Macca

Final for today boys...2 hours footage - got half way through and gave up....enjoy...

O2GO

Very nice to watch your videos Macca. Thanks for sharing. Have you got your radar detector with you or are the local not worried about you carving up the hills? The roads being short twisty look fun where your top speed doesn't get too high due to all the corners.... Which on their own must be fun with the changes down and feeling the g-forces. The car sounds great on video which, given in my experience video doesn't record the engine noise very well, must be beautiful inside the cabin. Loved the one video that had you nearing red line for your up shift. Such a symphony. How do the downshift blips sound I the car? Does it also crackle a little on downshifts like the 991 or it is pure unadulterated sound?

Been reading a bit more around the net this being the last "pure" GT3 due to the new regulations you mentioned. I'm left wondering what Porsche's new engines will really be like. We are probably at the stage similar to the introduction of water cooled in the 90's.... Horrified. But Porsche have a habit of stepping up with such changes and we may find them pretty amazing. However I'm sure most of us would be staying with boxer 6s for a long time to come.

Watching your videos is making me think about changing plans. Maybe drop the long hood hot rod idea and instead get a 996 GT3 like Nigel. Hmmmm..... So much to think and read about :-)

Happy Christmas everyone.

John McM

Merry Christmas Doug et al,

Just watched Leno's garage on YouTube with the Singer before I read your comment. One thing that adds to the experience with air cooled cars is that you don't necessarily need to be travelling at warp speed to enjoy them, unlike say the 996TT. Aside from track days, that's more usable fun on our ever increasingly policed roads. A case in point will be my imminent trip to see Steve and get the RSR seat fitted. 130km each way at 104km/hr max. I'll be enjoying it the C4 more than I would in the Turbo.

Macca

Doug. You really need to try an old Porsche first before you decide. They smell funny, their HVACs dont work properly, older ones have funny gearboxes which shift slow (compared to the boxster) and they cost lost of money in maintenance. Media center is actually an old piece of newspaper under the passenger seat. If you end up doing a Magnus or Singer look alike you are talking 6 figures - so you need to know its the right choice. It wont be easily useable as a daily driver, it will be slower than the boxster, your wife may find it uncomfortable and youll need headphones for your music but it will look cool.

As everyone knows Im a big fan of the 996 GT3 on teh value stakes. Is a 991 GT3 4 x more a car than a 996.1 GT3. No way. Not even twice, so it makes this a bargain IMO. However its firm, very firm, and its loud. Actually on NZ roads its better suited to occasional weekend use and track days and targa tours. Your wife probably wont like being in it either.

My advice, although not sage is this. Carrera 997.2 GTS. Wait untl late 2014 and import one form the UK like Pete has done and youll have a great end of the generation power pack upgrades 911 which will hold its value well, do everything the boxster does but better by 35% and costs you no more than a hot rod whilst costing you less to keep on the road.

As for the argument about power lessinging the enjoyment, this has been leveled at the 911 since the first Turbo. Basically anything over 300 bhp is more than you need for the road. If you are a competent and confident driver you can extract as much fun out of a 993TT as you can a 996 GT3 at similar speeds. Im a big fan of naturally aspirated high revving engines with melody so a turbo Porsche will never been in my future, but I have driven a few and a couple quite hard and you can get them to exhibit attitude at lower speeds, but they will never sound as glorious as a 7000 rpm wailing unboosted flat 6 IMO.

As per usual you pays our money and yous takes your chances - everyone has a different view and different tastes and there is no right nor wrong. Best you can be is educated and have eyes wide open.

