The Best ///M/Barge/General Rant/Look at this/O/T (Vol XVII)

[L100NYY]

Output Flange said:

I was trying to make him feel better about the £11billionty profit he passed up!

[W00DY]

I can't look away. So, so good.

[dave-the-diver]

80k of Pork.

Following on from Loon's musings yesterday, it seems that 80 bags opens some interesting possibilities.

So, if the intention was a weekend toy, mostly just for fun, but maybe occasional longer trips / tours etc, and with the rare possibility of an annual trackday:

996 GT3, 997 GT3, 997 Turbo?

GT3s too focussed / raw for 98% road use?
Turbo too "good" to be fun?

Sure I remember one regular gushing over a boggo C2 and suggesting it was the sweetspot in the range?

F430 might be available in the same price bracket(-ish), but again, I'm not sure that a dab-of-oppo on a wet roundabout is really the thing there either.

Perhaps I should get Sportmotive to build me an LS3 Griffith?

David

[jeremyc]

dave-the-diver said:

So, if the intention was a weekend toy, mostly just for fun, but maybe occasional longer trips / tours etc, and with the rare possibility of an annual trackday:

996 GT3, 997 GT3, 997 Turbo?

GT3s too focussed / raw for 98% road use?
Turbo too "good" to be fun?

997 GT3 is a less raw road experience than the 996.

However, 996 GT3s are perfectly usable: all of the 60K miles I did in mine were on the road. But then maybe I have a higher pain threshold than others.

[L100NYY]

Been having similar discussions with a good friend of mine who is looking for a car to do similar 'tricks' but at a £40-50k price level.

At the moment is down to a Cayman GTS vs Evora S although many other things have been in and out of the mix thus far.....even down to maybe ordering a new Caterham 420R and having something like a 500 Abarth to buzz around in. Or maybe a Bamford Rose tweaked V8 Vantage. Or more compromised; V6 Exige. But then back to the Evora as Hangar111 do 400+bhp kits for them now.....

As for £80k;

If we're talking modern stuff then I really would find it hard to look past a 996 GT3 or possibly a 997. I don't see a GT3 as being too compromised on the road and tbh I didn't think a 997 Turbo was that much more comfortable in my experience, not enough to justify the lack of specialness and feel that the GT3 offers.

For more road orientated usage then a 550/575M would be a cracking thing, still feel special and will absolutely eat up the miles too but not really 'track-friendly'.

[andy43]

dave-the-diver said:

Perhaps I should get Sportmotive to build me an LS3 Griffith?

Why wait? The work put into this car is incredible, no way it could be built for that price.

[Output Flange]

dave-the-diver said:

80k of Pork.

Following on from Loon's musings yesterday, it seems that 80 bags opens some interesting possibilities.

So, if the intention was a weekend toy, mostly just for fun, but maybe occasional longer trips / tours etc, and with the rare possibility of an annual trackday:

996 GT3, 997 GT3, 997 Turbo?

GT3s too focussed / raw for 98% road use?
Turbo too "good" to be fun?

Sure I remember one regular gushing over a boggo C2 and suggesting it was the sweetspot in the range?

I'd probably be looking for a 550 at that price, but if Pork were a must then I don't think I could sink £80k into a GT3. It'd be a C2S with some tweaks, I think.

Edited by Output Flange on Thursday 10th September 09:31

[L100NYY]

A tweaked 996 C2 would be a good option for less money indeed, Bovingdon's in Evo magazine looks like a cracker for the money.

[braddo]

dave-the-diver said:

So, if the intention was a weekend toy, mostly just for fun, but maybe occasional longer trips / tours etc, and with the rare possibility of an annual trackday:

996 GT3, 997 GT3, 997 Turbo?

GT3s too focussed / raw for 98% road use?
Turbo too "good" to be fun?

I'd say you've pretty much described the GT3's raison d'etre in your quote above.

I find my 997 GT3 superb for road use - not too focussed/raw at all, it's an absolute pleasure to cover distance in. Loads of potholes, speedbumps and driving in stop/start traffic can get tiresome, but I think that will apply to the 996s too and maybe even manual Turbos.

I would be interested to drive a 996 in comparison. I expect the differences are pretty minor (but still tangible). A bit more compact, a bit more steering feel (and no variable ratio rack), a slightly harder ride? Lack of traction contol probably moot unless in winter or really greasy conditions.

I'm sure I've read in the past that the spring rates between 996.2 and 997.1 GT3s are pretty similar - if anything, higher on the 997 - so it's the PASM dampers that must give the 997 the "better" road manners. I can certainly say there is a difference between the 2 PASM settings, the stiffer one only really useful for dry track days.

With aircon, cruise control and road tyres (e.g. Supersport Michelins) they are a very versatile car.

[L100NYY]

This looks as though it was a nice car;

PORSCHE 911 CARRERA 2 3.6 MANUAL - FACTORY AERO KIT - DIAMOND CUT GT3 RIMS - BASALT BLACK - 66K
£17,495

[jeremyc]

braddo said:

I find my 997 GT3 superb for road use - not too focussed/raw at all, it's an absolute pleasure to cover distance in. Loads of potholes, speedbumps and driving in stop/start traffic can get tiresome, but I think that will apply to the 996s too and maybe even manual Turbos.

I would be interested to drive a 996 in comparison. I expect the differences are pretty minor (but still tangible). A bit more compact, a bit more steering feel (and no variable ratio rack), a slightly harder ride? Lack of traction contol probably moot unless in winter or really greasy conditions.

I'm sure I've read in the past that the spring rates between 996.2 and 997.1 GT3s are pretty similar - if anything, higher on the 997 - so it's the PASM dampers that must give the 997 the "better" road manners. I can certainly say there is a difference between the 2 PASM settings, the stiffer one only really useful for dry track days.

My 997 vs 996 GT3 comparison



And from the same series, my 997 Turbo review

[dave-the-diver]

Gents,

Many thanks for all the 911 education - really helpful.

Dropped into JZM earlier to have a bit of a nose.

Nice people, very generous with their time.

Think a 997 Gen 1, comfort spec, is now definite a contender.

David

[Output Flange]

I'm sure a year ago there were 996 Turbos starting from under £20k. There doesn't seem to be anything much under £30k now. Market moved, or lack of cars available?

[NomduJour]

Market, supply - same thing. They're more expensive now.

[Output Flange]

Wondered if I'd just picked a day to look where there weren't any c.£20k cars, or if c.£20k cars no longer exist.

[braddo]

The Porsche forum seems to contain comments about good 996 Turbos being in the £40-50k bracket now. If not a £10k rise across the board, there certainly seems to be a widening spread between the top and bottom of the market.

All this inflation is a bit annoying, really.

[Crook]

I'm very unhappy that GT3s are now more than twice as unaffordable as they were last year.

[W00DY]

http://www.tech9.ms/car-sales/porsche-911-scr-rall...

Oof.

[L100NYY]

It is fantastic isn't it although I posted that a couple of years ago!

[braddo]

It does look familiar. I wonder if it's the event eligibility or the price that has meant it has not sold for 2 years (if that is effectively what has happened?)?