996 TT vs GT3 (again, i'm sorry!!)
Discussion
Ok, here's the situation - and i'm honestly not trying to start the age old debate up again... (apols for the long post)
I'd convinced myself over the last few months that I REALLY want a Mk1 GT3 and as such have been looking around to see what's coming up for sale. It seems that at the moment EVERYONE wants a Mk1 GT3 so there are very few up for sale.
Anyway, having never driven either a GT3 or a TT I had a gnawing feeling that I had better try both before making the final decision. With this in mind I went to look at a Black 996 TT on Saturday (RPR specialist cars).
Wow. That car is beautiful. Polished up in black it looks fantastic.
The weather was crap so Peter (great guy actually) was rightly not too keen on taking it out unless I weas serious. I explained I was torn between the manual TT and a GT3, so to try and give me an idea of a GT3 we ventured out in his already rained on GT3 RS.
This is the point where my world got redefined. Even from the passenger seat it was clear the thing was like a go kart..strapped to a rocket...and a parachute deployment system. Acceleration, handling and braking were mind numbing. I fell in love with it.
Then (it had stopped raining and I HAD to try the TT) we went out in the TT. I drove this one and thought I was in a playstation game as the mph went up like they were kmph. Truly, truly devastatingly fast. When people said in the past that the TT was the fastest car point to point I thought I understood, that drive made me REALLY understand. I fell in love with it.
So, here I am. The cars have a massively different feeling and if I could have a GT3 RS with 5k miles on it I think there would be no contest - but it's a different league.
Will a Mk1 GT3 with 30+k miles on it feel as taught, as direct, and sound as good as the RS?
It's going to be my only car (may get an old banger to run alongside) - will the GT3 pi$$ me off?
My girlfriend loves the look of the TT, and do I.
Will the GT3 be constantly in need of alignment and geo setup?
Can you take a TT on the track and have fun - or does it destroy its consumables within 5 laps?
Will I ever find a Mk1 GT3 in the right spec for sensible money?
And finally, if I did get a TT - how much is it to put a wing like that from a GT2 on it?(GT2 = my all time favourite looking 911)
I feel like after all that deliberating at the beginning of the year that i'm back at square one!
Please, all you TT and GT3 drivers - help me out so I can concentrate on work at some point this week!
Chris
I'd convinced myself over the last few months that I REALLY want a Mk1 GT3 and as such have been looking around to see what's coming up for sale. It seems that at the moment EVERYONE wants a Mk1 GT3 so there are very few up for sale.
Anyway, having never driven either a GT3 or a TT I had a gnawing feeling that I had better try both before making the final decision. With this in mind I went to look at a Black 996 TT on Saturday (RPR specialist cars).
Wow. That car is beautiful. Polished up in black it looks fantastic.
The weather was crap so Peter (great guy actually) was rightly not too keen on taking it out unless I weas serious. I explained I was torn between the manual TT and a GT3, so to try and give me an idea of a GT3 we ventured out in his already rained on GT3 RS.
This is the point where my world got redefined. Even from the passenger seat it was clear the thing was like a go kart..strapped to a rocket...and a parachute deployment system. Acceleration, handling and braking were mind numbing. I fell in love with it.
Then (it had stopped raining and I HAD to try the TT) we went out in the TT. I drove this one and thought I was in a playstation game as the mph went up like they were kmph. Truly, truly devastatingly fast. When people said in the past that the TT was the fastest car point to point I thought I understood, that drive made me REALLY understand. I fell in love with it.
So, here I am. The cars have a massively different feeling and if I could have a GT3 RS with 5k miles on it I think there would be no contest - but it's a different league.
Will a Mk1 GT3 with 30+k miles on it feel as taught, as direct, and sound as good as the RS?
It's going to be my only car (may get an old banger to run alongside) - will the GT3 pi$$ me off?
My girlfriend loves the look of the TT, and do I.
Will the GT3 be constantly in need of alignment and geo setup?
Can you take a TT on the track and have fun - or does it destroy its consumables within 5 laps?
Will I ever find a Mk1 GT3 in the right spec for sensible money?
And finally, if I did get a TT - how much is it to put a wing like that from a GT2 on it?(GT2 = my all time favourite looking 911)
I feel like after all that deliberating at the beginning of the year that i'm back at square one!
Please, all you TT and GT3 drivers - help me out so I can concentrate on work at some point this week!
Chris
Well my experience is somewhat limited but I have just been through exactly the same thing as you
Slightly different in that it's not my only car or daily transport and trackday ability has been high up the list for me
I put a deposit on a Mk1 GT3 at the wekend so I reckon my mine is made up now !
