eilig

Giving consideration to moving from my 2005 C2S "Launch Car" to a GT-3... Looking for driving impressions from anyone else who has done same.

Most driving, for now, will be concentrated in and around Chicagoland... lots of less than perfect roads in my area, so ride quality is a bit of a concern. Just wondering if the suspension of the GT-3 can be punishing on roads of "lower quality." I find my C2S to be a great balance between performance and comfort, but I think that I'd really like the increased level of performance of the GT-3. I happened to catch the exhaust note of one departing my local dealer last month at full cry, and have to admit it really got my attention! :-)

I'm sure the bump in power would be noticeable...

Just looking for any lists of pluses and minuses that anyone might be able to share...

Thanks in advance!

OldGuy

I can tell you that I went from a 996 GT3 to this 997 GT3 and the ride in regular PASM mode is very comfortable. In Sport PASM mode the ride gets much more firm. I think its the best combo I have ever had a chance to drive. It doesnt answer your C2 question but does address your comfort issues.

The GT3 is just a pure joy to drive. I cant imagine you would have any reservations on going to the GT3.
Unless youre a torque monkey. Rev Junkies LOVE the GT3 at full song at 8200 rpm (with 200RPMs left!)
and the handling and just the overall experience is just one that cant be put into words.
You wont regret this I can tell you that.

Chris C.

I will say that on AZ roads, the Gt3 is about as stiff as I would want to bear - and I like stiff rides. Been a few months since Ive driven a Carrera S but I do recall the normal PASM mode being a lot more forgiving. If Chicago roads neaar you are bad I would recommend a test drive to see how much you'd enjoy the car in your surrounds.

Torque wise the 295 lb ft torque curve in the C2S (@4900) is close to the 300 at 5500 rpm in GT3. GT3 feels like a much tighter car, particularly the suspension bushings and stiffer bars.

In short it drives a LOT like a 993 RS I spent a fair amount of time in.

seattle_sun

Really, no comparison. The GT3 is like a surgical instrument- sharp and precise. If you track the car and have some track experience, you will love it.
I don't think that I would like it as a daily driver. I know a lot of people drive the GT3 on a daily basis, but without PSM and neutral handling, it will not suffer fools. The carrera is very forgiving and has a lot of understeer built into it.

Trj

For the street up there as a daily driver I would not do it. Even in soft mode the ride will wear on you if the roads are rough and full of pot holes. Not to mention stock ride height is low enough to cause concern on much of your ingress and egress on and off the street. On the track or normal roads the gt3 is incredible...

eilig

Thanks. This is exactly the kind of feedback I'm looking for. I've been waiting for a car that I can drive to hit my dealer, and it never seems to happen. So for the moment I must rely on third-party feedback... again, thanks.

sasportas

Just some unbiased feedback. I've gone from a C4S to a 997 GT3 as a daily driver. My roads here in NJ/NY/PA could not be worse. I have absolutely no problem with the GT3 as a daily driver. I drive the car every day (rain, shine or snow) without any difficulty. Run Continental 810S snow tires in the winter and couldn't be more pleased with the handling and traction. If I had the chance to pick up a 997 GT3 in your situation, I wouldn't hesitate. The difference in the way the two cars feel is night and day.

Snowboarder54

Hey elige, I own both! The S is a 2005 purchased in Dec of 2004, it now has 10,860 miles on it. I purchsed the GT3 in Dec of 2006, it has 16,800 moles on it! What I can I say? It'ds a pure joy to drive. I live on the Northern Ca. coast where I have to drive 60-70 miles to reach the first stop light. The roads are less then perfect however well maintained. I drive 100% of the time with PASM on to, mainly to prevent the car from bottoming-out in alot of the dips. I'm 61 years old, a lot of my body parts are a little worn, I have 5 screws in my right shoulder from a snowboarding accident some 10 years ago, have had both knees scoped, one twice, and my back hurts every so badly every morning that my day starts with three Ibuprofen, acouple shots of mango-xan, and one very long and hot shower!! I have never missed a day of driving!!

I do a 428 mile trip 4-5 times a summer to our house in Ashland Or. through some of the most wonderful roads in all of Ca, only get on the freeway in the very northern part of Ca and souther portion of Or. for maybe a total of 40 miles. I only stop for fuel and a sandwhich on the way.

