Any love for the 997 GTS?

[Louis Balfour]

julian987R said:

c4sman said:

julian987R said:

my 4 year hunt for a manual 997GTS with buckets in solid Black (not basalt), the centre lock wheels, extended leather interior and all the bells and whistles continues.

Edited by julian987R on Sunday 29th January 21:22

Pretty clear you don’t actually want one!

How on earth do you come to that conclusion?

He is saying that you won't find one with that spec. He may be correct.

[SarlechS]

Louis Balfour said:

He is saying that you won't find one with that spec. He may be correct.

definitely sounds like a bit of a "dreamer" thing to say, one can only hope i guess...

[julian987R]

Louis Balfour said:

julian987R said:

c4sman said:

julian987R said:

my 4 year hunt for a manual 997GTS with buckets in solid Black (not basalt), the centre lock wheels, extended leather interior and all the bells and whistles continues.

Edited by julian987R on Sunday 29th January 21:22

Pretty clear you don’t actually want one!

How on earth do you come to that conclusion?

He is saying that you won't find one with that spec. He may be correct.

He might be right, but then again.

That was said about my R, solid black (not baslat), manual, all the trimmings, buckets, & extended leather was a key deal-breaker...... 3 year wait, 1 turned up.

Have some patience!

[c4sman]

julian987R said:

He might be right, but then again.

That was said about my R, solid black (not baslat), manual, all the trimmings, buckets, & extended leather was a key deal-breaker...... 3 year wait, 1 turned up.

Have some patience!

Fair enough then. I’d rather compromise and drive the car I enjoy driving rather than worry about which shade of black my car is but we all have our red lines!

[julian987R]

c4sman said:

julian987R said:

He might be right, but then again.

That was said about my R, solid black (not baslat), manual, all the trimmings, buckets, & extended leather was a key deal-breaker...... 3 year wait, 1 turned up.

Have some patience!

Fair enough then. I’d rather compromise and drive the car I enjoy driving rather than worry about which shade of black my car is but we all have our red lines!

Certainly a wise way of life....I wish i could be more like you with that point of view.

[Cheib]

Brighton Speed said:

Schuey_911 said:

Brighton Speed said:

Done roughly 6k in my aero-kitted manual in the last two and a half years and still love it. The miles were interrupted by a manual 991.2 GT3 I bought a year ago, which is a whole different beast. I'm forever asking myself if I had to sell one which it would be - which is a testament to the depth and brilliance of the GTS when compared to a GT3 that's six years younger.

High praise indeed for the GTS.

t is. I think of it like this: I'm in love with the GTS, but I'm in awe of the GT3. But then I've not had the GT3 on track yet, so I haven't experienced at least 50% of its capabilities. You might say it's the best first world problem you could ever imagine.

I ran a 991.2 GT3 and 997 GTS together for three years and then added an older air cooled 911. The biggest difference between the GT3 and GTS is the engine…they are poles apart. I then bought an older air cooled car which I found on country roads to be sublime….plenty quick enough and just feels more alive at 60 mph on a county road than any modern 911 is going to. 997 GTS is a great car and I think n British country lanes it is brilliant….not sure there’s a better water cooled 911 to take down country roads. Engine/Gearbox combination is grea, chassis is great and it feels compact although the reality is a 997 GTS is the same width at the rear arches as a 991.2 GT3. I sold the GTS because it is just not as involving as an older 911 and doesn’t have the ability to be a road and track car like the GT3 (GTS is better on the road). As a “one car garage” 911 the GTS it is hard to beat.

[Brighton Speed]

Cheib said:

Brighton Speed said:

Schuey_911 said:

Brighton Speed said:

Done roughly 6k in my aero-kitted manual in the last two and a half years and still love it. The miles were interrupted by a manual 991.2 GT3 I bought a year ago, which is a whole different beast. I'm forever asking myself if I had to sell one which it would be - which is a testament to the depth and brilliance of the GTS when compared to a GT3 that's six years younger.

High praise indeed for the GTS.

t is. I think of it like this: I'm in love with the GTS, but I'm in awe of the GT3. But then I've not had the GT3 on track yet, so I haven't experienced at least 50% of its capabilities. You might say it's the best first world problem you could ever imagine.

