997.1 GT3 - 911 Virgin

[GT4RS]

BrotherMouzone said:

GT4RS said:

Is the owner of this car on here?

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

I believe this car was mentioned recently...... first owner had ordered a GT3, for whatever reason Porsche couldn’t fulfill it, and let him have a RS instead at a much reduced price.

Anyone got a link to the thread?

[chrisABP]

BrotherMouzone said:

GT4RS said:

Is the owner of this car on here?

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

I believe this car was mentioned recently...... first owner had ordered a GT3, for whatever reason Porsche couldn’t fulfill it, and let him have a RS instead at a much reduced price.

There has been a mix-up here guys. The story above was for a 997.1 RS that we had in for a Sharkwerks exhaust upgrade.

[BrotherMouzone]

Apology.

I’ll edit the post.

[Steve Rance]

Such an odd disconnect between the new used markets. New, the most popular choices are mostly comfort spec cars. Used prefers Clubsport spec cars - which because of their relative rarity makes them even more desirable.

Whilst I can appreciate the ‘I’ll wait for the best priced car, market correction, forced sale approach for me it is short sighted. The only think that we all share that is finite, is time. You won’t get it back. If I were a buyer now, I’d be looking for the best specced car for my needs right now and try to do the best deal on it that I could - but I’d make sure that it was in my garage by the spring and if I had to pay more for it than another car that was a compromise then so be it.

[Digga]

Steve Rance said:

Such an odd disconnect between the new used markets. New, the most popular choices are mostly comfort spec cars. Used prefers Clubsport spec cars - which because of their relative rarity makes them even more desirable.

I do agree and, to an extent, the frustration of those who wanted to buy a new 991 GT3 to actually use, but could not get a dealer to stop laughing at them, let alone allocated them a car, has been done to death on here, but there is a total disconnect there. From 997.2 onwards, the buyers have erred toward making their cars daily-driver spec, as opposed to track day toys, or things to be actually driven.

Looking at a boggo spec 991.1 GT3 comfort leaves me cold; it's barely different in looks and intent to a non-GT, cooking 911.

ETA if you are that fragile, decrepit or obese that you can't put up with the bucket seats, a GT3 really isn't likely to be the car for you. You'd be buying it for looks alone.

Edited by Digga on Friday 8th February 07:49

[BertBert]

Digga said:

ETA if you are that fragile, decrepit or obese that you can't put up with the bucket seats, a GT3 really isn't likely to be the car for you. You'd be buying it for looks alone.

The buckets in my new to me 997.1 clubsport were really uncomfortable until I fiddled around with the lumbar support pad. It's more in the right place and they are transformed. I think the pad is a bit thin for me so will be playing around with it more in the spring.
Bert

[Digga]

BertBert said:

Digga said:

ETA if you are that fragile, decrepit or obese that you can't put up with the bucket seats, a GT3 really isn't likely to be the car for you. You'd be buying it for looks alone.

The buckets in my new to me 997.1 clubsport were really uncomfortable until I fiddled around with the lumbar support pad. It's more in the right place and they are transformed. I think the pad is a bit thin for me so will be playing around with it more in the spring.
Bert

The great thing is, the base and back pads just velcro in, so you can always get a decent trimmer to make up some with more padding. I'd say some of the off-the-shelf pads (made by Sparco and OMP etc.) would also fit in there too.

The thing I love about the Nomex seats, over leather, is the way they help hold you in place, plus they aren't freezing cold when you first get in the car first thing in the morning.

[Slippydiff]

Digga said:

ETA if you are that fragile, decrepit or obese that you can't put up with the bucket seats, a GT3 really isn't likely to be the car for you. You'd be buying it for looks alone.

Digga said:

The thing I love about the Nomex seats is they aren't freezing cold when you first get in the car first thing in the morning.

EFA

[Digga]

Slippydiff said:

Digga said:

ETA if you are that fragile, decrepit or obese that you can't put up with the bucket seats, a GT3 really isn't likely to be the car for you. You'd be buying it for looks alone.

Digga said:

The thing I love about the Nomex seats is they aren't freezing cold when you first get in the car first thing in the morning.

