me walking away and it's what I told a member to do last year when he was considering a car with range 6 over revs. You don't know how high it went since range 6 is the last range.
You can also get paint meter readings, some things will not show up on Carfax. I wouldn't recommend walking away from an otherwise perfect car if it had documented paint work, I'd just want to understand why and make sure no underlying structural damage occurred, such as on track and was repaired off the record.

Last, I'd recommend buying from someone that is going to be honest with you and knows these cars, to take the pressure off of you. It's a lot of money that you're spending. I know the guys at Switchcars and would recommend them for your GT3 needs. He's going to disclose what is wrong with a car and be upfront with you. He also prices his cars fairly even in todays market. Merit Partners is also one that some members have recommended, I have no personal experience with them.

Best of luck with the search. Enjoy it and they're truly great cars.

Waxer

^ Good points.

Tracked cars bring less everything equal. They just do.
DME important. Anything beyond range 3 over revs becomes dicey. Mine has some range 1s and that’s it.

Mine has multiple prior owners but is in exceptional condition with 9000 miles and limited/ rare white w/ gold factory colors. The +’s offset the # of prior owners.

Yes, PPI. I didn’t PPI because I bought from a well respected P dealer that CPOd the car, paint metered the car and knew the car.

Robocop305

Bxstr, Very well said.

Upscale Audio

If you start talking about a PPI before tying the car up you may well lose it. There are few available, and a lot of people looking. Ask the guys here that have bought one in the last 9 months. That doesn't mean be stupid,but be smart. If you find a car that works, make the deal and give a $500 deposit via Paypal NOT "friends and family "subject to a PPI. That way you can get your money back. And then get it done quickly because there are plenty of instances where people get snaked.

Also, if you find one in a weird place other than Autotrader etc, don't post about it HERE. You could lose it that way, too.

And put a wanted ad up in the marketplace. Good luck!!

Waxer

True. I would add put/document your understanding in writing as to deposit and chance to PPI

696

A couple more questions. Say I were to get a nice GT3, and then 6-12 months down the line, the engine goes. What would I be looking at for replacement or rebuild? 20k, 40k or maybe more. I’m trying to compare it to a newer GT4. I could probably buy a new GT4 for the same price. I think the trade off is depreciation vs maintenance and repairs.

Bxstr

I'd say $30k for an engine rebuild is likely, if you want OEM parts. You may just want to call up TPC Racing, Deman Motorsport, or Sharkwerks for an idea of what this would cost. Make sure you specify you'd want an OEM rebuild, not an upgraded motor. Side note - I cannot say I've ever heard of someone buying a 997 GT3 and then 6-12 months later just having the engine explode without warning or other issues prior (such as a missed shift). I'm sure it's happened, but not exactly common. I would try and not think about that.

GT4 is a very different car. Read some articles about them. I'd recommend driving each. You'll very quickly know which one is right for you. My friend has one on order, but he's planning on essentially daily driving it. 997 GT3 is a bit more suited as an occasion car.

I wouldn't call the 997 GT3 maintenance heavy. It's like any other car. Only thing you may want to address is the coolant lines.

JS

Best of luck with your search.

696

Thanks for the info. I talked to a local shop to get his opinion. He couldn’t tell me a rebuild price. He just said it would be uncommon with a clean dme on a car that wasn’t abused and that it would be expensive. I could live with the idea of an unfortunate 30k engine rebuild. The shop owner actually said he would expect a 997 GT3 to be less expensive to maintain than a 993, after I asked him to compare the two. I’ve thought about a 993 also, but I feel that a 997 GT3 is actually probably a better value right now. I’m less concerned about what I pay for a car than the delta between purchase price and what I could eventually sell it for.

Bxstr

997 GT3 being newer mean that parts will be slightly easier to find than a 993, even though 997 GT3 parts are also becoming no longer available in certain instances.

Buy whichever suits you best. If you like the 993, I wouldn't let a slightly higher maintenance cost remove you from a car that is better for you. As much as everyone is trying to buy a financially smart car, I don't think anyone thinks about ROI on a vacation, yet when it comes to cars that is top of mind. I understand why, but either car is a very special 911 and the resale difference long term should be negligible compared to the memories you're likely to make.

696

I agree about costs. I don’t think any of these cars are good investments. Just trying to lose a reasonable amount of money while having fun. I drove a 993 recently. It was fun, but wasn’t super thrilling. If I end up with a GT3, unfortunately the first time I drive it will likely be after it’s mine. Ultimately, I think I’d like a GT3 more than a 993, and I fell it’s a little more "special.” I’ve never owned a GT car, but I’ve driven a newer GT3 Touring and it was great.

Bxstr

Depending on where you live, try to get a ride in one. A good friend gave me a ride in one back in 2017. Until I got mine in 2019, I didn’t stop thinking about it. If you like a 991.2 Touring, you’d like a 997 GT3 but only if you thought you’d like it to be a bit more raw.

bweSteve

dang Bxstr, you are NAILING it with this thread. I'm enjoying just reading the Q&A!!

keep asking questions 696 ... & keep answering them Joe. This is too much fun. As they say, the fun is in the journey (& the hunt!!)

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696

The hunt is definitely always part of the fun. I’ll be making a couple of phone calls tomorrow to learn more about worst case scenario costs. My problem is that I have to control my excitement when looking for a new toy. It’s hard to be patient. I recently sold one of my cars, so there is an empty spot in the garage…