andrewgt3

Hey guys -

Just wanted to share some thoughts. First I want to say you have a great forum here - lots of knowledgeable folks that are willing to help. I come from the Audi community and it's refreshing to see a similar vibe here.

My wife and I often vacation on the west coast (where we met). Our deal is - she picks the hotel - I pick the car. So for the past few years we've rented everything from 911s to 360 modenas. I fell in love with the handling of the 997 911 on canyon runs and just trotting along the PCH. The car felt very point and shoot to me, which was a departure from my heavily modified Audi TT. Needless to say, I started my search for a 911 which led me to the 997 GT3.

I heard a lot of fussing about the heavy clutch and the loud brakes, etc. -- in my mind a small trade for having a street legal race car. I also heard many folks complain about how the car is not such a great daily driver. Well I'm here to say I live in the northeast where we apparently cannot build a level road to save our lives and the GT3 is awesome if you are willing to put the work in. If you like to passively drive - it may not be the car for you. If you like to drive, this car will make everything else feel sloppy, slow and dull.

In the past two weeks, I've commuted to work, driven to RI > ME and back to MA, joined the PCA and basically thrown it around every on ramp, off ramp and twist I could find. I put 1500 miles on the car and enjoyed every foot of it. The car stops shockingly fast and with the sharkwerks bypass sounds like a bat out of hell when you want it to.



The car gets thumbs-up and nods everywhere it goes. My wife loves the car - it has seat heat and cup holders and rides smooth and true on the highway. Obviously this car gets really fun over 70mph, but it is equally fun under.

Just had to get that all out - awesome forum - awesome car. Now I just need an aftermarket warranty!

delanobe

I know how you feel.

Got my car a month or so and enjoying it even when it sits in the garage.

aussie jimmy

that's amore!

delanobe

And next week the center bypass + sharkwerks tips will be installed

triode

Welcome to the club!

BBMGT3

The bypass is seriously one of the best additions you can make.

On my car, maybe its unique or something, but at around 5k rpm if you lift off the throttle you get this intoxicating overrun burble... hard to describe it, but I love it.

ChrisF

I'm about 2 weeks ahead of you. I've had mine about a month and have put about 1500 miles on it already. I absolutely love it and am getting near the point where I may say "f'it. mileage be damned!". My only regret is that I didn't hold out for a car with nose lift. I think with that, I could have easily DD'd this car. I have my first track day tomorrow (YAY!) and can't wait to get a feel for this car in it's natural habitat. Congrats on the purchase and enjoy!

Aerokitted

I wish I could hear the RSS or Sharkwerks bypass in person. I don't like it too loud. The stock exhaust on sport mode is about as loud as I want it.

My observations in the 1K miles I've put on it this month due to the nice stretch of weather we've been having here -

*I've gotten adjusted to the racy-feel of the car especially after having made the switch from factory wheels + MPSCs to lighter forged wheels + PSSs. Much more streetable, but way, way more than enough grip for public roads (PSSs hands down best street tires on the market today)

*Quite tame when you want it to be; diametrically opposed when you want it to be

*If it was anything but a GT car, I'd get annoyed by the noises like the ubiquitous slow stop brake squeal and the whine of the transmission at hwy speeds - alas, no worries

*I, too, enjoy the sunroof and would always order one if given the option

*It's pretty much ruined all the AMG/M/RS cars for me along the driving experience front - soft, practical = Zzzz

*Neck breaker, but this isn't my first 911 so old news as I'm sure it is for the rest of you lot

*The stereo is quite a bit better than I had expected

*Makes me want to track again and it's been quite a while

Besides chewing on the bypass modification, all I really want to add is the carbon/alcantara combo OEM **** to dress it up a little bit more inside. Quite happy. Glad I have one with Mezger engine including the light bits.

rlips

Get thee to a track!!!

iLLM3

ENJOY, I can feel and hear the excitement through your words!!!

fjpdds

andrewgt3, great choice and well said.
Have a blast with that jewel.

scottmesenbrink

I have had mine for four months and I am finally going to the track next month. There is nothing like a GT3!

CRex

Andrew--great post. Congrats and very glad you're enjoying it.

For me, these GT cars are true Jekyll & Hyde creations. In day-to-day traffic their quirkiness is plain obvious--the rattles, the clutch, the short+stiff gearwork, all of which seem utterly OTT between stoplights. Those "look at me" stickers (bordering on compensation issues) don't help either. You endure all this until you get your opportunity to open up the driving a bit. Then you start to realize there's perhaps something special behind this madness. Ain't exactly sure what it is yet, but "raw" comes to mind.

Then you take it to the track. And everything comes together on a new level. All that madness you suffered on the drive over--the tall brake pedal, rock-hard shocks, high-up powerband and what not--now makes sense. Those doubts are gone, replaced by a silly grin as you marvel at the precision and level of communication from the steering and chassis. Lap after lap it amuses, continuing way after the other "supercars" on your track have overheated and scurried back into the pits. Eventually you, too, retire, but that's because of the driver and not the car.

IMO there are only two street cars with this mix of character and on-the-edge performance. The 430 Scud is one, the RS is the other. There will always be faster or better cars, but as driving tool these things are really darn good at what they do. Very glad to see you're enjoying yours!!

jenk12m

Nice write up and glad to hear your enjoying the car, but like others have said. Get it to a track and that write up will be twice as long

andrewgt3

thanks guys. to the track - that's the plan! it might have to wait until next year. I checked the pca site and I can't make any of the de's in my area this year. any suggestions?