EFA

As someone born to two Northern parents, very much of a Northern family, I ought to be ashamed of that, but I am unrepentant.

[Slippydiff]

Digga said:

s someone born to two Northern parents, very much of a Northern family, I ought to be ashamed of that, but I am unrepentant.

I'd be feeling more guilty that you now reside in the Midlands, the pain must be insufferable for them

[Digga]

Slippydiff said:

Digga said:

s someone born to two Northern parents, very much of a Northern family, I ought to be ashamed of that, but I am unrepentant.

I'd be feeling more guilty that you now reside in the Midlands, the pain must be insufferable for them

Well I was born here, and that's their fault.

[D.no]

Steve Rance said:

Such an odd disconnect between the new used markets. New, the most popular choices are mostly comfort spec cars. Used prefers Clubsport spec cars - which because of their relative rarity makes them even more desirable.

Whilst I can appreciate the ‘I’ll wait for the best priced car, market correction, forced sale approach for me it is short sighted. The only think that we all share that is finite, is time. You won’t get it back. If I were a buyer now, I’d be looking for the best specced car for my needs right now and try to do the best deal on it that I could - but I’d make sure that it was in my garage by the spring and if I had to pay more for it than another car that was a compromise then so be it.

Amen.

[evodarren]

That's right.
As the cars are getting older the perfect spec may not be available on the cars that are maintained well.
I bought my comfort seat GT3 61/2 years ago when my daughter was 8 years old. She loved going for drives stopping of at places, getting in and out all the time. She has now discovered girly things and going out with Dad in the car is not on the top of her list anymore.

I chose comfort at the time as it was road based. It was a one owner car 9,500 miles 51/2 years old. Always had Porsche warranty.
Now as the situation has changed Bucket seats would be nice. I still do a lot of touring so comfort may still be the only choice.

The reason I chose my GT3 was on condition ,history. I wasn't going to let this one pass me by.

Edited by evodarren on Monday 11th February 12:16

[Digga]

evodarren said:

The reason I chose my GT3 was on condition ,history. I wasn't going to let this one pass me.

^This.

Even back in 2017 when I got mine, the difficulty I had was finding a car anywhere near the right spec at a dealer I trusted and with a history I could 'buy'. I'd actually got my heart set on a silver car, as I'd got a silver 996 turbo and really liked the colour (I know some thing it boring). A really nice looking car came up at Ashgoods and I'd agreed to drive down to see it on the Saturday (IIRC I'd called Mon or Tue) but had a polite text on Friday night to say someone had come into the showroom that day and put a deposit down and the car was sold. Were I the dealer, I'd have done exactly what they did, it was fair enough, but it did typify how busy the market was.

I then went to have a look at JZM, not necessarily 'wanting' a white car, but seeing the Clubsport spec in the metal and thinking about it more, it really did tick all the right boxes. Funnily enough, the week my car left their showroom for prep, into it's place was wheeled an absolutely identical spec, mileage and price car, but in Sapphire blue. It looked ace and really did set me thinking whether I'd have preferred that to white, but it is all water under the bridge now and I like the motorsport look of mine.

I don't think my car was in JZM for much more than a couple of weeks and the Sapphire blue one was not there for much longer either.

[D.no]

Had to smile at this.

I really wanted a white one, and bought a silver one!

Again, the history, condition, mileage, etc. coupled with what Steve said and added to my inherent lack of patience meant I couldn't pass it up. It's weird, but just having it in my garage gives me enormous satisfaction. It's just such a covetable thing for me. It also happens to be ace to drive. Win-win!

[Digga]

D.no said:

Had to smile at this.

I really wanted a white one, and bought a silver one!

Again, the history, condition, mileage, etc. coupled with what Steve said and added to my inherent lack of patience meant I couldn't pass it up. It's weird, but just having it in my garage gives me enormous satisfaction. It's just such a covetable thing for me. It also happens to be ace to drive. Win-win!

I certainly take a short while to get used to a car being 'mine', but then do get very attached to them. This is certainly a car that really grew on me very quickly to the point where, as you say, even if it's just away being serviced, I miss it being in the garage.