Slightly different in that it's not my only car or daily transport and trackday ability has been high up the list for me
I put a deposit on a Mk1 GT3 at the wekend so I reckon my mine is made up now !
Chris - firstly get a go in a Mk1 GT3 - it's a different animal to the RS you drove - and it may make your mind up for you....
IMHO - as an only car, the TT really is the only way to go.... Great as the GT3 is, I think most people would agree...
>> Edited by mbutchers on Monday 22 May 12:20
IMHO - as an only car, the TT really is the only way to go.... Great as the GT3 is, I think most people would agree...
>> Edited by mbutchers on Monday 22 May 12:20
Yep
Been looking for the right car for what seems like an age now
(is it just me or do prices actually seem to be going up recently !)
Think it's a good one - got Parrs doing an independant check latter in the week just for peace of mind but all being well it should soon be sat on my driveway.
Been looking for the right car for what seems like an age now
(is it just me or do prices actually seem to be going up recently !)
Think it's a good one - got Parrs doing an independant check latter in the week just for peace of mind but all being well it should soon be sat on my driveway.
vette78 said:
?
Can you take a TT on the track and have fun - or does it destroy its consumables within 5 laps?
I can comment on this part only. Took my 996 TT for a track day of Brands hatch Indy (short) circuit which is very twisty and must have done 50 laps in the day. Well I certainly did 2 tanks of petrol anyway.
My observation is that it will wear the same % heavier than a GT 3 RS is lighter - roughly speaking. My rubber was 90% new at the start and I was 30% (and barely legal) by the end of the day with clear heat damage / melting on the outer and inner edges. My front disks and pads were 50% at the start of the day by the end they were still stopping the car fine but I did have to replace the whole shebang within 5,000 miles. So yes the wear is considerable but in line with what I expected.
Chris,
I have Pagid yellow brake pads and ATE brake fluid and the brakes lasted all day on my TT with X50 option (with sensible breaks) . Specced up like this it was great fun, but not quicker round a whole lap than GT3's.
It sounds to me like a GT3 is your cup of tea as you have not said you need the rear seats, which is the main reason I got a TT over a GT3.
I have Pagid yellow brake pads and ATE brake fluid and the brakes lasted all day on my TT with X50 option (with sensible breaks) . Specced up like this it was great fun, but not quicker round a whole lap than GT3's.
It sounds to me like a GT3 is your cup of tea as you have not said you need the rear seats, which is the main reason I got a TT over a GT3.
If you are a trackday enthusiast and don't mind compromised road comfort, the GT3 wins hands down every time. A 30k miler GT3 sounds like it has probably had a reasonable degree of road use so I wouldn't be too concerned as long as it has a proper service history and all consumables were replaced in good time. There are a lot of 5-20k mile GT3s which are pure trackday warriors which have seen more stress/wear put on them than higher mileage examples.
My GT3 is driven only 3 days a week, but I tend to drive her a lot on those weekends (on course for about 15k miles this year). That's part of the allure of the GT3 - once you get in, you won't want to stop!!!
Imho, the TT is an entirely different proposition. I don't think I'd ever go down the TT route as it's simply too easy to go too fast without knowing that you are going too fast until you are. I get bored of Playstation games. If I wanted a super fast and supremely comfortable car with not-a-lot of feedback, I would probably go for something more practical.
At least in the GT3 you know when you are going fast... the sound/feel etc will keep you in touch with road reality and it is sheer unadulterated fun...
>> Edited by polarexpress on Monday 22 May 12:22
My GT3 is driven only 3 days a week, but I tend to drive her a lot on those weekends (on course for about 15k miles this year). That's part of the allure of the GT3 - once you get in, you won't want to stop!!!
Imho, the TT is an entirely different proposition. I don't think I'd ever go down the TT route as it's simply too easy to go too fast without knowing that you are going too fast until you are. I get bored of Playstation games. If I wanted a super fast and supremely comfortable car with not-a-lot of feedback, I would probably go for something more practical.
At least in the GT3 you know when you are going fast... the sound/feel etc will keep you in touch with road reality and it is sheer unadulterated fun...
>> Edited by polarexpress on Monday 22 May 12:22
If you only do a couple of track days a year (you don't mention) & the car is a day to day daily drive, then I would go for the TT. If you spend half your life down the track & the car is used not so much on the road then the GT3.
Interesting passage in Autocar this week (GT3 vs M5 on cover) where they debate this.
In a nutshell they say that in 996 form if its a majority road car then get the Turbo. They then say that in 997 guise, the GT3 now coming with more driver aids & creature comforts, its not so cut & dried as that now.
A 996 GT2 is very good value at the moment...not much more tham a decent Turbo....
R.
Interesting passage in Autocar this week (GT3 vs M5 on cover) where they debate this.
