Porsche 997 GT3, Ferrari 550 or Ferrari 360

You still have the TR?

Haven't owned any, so here's my editorial comment without maintenance/service/ownership experience....

I'd vote for the 550 unless you want a convertible - then go 360. The 550 ise stunning, inside and out - among the front-engined twelves only the Daytona and some of '60s classics compare. I think you'd have to flog the car pretty hard to come up against the limits.

GT3 looks like any other pimped out 911, and you'll never use the capabilities on public roads. And it's not a Ferrari. And there's depreciation on a new car. And it's not a Ferrari.

 

Really if you are not going to track it , there is no point in buying a GT3. Its a car made for the track and even though its is usable in the street, it will be frustrating at 30 mph an hour.

Out of the 550 and the 360, id get a 550 Maranello, they are just too classy.

 

The 550 won't have any of the pricey transaxle issues the TRs had and if you search the archives, you'll see very few serious issues with the 550. Words from others in this forum make it sound like the 550s have hit the depreciation inflection point and can be had at around half of the MSRP price they were originally sold for.

For a real shocking smile, read the thread on those who drive with the 550's ASR button de-selected and apply torque via the loud pedal!

BTW, the three cars you've "narrowed" it down to are quite a bit different...

 

Don't pretend to know nuthin about P wagons but the Ferraris I will speak about. Both are great and easy to live with cars with all the usual admonitions about PPI etc.

The 550 is a great car for those that really like to drive fast....very fast. Big, substantial, very user friendly. A car that a Psyco in a Tux will really feel at home in.

The 360 is that wild girl that you don't really feel comfortable going to sleep next to. You know...Jessica Walters in Play Misty for me. Take it for a spin, work up a sweat but probably shouldn't bring it home to mom.

 

I hope I do not offend any 360 owners, but in my humble opinion the difference in quality of chassis and overall engineering between the GT3 and 360 is too much. For me, the GT3 would be no-brainer in that particular comparison, and I appreciate everyone has different priorities: daily usable and capable of whipping pretty much anything on track without any mods (I know - I have been up against most modern Ferraris on track: the only thing that stays with it is a 360 CS). Those who think the GT3 looks like a pimped 911 should try not to care what other people think. Those who know, know...

Now for the 550: that is a totally different proposition. Exquisite sensory experience at any speed (provided you change the exhaust - Tubi highly recommended). Easy to balance on the slide, and given that you have aggressive mountain roads, this will be a real plus point, although I would warn you it's much wider than the GT3. OK to live with every day: can be driven daily, but at a few years old it's very apparent that interior build quality and electrics are well below par for such an expensive car when new.

If you can live with the occasional frustrating glitch, and your mountain roads are not too narrow, the 550 is an all-rounder you will love. If reliability, quality of engineering and the ability to change in an instant from daily hack to track weapon are more important, go for the GT3.

Good luck whatever you decide,

Harris

 

I agree with Harris. I bought a 550 after trying both the GT3 and 360.

The GT3 war a far more rewarding drive than the 360 however the 550 trumped both in terms of daily usability and sense of occasion.


I use the 550 pretty much everyday and though it does throw up small problems nothing has stopped it moving as yet.

A pal of mine has just taken delivery of the new GT3 and that is much more of a daily driver. It also offers stunning build quality but still lacks the complete wow factor of a big V12.

Cheers

 

i also agree...the gt-3 is in a different league than the two f-cars.

after a drive in the gt-3, you will need a cigarette!!

 

LOL, I guess it depends on how wild you Mom is!!


I loved the 550 and if I lived near more open highways I would still have one but for the mountains the 360 is much more fun and engaging. Doesn't have the great 12cyl pull out of corners but is much better balanced. I, too, love to drive but am not near any tracks so find my pleasures out on the road, however am not interested in drift characteristics when driving public roads, I want a light, quick car that does not wear me out and has clear, predictable feedback. And is fast.
If its daily driving, I would go gt3 for two reasons, parkability and warranty. Oh, make that three, fun!
The 360 looks better, sounds better and is as much fun to drive when set up correctly but draws too much attention to leave parked all over the place. Gt3 is no problem.
All great cars though, best bet would be back to back to back drive on your home roads.

 

The Porsche is simply too harsh as a daily driver in urban street conditions.
The 360 doesn't have enough torque to drive around lazily. It needs revs to feel right
the 550 is all-around marvelous. It has a real trunk, gobs of torque and is easy to drive in any conditions. It's sneaky fast and doesn't draw anywhere near the attention from law enforcement that the 360 and Porsche will.