P.S. After 6500 rpm in the new GT3 it gets very noisey (and there is not artificial feedback in this car). Redline is a sound Ive never heard in a road car before, hard to explain. The PDK blips on the downshift but is a quick blip, not flared out like the older Ferrari boxes/software. The car has no "creep" in auto or manual and will slip the clutch in auto mode when taking off, also sounds like a bag of bolts in a wash machine at low speeds (clutch/gearbox). Manual is way more fun that auto. Auto is damn handy in town (especially when touring new places). Ive hardly turned on the stereo, it plays Jos iPhone and our iPod but the music sounds like crap compressed. Im still a vinyl and CD over compressed file fan. We ditched the Navi cause I can find my way around Auckland OK and $80 buys you the iPhone TomTom app these days. The onboard Tyre management System is useful as it tells me when the tires are warm enough to really push on. The seats are fully manual as they are the sport buckets. I prefer a manual bucket, suits my physique for some reason. Ride is firm butt not hard like previous gen GT3 and it never bottoms out. Power and spped of shifts are insane for a guy coming form a 993. Steering lacks the feel of the 993 (probably this was lost over a few generations Id imagine). Brakes are huge and hand of god good, but I havent used them on track yet....

O2GO

Those are very good points and a reason I like the twisty B road routes :-) There's a very nice run off the main drag that I've done often that will take longer, be more enjoyable, and unpoliced. It fits your description of medium speed, twisty in places, scenic - just lovely. (Presume you have a portable radar unit?)

John McM

Yes. I use a V1.

gt38088

an epic experience Macca. Looking fwd to hearing more on the SITT

Macca

Thats an awesome drive Doug, Ive done most of it on Rons sunday drives.

And thats just the rub. As I have found on this journey like with Rons runs, you can pretty much tear around NZ as quickly as you like enjoying great slowing twisty roads without ever seeing a cop. I dont think Ron or anyone in his group have very been ticketed, pulled over etc in all those years of 300km round journeys outside the posted limit. Its all about the route you take, and often the slowest googlemaps route ends up being the fastest, the one with less chance of a cracked windowscreen or a roadwork rash and the one you never see a rozzer on. No that Im advocating speed for thrills but when you see the Germans and Italians managing much higher limits than in NZ and the sky doesnt fall, then you have to wonder (actually the Italian and Germans are far better drivers than Kiwis so we need to start with some education - making a defensive driving course mandatory when you get your license would be a good pace to start!)>

Macca

Thanks Graeme. There is a bit more detail on a New Owners thread on the 991 GT3 board but the thread is very long now with 50000 views! I look forward to meeting on the SITT. I have something small to give you I picked up in my travels....

P.S. Have been given shipping date 21 Jan and arrival 10 March RORO. Does that sound like a realistic time-frame to you? Was yours early or late? Do you think I could gave the car off the boat and complied/registered etc within 5 days (compliance is easy for me as I have manufacturers COC)?

O2GO

Thanks Macca, when I dig deep, the real urge is to also own a rebuilt air cooled long hood hot rod..... for special occasions, track days, and just fun to own and drive. Lots to keep thinking about and researching.

http://www.paul-stephens.com/images_...eknik_3545.jpg

gt38088

Macca, it should be pretty much on time as far as ship arrival dates go since these big roro boats are on a round the world continuous timetable so can't get behind - the main thing will be weather out of northern hemisphere. unloading and clearing wharf in akl will be about 2 days from arrival depending on where on the boat it is parked. You will need to arrange pick up on a truck- since it isn't registered or complied. So you have someone to comply or shall I fwd contact to you?

it will be close depending on whether the inspector can turn up - it may pay to clean the underside b4 shipping since you have been driving a few km in winter - may or may not then avoid that here to save time.

Doug got to go now but will comment re your urge later today..

O2GO

Here's the jay Leno's Garage review of the Singer 911 John may have been referring to. Oh to be an oil magnate...

O2GO

Thanks, about to jump on a plane to the somewhat cold Dunedin but will keep a lookout. Cheers

John McM

Yes, that's the one.

John McM

In my time in Jakarta I watched endless TV programs where classic second tier muscle cars were modernised. Basically new running gear, interior etc. They looked like the originals but drove like modern cars. I suppose a Singer is like that, as would a backdated 964.

If I end up with one 911, which will happen one day, it will be the C4, eventually being backdated. Maybe it's better to do it the way Dave is looking, but I've sunk too much into the C4 to go that way, plus I like the way it drives, G50 and all. You have the luxury of driving a few Gruppe cars to refine your thoughts and you have time.