By the way; there is no comparison in my opinion!!! I'm thinking about selling the Cs and replacing it with a 800HP 996 TT or maybe a Cayenne, for the really foul days in January!!

cobrien

I traded an '06 C2S for my GT3, and couldn't be happier. For track driving there is no comparison. For the street, I still much prefer the GT3. It's tighter, a lot more powerful, and basically just more fun to drive (winding the engine out to 8400 is tough to top ). I've driven the GT3 all over the Chicago area, and I really have no objection to the ride. I guess it's all a question of personal preference. I've even done a couple of longer rides in the GT3 with my wife (e.g. to Road America for the ALMS race) and she didn't complain. I'd suggest a test drive if you can get one just to see what you think. When (if?) the weather ever gets decent, you're welcome to take mine for a ride.

eilig

WOW! Excellent information you guys... I'm really glad I made this posting, because I was about ready to write-off this purchase. I'm sure all of you know about "the itch." I've had mine for a few months now, and thinking it's almost time to scratch it, now that spring is only a few months away...

COBRIEN, I may just have to take you up on that... What area are you in? I'm in Highland Park...

If the GT3 is even half as much fun as I think it probably is, then I CAN'T NOT do this, if you know what I mean!

str8ner

I own an 05 carrera and a gt3. IMO the GT3 is no fun on the street. It is exciting at high RPM which you can never reach on the street (without getting arrested). The clutch is hard and the suspension stiff. The front end is also too low and scratches often. I think it is a terrible daily driver. On the other hand the Carrera is fantastic on the street and has more than enough power. On the track the GT3 is fantastic and I have already 5,000 track miles. IMO 2 different cars for 2 different purposes. If you plan on trying to track your car get a GT3 as you will be hooked and definitely want a gt3, if you will not go to the track stick to your S.

Stephan

ECS

The one issue you should know about in the '05 S that has been pretty extensively written about in Excellence is the bushing issue on that year car. The result was a tendency for the rear to sway back and forth and was quite unsettling. They fixed that in the '06 car and up. So in your case you will see quite a bit of difference between the two cars as a result of the rear sway problem in the '05.

jmitias

I put over 10,000 miles on my 997GT3 and found it amazingly comfortable, even on Mississippi roads. There is more road noise than the standard car but I loved it anyway. It is hard to use bluetooth headsets in the car but who cares? On the track it was truly remarkable being both fast and forgiving. The main problem is that it scrapes on EVERYTHING, even dips on the road at times. I even found myself calculating entry points into gas stations, driveways, parking lots, etc to prevent the front end from tearing off which actually happened to me in my 996GT3.

Hope this helps.

cobrien

Hey eilig, I'm in Palos Park (SW burbs), probably about 45 min. away. Not a problem to work something out if it ever stops snowing and Cook county stops salting .

I know what you mean, and in my opinion there is no comparison between the cars, even on the street. The GT3 is just more fun in every way. More power, better brakes, handles better, revs higher, sounds better, feels more composed, feels more solid, better steering feel....anyway, you get the point.

Ride comfort is very subjective, I think. I don't even consider the GT3 to be harsh with the suspension in the normal setting. It's actually a very comfortable ride IMO.

I agree with stisseront that the clutch is stiff compared with the C2S clutch. Whenever I drive the car after having driven something else, it takes about 5 minutes of driving to get used to. After that I don't notice it any more. I've also spent a lot of time in Chicago stop-and-go traffic and the clutch hasn't bothered me. But without a doubt it's noticeably stiffer than the C2S. (The entertaining part is driving something else after driving the GT3; for the first 5 minutes in that car I basically shove the clutch pedal through the floor every time I press it ).

I've also been pretty lucky with the front; I really haven't scraped it at all in the year I've had the car. But I take it easy pulling into raised driveways, over speedbumps, etc.

340Elise

I had the regular 997 C2 (2005), and the difference between it and my 2008 GT3 are night and day; and I'm not talking about power (although that is a huge difference).

I think the GT3 is more than comfortable as a daily driver, I would not change a thing.

Here is another way to put it: If I had to choose between a 997 (S or not) and a Lotus Exige S, it would be a simple decision requiring no thought; the Lotus all the way. But with the GT3, the Lotus is not longer the superior choice for the enthusiast. They are both great, but the GT3 just a bit more so.

Oh, and one more comparo. You can throw the turbo right in with the C2 and C2S. It does not compare to my GT3 (except in a straight line of course), and again, I would take an Exige S over the turbo, and not because it is half the price.

But if your roads are really terrible up where you live, then it may be a defferent story; I cannot comment on your roads.