tkerrmd

this would be a great car to get!!

tkerrmd

may consider what groups you run with. some are passing anywhere with point by and others are open track pass anytime no point by, i.e. Chin and DMTDs

if you run under older DE rules for passing yes it can be frustrating

also if you find you are limited at DE's in general well then its time to get a race license

kgorman

AHAHAHAHAHHA *awesome*

kgorman

I started a thread a while back about the nuances of 'self supporting' a Cup that might be interesting to you in terms of what's required beyond learning to drive it and the service intervals: https://rennlist.com/forums/porsche-...upporting.html

24Chromium

I highly recommend getting a Clubsport. They are as quick as a 997.1 Cup, with a way more rational box that won't require frequent rebuilds like the sequential of a Cup.

I also echo the comments that a Cup (or the Clubsport) if well driven won't be fun at a DE. I've DE'd my Cup and Clubsport many times and I'm always frustrated by traffic. I'm going racing again just to avoid this.

CRex

Great discussion, this... first and foremost, if you're asking the question, the answer is already YES.

A race car whether in 996/7/991 or GT4CS form will be miles above anything you can experience in your 993. It's also safer with full welded-in cage. That's already a no-brainer to me but I'm a simpleton when it comes to cars

Wiser folks have written about the virtues of the various Cup cars. I'll add to Lar's comments about the GT4CS, based on my experience in the 24H series this year.

The Cayman GT4 CS is IMO a gateway product. It's exceedingly easy to drive courtesy of ABS and TC. Superb brakes and cornering makes this a super-friendly "race" car at 8- or 9-10ths.

But getting the best out of the Cayman is difficult. It's a heavy car to boot (even with the MR pack it's heavier than the 7 Cup). Over a 130-sec lap, pros would tell you it's tough to squeeze out that final 1-1.5s. It needs another 30-40bhps to be competitive with the rest of the GT4 field; in its current form it's hanging on by the sheer grace of BOP.

I wouldn't buy a GT4 CS today because the shelf life of the 981/3.8 DFI combo is limited and there'll be a supply of MY16/17 cars in no time. This car just doesn't have a competitive life to justify its competition price tag.

But it's a potent trainer. A real friendly car to experience that next level on track. A superb DE toy if you can swing it--guarantee you'll make a lot of new friends at the paddock with it But it'll also let you get away with a lot of things that'll get you hurt if/when you graduate to a Cup...

p.s. As much as I own and cherish my 7 Cup, IMO the sequential in that car promotes a skill relevant only to a period past. In your shoes I'd either go for a 6 or a 1. The former has ABS and a timeless H-pattern, the latter will see drastically increased supply as the one-make series complete their transition to the .2 car after this season.

tcsracing1

A Cup car would be a mistake for the OP.

The Cayman GT4CS is what he needs to scratch the itch.
Easier to operate, drive and own. ABS, PDK, DFI etc..

I too have "Cup car fever" , but I also know that it takes alot more to drive one of those cars 10/10ths when compared to driving a Cayman.
I also know that pre owned Cups are not getting any newer and getting them track ready can be expensive, especially engine and transmission rebuilds.
Fitting the cups with modern paddles and ABS is also expensive.

Pre owned Cups are a great way to enjoy serious track time, but they are more suited to go racing which is what most people buy them for.
Driving them in D.E waiting for point bys sucks for everybody.

At some point I would like to move into a (new) Cup Car, but for now I am enjoying the GT4CS.
It is so comfortable that i do not want to get out of it. For new tracks it is a great way to quickly get up to speed because the car is very easy to drive.

The real dream is a 991R

tcsracing1

Porsche indeed detuned the GT4CS engine when it was launched (to protect the 911 model line).
IMO, Porsche will have to initiate a replacement motor/parts package with the larger throttle body and X51 package at a minimum to keep the current GT4CS competitive for 2018 in GT4. (4.0L power kit would be even better).