In a nutshell they say that in 996 form if its a majority road car then get the Turbo. They then say that in 997 guise, the GT3 now coming with more driver aids & creature comforts, its not so cut & dried as that now.
A 996 GT2 is very good value at the moment...not much more tham a decent Turbo....
R.
In the end for me it came down to me wanting my 911 to feel like a sportscar and not a luxury limo
The GT3 is harder and noisiey (esp with a sports exhaust!) but test driving them made me feel like i really was in a sportscar.
I have a RR sport for mile crunching and luxury - I didn't want another car the same which is how I felt about the turbo in many ways
BUT - if it were my only car then the turbo would prob have to get far more consideration - i'm not sure I could live with the GT3 every day
The GT3 is harder and noisiey (esp with a sports exhaust!) but test driving them made me feel like i really was in a sportscar.
I have a RR sport for mile crunching and luxury - I didn't want another car the same which is how I felt about the turbo in many ways
BUT - if it were my only car then the turbo would prob have to get far more consideration - i'm not sure I could live with the GT3 every day
vette78 said:
Ok, here's the situation - and i'm honestly not trying to start the age old debate up again... (apols for the long post)
I'd convinced myself over the last few months that I REALLY want a Mk1 GT3 and as such have been looking around to see what's coming up for sale. It seems that at the moment EVERYONE wants a Mk1 GT3 so there are very few up for sale.
Anyway, having never driven either a GT3 or a TT I had a gnawing feeling that I had better try both before making the final decision. With this in mind I went to look at a Black 996 TT on Saturday (RPR specialist cars).
Wow. That car is beautiful. Polished up in black it looks fantastic.
The weather was crap so Peter (great guy actually) was rightly not too keen on taking it out unless I weas serious. I explained I was torn between the manual TT and a GT3, so to try and give me an idea of a GT3 we ventured out in his already rained on GT3 RS.
This is the point where my world got redefined. Even from the passenger seat it was clear the thing was like a go kart..strapped to a rocket...and a parachute deployment system. Acceleration, handling and braking were mind numbing. I fell in love with it.
Then (it had stopped raining and I HAD to try the TT) we went out in the TT. I drove this one and thought I was in a playstation game as the mph went up like they were kmph. Truly, truly devastatingly fast. When people said in the past that the TT was the fastest car point to point I thought I understood, that drive made me REALLY understand. I fell in love with it.
So, here I am. The cars have a massively different feeling and if I could have a GT3 RS with 5k miles on it I think there would be no contest - but it's a different league.
Will a Mk1 GT3 with 30+k miles on it feel as taught, as direct, and sound as good as the RS?
It's going to be my only car (may get an old banger to run alongside) - will the GT3 pi$$ me off?
My girlfriend loves the look of the TT, and do I.
Will the GT3 be constantly in need of alignment and geo setup?
Can you take a TT on the track and have fun - or does it destroy its consumables within 5 laps?
Will I ever find a Mk1 GT3 in the right spec for sensible money?
And finally, if I did get a TT - how much is it to put a wing like that from a GT2 on it?(GT2 = my all time favourite looking 911)
I feel like after all that deliberating at the beginning of the year that i'm back at square one!
Please, all you TT and GT3 drivers - help me out so I can concentrate on work at some point this week!
Chris
The Mk1 GT3 feels slightly heavier than the RS -although it is the same weight- , the steering has slightly less feel and the engine doesn't have quite the punch but we are talking degrees. It is a very tuneable car although if you are using one pimarily for the road, all you would need is a decent set up from Parr or JZ for about 400 quid and thats you done. If it is constant involvement that you want from your driving then the GT3 is a no brainer, but bear in mind that the car needs to be driven, it does nothing for you. Some may find that a little wearing, some totally rewarding. The TT is an incredible car that you give you effortless pace in all conditions but it isn't condom free drivng and won't involve you like a GT3, which you may be glad off in the pouring rain on a dark night but maybe not on a sunny day in August.
You need to be honest with yourself and ask what you truly want from your car. They are both fantastic cars but have very different personalities. I love driving GT3's in the wet, there is no better way of inproving your driving skills... But then, I'm as mad as a March hare...
Steve R
Arrghh... everything everyone says seems so sensible...
Trackdays - not many at the moment - hoping to do more. However, i've got a Suzuki GSXR which might be a more thrilling/suitable track slag than my Porsche (which I'd be concerned about pranging) - The GSXR has already bounced down the track before anyway!!
Someone (sorry can't see post in reply mode) mentioned that the RS would be very different to a Mk1 GT3 - how so? I thought it was more evolution than revolution between Mk1 and Mk2 RS?
