F360 vs GT3

I haven't driven the new GT3 yet...

 

Are you shopping for a parttime track car? canyon racer? street car? daily driver? toy? addition to collection?

G

 

997 GT3 will hand the 360 it's arse. Neither will lose much money on resale. Many of the big boys are salivating for the new GT3.

 

Hm. So you expect a much different resale performance from the 997 GT3 than the 996 version, which dropped about 30% in a year or two. And from what I've read, the 997 GT3 performance is pretty close to the 996 GT3, and I've done enough track days with them to know (both stock) the GT3 is marginally quicker, but it is not a huge difference. And the 360 is much more fun to drive, better steering feel, quicker on its feet, just much more involving.

Gary

 

i think it basically boils down to personal preference. if it were me, i would choose a new gt3 over a used 360 any day of the week. 360's are one in a million, but gt3's are substantially more rare. regarding performance, the gt3 out performs the 360 hands down, no questions asked. you should have nern problem reselling a gt3, nor should you lose money!!

dont get me wrong, i love ferraris, but the gt3 gets my vote

 

I haven't seen the numbers, but I would bet there are as many GT3s made as 360s, at least I see as many if not more in the Bay Area. To most people, they look like any other variant of 911, no exotic feel to them at all. And given the current GT3's poor depreciation I don't understand your last sentence at all.

The GT3 is a very nice car at its price point, but the 360 to me is much more desirable. Just my opinion.

Gary

 

The 996 GT3 is at a slight disadvantage under the 997 GT3 in that the 996 GT3 second series was introduced at the end of the 996 production run when the new 997 came out and with the news that the 997 GT3 will be out shortly. Anybody with $100K burning a hole in their pockets will hold onto their money to see if the 997 GT3 with 415hp is significantly improved over the 380hp 996 GT3. That softened the 996 GT3 market. I doubt the 997 GT3 will have a poor resale value for the first couple of years, until announcement of a replacement comes about. With the F430 out in full force now, the 360 resale prices will soften a la F355 until it bottoms out and stablizes. Not sure when that is, but I think I'd like to pick up a blk/blk 6 speed Modena to park next to my 997.

 

Porsche's willingness to make as many GT3s (or any other model, for that matter) as are ordered and then a few more for good measure, guarantees miserable resale.

Ask yourself how much more you would be willing to pay to have a brand new unmolested high performance sports car equipped exactly the way you want instead of a "never-been-tracked, like-new" used one from some stranger. The answer to that question accounts for an instant 10-15K loss the moment you sign the check without even having started the engine, imo.

What keeps 360/430 resale prices up is that most people can't just call up a Ferrari dealer and order one at MSRP.

There's nothing limited about Porsche's production these days.

 

I'd also go for a lightly used 360 as a road car. As Gary said, the GT3's look like another 911 -- maybe with a body kit. For street use, either car is going to be far beyond what you can use, so I'd go for looks, sound and the Ferrari aura.

 

The 997 GT3 is a very impressive car with good likes and performance to match. However, it too is just another Porsche among 100's of thousands of the 911 body style. The 997 is not a new car... it is a polished Porsche C which has evolved for more than 40+ years. There were body kit 996's that looked close to the new GT3 befor it came out. Porsche's last inovative car was really the Cayenne = stolen from VW....The Cayman and Boxster are just another redesigned Porsche C.

Resale on Porsche's will forever be terrible. Mass production with multiple "special edition" models. Look at the Carrera GT.....it loses more value in the 1st year of ownership than a used 360 does in 3 years of ownership.

Don't get me wrong..I still like the car and would have one in the garage next to the Ferrari... but deciding between the 2 is not a thought worth waisting.

 

360 ... this comes from a person who sold a GT2 for a 360 with no regrets. The 360 is so much more fun for street driving and it won't be embarrassed in the canyons

G

 

i dont have a f car, but had over 10 p cars. including three 996GT3's. i would take 360 over GT3 anyday. better feel, rarer, more fun to drive. why i dont have one? i can't afford to put 5-6k track miles on them every year.

i dont know the production number of 360's, but there are about 1000 or so GT3 in north america. it's not a rare car by any means. i see them every week.

another note. you can get in a modena and drive it fairly quick right from the get go. you need about 5 years of time to really figure out how to drive a 911 (that's if you have good talent). i am still learning how to push the GT3 faster and faster.

997gt3 is gonna be a better car than 996gt3 for sure, but not much better. certainly not a jump like modena to f430. 997gt3 will depreciate just as quickly as 996gt3 will. if you are concerned with dep'n, get a nice 996gt3 NOW. you can get them around 80k.

 

It seems that the buzz over the 997 GT3 is much louder than its predecessor. I guess I should have stated in my previous post that if I had to choose it would be the 360, in yellow please.

 

The Porsche people I know are split, some are very upset over the mandatory sunroof.

Gary

 

which one handles better? well it depends on how well you can drive a rear engine car. the GT3 always feels light up front. you have to slow way down to turn in else it will push, as soon as you turn in, you should be WOT. the 360 i drove has better turn in, but you can't apply throttle as early as you can on gt3, the rear will not grip.

but if you have not had enough seat time in 911, you will be much faster in a 360. sure GT3 has the postential to be faster, but most of us are faster in 360 simply due to confidence provided by mid engine cars and its neutrality.

steering feel is much better in 360. the only car i drove which had better steering wheel is elise/exige.

 

no many ppl understood 996gt3. 90% of the buyers bought the wrong car and sold quickly. it's a strange beast, not comfy for street (rattles a lot) and not easy to drive well on track. to drive it well, you need to put at least 20 days on track each year. most ppl who do that much track driving would have a cup car instead, unless they are like me who refuse to trailer a race car.

997gt3, on paper at least, has been softened up a bit with more creature comfort. it appeals to bigger audience, thus more buzz genearted "normal" ppl like it for dual purpose and "track junkies'" disgust for lack of purity.

 

I have had 5 porsches including three 996 turbos. They are amazing cars but the reason I always end up selling one is because they get boring over time. I could never drive the car to the max, that was not the issue. They just don't have the same exotic feel and sound as the ferrari. The GT3 will be amazing, but no porsche right now can match the feel of a ferrari in my mind. I am debating a 360 6 speed coupe or a new 430 coupe right now. Most low mile highly optioned 360 coupes around just don't seem piced that attractively compared to some 430 cars.

 

Its very plain and simple...any Porsche (except for the CGT) is just another car....a 360 is a Ferrari.