HELP... GTO-3 vs GTO-3R

[Andy Blanco]

A few weeks ago i posted a subject helping me decide between a Tuscan S and a Noble M12.
Having heeded the advice of my fellow PHers I test drove the cars.

I am pleased to anounce that several minutes into a test drive of the Noble, my decision was made.

I am in another small quandry now due to my budget of around £40k. It seems it will enable me to get a dealer GTO-3 (with 12 months warranty), or a private GTO-3R.

There is obvious appeal in the dealers warranty on a car I've never owned. But there is virtually equal appeal in not spending £3-4k over the odds, and gaining a higher spec model.

Will the GTO-3R give me anything more than the GTO-3 (other than cosmetics)?

Is the risk of a private buy too great a chance to take?

Your thoughts please...

[obes]

In general, the answer is 3R. Maximum residuals, latest spec. BUT....

There are car specific details that could sway it, depending on your use. A well sorted 3 may well have had many useful mods; track day sump, solid brake lines, nitrons or ohlins dampers etc, etc. If you buy a basic spec 3R and then want these you'll have to spend £000's extra.

Are you much of a track dayer ? if yes then it is almost vital that the car has a track sump. It may even be possible to find a sumped 3R within budget. If your only road going, then it's 3R.

O.

[Marlon]

LSD, track-day sump and 6-speed box were all new (I think) to the 3R, but there may be a few 3's out there with with them. All worth while IMO. As with all manufacturers, the general quality and build of the cars has steadily improved over time and the later cars are generally screwed-together better than the earlier cars; you pretty much get what you pay for.

After-market warranties can be purchased (I believe) but you'll find that the cars are "much" more reliable than TVR (I've owned several TVR's from new and one Noble M12 3R - the Tiv's all had issues but the Noble has been pretty much bomb-proof other than a few minor niggles that were easily sorted). I'm not sure why people aren't confident to buy private; the dealers have certainly cottoned-on to the fact!

[Andy Blanco]

Marlon

My only issue with buying privately is the lack of any warranty or come back. The Noble main dealer is offering 12months, plus an ear to bash if something goes pear shaped.

You mentioned a couple of niggles with your's. Were they covered by a warranty?

[AMG Merc]

Andy, my suggestion would be to go for a 3R but ONLY if it has the track sump, 6-speed box (they added LSD as standard with this) and a/c (many have all these options) - I say this EVEN if you don't intent to show your car some track tarmac as you'll be at a disadvantage if/when you come to sell.

Regarding a private purchase - this would not put me off as I would pay for the car to have a check over and report either at the factory or at yours (or the sellers') local dealer before purchasing.

Check the classified on this site - there are plenty to choose from and Marlon's Red 3R would seem to fit your bill perfectly (no, am not on commission but feel it is an absolute bargain!).

Good luck!

[chillidog]

I believe Kerridges is offering warranties; don't know the exact details but they might be worth a ring - ask for Stephen Kerridge tel [phone].

[z3stu]

I would not buy from a dealer as I hate paying over the odds. They will make at least 5 to 7 grand on a Noble. I bought my car private and got it all checked out and was very happy with the deal. Most of the time the warranties are not worth the paper there written on anyway.

I know the guys at Vegantune will inspect the car for you for a small fee.

Stu

[DanH]

Yep the main thing is that newer is generally better althogh to be fair I think all the cars are going to be pretty sorted by now, as even if they had teething problems initially they've probably been long fixed.

I bought privately but had the advantage of knowing the seller and the car. If buying privately from a stranger then paying a couple of hours labour for a full inspection would be a good idea. In fact it would probably give me more piece of mind than buying from a dealer as the people inspecting won't have any commerical interest in the car.

The differences between 3 & 3R are pretty much cosmetic and the rest is pretty much down to how the buyer specced it/upgraded. I like to point out to 3R owners how my 3 is lighter and faster since it lacks some of the sound deadening and leather tat

Desireable spec list in order of priority imho should be :

6spd box & lsd
trackday sump
aircon
nikasil brake lines
oil pressure/temp gauge.
pedal upgrade/modification (easier heal & toe).

To be honest I don't think there are many cars out there with the brake upgrades and temp gauges. You can get them retrofitted if you find yourself tracking the car and caring about these things, although it will progbably be a couple of grand.