I ran a 991.2 GT3 and 997 GTS together for three years and then added an older air cooled 911. The biggest difference between the GT3 and GTS is the engine…they are poles apart. I then bought an older air cooled car which I found on country roads to be sublime….plenty quick enough and just feels more alive at 60 mph on a county road than any modern 911 is going to. 997 GTS is a great car and I think n British country lanes it is brilliant….not sure there’s a better water cooled 911 to take down country roads. Engine/Gearbox combination is grea, chassis is great and it feels compact although the reality is a 997 GTS is the same width at the rear arches as a 991.2 GT3. I sold the GTS because it is just not as involving as an older 911 and doesn’t have the ability to be a road and track car like the GT3 (GTS is better on the road). As a “one car garage” 911 the GTS it is hard to beat.

Completely agree with everything you said and really good to hear from someone who's also run the two back to back. The GTS definitely feels more cpmpact and lithe hustling down your typical British B-road, but also takes on long motorway journeys with ease. I hadn't considered the older air-cooled route purely down to the age of those now, but it seems like its something to think about for the future despite the feeling it would take something really special to replace the GTS. Might I ask which air-cooled 911 replaced the GTS? Cheers.

[Cheib]

Brighton Speed said:

Completely agree with everything you said and really good to hear from someone who's also run the two back to back. The GTS definitely feels more cpmpact and lithe hustling down your typical British B-road, but also takes on long motorway journeys with ease. I hadn't considered the older air-cooled route purely down to the age of those now, but it seems like its something to think about for the future despite the feeling it would take something really special to replace the GTS. Might I ask which air-cooled 911 replaced the GTS? Cheers.

Well not sure replaced is quite the right word…I just found I wasn’t driving the GTS. I bought a 2.7 RS twenty years after nearly buying one and getting talked out of it because it was “over priced” by £10k. That said they literally didn’t make a bad 911 before 1973, they are all great and are surprisingly lively…even a SWB with 130 bhp is a fantastic road car on today’s roads and feels much quicker than its 130 bhp. If you are patient you can buy very good long hood 911’s for around the £100k mark that is not going to be an S but the standard cars are very,very good if well looked after/set up. early cars have properly got under my skin, I now have a SWB as well which will hopefully be back on the road come the summer (I bought a stalled restoration).

2.7 RS is an incredible drive. I have no idea what on earth it was like in period, it still feels plenty quick today and is just sublime on country roads.

[BillyB]

Cheib said:

...then added an older air cooled 911

Hat raised for the most modest understatement ever. ??

[Cheib]

BillyB said:

Cheib said:

...then added an older air cooled 911

Hat raised for the most modest understatement ever. ??

I didn't want to sound like a tt

Didn't want to distract from the post about the 997 GTS. It is one of those 911's that is better than the sum of its parts...on paper it doesn't look that special. Plenty of people say it's not worth the money over a Carrera S. Personally I think the Power Kit engine and the manual gearbox just work so well together...the Power Kit makes you want to exploit the full rev range in a way the S's engine doesn't. That's what makes it a special car...and the chassis just feels that bit more planted...it is very slightly stiffer than an S and the wider track just gives it that something extra. They should only have made it in 2wd coupe form in my opinion.

[VerySideways]

Cheib said:

Didn't want to distract from the post about the 997 GTS. It is one of those 911's that is better than the sum of its parts...on paper it doesn't look that special. Plenty of people say it's not worth the money over a Carrera S. Personally I think the Power Kit engine and the manual gearbox just work so well together...the Power Kit makes you want to exploit the full rev range in a way the S's engine doesn't. That's what makes it a special car...and the chassis just feels that bit more planted...it is very slightly stiffer than an S and the wider track just gives it that something extra. They should only have made it in 2wd coupe form in my opinion.

That's one of the reasons i went for the 3.6 over the 3.8, seems to want to rev more - and it's half the price of a manual GTS.
Agree on the 2wd too, that's part of the appeal of the GTS is the wide body without having to have the 4wd (to me at least).

[c4sman]

BillyB said:

Hat raised for the most modest understatement ever. ??

Have to second that! Literally the opposite of most internet posts

Well done that man!

[julian987R]

julian987R said:

RichDS said:

How’s everyone getting on with their GTSs?

I am going to get on the hunt for a manual car I think. Not too bothered if rwd or 4wd and would entertain coupe or cab. Slim pickings mind you.

Still love the 997 and the GTS is such a nice thing..

my 4 year hunt for a manual 997GTS with buckets in solid Black (not basalt), the centre lock wheels, extended leather interior and all the bells and whistles continues.

Edited by julian987R on Sunday 29th January 21:22

Approaching another year gone by looking for this spec. I am concluding that one just doesn't exist.

Manual 997GTS with buckets in solid Black (not basalt), the centre lock wheels, extended leather interior and all the bells and whistles.

[Louis Balfour]

julian987R said:

julian987R said:

RichDS said:

How’s everyone getting on with their GTSs?

I am going to get on the hunt for a manual car I think. Not too bothered if rwd or 4wd and would entertain coupe or cab. Slim pickings mind you.

Still love the 997 and the GTS is such a nice thing..

my 4 year hunt for a manual 997GTS with buckets in solid Black (not basalt), the centre lock wheels, extended leather interior and all the bells and whistles continues.

Edited by julian987R on Sunday 29th January 21:22

Approaching another year gone by looking for this spec. I am concluding that one just doesn't exist.

Manual 997GTS with buckets in solid Black (not basalt), the centre lock wheels, extended leather interior and all the bells and whistles.

There MIGHT be one out there. But if you find it there is nothing to say it won’t be high miles, poor order, incomplete history etc..

You are better off imho being less picky on spec, so that you have a wider choice of good cars.

[julian987R]

Louis Balfour said:

There MIGHT be one out there. But if you find it there is nothing to say it won’t be high miles, poor order, incomplete history etc..

You are better off imho being less picky on spec, so that you have a wider choice of good cars.

Good point. I was wondering if I sacrifice the buckets and just fit a 2nd hand set but even then I haven't seen just a solid black 997 GTS, non-basalt, one come on the market in years.

[Louis Balfour]

julian987R said:

Louis Balfour said:

There MIGHT be one out there. But if you find it there is nothing to say it won’t be high miles, poor order, incomplete history etc..

You are better off imho being less picky on spec, so that you have a wider choice of good cars.

Good point. I was wondering if I sacrifice the buckets and just fit a 2nd hand set but even then I haven't seen just a solid black 997 GTS, non-basalt, one come on the market in years.

Well there you go. So it's highly unlikely you will find a solid black one that has the options you want.

I had a basalt 997 back in the day. My detailer at the time told me to avoid solid black Porsches because they were difficult to keep looking good.

[Venosta]

So, I say this very hesitantly, as someone who is waiting to buy a 991.2 GTS in the right colour and spec, but..

I have been buying cars for several decades, and this conversation has made me think: there are times when I have bought a good car in the "wrong" spec, reluctantly, and other times when I have waited and waited.

I have never regretted buying a good example of the car I wanted, in the wrong spec. Never thought, I should have waited. Because cars are about driving and owning. I have regretted buying cars, but they have been the wrong cars, whatever the spec.

But, that's just one person's view. And our views also change over time. But for the difference between Basalt and solid black, I would not hesitate to buy an otherwise great car. The car will give you the joy. Or it should.

My current pause is due to my wife's colour requirements, specifically ruling out Carmine Red, which I am not crazy about, but would be fine with for the sake of an otherwise great GTS.

[Louis Balfour]

Venosta said:

So, I say this very hesitantly, as someone who is waiting to buy a 991.2 GTS in the right colour and spec, but..

I have been buying cars for several decades, and this conversation has made me think: there are times when I have bought a good car in the "wrong" spec, reluctantly, and other times when I have waited and waited.

I have never regretted buying a good example of the car I wanted, in the wrong spec. Never thought, I should have waited. Because cars are about driving and owning. I have regretted buying cars, but they have been the wrong cars, whatever the spec.

But, that's just one person's view. And our views also change over time. But for the difference between Basalt and solid black, I would not hesitate to buy an otherwise great car. The car will give you the joy. Or it should.

My current pause is due to my wife's colour requirements, specifically ruling out Carmine Red, which I am not crazy about, but would be fine with for the sake of an otherwise great GTS.

I am with your wife (not literally) ref Carmine. Horrid colour. Guards Red on the other hand I love on the 911.

[ellroy]

Thank God.

I thought it was just me who didn’t like Carmine.

It’s nice to be amongst friends.

[jonny finance]

Louis Balfour said:

julian987R said:

Louis Balfour said:

There MIGHT be one out there. But if you find it there is nothing to say it won’t be high miles, poor order, incomplete history etc..

You are better off imho being less picky on spec, so that you have a wider choice of good cars.

Good point. I was wondering if I sacrifice the buckets and just fit a 2nd hand set but even then I haven't seen just a solid black 997 GTS, non-basalt, one come on the market in years.

Well there you go. So it's highly unlikely you will find a solid black one that has the options you want.

I had a basalt 997 back in the day. My detailer at the time told me to avoid solid black Porsches because they were difficult to keep looking good.

The difference between Basalt and solid black is night and day. Basalt is a grey black whereas solid black is….black. I’m with your patient GTS buyer here - black looks a million times better than grey. It’s deep, reflective and… black