Don't need rear seats - i'm only 27 so hoping for a few more years before i have to start reading the Porsche child-seat threads..
As for getting a GT2 - i'd love to. But getting a Turbo/GT3 will be pushing the boat out as it is.
Must try and test drive a GT3 Mk1...
Trackdays - not many at the moment - hoping to do more. However, i've got a Suzuki GSXR which might be a more thrilling/suitable track slag than my Porsche (which I'd be concerned about pranging) - The GSXR has already bounced down the track before anyway!!
Someone (sorry can't see post in reply mode) mentioned that the RS would be very different to a Mk1 GT3 - how so? I thought it was more evolution than revolution between Mk1 and Mk2 RS?
Don't need rear seats - i'm only 27 so hoping for a few more years before i have to start reading the Porsche child-seat threads..
As for getting a GT2 - i'd love to. But getting a Turbo/GT3 will be pushing the boat out as it is.
Must try and test drive a GT3 Mk1...
vette78 said:
Arrghh... everything everyone says seems so sensible...
Trackdays - not many at the moment - hoping to do more. However, i've got a Suzuki GSXR which might be a more thrilling/suitable track slag than my Porsche (which I'd be concerned about pranging) - The GSXR has already bounced down the track before anyway!!
Someone (sorry can't see post in reply mode) mentioned that the RS would be very different to a Mk1 GT3 - how so? I thought it was more evolution than revolution between Mk1 and Mk2 RS?
Don't need rear seats - i'm only 27 so hoping for a few more years before i have to start reading the Porsche child-seat threads..
As for getting a GT2 - i'd love to. But getting a Turbo/GT3 will be pushing the boat out as it is.
Must try and test drive a GT3 Mk1...
Come to Spa next week. there will be loads of MK1's MK2's and RS's there, you can grab some rides and make your own mind up!
As I said, the RS is very similar to the MK1. It's from the same DNA and 90% the same. From what you say, I think that the GT3 will be ideal for you.
STeve R
Not this again....simple fact is that a gt3 doesnt have enough grunt..great on track and 4 times a year on a perfect dry road..it wll never excite in a straight line..i had one for six months and probably drove it way too fast on the road around corners,late braking etc to impress myself with its abilities.if its a track car you want..brilliant,if its a road car buy a tt and live comforably that you have the quickest a-b vehicle on the road 98% of the time..
kayc said:
Not this again....simple fact is that a gt3 doesnt have enough grunt..great on track and 4 times a year on a perfect dry road..it wll never excite in a straight line..i had one for six months and probably drove it way too fast on the road around corners,late braking etc to impress myself with its abilities.if its a track car you want..brilliant,if its a road car buy a tt and live comforably that you have the quickest a-b vehicle on the road 98% of the time..
Just admit it. You bought the wrong car and you want everyone else to make the same mistake to make you feel better..
steve rance said:Nearly right steve,i sold the wrong car after 6 months(the legendary gt3 costing me 12k in 6 months)and bought a tt...16 months later its still the best car ive owned on uk roads..and the first car in 20 years that ive owned for more than a year..its docile when needed and bloody quick when the csl/m3/db9/gt3 fancy a go....
Not this again....simple fact is that a gt3 doesnt have enough grunt..great on track and 4 times a year on a perfect dry road..it wll never excite in a straight line..i had one for six months and probably drove it way too fast on the road around corners,late braking etc to impress myself with its abilities.if its a track car you want..brilliant,if its a road car buy a tt and live comforably that you have the quickest a-b vehicle on the road 98% of the time..
Just admit it. You bought the wrong car and you want everyone else to make the same mistake to make you feel better..
>> Edited by kayc on Monday 22 May 14:02
kayc said:
Not this again....simple fact is that a gt3 doesnt have enough grunt..great on track and 4 times a year on a perfect dry road..it wll never excite in a straight line..i had one for six months and probably drove it way too fast on the road around corners,late braking etc to impress myself with its abilities.if its a track car you want..brilliant,if its a road car buy a tt and live comforably that you have the quickest a-b vehicle on the road 98% of the time..
Just admit it. You bought the wrong car and you want everyone else to make the same mistake to make you feel better..
>> Edited by kayc on Monday 22 May 14:02
I'll break it..
That's the whole point - asking people for their opinion really is a futile exercise, because it is only their (my!) opinion. I personally like my Cab...
but totally understand why many on here don't. The only way, is go and drive both - Steve R has good advice.... be honest with yourself as to what you REALLY want - then maybe, you won't be disappointed with your choice.
but totally understand why many on here don't. The only way, is go and drive both - Steve R has good advice.... be honest with yourself as to what you REALLY want - then maybe, you won't be disappointed with your choice.Gassing Station | Porsche General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff