One way to look for track usage is to look at the color of the calipers (assuming they are steels). The ones that see lots of heat change color to a less bright red. It's obvious once you've seen it before. Looking at the rotors and pads can help, but those can be changed out. Most of the time people won't bother with refinishing or changing calipers. SS brake lines are also a clue to look hard.

 

Good to know. Something else I'll look for

 

If you want a car to be a garage queen, sure, look for a car with no track miles. If you intend to actually drive the car, track cars tend to be very well cared for by owners, especially here. I don't agree with the "don't buy a tracked car" mentality. I would rather buy a car from a known RL'er that has tracked than one that has sat in a garage for years on end. But that's just me...

 

What I do, which has served me very well with the 22 Porsches I've bought since the first one in 1972...

1. "Buy the seller, not the car". I prefer purchasing from a private owner instead of a dealer whenever possible. You'd be surprised how many so-called pristine Porsches end up at dealers via auctions. Some of these have sketchy or unknown histories aside from Carfax or AutoCheck, both of which can be misleading.

2. When you find what appears to be the right car, do your due diligence (PPI) fast and don't overthink your purchase. Either buy it quickly or pass. The car will likely be sold to another interested party while you are mulling whether or not to buy; Or when a private party seller is involved, he/she may lose patience and withdraw the sales offer. How many Porsche forum FS ads have you seen where the owner had a change of heart and decided not to sell? I've done this in the past following the frustration of dealing with one too many tire kickers on a particular sale.

3. Cash (or an immediate wire transfer) can be an advantage during the negotiating process. But some sellers quote a set, firm price and may not budge.

 

 

BINGO! You buy the seller first, the car second. Give me a GT3 that has seen track time as long as it's been properly maintained versus a garage queen that's been sitting and collecting dust. A car is meant to be driven and a GT3 deserves to stretch it's legs out a bit at the track. I prefer private party cars for a few reasons, but one because I can speak/get to know a little more about the seller. Then I'd do a PPI and get a DME reading. If all checks out, buy it.

 

I agree with some of this, but...you can't tell me that just because a guy has 'taken care' of GT3 at the track,that the miles/hours he has put on his car (at speed most likely) on the track IS NOT going to adversely effect the car? Please. I've been told that every 1 mile on the track is equal to AT LEEAST 10 miles on the road

 

Depends on the buyer and whet he/she intends to do with the car. Most guys on this forum appear to be into the track thing and they will tell you that the extra maintenance required pretty much cancels out the additional wear and tear of tracking.

Since my tracking days ended a couple decades ago, coupled with the fact that I intend to keep my GT3 for a long, long time, I specifically sought out a non-tracked GT3.

 

Well stated

 

totally 100% agree...and when the right car comes around amazing what you will pay....

 

+1

 

1 miles = 10 miles
u are overly simply things.
I would by Trakcar's track car over a street car.u be amazed that 60 % of the gt3 drovers or maybe en
ven more than that simply cannot work a stick shift. and that's not say they aren't fast some really fast pro's camt shift eother, but it's not their gear bix they are butchering. so really it's buy the owner

that shot to say I advise u buy g a car with 50000 track miles on it.

I have some cars that I won't sell to my worst enemy.
but the last two tracked rs I sold, Im pretty confident to say unless u have less than 1000 miles on urs, my will be in better condition, paint chips, mechanicals, dents and scratches on leather, for will. wear on side bolster....

 

LOL
Would love to see your scientific analysis on this subject.

IMO cars that are tracked are typically over-maintained = a good thing.
NOTE: not science, just opinion.

 

Not all track cars are equal. For example, you can have a car that has been in wheel-to-wheel racing or other traditional races versus a car that has only seen DE track events under strictly regulated groups such as PCA, POC, BMW CCA, etc. I'll speak for myself, but my car basically goes to my shop after every other track event for inspection and/or service (change of fluids). Because I have chosen to track my GT3, I have chosen to spend the extra money to get way ahead on the preventative maintenance.

 

By the 1=10 on track metric My 996 had about 500,000 miles... And the last track they I did with it, I was still keeping up playing with the likes of Mooty and violet ... Car was a champ and an amazing condition

PS no I don't believe one equals 10 for track mileage ..but like an --- everyone, has one.