[Marlon]

Andy Blanco said:

Marlon My only issue with buying privately is the lack of any warranty or come back. The Noble main dealer is offering 12months, plus an ear to bash if something goes pear shaped. You mentioned a couple of niggles with your's. Were they covered by a warranty?

A few niggles are quite common, and yes they were sorted under warranty;
- Rear clam rattled over poor surfaces (fixed)
- Speedo stopped working when it got wet (fixed)
- Rear suspension was a tad too firm (fixed)

In my experience, most problems occur within the first 6-months and few thousand miles of ownership. Personally, I'm quite happy buying used but I understand that "peace of mind" through a warrantly can be an important issue. However, the 5 grand that you'd be saving could also be considered as "peace of mind", and you probably won't have to part with it!

[Marlon]

AMG Merc said:

Andy, my suggestion would be to go for a 3R but ONLY if it has the track sump, 6-speed box (they added LSD as standard with this) and a/c (many have all these options) - I say this EVEN if you don't intent to show your car some track tarmac as you'll be at a disadvantage if/when you come to sell. Regarding a private purchase - this would not put me off as I would pay for the car to have a check over and report either at the factory or at yours (or the sellers') local dealer before purchasing. Check the classified on this site - there are plenty to choose from and Marlon's Red 3R would seem to fit your bill perfectly (no, am not on commission but feel it is an absolute bargain!). Good luck!

Thanks Rob! Yes, it is a bargain - but as much as I would like to keep it, I can't justify it now that the SL55 is here. Or can I....?

[Mr Noble]

Andy, Great decision. I was in the same position about 2 months ago. I decided to spend a little extre and go for the dealer option but after my experiences I think I would feel happy buying privatly if I got a full inspection and aftermarket warranty. (about 450-600 quid).

Here are some similar threads that I posted at the time. Happy reading.

GN

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=26&h=&t=156188

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=26&h=&t=158252

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=26&h=&t=158918

[kentviking]

drive them both, then choose. Private is always better value for money, and as you've seen from reading on here, reliability is pretty solid.

If you're at all concerned by the warranty steven kerridge offers (mentioned earlier) and get an inspection

Just do it soon...every day without an M12 is a day lost from motoring nervanah

[UFO 2 NOB]

Andy Blanco said:

A few weeks ago i posted a subject helping me decide between a Tuscan S and a Noble M12. Having heeded the advice of my fellow PHers I test drove the cars. I am pleased to anounce that several minutes into a test drive of the Noble, my decision was made. I am in another small quandry now due to my budget of around £40k. It seems it will enable me to get a dealer GTO-3 (with 12 months warranty), or a private GTO-3R. There is obvious appeal in the dealers warranty on a car I've never owned. But there is virtually equal appeal in not spending £3-4k over the odds, and gaining a higher spec model. Will the GTO-3R give me anything more than the GTO-3 (other than cosmetics)? Is the risk of a private buy too great a chance to take? Your thoughts please...

What is a dealer warranty,its insurnace backed an can be bought from most dealers anyway as they derive profit from it.Do you think that most used Nobles are at dealerships for sale because (a)they had a cherished ownership and the owner felt very sorry for the dealer so they let them have the car cheap or(b)that they were sold to the dealer because the owner was,skint,desperate over financed and could not afford the maintenance or up keep,in most cases the later.My advice find a one owner private car,go to the owners house,check out his/her lifestyle,go for a test drive,see how they drive,check the car,its usage,storage and appearance.Check that its dealer or better still factory serviced then check that with the factory that this is true.If the owner is lying you will probably get a good feel for this at their home.What will the dealer be able to tell you about the previous owner,probably nothing as he will have only met Mr desperate on handing the cheque over for said vehicle.I once put a deposit on a 993 with a specialist dealer only to find out on contacting the previous owner he quite openly admitted that the car was previously left hand drive converted to right.The dealer denied this even when i knew.Not to say all dealers are bad,they are not,but neither is buying private.Check out some private cars to get a feel for whats what.If you save 4-5k anyway wots the gamble,the warranty probably would not cover a claim like that anyway and would you pay 4-5k for a warranty on its own merit.I guess not,happy hunting!!!

>> Edited by UFO 2 NOB on Friday 1st April 19:55