jumper5836

A GT3 once you add the carbon fibre seats, red seat belts, dynamic engine mounts and painted wheels is only $16k Cdn less the an RS which has shorter gearing and 15 more HP plus, wider track front and rear, a more expensive wing, decals and a RS sticker of exclusivity on it.

Honestly that is a deal, Porsche sells a 23 hp power kit for the 997 $23 k

Yes I disagree. The RS is a street car as like the GT3 is, both are great on the street more so then even the old 996 GT3 and both are unbelievable at the track but they are not track/race cars not even close.

amaist

Of course the RS is a street car. But I would not be driving it to work. Too annoying for that. This is what the M3 is for. When I was single I could have considered a GT3 as a road car (I drove a track prepared M3 on the street) but that was just a phase.

As to being a track/race car then I disagree. I distinguish between a track car and a race car. A track car is something you can drive all day on the track and have fun with it and not have it fall to pieces too soon. The GT3 and especially the RS do it very well. And you don't necessarily need a trailer to come to the track. You can also drive it into town for gas, to visit the mechanic, or to show off. Commuting to work and picking up kids from school in a track car can be done as a joke once in a while but it's not a good long term solution.

A race car is something you use to race other cars on the track. You get to fight for position and possibly rub fenders against other cars. The GT3 is not a race car and needs work to be converted into such. Or you get a Cup car and then you are there immediately.

Zookie

well not everyones a car enthusiast...

amaist

There is a different between being an enthusiast and a bore. When there is nothing else in your life other than cars that you need to exploit in absurd ways then you turn into a trekkie with different toys. Constant arguing about Scuderia vs GT3 or similar topics is just another form of Kirk vs. Picard debate. To other people it looks just as dorky because it is.

jumper5836

I think your definition of a track car is to general. I could take a Mini Copper around and have fun in it. All 911's no matter what year can be tracked and all of them are good at it.

I think most people would agree that a track car is something that is a toy/hobby, doesn't take much to maintain and considering how dangerous the sport is, something that can be written off. The goal of the track car is to not put around in. I don't know to many people that use a track car to do that and most use it to play around with other track cars. Anything that works well on the track means it won't work on the street very well. Track cars are towed becuase the tires can't be driven on streets, they're striped for weight. Do they even have insurance on them?

All these things make a 100k car not a very good track car unless you have a ton of money growing on trees. Granted there are a lot of people who could afford to make a GT3 into a track car and play with the rich friends who also have GT3's, if serious they usually end up getting a Cup car.

jumper5836

I agree, M3. Ok what ever, that's what I consider a family car. I drive a 911 to work every day. It's loud has stiff suspension which could pop a coffee cup out of the holder in a flash.
It ain't t a track car nor even close to one. If I had a GT3RS it would also be the DD except in rain and winter.

amaist

Right. Until you actually start driving it properly and blow a motor because it can't sustain high lateral g-loads (This applies to 996 cars).

Almost all older 911's make good track cars. This is why Porsche's are so cool.

A Mini (especially the GP edition) makes a great track car. What's wrong with driving a Mini on the track? It handles like a go-kart, easy to push to it's limit, relatively forgiving, safe (the body is pretty much a roll cage).

Disposability is purely measured by your willingness to bet your car. If you can take the hit financially then you can afford to track it. I know plenty of people who can write off a car like a GT3. I know some that actually did it.

And if you want to drive a GT3 or a GT3RS on the street daily then more power to you. People drive Civics with cut springs on the road, too. That doesn't mean it's a good idea or practical. Having a car that can't enter some garages and is forced to be parked outside doesn't make it a good daily driver. Not being able to enter a grocery store parking lot because you can't clear the speed bumps is funny the first time. The second time you feel like a total dork who is too obsessed with being an "enthusiast". And I did try to transport coffee in the cup holder of the GT3. Felt very stupid cleaning it up after exiting the parking lot. Now I hold it in my hand.

I don't mean to insult anyone. I used to take this stuff too seriously, as well. I had the mentality of the race car driver as Clarkson describes it. If the car can't be entered into Le Mans then it's worthless. Turns out cars can be used for more than blasting around a race track. And you can still enjoy driving them. I don't need a bone jarring suspension to make me feel good driving a car on the street. I did it before. Full on JRZ race suspension, 800 lbs/inch springs, racing brake pads (sends old ladies running for shelter at traffic lights). I have decided to separate the two activities. Driving a car in daily life is not like driving one on the track. If you combine the two you either go horribly slow on the track or get arrested on the street. I am very lucky that I can actually afford to separate the two activities.

swbatte

I'm going to see Top Gear Live in London England this November. I have VIP tickets and will meet Clarkson and the lads. Maybe I should just ask him to clarify his statements.

(The trip was a birthday gift from my wife. She wins the best wife of 2010).

LastMezger

Heck, wife of the decade.

As for the above conversation...definitely don't take cars too seriously. They really shouldn't be overly important to anyone.

Ronan

They're just cars. I use mine fairly regularly,but it was never meant to be a practical shopping car in the first place. I use a Cayenne if I need to haul the dogs around, not an RS. In the end it a very personal choice, and I generally would not recommend the RS to people who think its a typical road car. There are better, faster,more comfortable cars, but I just enjoy the RS and understand its limitations.

LastMezger

And that's EXACTLY it...it's what each person enjoys. I've never understood the idea that one car is "better" than the other.

amaist

Bingo!

I hate those comparison tests in magazines and the follow up bragging and poo flinging on message boards discussing which one is better.

By the car you like and drive it how you like.

Doesn't stop me or anyone else having an opinion about it but you do what you like and that's the end of it.

Each car has some appeal to someone, even if it's just low price.

gekko

One tip, if your not driving down, make sure you pre-book a cab from the train station - otherwise you'll never get one at the studio - it's in the middle of no where. Have a great time!