I am looking to acquire another play car. Considering a GT3 and a 911 Turbo. Not necessarily RS and S, but possibly. Any thoughts? Neither would be MT. I don't track my cars so track performance isn't a consideration. I have an SUV for hauling stuff so room isn't a consideration. Just looking for a general opinion on performance, drivability, maintenance, etc. Thanks!
It's hard not to be intoxicated with a GT3 on the test drive. So sharp and responsive. I'd only buy one if I was tracking it or it was my 3rd porsche. The turbos aren't as edgy and look like every other 911 buy good lord do they run. Driveability of a tt isn't much different than a normal 911. They just have that whoosh. They do feel heavy though and I can always tell they are AWD. You can't go wrong. To me though, the GT3 is tiresome to drive on the road. I'm looking at toys right now too. I just drove an AMG GT s and really liked it. A muscle car with manners.
I went thru the same thing a few years ago - drove both a Turbo and a GT3. Once I had the GT3 North of about 4000 RPM's, the decision was made. Two different cars, but I wanted a "toy" and the GT3 is just a raw animal. MDS PS: I thought this article was great ......... http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2007-porsche-911-gt3-997-first-drive-review My car ...... http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/porsche/466543-my-gt3.html
That's a very nice car Mike. Do you track it? I've had about 15 911's. everything from a 1980 911sc to GT3 to a turbo with 600+HP. People will look down on me but my favorite to just drive is a 997 RWD Carrera with a 6 speed. Just nice cars on the road.
Thank you. Spent one weekend (spring, 2015) on the track with it at Brainerd International Raceway with the MN Porsche Club. I just use it mainly on the back roads to and from the lake in the summer or if I wanna grab breakfast on the weekends. MDS
One thing I thought about with the GT3. They hold their value even if you drive them. Very desirable.
it's all about what happens between the ears...:=) GT3 is all about meeting the GT3 class racing rules in effect, so that one can line up on the start line and go for it all out against others like GT3 Mustang, GT3 Camero, BMW, etc... the GT3 class rules limit what is allowed in the class for parity with other marques racing in the class... essentially it is stripped of technology that class rules prohibit the 911S turbo offers all the latest technical stuff that Porsche has to offer and showcase their brand, there are no limitations to what can be included... it is all about putting smiles on the drivers without any of the harshness that makes a car better for events on the race track...
I had 997gt3 for 4 yrs as dd and track car. Very uncomfortable on my local streets. Better on track but didn't love it there either. Fairly unstable on hard braking even in straight line. Had mechanical issues too. I would recommend a turbo but the sound is very poor. Worst exhaust in a hi po car ever imo. How about a r8?
I have been through all of these and have come full circle. I have had a bunch of 911s. My faviorite if my 1986 DP cabriolet. It is a keeper. I got into a 991 GT3 and absolutely loved the car. Had a GT2 at the same time. Sold the GT 2 - have regretted that. As my DP started to go up in value, I decided to get a 2016 Targa GTS 4. I really like this car. IMHO, may be the best overall car Porsche makes - decent power, good handling, really slick roof, comfy ride as a daily but still a lot of fun on the back country roads. I then traded my GT3 on a GT3 RS. Although the RS was an amazing car, I did not really enjoy it on back roads - too stiff, etc. It really is more of a track car, so I sold it. Now, it looks like the new GT3 will be an amazing car and am on the list for one. It is the only car I would trade the Targa for. The GT3's are great cars. For those that feel they are too harsh for the street, the GTS varients are really great vehicles. Jana, go and drive each and decide for yourself. Also have to consider what would work well next to the Hurican. I am thinking GT3 or Targa.
Biggest advantage of the GT3 is the sound. If you like your fun cars to sound good, then the GT3 will be it. The Turbo sounds way to muffled and even with aft exhaust, the louder noise wont be as beautiful and exciting as the N/A scream from the GT3. Plus GT3 nowadays are comfortable, have all the goodies you want. I also think they look better! Please dont get black wheels.
I would miss all the creature features for the other 97% of the time the car is used when not on the track, especially for a longer trip on a 90+ degree day
I too love looks of targa. Does the weight of the roof effect handling at all? Can you feel difference when top is up or down? How does handling compare to cab?
impossible to tell, handling is great, only with a stop watch could one tell the difference in weight when going 10/10ths... the roll bar adds stiffness to the chassis that a cab doesn't have... most are not sophisticated enough to tell any difference... there is no reason to extract maximum performance on the track against competition... there are better choices in the line up for that... great ( maybe best ) all around model to enjoy the Porsche brand
This thread is making me think I need to own a Porsche again. Maybe a last year of the Mezger engine turbo with a 6 Speed.
No difference with top up or down from a structural standpoint. Very solid car. The whole Targa system does add a few pounds. It weights about 3500 lbs. Hard to notice a difference with DD or sprited back road driving. It is a solid roof, so very quiet when top is up.
With you on that one....2009 last year .....nice ones low miles in the 80's, great buy ! For the OP, a factor is new or used ? Turbos depreciate like rocks first 2 years, so if I was buying a newer turbo, I would get a used one. Another car to consider is a GTS, kind of in between a GT3 and regular Carrera, hold their value good and a nice all around car. A GTS4, as mentioned earlier by slm, may be the best all around one...if you get caught in wet weather, no worries !
Thanks for all the advice! It's nice to know I can't really go wrong either way. I went to see both cars this afternoon and I think the GT3 is going to win. Loved the handling and sound and really loved the curb appeal. The turbo doesn't look nearly as aggressive although I do love the turbo in that Miami blue. The GT3 I'm looking at is black. I'll let you know if we can get the deal done. I'm getting rid of the Ferrari. Tired of the constant maintenance.
I looked at R8s but they just don't do anything for me. I know, they are great cars and can be modified through the roof, but they don't make my heart beat faster. That being said, I am super thrilled that my Huracan is Audi technology because I'm really looking forward to reliability.
cool. what Ferrari is losing it's spot. I'm thinking it's more common to go from a pcar to a fcar, as opposed to "backwards", lol.
360 Spider. Technically speaking, the Ferrari already lost it's spot to the Huracan. I have never been a big fan of the F1 transmission and I wanted something easier to drive. I've gotten old and lazy, at least that's how I feel some days. LOL. When I was considering an upgrade to something more reliable and quite frankly, easier and more comfortable to drive, I test drove several cars, but the Huracan was instant love for me. I've never loved a car like that one. So the Ferrari is going to go for another play car. Both my husband and I have always loved Porsches but we've always driven other things. We figured it was time to get one.
funny, I was just reading another thread on the service maintenance bill on a 360MT, was about $4,700 ttl. I figure that is about normal albeit a lot. Porsche is a great car, I had a couple turbos. But for an extreme sports car I thought was boring and soul-less. You have a Huracan so you have tons of soul, then Porsche will fit right in.
What about a 458 ?. :0) Actually, I am looking for a similar thing maybe GT3, maybe turbo to go alongside my F12. I would use it as a DD. Will be interested in your choice and initital impressions. Good luck, Bob
Drove the 458, picked the Huracan instead. And honestly, when you see a 458 next to a 488, there's no comparison in curb appeal. The 488 is SO much better looking. So much more aggressive. But I'm not interested in paying the premium for a Ferrari label or the jacked up cost for parts. My experience with my 360 has been so horrible that I am unlikely to own a Ferrari again. I hate that it's come to that but my experience has been that bad. Initial impression is that I prefer the GT3 in looks and performance, so if we pull the trigger, that will probably be the way we go.