Hi all,

I am new to this forum abd could use some info. I am in the market for either a GT3, GT3RS or Turbo. I prefer NA engines first off but I also know that the Turbo is a great car. I am leaning towards the GT3 RS at the moment but I keep talking myself out of it because I am concerned about it's street drivability.

The car I buy will NOT be a daily driver. It will be more of a weekend toy and maybe drive it to work once a week. That being said, I still want it to be at least somewhat civil on the street. I prefer a sporty tougher suspension because I like the sports car feel. However, I don't want to feel like I am driving a NASCAR. I've heard stories that the GT3 RS is very rough and unforgiving for street driving. My question is, how bad is it really? Is there a tremendous difference between the RS and standard GT3 in terms of drivablity?

Again, I understand both the GT3 and the RS will not be as smooth as the Turbo and I actually prefer the sporty feel, however, I don't want to buy a car that is completely unusable on the street. Also, I do not plan on hardcore tracking, so maybe it makes more sense to buy the standard GT3. That being said, most folks I talk to have stated I am better off getting the RS if I am going to buy a GT3. There reasoning was that resale value is better, more explusive, and the ride quality is not much different.

I am also curious about maintenance on these three cars. Is the maintenance expense far greater on one vs the other? I don't want to be replacing transmissions every 15,000 miles like on the italian exotics. I decided on a Porsche because of its reputation as the drivable super car.

I would like to get some thoughts from this forum regarding my concerns. I am not against getting the Turbo. I hear it is a tremendous car. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

If you don't mind a noisy cabin and eye-catching decals for street use, then GT3RS all day long. If you drive in rain, need better street tires than cups.

Maintenance should be the same all 3 cars.

 

The RS will suprise you on the street or highway........it is really not bad by any means, although with the lesser sound deadening materials it is no-doubt not as quite inside. (notice I did not say noisy). We did about a 325mile round trip on a mountian drive this past weekend and I was more than find at the end........and......the last 70miles was pure highway and I remember telling my wife that you could sit this thing on cruise at 80 all day long on a trip and it would be fine. (Technically 79.9 here in GA to avoid the SuperSpeeder ticket)

Its all relative....... I love the sounds that come from my RS (suspect the GT3 is no different) and everthing about it.

One item though, the tire options are better for the GT3 if you intend on selecting a high performance street tire vs the sport cups that come on the car. The RS has a 325 rear and the GT3 a 315......... there are no "street" tires for the 325 size on the RS where the front will also match.

The only drawback might be if you hit some heavy traffic on the way to work for some extended periods. The clutch is heavier than what a C2S might have, but the release is much lower so its not a bother.

 

Since you are new, please check out the search function. This topic is discussed quite a bit so there should be plenty of information. If you plan to track more then a couple days a year go with a 3. If you will be driving everyday go for the turbo.

 

I had a turbo and now I have a GT3. Its not a daily driver and used on weekends and spirited runs (safe runs) with some friends. I loved my turbo and modded the heck out of it for speed and handling. Now that I have a GT3 I will NOT go back to a turbo and the only mod I've done is the center exhaust bypass. I say GT3, but you should drive all 3 cars to decide. Words are difficult to describe how each car feels.

 

Are you familiar at all with the RS version? I am leaning towards the RS after months and months of research. Does the RS require more maintence over the standard gt3?

 

I bought my car new almost four years ago (Nov, 2007) so far I have changed the oil 4 times, replaced the battery, had the brake fluid flushed and just installed Pilot Super Sport tires. It has 7,500 miles. No other issues, never had to bring it in for anything other than routine service. Good luck with your decision. By the way the ride is not bad, low front spoiler is something you have to watch but I still have the original.

 

I ponder this often, after owning a 2008 GT3 now for 2.5 years for exactly the same reasons you describe, basically a weekend toy....I would gladly trade up to a GT3 RS. Screw the lack of sound deadening, get the wider body, Track wing and rawness of the RS. Maintenence is identical. I never turn the CD/radio one and have a sharkwerk bypass on mine, noise is not a factor, I want to hear the motor scream and it does sound glorious. My wife even likes it over the 996 it replaced that she hated - how that happened I have no idea. The turbo is a great car just not for me. Just my .02cents get the 3.8 RS if you can, although the best buys are on the 3.6. Lots of low low mileage cars avail some with CPO's to 2014.

 

How long do you plan to keep the vehicle ? What are MUST haves on a car ?
If you want performance and lux, skip the 996 and 997 and go 991. The 997 was nothing but just a quick refresh of the 996. The 991 is a beast. A base C2s is shown to be quicker then all 3 of them ! As a purist myself, i like the 996 platform as no electronics and pure driving of a 996 but i know thats not the case normaly. If you want 'truer ' sportier feel that hasen't gotten synthesized to much get the 3rs.

 

I don't know.

Each car has greatness but there are also snags . I can write volumes on the good things of each but let's look at the downside too : (also keep in mind that your location says Florida so my opinion includes the regional factor )

1) Turbo --Despite being fast and comfortable it lacks the seamless precision of the lighter NA car . Some might call it "boring" for those reasons .

2) The RS - Beyond the graphics and unwanted attention , beyond the comfort or sound , it just can't handle a Florida storm downpour . It's one thing to drive a car meant for the track on an actual track and quite another to be caught in the rain on a highway with the lowest common denominator of drivers . In fact .. the roads here are flat , lack areas with curves , have construction , and the RS is really out of its element.

3) Gt3 -- Is a little more street friendly but its not an RS and some of the above even applies to the Gt3 .

Add to the list the ground cleance of all three cars = a street and curb negative.

The jock of all but the master of none is actually the 997S . It's lacks the greatness but fills the gap of all the negatives at a price that is affordable and suited for the region .

Lastly -- imagine getting any of the three amazing cars only to sit behind this ....

1) a refrigerator --

2) junk


3) In gridlock traffic behind cars with faulty brake lights -
The photo didn't upload but you get the idea

 

Those are good points about Florida

 

I only use it as a DD when weather is good. Seems VERY comfortable to me. But my previous DD was ExigeS, so its all relative
Reliability wise... its been bulletproof so far.

 

Sorry, can't agree with much of that. The 997 was much more than a 996 refresh. The 991S may replicate the .2 gt3 Ring time, but falls short in any straight line speed contest even with PDK. In order for the 991S to match the lap time of the .2 gt3, the 991 needs all or most of those pricey performance options checked (PDCC, SPASM, PDK w/SC Plus, etc.) which total more than the .2 gt3's MSRP. Even then it wouldn't sound nearly as good as a gt3, even with the $3000 Sport Exhaust added; so let's make that 991S sticker > $123,000. A .2 3 needed only to have DEM added which yielded a $116,500 or so MSRP. And, certainly, the 991S is not faster than the RS at the Ring.

 

Agreed, plus I don't care what porsche comes out with, I can live nicely with a .2 GT3 RS or turbo for a lifetime. To be honest, I am not in love with the new rear quarters on the upcoming redesign.

 

I am in the same boat at the moment. I am looking for a GT3 and have a couple in mind and need your help.
I have Car #1- Ceramic Brakes, Center console in white, adjustable seats, low miles, one owner, cpo'd

Car#2 -Steele Brakes, Bucket seats, Deviated stitching, carbon fiber inserts, low miles, three owners, Good DME report, Cpo'd
Car#3- Ceramic Brakes, plain interior, Stnd leather w/Alcantara, Adjustable seats. low miles, one owner

Which one would you guys pick and why?
Thanks so much in advance for your help.