TraqGear

Has anyone compared the running costs of a GTC3 car vs. a GTC4 car? Would love to look into a sequential, but didn't want to kill the budget. Any guidance is most appreciated.

fleadh

You can spend the same on both, depending how you drive it and how competitive you want to be.

I'd go GTC4 as it's faster as well as being a newer platform.

-mike

analogmike

There are guys who can build the sequential with better (non PMNA) parts, and along with a blipper they can now tun for years between rebuilds. That was the biggest difference between the 996 and 997 cups, now it's a little closer. You'll break clutches on the 996 if you miss a shift, that won't happen on the 997.

TraqGear

Sounds like 997's could be a target. Def would be fun. Of course, the initial buy-in is more, but that isn't where the money is spent. I'm waiting on an investment to liquidate.

What about year models?

early_grayce

No big difference between the year models. 2007 have more favorable gear ratios for most tracks, but many of the 08-09 have been changed to the 07 gear ratios.

Zuluracerx

Dude, it's all expensive. It's like never ending ripping up hundred dollar bills...but it's SO worth it!

mobonic

more like thousand dollar bills

I have many friends with 997 cups that race them and DE them.

Buying the cup is the cheapest part.

If you cant afford to rebuild and engine and tranny every year, and it not effect your racing budget... then you should not get a cup car.

We always plan for best case scenario, but most used cup car buyers have to deal with rebuilds right away no matter how many hours the car has.

boothkc

I figure "well North" of $1000/h to run my '08 997 Cup excluding any capital money costs and support.

Assume an engine will last 100h (generous) at $30k/rebuild and trans is good for 50h at $15k that puts you at $600/h for engine and gear box reserves.

Tires are $2000 and at least 1 set/ weekend or 2-3h max (round that to $5-600/hr alone).

Blue axels $6k and 25-50h ($125/hr)

Fuel 22g/hr $8/gal = $176/hr

Brakes depends alot on kind and use, but pads are $1k/set and rotors $2k and may replaced every 2-3 sets of pads which looks to be 2-3x/season....yikes = $300/h or so.

We are now at almost $1800/hr w/o any service or fluid changes not to mention the other stuff that needs attention and periodic replacement.

I am suprised that this figure is about 4x my Panoz GTS which is only 4 sec/lap slower!!! Some of these numbers are rough guesses or from memory, but you get the idea.

Better than sex and it last longer..... might not be cheaper.

early_grayce

+1
PM some guys who race Cups for their budget... most don't want to advertise/admit the costs, it's a form of denial. Or in my case survival.

Zuluracerx

I'm in complete denial, I don't deny that (lol). I don't want to know what it really cost, all I know is it is substantial, roughly $10,000 per weekend not including repairs, rebuilds, etc.

TraqGear

Very scary.

On Pole

The cost of racing hasn't increased in 30 years. Back then,
it took everything you had. And it still does.

analogmike

Very true but back then all I had could fit in a Jeep and an open trailer. Or I could drive my 911 to the track with a spare set of wheels and tires stuck in the front trunk and back seat. Sometimes I miss those days...

Veloce Raptor

The first rule of Fight Club is we don't talk about Fight Club. The second rule is we don't talk about how much it costs...

mobonic

I agree with not talk about how much racing cost because we are all in denial... BUT there is a HUGE discrepancy on this forum as to those WHO DON'T have cup cars and what they believe the cost to run them.

Some think that running a cup car cost the same as running a street modified car, and they are hugely mistaken. I have also spoken to 2 people from this forum at the track that jumped into cup car ownership only to loose their shirt and have to exit racing for a while to recoup the cost because it was 4 times what they expected, along with blown motor and trans rebuild costs.

So in order to debunk these myths I think it is good to talk about it so that those who are looking for a 997 cup car or hoping to get into a 997 cup will know numbers closer to the truth.

I think the numbers above are getting accurate.

From my calculations running a 997 Cup will cost you $10k-$20k per weekend for club racing and those are just the hard costs for that weekend (too many variable which is why its a large spread).