996 GT2

[Richard_Hamilton]

I've only ever driven one once, in the dry, and it felt pretty stable albeit I wasn't getting anywhere near its limits. As I understand it you have to be very careful in the wet, and it is really susceptible to aquaplaning. The friend who owned it (a very experienced Porsche driver) spun it on a motorway slip road after hitting standing water. Fortunately without too much damage.

 

[anto]

Any advice to be given please?

I own a 993 turbo 92,000 miles in polar silver which is fantastic but am being slowly tempted into considering trading it in for a 996 gt2 in Polar Silver with ard 40,000 miles. Only to be used occasionally as a weekend toy etc and hopefully with the aim of it increasing in value as my 993 turbo has over the last 4 years. My concern is how lethal it is as the 993 turbo be it very quick does feel very planted and of course has the 4 wheel drive.

All comments welcome.

 

[condor]

Please PM me if you decide to sell your 993 turbo ...

 

[NXI20]

The 996 GT2 will not appreciate by all that much over the short to medium term IMHO. The "widowmaker" moniker does them no favours & the truth is that they are not as bad as their reputation once they have decent rubber & geo put on them. As Richard says, they need to be treated with respect in the wet (raised white lines when overtaking can be a bit scary!) but that's all. I was offered a mint 16K mile one about a year ago for low £40's and passed. My assessment was that by the time you take storage costs & servicing into account it wouldn't be worth it, especially as you wouldn't want to use it to preserve the value... Keep the 993 - they are hewn from granite & remain a rock solid investment which you can use without worrying about depreciation.

 

[m33ufo]

I've got a 2004 996 GT2. Absolutely the most entertaining car I've ever owned and is perfect for its intended use as a weekend car - to use when I want and drive for fun. From the factory the geo was a little compromised with a tendancy towards understeer. Mine has had the rear toe-in dialed out and given some camber which has transformed it. Nothing I'd buy in preference at the moment except perhaps a 997 GT2 (given an extra £20k!). I have owned a 996 GT3 Mk2, 996 TT X50 and 997TT and for me there's no comparison. The 16k mile GT2 that could have been purchased for low £40k's is a distant memory. That would currently be £55k plus.

 

[pezza]

I sold my 993 turbo, and replaced it with a low mileage 996 GT2 don't regret it one bit. The GT2 is an astonishing drivers car that never disappoints and demands your attention when driving, it also happens to be IMO one of the best looking cars Porsche have produced with it's bespoke aero. The 993 Turbo was a good car, but compared to the GT2 they are like night and day. I'd suggest you take a test drive in one and then make a decision, if you enjoy driving and want to grow into a car then the GT2 fits the bill nicely.

 

[964Speedster]

ORIGINAL: pezza I sold my 993 turbo, and replaced it with a low mileage 996 GT2 don't regret it one bit. The GT2 is an astonishing drivers car that never disappoints and demands your attention when driving, it also happens to be IMO one of the best looking cars Porsche have produced with it's bespoke aero. The 993 Turbo was a good car, but compared to the GT2 they are like night and day. I'd suggest you take a test drive in one and then make a decision, if you enjoy driving and what to grow into a car then the GT2 fits the bill nicely.

Very well put, I would agree wholeheartedly. GT2 awesome machine

 

[condor]

I've not driven a GT2 but have no doubt they are awesome cars. My 996 turbo has an X50 factory upgrade & provides a stunningly quick and re assuring drive. Having recently acquired a 993 C4S, there is as much enjoyment, if not more, and in a different way, of a normally aspirated car, especially air cooled.

 

[pezza]

Favourite quote from an old Total 911 buyers that, that featured my car in the photoshoot: "The GT2 was still a devastatingly fast car. The 0-62 mph dash took a mere 4.1 seconds while the top speed was a heady 195mph: the same figures for the Turbo were 4.2 seconds and 195 mph. However, those numbers don't tell the full story, so consider this fact: the GT2 could go from standstill to 186mph and back again in just 51 seconds. By comparison, the 996 turbo took 75 seconds just to get to 186mph." Basically sums it up, and remember this was back in 2001.

 

[George Elliott]

"The GT2 was still a devastatingly fast car. The 0-62 mph dash took a mere 4.1 seconds while the top speed was a heady 195mph: the same figures for the Turbo were 4.2 seconds and 195 mph. However, those numbers don't tell the full story, so consider this fact: the GT2 could go from standstill to 186mph and back again in just 51 seconds. By comparison, the 996 turbo took 75 seconds just to get to 186mph."

Must be the most sensible thing ever written in a "Porsche" magazine. I find the GT2 is a device which can be used everyday and in midnight blue, quite discretely. It has a different hewn from granite feeling to the beautiful air cooled era cars, the screen pillar and A post are vastly improved in terms of strength. It has a lovely tinny ring when the door closes, reminding you there is minimal attention to creature comfort. It also requires a good understanding of the laws of physics. George

 

[Peter_Bull]

ORIGINAL: George Elliott It also requires a good understanding of the laws of physics.

That surely is the best quote !! Love it.

 

[W1TAK]

Lets not forget the GT2 is an exotic, just stand beside one and it exudes specialness, and driving experience is an event each time you take it out. I was checking the Porsche parts catalogue and its unbelievable how many different parts it has versus the Turbo.

 

[anto]

Thanks for all the helpful replies. After a week of weighing up the pros and cons including potential values etc I traded my 993 tt against the gt2 after some negotiation and will pick her up in the rain which is forecast on Saturday! I will drive it as I did the 993 turbo with respect and see how I get on. It will be nice to be back in a far more modern car with such pinpoint accuracy again after owning a cayman s once. Values I can only see rising be it on a slower pace but with so few around it has to happen. I have registered with the Porsche Club my new toy and will be at Brands Hatch on the Sunday of the festival and hope to see a few other gt2s there. Regards Anto

 

[m33ufo]

Great choice. I wish I'd bought one sooner....absolutely love it. Pop a couple of pics on when you get a moment.

 

[thirteeneast]

No Photo, no proof lol. Please?[]

 

[George Elliott]

I will drive it as I did the 993 turbo with respect and see how I get on.

Congratulations, must be difficult to let a 993tt go, but my prediction is you will love the 2. Very sensitive to setup/alignment (probably like the 993 ?) George

 

[m33ufo]

Took a few new pics of mine today...

 

[anto]

Stunning photos! I do like the wheels on the upgraded model and of course it really needed that extra 20 bhp too......really????? I will download some when I get a sec. I parked my new car outside a pub where a mate and I watched the final of the world cup from. (Unfortunately the wife was using our skoda superb estate so I needed to put it somewhere I could keep an eye on it) Next thing I knew a group of chinese tourists walked past and started snapping away, then on their way back they took some more pics!

 

[W1TAK]

The police in Germany pulled me over just for a 'look' and i had a car nerd take photos that appeared on Autospot on the internet last time i took the Gt2 out! I don't ever remember seeing another one on the road.....

 

[anto]

I have only seen one once which overtook me on the motorway when I was driving my 06 Cayman S. Needless to say the Gt2 was flexing his muscles and made me feel like I was driving a milkfloat....