jw1977

I currently have an 07 Carrera S. I'm considering purchasing a 2010 GT3 but I don't really plan on tracking it. Does this make sense or would a Turbo make more sense for being a daily driver?

cobrien

I had an 07 GT3 which I drove on the street and tracked. Got an '08 Turbo for the street and an '01 GT3R (ex ALMS car) for the track. After driving the Turbo for a year, I'm back to an '11 GT3RS for the street. The Turbo is a great street car.....comfortable, lots of power, does really well in the snow with winter tires. But IMO it's just nowhere near as fun to drive as a GT3 or GT3RS. So it depends on what you're looking for. The GT3 feels different than a C2, C2S, Turbo, etc. To me there's no comparison....I'd much rather have the GT3/GT3RS for the street. I'd suggest taking a test drive to see what you think. I have no plans to track my GT3RS (maybe a couple sessions for fun, that's it), but it brings a bigger smile to my face on the street than the Turbo did.

tcsracing1

the GT3 is a purists porsche and can be appreciated for what it is off the track.
(if porsche only offered one 911 model this would probably be it)

the only problem with GT3 ownership is the lack of rear seats for kids and the low chin spoiler and approach angle it causes.

the GT3 really is a hot rod porsche like that of the 1960's..... uncork the exhaust and it is like driving a classic!

blake

GT3s are a rough ride, so expect to be a bit uncomfortable physically compared to a Turbo after a long drive... It really comes down to what you want. For me, the GT3 puts a grin on my face every time that I drive it - though it is strictly my track car. Having that grin on a daily basis would be awesome...

One other thing to consider is your environment. I can't speak for 997.2 GT3s, but 996.2 and 997.1 did not have underbody coating protection. For this reason, I would not want to drive my GT3 in rough climates with salty conditions... (snow, ocean, etc.)

Good luck with your decision.

-Blake

911SLOW

My buying guide is:
1. Buy whatever you like
2. drive wherever you want
3. try hard not to hurt anybody including yourself doing 1. and 2.

Buying cars like these usually has nothing to do with "makes sense". They are larger than that and each one of us has his reasons to buy them and drive them. So even if nobody understands their reason, I respect them all.

John

ps. but please just dont buy a gt3 and put 20inch wheels and a giant subwoofer.

yellowmz3

I agree with 911SLOW. Just get what you want. Yeah the ride's not as smooth as a Turbo, but then again the Turbo's not as smooth as a Cadillac CTS-V. If it brings you pleasure, go for it.

Nizer

Get the GT3

My993C2

Good post by 911SLOW ...

I really wish I could afford a GT3 (or better yet a GT3RS). Don't worry I won't give you the "Workers of the World Unite" speech. I am not that sort of person. While the dream still exists that one day I can have that GT3RS, I do live the partial dream of owning a 993C2 and while it it not the fastest car on the track, I am definitely not slow in it and this season I have passed a number of GT3s and Turbos on DE track days only because I am faster in the corners (which just goes to show you need to be of above average driving skill if you want your ultra high performance car to perform the way it can perform, my 993C2 is much more forgiving than either the GT3 or the Turbo). Anyway having never driven a GT3 or a Turbo (which means my opinion is not worth that much here) my gut feeling tells me the Turbo would probably be the better car for the public roads while the GT3 would be more optimal on the track. Of course my 993C2 is over kill for the public roads, so at the end of the day my 993C2, a GT3 or a Turbo are all awesome DE track cars. There is just no way these cars can be driven the way they can be driven on the public roads like they want to be driven on the track. So we buy what we can afford and we buy what we will enjoy. Not all Porsches may be alike, but they are still Porsches and in most cases still much better than the other cars out there on the roads.

Now if someone will only do a straight one-for-one my 993C2 for their GT3 trade (or better yet a GT3RS), then I would be one happy camper. But if that ever happened I would need to start believing in the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus.

I will now get off of the and let more knowledgeable people who own GT3s and Turbos speak up. LOL

tcsracing1

lets not forget that porsche builds all their cars with knowledge learned on the track.
It dosnt mean that you should avoid them because you are not planning on going to a track.

the GT3 is derived from the GT3 CUP competition only car.
The GT3 is built for every day road use that can also be applied to a track for hobby use if so desired, but at the end of the day it is a street car.

Porsche didnt build the GT3 for only those seeking a trackable car. It just so happens that it can be easily tracked just as all porsches.
The CUP is for those seeking a track car anyhow.

The GT3 is simply a model for buyers who are enthusiasts and enjoy the engineering of the CUP platform in their everyday street ride. Not uncommon to see them at tracks for D.E's etc because of it.....

One only has to look to the past at the 1970's RS. Not all buyers who bought them occasionally tracked them. They were used for daily street driving and enjoyed as such. Today most people still only drive them on the street and enjoy them for the legends that they are and came from.

the GT3 can also be enjoyed the same today and in the future just as the 70's RS.

911dev

I had a C2S, C4S cab and turbo; all 997s. I now own a 2010 gt3, which I prefer over any of the others and I don't track it.

911SLOW

Yes I agree as long as all the electronics they keep on putting will work in 30 years.

John

skxf430

you can certainly enjoy the GT3 on the street and the ride isn't stiff at all.

LastMezger

I can't say I've ever found the Turbo more comfortable than the GT-3. Doesn't sound as good, that's for sure.

blake

Wow - things have changed then.... Comparing a 2004 996 Turbo to a 2004 GT3 is night and day regarding ride quality. I know that the 997.1 GT3s became more "compliant" than their 996 bretheren, and I can't speak for the 997.2s... Are they that much softer?

If so, buying a 2010 GT3 as a Daily Driver is a no-brainer IMHO...

-B

LastMezger

Your GT3 is a completely different animal. I remember driving the 996 GT3, sitting at a light with the whole car shaking and vibrating to the hum of the engine! Bumps are punishing, the noise insane...it's quite unlike just about any other car I've driven.

I haven't tested a 997.1 GT3 but the 2010 is quite civil. If anything I think the ride might be better than the last 997.1 Turbo I drove. The new GT3 is nowhere near as direct IMHO as the 996 GT3.