Trading GT3 for a Ferrari F430?

You just need to go for a ride in one and you should know immediately! With a GT3 in your pocket I am sure it would not be hard to get a ride in exchange for a ride in your car. Try the region section of F-Chat to see who is up for it. You are tipping your cards with the mention of Pt. A to Pt. A. The cars are in a special light and there is a reason!

 

I have a 2015 GT3 and a 360 manual. I previously had an F1 360 but as soon as I bought the GT3 with its incredible gearbox it made the Ferrari feel clunky and old and I begun to focus on the deficiencies in the transmission rather than enjoying the car. Please let me be clear - I still loved the 360 and if I had unlimited funds and space there would be room for an F1 in my collection but because my Ferrari is my only Ferrari it had to go. So now I bought a manual 360 and it is a different ball game (when I don't have it in pieces!) and partners the GT3 beautifully. The Ferrari is a different character, softer and more relaxed, a different noise and feeling that harks back to the older cars whilst still managing to be almost modern. And for me the 360 is so beautiful - (but that's just a personal thing obviously)

On the circuit the Ferrari is still competent but leagues slower than the GT3 in road trim. You would need to make a 360 or 430 very special to keep up with a GT3 and even then you will have more noise and cost - at the limit the Ferrari is still forgiving and easy to drive but the brakes are not in the same league and lap after lap you just don't get the same "unburstable" feeling as you get with the GT3. (Having said that I know they had some engine issues with GT3 but mine is a late model as is yours by the looks of it so should be fine)

If you asked me would I sell the GT3 to only own the Ferrari? No. For me the 991 GT3 is the pinnacle of looks, precision and an absolute joy to own and drive either on road or track. The Ferrari is more of a distraction, a passion and an hobby and I love it equally but as my only supercar the Porsche would win as it's more complete if you are requiring some track duty and a few more miles. If it was garage queen, cruising and no track miles at all then it would be a tougher decision but I think I would still err towards the GT3.

But that's just my 2 cents worth - you obviously need to take some test runs, try manual and F1, watch out for the different software versions on the transmission on the F1 cars because it makes a huge difference to how they drive (really) and dont forget to factor in stupid parts prices and sometimes difficult availability on them compared to the P car.

If you did go ahead nobody would call you stupid the 430 is a wonderful car but you do already own one of the best there that makes your choice more tricky.

Very best of luck,

Julian

 

You might want to look at some of the other threads asking the same questions over the years ('search this forum' on gt3 - especailly in titles only) for background

 

what will you track if you get rid of the gt3? If 430 would be your only choice then you are going to regret trading it in.

 

I've been a Porsche guy for 30 years and added a 360 and then later a 430. The 430 is more modern than the 360 but remember the last 430 was 2009 compared to the 2015 GT3. So, the GT3 will act and feel more modern than the 430. Having said that, it's a wonderful car for Point A to B. They are definitely not as robust as a Porsche but the 430 is quite reliable. I wouldn't track the car personally just because of the cost of replacing things.
As mention, find one to drive and see what you think

 

Very different cars, so its a tough decision. I had a 997 GT3 and loved it. Tracked it, drove it under all circumstance and it was always fun. A lot of my roads around here getting to good driving mountain roads are very rough and I got tired of the beating the GT3 delivered on those roads.
I have driven the 991 quite a bit and it is a wonderful car. It would seem a manual 430 spider would have a lot of appeal, but from a very different perspective. They are both very good looking cars but the 430 spider is a bit more dramatic and special in its looks. It is certainly not as practical, but top down driving is such a rush....
I chose to go with a scuderia after the gt3 and the option to drive in race mode with a soft suspension setting allows the roads that beat me up in the gt3 to be driven in relative comfort in the scud. Have you thought about the 16m?

The 430 is reliable and well built, much like the Porsche. It draws much more attention and is harder to blend in like the gt3, especially to the general public.
Tough choice but I don't think you can go wrong. Look forward to hearing what your choice is and how it works out.

 

Can you share what this "incident" was on track? I've considered, and still consider, a new GT3 as an occasional driver and track car but I am curious as to why you want to get rid of it after taking it on track.

 

additionally it would be interesting to know, if he is giving up tracking altogether, which might shine a different light on moving to an f-car, or is he just not into risking as valuable a machine as a new GT3?

 

He said pt A to pt A car, no tracking it! This means that you leave your house for a drive and the drive is the point and you bring it back home to the original destination. This is a perfect role for a Ferrari. You take it out, there are no suitable places to leave it for any length of time due to the nature of shared parking and society at large so you bring it back home! 90% of my drives are like this....sucks but that's just the way it is.

 

Well, if I were you I would sell the 991 targa, keep the GT3, buy the Ferrari convertible and get a cheap car to run every day. That way you have all bases covered for the same money.....

 

Julian, I am with you, good solution.

 

The GT3 will compare well with a 360 CS or a Scud.

 

i would keep the gt3 and save money for a f430
they both hold values very well, and have a different flair
to me they cant replace each other, but rather, complement each other
i would use the f430 for weekend and gt3 for daily

i dont see anyone trading in a gt3 in exchange for a f430 (older tech, higher maintenance, slower), unless you are trying to start as a ferrari collector

 

I couldn't imagine getting in and out of those GT3 seats several times a day - as would be the case if it were a DD.

 

Have you considered a manual 430 spider? The gated manual transmission would provide a very different driving experience than the pdk on the 991 Porsches. If you are looking for an engaging experience for point A to point A drives this could be a great option. It is the last mid engined Ferrari offered with a manual transmission so it is a special and rare car that has been going up in price.

If you are like many of the Porsche purists that look at the new 911r as the ultimate modern Porsche, then the manual 430 spider could be a way to capture some of that manual in a modern, drivers focused car experience, but in a car you can actually buy!

 

Looking forward to hearing of your test drive today!

 

Try a manual 360. Seriously - try one...

(And yes the TCU changes do make a huge difference to the F1 box but you're flogging a dead horse (literally lol) tying to make single plate F1 trans compare favourably to a PDK running the "plus" software as in your GT3)

 

Maybe its just to me but I actually think F1 is unique and enjoyable. I found that there is a bit of learning curve, and you have to drive it like a manual car.

I like that fact you can actually feel the single clutch with the paddle shifting - few cars offer that driving experience.

DCT is dime a dozen now a days. everyone from BMW to Audi has fast DCT.

 

Coming from a 991 GT3 and with that as a reference, I think any F1 (430 and older) will feel dated and not satisfactory to you, but a 430 F1 should not feel like it is missing a gear when shifting... Still, sounds like a 458 is what you "need".

 

Completely agree with this, have to appreciate F1 for what it is. Auto-blip on downshift, even in MY2000 cars? Pretty impressive.

Reality is, nothing is going to be like PDK though. If it's a trade-out, f-car for the GT3, manual 360 or 430 would make lots of sense.

 

Scuderia? Much better gearbox than PDK IMO! Lighter 'box, more entertaining drive, and still damn fast.