A few questions How many miles do you intend to do a year? Lots of traffic/speedbumps? Do you like your creature comforts or don't mind? Are you thinking 997 gt3/turbo or 996? Do you intend to do any track days?
What one do I buy?
- Thread starter Rodney Naghar
- Start date
PenelopePitstop
Member
PenelopePitstop
Member
Such a dilemma...
Have been thinking about changing my best buddy for a Turbo....need a bit more action, now I have got used to handling my C2.
However on Sunday I was at a petrol station and saw ....and heard..... a GT3....phoarw......
Now I am like a crazy mixed up kid......which one is better...?
So thought I would bring my dilemma to my fellow drivers and pose the question....
Which one will give me the best buzz?
PP
Im in your hands......
Have been thinking about changing my best buddy for a Turbo....need a bit more action, now I have got used to handling my C2.
However on Sunday I was at a petrol station and saw ....and heard..... a GT3....phoarw......
Now I am like a crazy mixed up kid......which one is better...?
So thought I would bring my dilemma to my fellow drivers and pose the question....
Which one will give me the best buzz?
PP
Im in your hands......
The 996 GT3 MK1/2 has a hard ride, heavy clutch, and the gearbox is baulky when cold. It's noisy, rides very low, and with bucket seats is a pain to get in and out of. It has no rear seats (although they can be retrofitted). It needs to be revved to get it to perform. IMO it's not an everyday car. I find it painful in traffic, and any medium to steep speed bumps need to be taken at a crawling pace and diagonally if necessary. Also, putting so many miles on it is going to hurt values more than if you put them on a turbo. I have a running report on my gt3 in the 996 running reports section over my 2.5 years of ownership, have a read. They really come alive on the track and on spirited drives, which is all I use mine for now, as a daily in/near London, it's much too compromised. Sounds like I don't like it, and I live in London. Actually I love the car, it's utterly fantastic, just very compromised. I used to have a 996 C4 tip Cab before, absolutely chalk and cheese! If you were going to go 997 GT3 then they are much better on the road so you'd have a different response. The turbo is a fantastic machine, looks fantastic with its wide hips, and is faster on the road as it won't bottom out easily on bumpy roads as the GT3 does. It can be a fast beast, as well as docile in town. Fantastic value for money too. You can always increase the power of the turbo much easier than the GT3. In your situation I'd go with the turbo. However, the only way you'll really know is by driving them both, they are very different cars.
Agree with all the above and would add that, personally, I would give Tip a miss if looking at a Turbo. Something like this maybe..........? http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1840060.htm Oh, and as you seem to like the wind in your hair sensation I think that may rule out the GT3!
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PenelopePitstop
Member
Great reading your thoughts.....you've kinda made my mind up already as it has to be suitable for every day so reading your review was really helpful in thinking about which one! Agree that I need to drive to really make a choice but from what you have said im already veering towards turbo.... Thanks again PP
sawood12
New member
Why do you say give the tip a miss? Are they that bad? I've got a keen eye on 996 turbo's and am warming to the idea of going for a Tiptronic. Having driven an auto Merc for 6 months a couple of years ago i've sort of been converted to decent auto gearboxes (I stress decent - Ford Mondeo autos are shocking), certainly for a road car. I found the gearchanges to be tight and quick, it was rarely in the wrong gear and if it was it was only for a moment before it changed into the right one. I assume the Porsche Tiptronic would be just as good if not better. A decent auto gearbox seems to be perfect for 95% of your driving, where I find a manual is only really perfect for about 5% of the driving you do (those rare occasions where you find yourself on a clear twisty B road with no speed cameras). Anyway, the whole notion that a manual gearbox will make all the difference in involving the driver in the driving experience in a car that cocoons you in an opulent quiet interior, a clever 4wd system constantly sifting torque to the corner that needs it the most, traction control, anti-lock brakes, torque vectoring, active engine mounts, PASM and more grip than 90% of the drivers of the car will ever get close to exploiting is creating a bit of a fantasy isnt it? The most exhilarating driving i've ever done was in a cart with a top speed of 50 or 60mph and no gears!
PenelopePitstop
Member
Good call....re wind and hair......had not even considered.. see, I knew asking you all would help identify key requirements correctly!! Assume manual gives better performance in your opinion than TIP ? Checked the link and its looks fab....think I am veering even closer to Turbo now... Do they do it in pink?! PP
No, Scott they are not that bad - pretty good actually (and allegedly faster on sprint times), but I was spoilt by having a PDK before I tried a 997 turbo tip. In comparison the tip seemed half asleep and so much slower on the butttons. Thus I figured I would prefer PDK, manual and tip in that order cos I loved my manual Gen 1 C2S short shift also. But, as ever, each to their own and PP needs to try all the variations[
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Gordon Attar
New member
Interesting, when I heard a GT3 Mk 1 idling and on low revs it sounded like a bag of bolts rattling around in a tin can a proper vw beetle sounded better, put me write of.
PenelopePitstop
Member
Neil....strangely enough I did actually have a look at a wrapping site last night..... Well I do like to be a little different....do you think I could carry it off?!! More importantly if you saw it....what would you think, hot or not?? PP
PenelopePitstop
Member
MM now tscaptain you are really not helping...one minute I was decided on tip....now you got me thinking manual.....what's a girl to do....other than try all the variations !! PP
If you get it wrapped in pink you car will inevitably find it's way on a 'spotted' thread on Pistonheads with people shocked that anyone would do that to a 911![8D] I think there was a middle eastern 911 turbo wrapped in pink found in London a while back on one of those threads. But if that's what you really want do it, it's your car after all.[]
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Gordon Attar
New member
test drive them all, then be ready to part with your money. The turbo will scare you the first time you drive it, the second time you will be prepared for the speed difference and scariest of all, after the third/fourth drive you will be used to it! Its amazing the difference 1.5 seconds of the 0-60mph does and 4 secs of the 0-100mph If you do a reasonable amount of town driving/sitting in traffic jams the tiptronic would be ideal and it gives you more time to concentrate on driving as no gear changes. The pre 997 GT3 is really for someone who ;likes doing track days
PenelopePitstop
Member
MR N.......I am not feeling the love emminating from your response......and as a fully fledged PCGB member I do not want to disappoint ...!! Perhaps I should review my initial idea and recognise that best not to mess....after all its class I want not crass!! Thanks for your thought... Yours PP
PenelopePitstop
Member
Captain...you never cease to amaze.....thankfully I have because of you realised it could have been a terrible mistake. Forever in your debt PP Phew.......
PenelopePitstop
Member
Gordon...all of them..I couldn't posible afford them all!! What you say makes perfect sense and actually I do sit in traffic a fair bit to and from work.... so another valid point ...perhaps I go with the Turbo ...get a bit of speed and endurance under my patent leather belt , take some tuituion as the Captain suggests and then re-look at GT3.... though from what I read I will be more than happy with the Turbo! PP
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