Mate Id be surprised if Menerbes to Nurburgring then Nurburgring to Spa (Belgium) then Spa to Zurich (to return car and flight) is less than 2000km? I have no idea. Someone who has internet access can tell me?

 

Yes. Dave is taking me down early tomorrow morning to collect her

 

That car will never be investment material, mark 1 or no. If you're willing to spend the money to bring it back to life (it wouldn't be hard to spend $20k, could easily end up being more), it could be a decent track hack. There's a reason it's "cheap" (still overpriced at that price) and been on the market in more-or-less the current state (okay, the weld-in cage was removed at some point) for nearly two years.

If you're buying a 996 GT3 to drive, there's no reason to favour a mark 1 over a mark 2 versus any other factor -- buy primarily on condition. If you want to track it heavily, you'll end up with a bunch of mark 2 bits on the mark 1, so look for one with those done or prefer the mark 2. If you're buying as an investment, you're probably a fool, but the mark 1 is a marginally safer bet -- although the right choice was always the 996 GT3 RS.

1500km, not counting distance on the circuits.

 

That's pretty much what Steve told me when I looked at it last year.

Granted a R is not a GT3, but for my use it was better to spend $85k on a no stories track oriented car with 28,000km than take a punt on this car.

That said there isn't much choice out there now if you are GT3 focused. Matt H picked up the last 996 one. It's quite a price leap after that to the 997s.

 

Wish I could be there for the reveal as I was when the journey started on 3rd August, but I'm stuck in Sydney and it's Mardi Gras weekend so might go to work and keep out of the photo ops.

Maybe a run next weekend?

 

Macca, I'm not following your logic. If you're planing on going to the Ring then Spa is only 123km each way from there. That would be the marginal extra distance.

 

atta boy Matt
Yea harden up its only 123km according to my google. Can't miss for that puny distance. you boys on SITT 2014 did more than that before sun came up!!

 

I don't think Macca was going to do either track with us after Menerbes.

 

Maybe Macca's run it before? I couldn't conceive of being that close and not going to Spa, not least to pay my respects to Bellof at Eau Rouge.

Edit: saw John's post above - makes more sense now.

 

and bit over 500km 'Ring back to Zurich

 

Pete+Graeme. You have my proposed itinerary. I have put a bit more work into this since we last spoke (accommodation). There was no visit to the Nurburgring included so its not a matter of 123km. Its a matter of 1500 km. Open to suggestions?

 

Correct John. I have some dates other end I need to meet and when Menerbes was settled it was around 4-5 days later than I anticipated so something had to give.

I have driven Nurburgring before so no missing anything there. Im hoping to book a half day track session in Milan at Monza on the way between Lake Maggiore & Rapallo on way to Sicily mid week 24 August but Im having trouble on two fronts a). finding a group to go with and b) insurance - the car is insured with Zurich and they will not cover it on the track. If I have to I will compromise on one of those two points.

Pete's dream is Spa. Mine is Sicily (I have three famous drives planned including Targa Florio route) and the Stelvio Pass and 6 other famous alpine routes Ill attack form our lake base. All of these are already part of my itinerary. I guess its a first world problem, but I hope to be back to Europe in 2018/19 and Im sure a car will be involved ;-)

 

Actually. I just figured out I can get to Nurburgring on 21 Sept if we cut Menerbes a day early. We will have to drive Saint Etienne to Ring in one go (730km). If you guys can do Menerbes to Nurburgring in one shot (930km) it should work fine. I can pull an extra day out for Spa unless we move Menerbes forward by a few days. I dont think Spa will be easy to happen in any case for a mid week date?

So we can fit in a group assault on the Ring and then Pete can go with Graeme to do Spa?

 

We did Nice to Épérnay in one day, a similar distance. It's a BIG drive.

 

a bit of planning required but plenty of time so for my part I can plan itinerary to reduce mileages involved