MGibilisco

I have always loved the lines, sound and passion of the air-cooled cars I’ve owned, but everything I have seen over the past several years indicates the GT3 series is a pure driving machine, but I've never driven one. I’m not a guy who likes frills in sports cars, so compared to the older AC stuff I’ve driven a car with heated seats and NAV seems like a luxo boat comparatively speaking.

I’d love some honest opinions on the GT3 experience compared to a 993 for those of you who have or still do own both. As an FYI, given my budget I’ll most likely be looking at 7.1 cars unless RS’s and 7.2 cars make a big price slide over the next year.

tasman

Probably seems obvious but if you could find someone to let you take one for a spin would certainly answer your questions.

mooty

having had most 911s from 1984-2012, it's nice to,have one of everything. but if I can have only one, it would b in this order

rs40
rs38
6gt3
rs3.6

sorry but the AC cars simply does not come close..... they r still fun, but not my first, second or third choice.

MGibilisco

Thanks guys, opinions appreciated. Here in Omaha we rarely see GT3's, much less a dealer that would have one used and allow a guy to test drive it.

I do travel for work though and may try to find one to drive that way.

tlarocque

One of each!

globed

I've had quite a gap between my ’96 993 C2 and my ’11 GT3. Just the same, I remember the old car like it was yesterday. It was a car with minimal functional frills, Teutonic in every way. That said, the 993 was actually quite a refined ride... Multi-link and other improvements made it quite capable for touring and eliminated most of the traditional liftoff oversteer. This was no hairy beast.

I'm actually quite a Luddite, real disdain for unused gadgets. Unfortunately the world caters less and less for us. From a frills perspective, spend some time in a basic spec 997S with 6-speed, that will give you plenty of insight to get started. While the GT3 could be speced with all sorts of garbage (sorry), thankfully most weren't. That said, it's a 997 underneath. Having spent some time in a basic 997, and if you think you could be happy, then know that a GT3 will make you happier in terms of driving experience... Light weight (same as my 993), noisier, firmer, etc.

From a driving perspective, you'll be thrilled with a GT3 as the 993 was quite refined. A lightly speced GT3 is certainly not loaded with frills, but it just isn't possible to get back to that 993 interior... Time has marched on.

911GT3

Own both. Very different. I love the lightness and rawness of the 993, and honestly love the look more than my .2 GT3--and I love the looks of it! I use the 993 as a DD and really get to regularly experience what I always thought Porsche was about. But, for most people looking for the ultimate driving experience, and who have to pick one, the GT3 wins. Standing outside of both of them, I want to get into the 993. Sitting inside and driving them, I don't want to get out of the GT3. It really is that good. The handling and response are crazy good. It truly is a great car. As a car to own, and enjoy, both will do just fine. For a pure driving experience, if that is what you are looking for, the GT3 wins.

Guest89

I have a 993, but I have a deposit on a 997.1 GT3 - I won't go into details, but I should be into the water-cooled car in 5-6 weeks.

I love the air-cooled car, which has served as a mostly-reliable sole car/DD for me since February '12, but I'll be selling it to my dad ("Sportsman" on here) to get into the GT3. I'll add that I'm not a middle-aged guy wearing rose-colored glasses - I'm 23, but I have a strong (and expensive) appreciation for true drivers' cars.

When I get out of the 993 to drive a conventional, modern car it's torturous - I hate the numb controls, the lack of feedback, the soft clutch, etc. A friend of mine had a Mazdaspeed 6 that he was very proud of, and he wanted me to drive it and give some honest feedback. I didn't care for it at all - very alien control weights, obvious FWD origins, considerable turbo lag, and so on. He drove the 993 and said it was "a revelation" in comparison to any other car he'd ever driven. Obviously I felt the same, which is why I made up my mind to buy the 993 after < 1 mile of test driving it, having had zero intention of purchasing the one I drove in Atlanta; I was after a red one at RAC in Dallas. But I had to have the one I drove.

I've driven both 997.1 and 997.2 GT3s and they felt immediately familar after getting out of the 993 - solid, robust clutch pedal, very direct G50 gearbox, communicative, near-telepathic steering, etc.

I will miss many aspects of the older car - the spartan interior and the unique air-cooled music chief among them - that have made it a charismatic car to own and drive, even during my very mundane daily commute. I wouldn't sell it to anyone other than my dad - I assume he will be amenable to an occasional swap

WSH

I've owned 2 993's (1997 C4S for 10 years, '98C2S for one year) and 2 GT cars ('07 GT3, '11RS 3.8)
Would NEVER go back to a 993. GT3/RS superior in every way..and MUCH stiffer chassis. Faster much better handling better sound, etc.

Owned total of 11 Porsche's from 1980 till present, Watercooled GT cars are the best.
Recently drove my childhood "Dream" car, 1973 911S 2.4. Car felt old (duh), slow and disconnected compared to the GT3RS. Flat, non-supportive seats, flexible chassis, sound can't match GT car.
No looking back here.

wsh

DRPM

I like and have both.
Horses for courses...
As mentioned above, try to get yourself a test drive in the GT3.

Sportsman

Sure, we can "swap" cars. I assume you'll have a trailer hitch for my boat trailer...

MGibilisco

Drove a 997.2 non "s" today in San Antonio. Thought I'd start at the bottom and work up.

It was rush hour, so not a l

MGibilisco

Oops..

It was rush hour, so not a lot of room to get on it, but overall it was kinda boring. They had a '10 gt3 but weren't open to test drives. He started it for me, the car looked tough IMHO. Next up will be an "s" to contrast.

Tell me that a gt3 is night/day compared to the c2 or I will be running to find a nice AC machine!

roberga

there is No comparison.... as soon as you take the RPM to 8,200 the comparison will be over. If you have a nanosecond of hesitation a GT3 is not for you.

Guest89

I'm surprised they aren't open to a test drive. I've driven two 997 GT3s - granted both of them private sales - but the owners made the same assessment of me that a salesman would have to, namely "do I trust this person to drive this car?"

Of course, the dealer has insurance and the salesman would likely keep his job if you balled up a car on a test drive, to which you would just shrug and walk away, provided you were unhurt. Wrecking another person's private property would end in tears for both parties, however.

In both cases it was pretty easy to secure the drive - call the owner, discuss Porsches ("I have a 993, really enjoy it, but I'd like something faster/more modern/etc."), indicate interest in his car, set up a time to see the car and drive it.
Obvious stuff. In fact, I've never had a problem with test driving any cars I've been interested in - E92 M3, Lotus Elise in addition to the Porsches - despite being very young. I've been pleasantly surprised.

If you have a business trip or vacation that will take you somewhere like South Florida or Southern California, reach out to a few dealers and see if you can set something up.