In regards to replacement cars, there is no offical word as to wheather or not a 781 bodied racer will become available any time soon with either a higher HP 3.8L DFI or turbo 781 street motor with programming.
The shelf life of the 981 GT4CS was assumed to be 3-4 years before replacement car becomes available.

Given the success and competition in the global GT4 field of factory build race cars, I anticipate a fair replacement by Porsche towards the end of the 781 cycle.

Once the 781 GT4 replacement is launched, i expect to see alot of old 981 GT4CS becoming D.E cars and perhaps club racers. (They will make for an excellent D.E resale market compared to the outgoing 996, 997 and 991 Cups.)

tcsracing1

When looking at the water cooled Cup generations, they are all mezgers and all enjoy proper maintance schedules for longevity.
The 996 has a manual box and ABS
The 997 has a sequntial box and no ABS (paddles and ABS can be retrofitted)
The 991 has a paddle shift box and no ABS (ABS can be retrofitted)

The 991 is an aluminum car and is more expensive to repair body damage FYI.

Pbacon

I looked at all the options debated here and decided on a 996 CUP. I do a lot of the maintenance myself. The 997 Cups with sequential boxes are high maintenance and beyond my ability. 991 is even more so and beyond my budget. 996 CUPs are a lot less complicated. I ran a 996 street GT3 for 10 years so i know my way around the car. the 996 CUP is a bit of a step up but not a huge one. A big sort is racing venue. I am going HSR/SVRA/PCA and occasional NASA racing because the race groups are friendly. I am mostly looking for track time and friendly racing. At my age, I can't keep up with the younger crowd anyway. 996 CUP fits the "vintage" crowd since i am more like a vintage driver. i did not think I would have 3X the fun in a later car for 3X the cost.

Dennis Gentner

If you are sure you gonna buy a Cup Car, buy a MSA2 Box and get Modas (for 997) or RaceCon (991) running on it. To see the truth of the Car. I started the same way like you, bought a used 997.2 and was not happy, Engine Revision is 15-25k€ Gearbox Revision 5-15k€, ABS 10k€ Paddleshift 10k€ and so on and so on. If you buy cheap you have to invest... Now i got almost new 991 and i am Happy with it. And for next 50-70 hours no planned maintanance costs.

uscarrera

I am with with Pbacon the 996 is a great car but as stated before DE only time would be a waste every hour of DE time is one less hour of race time for the driveline. I too raced a 993 for a number of years was told be a lot of folks the factory Cup Car will be a whole new deal and man were they right but it is so much fun and I still have my left foot doing something and stick shifting a race car has always been a big part of the thrill the ability to properly heel and toe gets magnified in a 996 Cup and done correctly is very rewarding.
long live the 996 Cups
Rich

BBMGT3

I've owned my own 997 Cup and done DE days with a 991 Cup

If your goal is to go A LOT faster than a road car can, then sure, why not.

I then did a proper season of Carrera Cup in a 991. I don't think I ever came anywhere close to the laptimes I would do on a race weekend vs a DIY DE day. Like, 3-5s slower.

If you're going to buy your own car, make sure a real team is running it. I'm picking up a 4L 991 Cup at the end of the year and will enter in CC

Once you've driven a well sorted, well supported car, you will not go back to anything else

Make sure your wallet can take it. Otherwise skip the Cup and stick to Oculus on the sim

puddy

A couple weeks ago I paid large $$$ and drove a 991 cup car on track in Las Vegas, it was 5 short *** laps but one of the most memorable experiences of my life, its left me wondering constantly about how and when can I do this again. The sound of the straight cut gears was the best part, and the paddle shifters, so fun! Dropping the car off air jacks before the laps was just so F'ing cool! If I had the means, i'd own one in a second.

FLA997

This.

There is nothing like a factory built race car, but buying the actual car is normally just the down payment. Nearly every part of the car has a clock on it and few in private hands are maintained as they should be.