jschneideriii

Wanting the get people's input with specific things to look at on a used GT3. I've done research and understand the factors with carbon ceramic breaks. Need owner facts on the series 1 and 2 versions (aside from the obvious 3.6 vs 3.8 liter motors).

Look forward to input and things to look out for specific to the model.

sunnyr

Do a PPI at a reputed place, look at DME report for over revs.

Between .1 and .2, besides bigger engine, .2 PASM is supposed to ride better, .2 makes more downforce (not that I can tell), the awesome bucket seats were an option (so some .2s have them), same with front lift if it matters to you. I also believe they don't suffer from RMS leak like some .1s tend to. But on the other hand you have to deal with center lock wheels.

In the end, only you can decide if the price diff between .1 and .2 is worth it. .1 owners will say no, .2 owners will say, yes.

Good luck with the search.

Runner

I happen to own both .1 and .2. Save your money and find a good .1. Save even more money and find a higher milage example. Don't be afraid of higher milage; especially if DD milage. Beware of the lower milage, possible more dedicated track time. Check if the coolant lines have been fixed. Other than that, go buy your dream car. Less mods are a plus in my book. .1 looks better too.

A .1 combined with a LWFW is so intense and great experience.

Tcomegna

Buy it ASAP before prices keep climbing, and stick with the 3.6

bobaines

Great input.

I have a .1 with three mods: Sharkworks center delete and tips, the god sound; DSC module with lateral accelerometer, brings it past .2 PSAM performance; 3.89 ring & pinion, wakes the car up with the quicker revving 3.6.
And the coolant lines have been welded. So for less money than a .2 more grins/$.

sixtosune

.2 has nicer, more recent & smarter looking lower dash (PCM), a bit more torque on the larger displacement engine, and (IMO) nicer rear wing and rear lights.

With that said, either .1 & .2 are rock solid cars. CL wheels on .2 are a beauty, but a PITA. If You don't plan to thrash the car on a racetrack often, I consider PCCB's a great plus.

The front lift is a **Huge** plus for every day driving.

Find a good, well cared for example, and You'll be happy. Higher mileage shouldn't be a concern if proper care can be proven.

A good exhaust is really a must, as it brings out the character of the wonderful Mezger block. Here's my li'l .2 doing some light throat clearing on one of my daily tunnel drives:

alpha motoring

7.1 and 7.2 have a pretty decent price delta as well. In the last 6 months or so the 7.2 market has gotten a little softer so the two are a little closer than before.

Yes, some may argue that the 7.2 has more tech goodies (Pam 3.0) vs 7.1 but the sound system is not the greatest in the GT3 so at least for me I can care less.

The 7.2 with the 3.8 is a really fun car to drive both on and off the track. With options like front lift it makes inclines, driveways and speed bumps manageable. Without it, just a little angling gets you through them fine. You can get the carbon buckets from the factory in the 7.2 which will cost you $8-9k used to source.

The CL wheels are cool but you get limited by wheel selection and you need to buy a new torque wrench. PCCB are cool for the street as you have no brake dust. Do recommend switching to steel if you're tracking.

7.1 cars are great too. They're very sought after and getting harder and harder to find. Most common issue is getting the lines pinned which is not a super costly repair ~$3,500. The way that 3.6 revs up though really makes up for all the power disadvantage it has compared to the 3.8.

911Monte

Should one take into account the variable cam bolts issue with the 3.8 or was that issue more specific to the RS and not base GT3?

sin911

That may become an issue only with the RS Lightweight Flywheel. There are no problems if you use OEM set up from factory (dual mass flywheel).

jackb911

My only GT3 experience is with a .1 version. Unlike most guys on here I do all the routine maintenance myself - (I was an aircraft mechanic in my Army days) and have found this car to be relatively simple to work on. The car has been dead reliable and a joy to drive in the nearly 3 years I have owned it.

I purchased it from a good friend who is also a rabid Porsche enthusiast I've known for over 40 years, so I didn't do any shopping around. I "knew" the car, which was a huge advantage. But had I been shopping, a .1 would still have been my first choice for three reasons - no centerlocks, no cam bolt issues, a significantly more affordable price and IMO the .1 is the slightly better looking GT3 although I do prefer the wing on the .2. I am not a track guy and believe me, "only" 415 HP can get you into big trouble on the street.

And higher mileage doesn't seem to hurt these cars, especially the ones that have spent most of their lives on the street. My nine year old GT3 is approaching 40K miles and it feels as solid and runs as well as if it had 5K miles. It is all about proper cosmetic care and mechanical maintenance.

Bottom line, what you choose depends on your requirements. Both versions are epic Porsches and should retain great resale values if kept in good order. And has been said on this forum many times - "Buy the owner, not just the car".

tgil

Test drove 2 997.2s before I purchased my .1 about a year ago. From memory I could tell more HSP and torque in the .2, but the .1 is raw like the 996 GT3 which I tested also. The engine with stock exhaust setup sounds incredible going thru gears. I used lots of caution and respect initially since the GT3 is such a responsive machine compared to a modern non GT3 911. I still drive this car with lots of respect just feeling and hearing the power it has. It will satisfy every need unless you would desire or need a faster car at the track.
Good luck.

Ginsu Tim

If you're going to track it, be prepared to put $10k into suspension parts and $5k into coolant lines, otherwise my 7.1 is absolutely fukn amazing.

Larry Cable

note that the .2 has suspension changes over the .1 based upon work done for the GT2RS