starting to save for a gt3, gt3 rs that i can learn to drive at the track. trying to calculate the running cost for this car that will be driven very hard 95% of the time.. clutch, tires, maintenance? any internal issues with the engines i should be aware of? will leave it stock due to i have a modded TT, and this car comes ready to track... i will swap the brakes from my car now for the ceramics however...

 

search on rennlist gt3 forum. thing #1 to do on those cars is to weld coolant hoses so they will not disconnect on a track. other than that there are no real threats.

as of how far performance modding can go and how much it will cost to maintain track car is really difficult to say but you can go to suncoast web store site and search for rotors, brake pads, clutch kits, etc.

if you want a track only car and have very serious plans for it i would think twice what car you want to get - stock gt3 rs or cup. i know plenty of people who get 996 cup cars - it may end up cheaper than to get a decently new stock gt3 rs and start modding/converting it into a 'cup-like' car.
i would get a 997.1 gt3 rs and kept it pure stock except of GTGears LSD and rear toe links perhaps. this way you will be able to sell it with minimal los if you will decide to move to different platform.

also I would not buy RS car if you are not yet at white/black group level with PCA DEs. in lower groups car is hardly a limitation, any p-car will do. i am officially in blue group, run lap times similar to most white group drivers and i am way below the capabilities of my base 997.1 car. just adding more horsepower from RS car will not make my laps much faster.

PS. if you are not afraid to get your hands dirty - an interesting idea would be to find reasonably cheap 996 gt3 car, strip it, put in full roll cage and send engine for 3.9L conversion. that will make a very fast purpose-built track car and you still will be under 997.1 gt3 rs budget.

 

ifyou like modding - read this, it`s an ultimate engine ****.
http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforum...3-4-liter.html

i wish i would have a possibility (and free time) to do something like that...

 

You will need one Of Sharkwerks 3.9 conversions to enjoy the car to its fullest! and lots of tires!

 

Get or build a track dedicated car if that's what you want to do. You are kidding yourself if you think you can have a street car that is also seriously competetive without spending a ton of dough and destroying any resale in the process. After about 4 track events your "street" car will be beat to crap, not including if you go off track (and you will if you are pushing). I sold my street/track car and bought a track only car and never looked back. Tracking is seriously fun and if the bug bites you will stop at nothing modding your street car to go faster but sadly you could have bought a track car in the first place and be miles ahead in your lap times vs. dollars spent. Good luck!

 

Tires, maintence, etc, probably costs me $10-15k p.a. to run 20 days. That's as an instructor so not paying for DE days.

 

such numbers uually scare people who are not used to that... there are many variables here.
first of all, a rear track car means towing - trailer, gas, tow vehicle, lodging. as you get car towed you can afford to invest into real tires - R6 or R100 hoosiers, which will go faster than streetable r-compounds like toyo r888 or nitto nt01. set of pads like pagid rs29 or pfc01 can be priced roughly at $700 or so. how fast one goes over full set depends of driving and track, and usually after 2 sets of pads you got to replace rotors.
i know some people who get rotors replaced up to 3 times a same season, i go on same rotra and 2 sets of pads over season of 19-23 track days.

so said budget is right in case of a real track car - in case if one has street gt3 class car on r-comps that can drive to a local track 30-50 min away from home, does not need lodging, does not need on track tech support - expenses are roughly new set of tires 2 times a season, 2-3 sets of pads and set of rotors.

i totally support idea of having dedicated track car but to be relaistic it creates a lot of logistical complications and demands real dedication to this sport.