Qwickrick

I couldn't resist responding to that one about "successful racer instructors" and still surprised that no one picked up on my reference to "Harvey" being Dr Pain's dentist friend.

insite

i'd say have him get a spec boxster to learn prior to graduating to a 996 / 996 GT3. unless you want to watch him learn in the GT3 for pure entertainment value.

NJcroc

Another idea might be sell him that great car of yours and buy yourself a cup car and come racing

BostonDMD

First I have to win a few more DEs......

George from MD

Dang I'm late for this one.

May I suggest a 914 1.7 on stock rims and street tires? With a roll cage. And airconditioning for the instructor.

smlporsche

350+ HP for a first time student who wants to be the fastest right out of the box is a recipe for disaster.

As we all know there are many of us in lower HP cars who have no problem passing cars with 100 to 200+ more HP than ours (if we get a frickin' point by!)

This guy will need to have a good instructor to make sure he doesn't take out half the run group with him if half of what Paolo says is true...

Leave the attitude in his office or be prepared to get his *** handed to him

IBTL !

DogInBlack

Well if he isnt going to buy my RSA for 90 (which has passed its share of GT3s and 997S'), I think a Carrera GT is a wise move for someone wanting to make a real splash at his first DE.

He should tow with a matching Cayenne GTS- get a custom painted matching helmet, shirts, driving shoes, etc. Wait a minute, he's not from Tennessee is he?

Mark Dreyer

I went from a 996 TT to a 996 GT3 and now finally to a spec E30 BMW with all of 175 hp. I'd like to go back to the 996 GT3 some day but in the meantime I want to get to the point where I can hang with some of the high hp cars in my Beemer. I would have bought a 944 since I'm a P-car guy, but I couldn't find one at the time that had the safety stuff already done. Nonetheless I've come to really like this little car and would recommend it for any track newbie.

Oh, and BTW, I'm a dentist too!

RonCT

I got my start in BMWCCA and there you basically had a "ban" on any high performance tweaks and definitely R-compound rubber until you were in the equivalent of White. The reason being is they wanted you to learn the basics before having to worry about high power and torque, unforgiving suspensions and tires, etc. Spinning out often probably isn't a great way to learn, especially if you kiss the wall. Every time we saw a "noob" show up in a fully modified car we all wondered if he / she would make it through the day.

Same basically applies for PCA - I get nervous if a totally new guy shows up having bought a GT3 (or similar "tweaked" car) for the purpose of DE. It's another thing if a car enthusiast happened to own a GT3 for the street and decided "Hey, I should learn how to drive this thing..." It's hard for me to explain the differences, but it's a mindset more than anything. To be looking to start DE (with emphasis on education) with an ego such that "I want to be king of the hill - how much power and torque can I buy for $100k..." is really concerning. I have a feeling that if your friend showed up in a GT3 for his first event ever and word got around that he's looking to conquer the DE world in one season that the instructors would run in the opposite direction.

On the other hand, if he were to start off reasonably with a street car that he could either modify upwards or later (like after he's in White) trade for a GT3 or other tweaked car, then that might be a better match. Sounds like this would be his first ever Porsche, so why not something more subtle, like a 997S, where it would serve as his street car and DE car? Learn to drive the thing day and night on the roads, the track, etc. Seat time even on the road is valuable - learning to shift, brake, downshift, rev match, etc. Learn the physics on a daily basis. On the other hand, the GT3s are so "track oriented" that I don't know if you could push them hard enough to get a sense of what they are about unless you were on the track and at the limit. For example, I could push my GT3 as much as I wanted to on the street, but until I got it to WGI, I really didn't know the true dynamics. And for knowing the limit, I found it quickly in Black and found the understeer moderate, where my son in Yellow (as well as his expert instructor who drove a few laps) didn't experience any understeer because they weren't driving it as hard. My point is that a new student might strive for a 2:30 at WGI and can accomplish that comfortably and safely in a 964, 993, 996, 997, etc. No need for a GT3 that is less forgiving.

sjanes

New Viper ACR. If you get passed in this thing, you should try other hobbies. Like knitting.

Barfly

The car above is pretty nice. It would fit right at 100k.

______
Jason

Jarez Mifkin

I bet it won't stop just like all the others....

BostonDMD

Yes, but you started in Green with a TT.........so typical dentist

Except me who only started with a Cayman S.....

paradisenb

Cup Car. Older 996 Cups are around his price range. Factory race cars. Ready to go right out of the box.

He wouldn't need to upgrade after first year of DE.

BostonDMD

Ron CT, I hear you......but unfortunately the Green group is filled of the latest and fastest P cars.....

It's like these people think that just because you can afford a fast car, they are automatically good enough to drive it fast.......