NJ-GT

Some of us have taken our cars to electronic calibrated scales, or have witnessed other cars being weighed.

How can a car manufacturer advertise weight figures deeply far away from the real figures? Is it legal to lie about a product feature, and sell it based on those lies?

There is no doubt that the 997 GT3 and 997 GT3 RS gained a lot of weight. The gained weight was not necessary, they wanted to share the bulky dashboard with the busy heavy center console among all the 911, and the carperting and nice looking plastic panels in the trunk, and the Nav screen, and the heavier PASM hardware, and the bigger rotors, and the additional needed cooling parts. As a result of these amenities the car gained weight, those amenities are not mandated by the DOT/TUV/EPA/etc, so don't blaim the regulations.

Why does Porsche advertise the weight at 3,031/3,075 lbs for the GT3/GT3 RS respectively?. This is like advertising a Kia Rio at "500 Hp or less depending on market configuration".

Is it correct to buy a car based on lightweight and high power specs, and get a product that doesn't satisfy the specs?

When I buy a Laptop, a pair of shoes, a cell phone, a flat screen TV, with certain features, if the product doesn't meet those features, I'm allowed to complain and get the right product. What's different about the 997 GT3 and 997 GT3 RS?

I'm not a 997 GT3/GT3 RS owner, but your valid complain as owners of these cars to the manufacturer, might promote corrective actions.

I think it's unfair that Ford got penalized for selling a '99 Mustang Cobra that didn't make the advertised power, and Mazda being penalized for the Mazda RX-8 (these companies have very thin profit margins, if any). But the "Most profitable car manufacturer in the world" gets away selling a car that substantially exceeds the advertised weight?

The excess of weight not only affects acceleration as a less powerful engine does, it also affects braking and turning. The extra weight has bigger impact on the car performance, than the engine power output does.

What is preventing 997 GT3 and 997 GT3 RS owners to officially complain to Porsche of being defrauded?

krC2S

NJ-GT i agree with your concern and maybe people should make porsche be aware of that
but i am unclear whether it's 3300 lbs or 3200 lbs since heard different measurements

"dashboard with the busy heavy center console among all the 911, and the carperting and nice looking plastic panels in the trunk, and the Nav screen, and the heavier PASM hardware"

Nav screen is optional and any other standard interior stuff should not be more than 20lbs more than 996 cars note that more weight adding options are available but not everyone will have them

if some weight is added due to rotors and cooling and chasis rigidity then i accept that since it's a design tradeoff for performance but i don't see these adding more than 50lbs or so

if the car gains 50-70 lbs over 996gt3 due to these things then that's myabe understandable but 3300 lbs?

another question (no ill intention here) is why 996 gt3 is 3150lbs or so which is over 100lbs more than advertised is this a US only thing?

if 997 is 3200lbs or so like some claims than that's not bad GIVEN 996 weight but 996/997 gt3's are heavy and don't know why they have to be this heavy?

how much does a 996/997 cup weight with all fluids anyway?

mitch236

I had my car on the scales and it weighed 3230. I had replaced the driver's seat with a Recaro, removed the trunk carpeting and all excess plastic (in the trunk). It is a base model with no options. We haven't weighed the stock seat yet and we didn't weigh it prior to the slight mods.

I can't wait to get rid of that monstrosterous exhaust!!

NJ-GT

996 Cup and 997 Cup weigh under 2,600 lbs with all fluids minus fuel. Add 50 lbs for 8 gallons of fuel (good for a track session).

At the SCCA Solo Nationals last year my 996 GT3 weighed 2,760 lbs, but I took out the door panels, passenger seat, all the interior carpets, still had the A/C, radio and the stock body parts. Currently the cars weighs 2,880 lbs with a full interior, glovebox, side airbags, recently I was running it at 2,860 lbs due to no glovebox and side airbags. All my weight numbers include all fluids minus the windshield washer liquid, and 2 gallons of gas (enough for my autoX day or Time Trial session). All my car body parts are stock, I've full leather interior, A/C and PCCB (-42 lbs on the 996 GT3, -37 lbs on the 997 GT3/GT3 RS).

Slicks are 12 lbs lighter than my 285/335 Hoosiers, and 8.5"/11" lightweight wheels are 18 lbs lighter than my current 10"/12" CCW.

frayed

I agree with your post NJ. While the weight is unforgivable on the GT3, it's more unforgivable on the RS. It would have been nice to see an RS with thin alcantara door coverings and simple door pull. Roll up windows. Deleted center console, thin/removed carpeting etc etc. Make it more Elise-like.

I'm willing to do some weight reduction mods that right the wrongs we have experienced (seats, sunroof delete, battery, 18" track wheels). Exhaust as long as whatever the aftermarket dreams up doesn't sound like azz and doesn't lose power. I have major doubt the aftermarket can achieve both though. So, it looks like 100lbs or so; my car won't see 3000lbs. Sucks.

mooty

read my mind.

well, sure we can do things to it to lighten it. but i rather have the factory do it and just drive. i recently got an exige and the int is devoid of non driving related stuff, other than AC and radio. i wish porsche would do that too.

mitch236

I think the electric windows are actually lighter than the old crank style but I agree with the rest. My goal is 3000 and I feel fairly confident that I will hit it without major destruction.

eclou

Mooty, how much weight did the Premier covers add?

frayed

LOL

Flying Finn

+1

And IMO this is also a principle issue, if you make a car that is "made for track", "barely legal race car" (Pleeeeeease), you need to throw a lot of that fancy extra crap out of there.

Porsche could've/should've just simply take a look at one of the 993 RSCS cars and use that as an example.

krC2S

was this with a full tank?

krC2S

i may be wrong but i don't think that te extra fluffy stuff in interior adds much

if you remove everything inside except a/c passenger seats and stereoand airbags ( since porsche won't give you a car without those) how much will you lose?
60-70 lbs?

i can do that myself but i am more concerned with other stuff like wheels, why didn't they make the chasis aluminum do you know that the new mx-5( 20k car) has many aluminum bits to make it only gain 30lbs despite growing in size, luxury etc! lighter door panels and other body parts

mitch236

If I remember correctly, I had 2/3 a tank. So that's around 11 gallons or 77 lbs. So maybe the car weighed 3160?

I can't wait to weigh the exhaust. I'm sure it's around 70 lbs.

I'm sure I'll get to 3000.

NJ-GT

I actually weighed the Shell 93 fuel I use in NJ at 6.2 lbs per gallon.

Mitch, your car with no fuel would be around 3,160 lbs plus 24 lbs for the stock seat + 20 lbs on the trunk garbage (tools, carpet, fix-a-flat,etc). That's around 3,205 lbs with no fuel, and close to 3,220 lbs with 2 gallons of gas, which is consistent with the data from the other two U.S. 997 GT3 weighed recently (AWE and Garret's cars).

That's 90 lbs heavier than my bone stock 996 GT3, with full leather, metal rotors, A/C, and same fuel load. Without the full leather on my car, the difference is close to 100 lbs between similar configuration US 996 and 997 GT3s.

RR

It may be heavier, but the 997GT3 is faster even with the weight. Further, if you gut out a 997GT3, it will blow away the 996Gt3 even more, so what exactly are we talking about??? These arguments are getting close to being retarded. Sorry.