Thursday 26th December 2013

Porsche 911 GT3 (997.2): Spotted

Yes, looks like *that* Riviera Blue 997 GT3 has surfaced at a Porsche dealership

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I've never known a car win hearts like this Riviera Blue 997 GT3. I've shown so many people the pictures of this car from our Welsh roadtrip on my iPhone the muscle memory in my thumb for the sequence of moves to dig out the photos is now a reflex action. I've shown it to mates. I've shown it to family. I've shown it to the guys at Singer. Everyone takes the photo in for a moment, pauses and then the 'wow', 'lovely', 'just beautiful' compliments flow.

PH woz ere, among many others

Not just me either. I was chatting with another hack about this and he laughed about being at a table of other scribblers at a launch recently and the question of 'favourite ever car' came up. One by one iPhones came out and the same Riviera Blue GT3 would appear, the bearer wearing a guilty smile. In its two years and 17,150 hard-driven miles on the press fleet this GT3 has been driven by pretty much everyone in the business. And cast its spell on each one.

PH got the last drive before it went into the dealer network. And now it's surfaced at the Glasgow Official Porsche Centre, up for £87,850 with a two-year warranty. At least I'm assuming it's the car formerly known as 911 GB - Riviera Blue is an unusual colour and it lists 'Press vehicle' among its features. Got to be it.

And now the question no doubt to be debated in the comments thread to follow. Does this 'provenance' add to its value or detract?

OPC Glasgow is awaiting your call...

Given that it's the second most expensive non-RS 997 GT3 in the PH classifieds and the one that's only couple of grand more has done a little over a third of the mileage would you really want to take the risk? Two arguments here; the one against that it's been ragged by every hack in the business from the workie on up and racked up more mis-shifts and track miles than any other comparable GT3.

The one for that between each of those loans it'll have been prepped and checked to the nth degree, making it likely both the hardest driven and best maintained GT3 anywhere. I loved the fact that when I was driving it into the office the clock tripped on the hour precisely as the pips went on the Today programme - one of those geeky little details suggesting whoever had gone through the car had paid attention to those OCD little things only a proper nerd would bother with. And if that spirit of fastidiousness extends to the engine, gearbox and suspension too the prospective buyer will have nothing to worry about.

If my Christmas stocking had contained £90K I'd be on the train to Glasgow now...

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PORSCHE 911 GT3 (997)
Engine: 3,800cc flat-6
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 435@7,600rpm
Torque (lb ft): 317@6,250rpm
MPG: 22.1mpg (NEDC combined)
CO2: 298g/km
First registered: 2011
Recorded mileage: 17,150
Price new: £107,962 (£89,785 before options)
Yours for: £87,850

See the original advert here.

[mattman]

I wouldn't touch it - if I had 90k to spend on a car I'd want one that been treated a bit nicer than this one

[sad61t]

The provenance would only be known to a select few within the car enthusiast community; outside of that it's just a Porsche. Shame it's up for so much over ticket as I've a feeling it wouldn't retain the credibility once it was outside the current year's reading list. (And certainly not if I had it - a sad end as it trundles down the M40 at 60, 'cos 65 is pushing it...) What it needs is Monkey to turn it in to a rally monster.

[BeirutTaxi]

I don't see the issue as long as the engine, gearbox and diff have been heated up properly and servicing done accordingly.

[ezi]

BeirutTaxi said:

I don't see the issue as long as the engine, gearbox and diff have been heated up properly and servicing done accordingly.

These are press cars, up their with rental cars effectively in how they get treated, for every one journalist who respected it there were another 8 who didn't.

[P4ROT]

You'd have to be brave....

[vrooom]

Wow! that colour is nice... at least its has been properly used !

[Craikeybaby]

Ii think as per the article the "thrashed by journalists" will be cancelled out by extra care given by Porsche.

Riviera blue is one of my favourite Porsche colours, so I'd take this one over a white or resale silver one.

[kambites]

Seems like crazy money for a two year-old non-RS 911, to me.

[0a]

17k hard road test miles with zero respect for cold fluids equal how many normal miles - 100k+?

[Mermaid]

P4ROT said:

You'd have to be brave....

Yes - and after the 1st years ( & even during) I would worry about Porsche citing wear & tear to duck out of paying claims.

[Jim AK]

No thanks. Im not a Porschefile but I wouldnt even entertain a `Press vehicle` from my own favourite manufacturer either due to potential ragging.

Im sure Porsche did go the whole 9 yards to fettle the thing whenever it was going to another journalist, but any car will show issues if thrashed, think of all the mountings & bushes that will have been extended to their limits. Whatever the car they wont last forever.

Other thought is car is 2 years old at best & unless you were `In the know` it will just be another 911 because it wont go to its new owner as 911 GB.

[philmots]

I'd think about it if they could supply me with a list with dates/miles of everything and anything that had been replaced in its life.

[rtz62]

I'm an unashamed Porsche fan.
But.
Imagine in, say, a couple of years time, you come to sell it.
The prospective buyer asks all the right questions about servicing etc, then it crops up that every hack and his brother have driven it.
The prospective buyer beats a hasty retreat.
A bit different if say, it had been Mark Webbers personal transport, with him on the V5 (although I have never understood such faux-provenance)
It may have been prepped and re-prepped after every stint with various magazines etc, but it has still been ragged to within an inch of its life, with no real care about mechanical sympathy, warming it up and down etc.
Sorry, but even to a Porsche fan like me, I'd avoid it, even more so at that price.

[Reavenger]

If you could somehow wangle a 3 year warranty and you didn't want to keep it for longer than that, it could be worth it. Although as has been said, wear and tear items might prove tricky to claim for.

And yes, agree, £87k is a lot of money for a 2 year old Porsche press car.

[kikiturbo]

our local Renault had a press R26 that was really ragged about by everyone in the business... at the end of it's press fleet life it was bought by one of the motoring "hack" and was 100% reliable ever since... Surprisingly enough it also had the least amount of creaks and noises and was faster than any other stock R26... The key word here is "press preparation" by the factory..

on the other hand.. should these cars command a premium... of course not. .

[mybrainhurts]

Nice colour, but do you really want people to think you're French...?

[cayman-black]

RS money , these will fall in price soon.

[Chris Harris]

My '89 911 CS was ex-press, most robust car I've owned. My current S4 is ex-press, 69k mls, going strong.

Bought Exige and Caterham R500 press cars too.

Always good to see people telling others to avoid these cars, leaves rich pickings for the rest of us!

[rubystone]

Chris Harris said:

My '89 911 CS was ex-press, most robust car I've owned. My current S4 is ex-press, 69k mls, going strong.

Bought Exige and Caterham R500 press cars too.

Always good to see people telling others to avoid these cars, leaves rich pickings for the rest of us!

Sure Chris, but the price has to reflect that fact. In the right way. And this car reflects it in the wrong way.

[Chris Harris]

Should have added I think £88k is too strong.