[short-shift]

Digga said:

Even back in 2017 when I got mine, the difficulty I had was finding a car anywhere near the right spec at a dealer I trusted and with a history I could 'buy'. I'd actually got my heart set on a silver car, as I'd got a silver 996 turbo and really liked the colour (I know some thing it boring). A really nice looking car came up at Ashgoods and I'd agreed to drive down to see it on the Saturday (IIRC I'd called Mon or Tue) but had a polite text on Friday night to say someone had come into the showroom that day and put a deposit down and the car was sold.

I remember your posts from the time as the Ashgoods car was my 'old' one - and it was, indeed, a nice one. The funny thing is that I sold it to Ashgoods because I couldn't sell it myself, privately - yet the car had been on offer from me with the safety net of a substantial ongoing Porsche Approved Warranty and a mega-file of history, and at a lower price than Ashgoods ended up advertising it for.

So a moral to add here, to what has been said above, is not to discount privately owned cars from consideration. The car that you can buy with confidence from a dealer you trust was, only a few days earlier, that very same car in the hands of its former owner. And buying privately allows you to form an opinion about the previous owner, and the way in which he (or she) is likely to have looked after the car. So, condition, mileage and provenance are the priorities (and, as the available cars get older, these factors should take precedence over finding the perfect spec, as Darren has suggested) - but don't overlook the possibilities that arise from a carefully considered private sale and purchase.

James

Edited by short-shift on Monday 11th February 19:36

[ttdan]

You can always put a lovely pair of Pole Positions in any 997 for less than 1500 quid. I must admit I never took my own advice as the first 997 I had was a “comfort “. I took it to Oulton and the ring and traded it as soon as I could after that for a CS. The moment you start to lean on the car as the maker intended those seats don’t quite work....Once the bug bites the wallet caves in...

Interestingly I don’t think the 997 GT3 market is a “track car” market anymore so most covet the spec for the rarity which is fair enough but just makes the comfort car even more of a relative bargain. They are identical apart from those few things, the comfy pulls just as hard, turns just as well, stops just as well

I do a have a lovely Swiss “divers” watch but I have never been in the bath with it let alone the sea down to 600m

[Kettmark]

I've been looking at the gt3 market for a while now and taken the decision to sit tight in my 997 c2s for the next few months. I've purchased some carbon folding buckets to put in it and take out again come sale time.
I will then be in a position to consider a comfort spec car should the right club sport not be found, and put the buckets in the comfort car.
Win win.

[evodarren]

short-shift said:

Digga said:

Even back in 2017 when I got mine, the difficulty I had was finding a car anywhere near the right spec at a dealer I trusted and with a history I could 'buy'. I'd actually got my heart set on a silver car, as I'd got a silver 996 turbo and really liked the colour (I know some thing it boring). A really nice looking car came up at Ashgoods and I'd agreed to drive down to see it on the Saturday (IIRC I'd called Mon or Tue) but had a polite text on Friday night to say someone had come into the showroom that day and put a deposit down and the car was sold.

I remember your posts from the time as the Ashgoods car was my 'old' one - and it was, indeed, a nice one. The funny thing is that I sold it to Ashgoods because I couldn't sell it myself, privately - yet the car had been on offer from me with the safety net of a substantial ongoing Porsche Approved Warranty and a mega-file of history, and at a lower price than Ashgoods ended up advertising it for.

So a moral to add here, to what has been said above, is not to discount privately owned cars from consideration. The car that you can buy with confidence from a dealer you trust was, only a few days earlier, that very same car in the hands of its former owner. And buying privately allows you to form an opinion about the previous owner, and the way in which he (or she) is likely to have looked after the car. So, condition, mileage and provenance are the priorities (and, as the available cars get older, these factors should take precedence over finding the perfect spec, as Darren has suggested) - but don't overlook the possibilities that arise from a carefully considered private sale and purchase.

James

Edited by short-shift on Monday 11th February 19:36

I brought mine from porsche Bristol. As I had a 997.1 carrera S Cab they gave me the best offer compared to independants. I got mine in November 2012 and a few days before a brought it they knocked of 5k because they were not selling,come March 2013 it all changed ,prices went up.