Porsche Owners Thread - If you own one or just like or hate them! :)
- Thread starter Gibbo
- Start date
It depends on the rev range really, there are I believe 6 and most of them are nothing to worry about, it's the ones on the down change that get more serious but I am aware of some engines with serious rev buzzes that are still working fine, 1 that hit 11k and did 60K ish miles and after a strip down was perfect.
I had my GT3 checked as did the owner who bought it off me and I added none other than a couple of me hitting the limiter going up, not down.
Soldato
After seeing the GT3 RS 4.0 on 5th Gear Last night, I've decided to buy one.
Then I did some quick sums.....
Now want a normal 997 GT3
But I like to eat, holiday, holiday too much to sacrifice them for some VW beetle thing
Forever alone....
I've removed the bits that were factually incorrect
Associate
There was a rather tasty looking 944 Turbo at the Classic Motor Show at the weekend which started me thinking. I used to own a 944 S2 which I never really got on with - the engine just seemed a bit bland I'm embarrassed to admit - but it was a vehicle with 160k on the clock.
Anyway got back and looking them up to find they are down to £5k now! I still think they are a pretty car, and other than the pop-up-headlights seem to have aged very well. Tiff likes them too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79__TqWib58
I wonder how quick a fettled one would feel like these days?
Anyway got back and looking them up to find they are down to £5k now! I still think they are a pretty car, and other than the pop-up-headlights seem to have aged very well. Tiff likes them too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79__TqWib58
I wonder how quick a fettled one would feel like these days?
would be easy for him to miss the odd one, wouldn't it?
Especially with his latest purchase!
i would agree with that, my experience with it was that the auto box dulled down what i previously anticipated to be an exciting driving experience.
auto box aside, the car just didnt give me as much feedback as my civic which after a 9 hour flight i drove in the same day.
the boxster seemed sort of, dare i say dull?
i would love to drive a 911 though.
Soldato
AFAIK there is no rev limiter changing down on anything with gears and an engine, just poorly judged downshifts by incompetent fools
The experiance of a guy who let a few people drive his car at Vmax have put me off ever lending my car to anyone. His timing chain let go resulting in a £20k+ engine for his Turbo being needed, the over rev happened on a Vmax day.
The conclusion was someone span the car, didn't take it out of gear resulting in an over rev during the spin, then gave the car back at the top end of the run way without mentioning it iirc, I think everything else was ruled out.
Full Porsche service history, admitadly 60k+ miles on the car, but no discount or anything given again, iirc.
Soldato
Gibbo, have you been out in the new 911?
Salesman said they would do 200mph, have a redesigned chassis/body/interior etc. Quicker than the old turbo s model apparently and over 100kg lighter. Whats your thoughts....
Salesman said they would do 200mph, have a redesigned chassis/body/interior etc. Quicker than the old turbo s model apparently and over 100kg lighter. Whats your thoughts....
Depends what year GT3 he had:-
996 - Completely agree, they take balls of steel to hustle on the road, I drove Housey's and I thought I was going to die.
997.1 - Still very firm/stiff, so yep for most very scary to push on the road.
997.2 - I believe which are 2009 onwards, was one of the areas where they vastly improved the dampening, if he had one of these then I am quite surprised.
But yeah agreed the GTx varient cars take a lot of skill to hustle on the road, because they do feel like they want to kill you most of the time, though the later 997.2 generations became a lot more civilised due to much improved dampening. However the 997.2 GTS was regarded as Porsches best road car, well until the 991 came along as the 991 simply blows everything away, its a bit GTR like, just makes going stupidly fast so effortless and easy.
However some GT3 owners would disagree with the above and say they can pedal them fast on the road easily and this is true for some drivers and not others.
Myself and Nathan went out on a run in Summer with 3-4 GT3's, all 996's on track focused suspension setups, so firm was not the word.
Ade in the silver 996 just anihilated us all, but he is a pro race driver and secondly the guy is absolutely crazy, he has zero fear.
Mike my mate in a 996 MK2 I kept with, but it was equal. Yet guy in one of the other GT3's was simply to put it slow, even Nathan in 350Z had to overtake him.
But on the road myself and the two GT3's simply left the other GT3 and 350Z behind.
My point is with 911's a lot of it is about the drivers, if they feel comfortable, some people love the rear engine handling dynamics of the car and others never really get used to it or overcome the fear of it. I myself love it and well it is what has kept me hooked and in this car for far longer than most cars generally manage and mine is just a Carrera, but I love it, I've been on a lot of drives and it just leaves everyone else and on track its right up there will cars modded just for track work, which for a daily everyday car makes me very happy. Even though I am used to it and aware of the engine out back and making use of its extra traction it provides, from time to time it still scares the poo poo out of me.
Depends in what context. In a straight line the Turbo S will muller it!
Turbo S hits 60mph in 2.6s and 100mph in 6.3s
Carrera S hits 60mph in 3.5s and 100mph in 8.4s
However track times are indeed showing the 991 to be quicker and yes it is over 100kg lighter, infact closer too 200kg compared to a Turbo S. I've not been out in one, but I've driven the New Boxster which handles, grips and goes as quick as the old 911 (997) did and the new 991 is a good bit quicker than the new Boxster though the gap is now much closer this generation between 911 and Boxster compared to previous generations where the 911 was always far quicker.
First thing, the quickest 911 is the GT2 RS and most 'hands' will tell you a well peddled and set up GT2 will be quicker than an equivalent well peddled GT3 on most tracks, but out the box the 996 and 997 GT2 are not GT3's with a turbo lump, they are not as sharp and simply different. The RS however was Porsche getting serious and its probably the quickest lap after lap main brand road car.
The 996 GT3 is not a great road car, it's to compromised and simply a bitch. They follow cambers, they bounce over bumps, something you dont want mid corner on power and they are not damped for road use. They were built to be driven to a race circuit and spanked and at that they are incredible and most important, pretty bullet proof.
The 997 versions however ARE road cars and much more akin to a C2S with sharper controls. They are better damped, they are better set up for the road and they will show a C2/C4 a clean pair of heels with like for like drivers.
Ive said several times the RS4 was quicker on most roads though by any measure when you look at stats the GT3 handed it its arse, but real world British roads it was so well sorted and so safe it just let you go places you would most likely die in a 996 GT3.
I'd take the GT3 every single day because it was alive AND practical like no other car I've ever come across.
The 996 GT3 is not a great road car, it's to compromised and simply a bitch. They follow cambers, they bounce over bumps, something you dont want mid corner on power and they are not damped for road use. They were built to be driven to a race circuit and spanked and at that they are incredible and most important, pretty bullet proof.
The 997 versions however ARE road cars and much more akin to a C2S with sharper controls. They are better damped, they are better set up for the road and they will show a C2/C4 a clean pair of heels with like for like drivers.
Ive said several times the RS4 was quicker on most roads though by any measure when you look at stats the GT3 handed it its arse, but real world British roads it was so well sorted and so safe it just let you go places you would most likely die in a 996 GT3.
I'd take the GT3 every single day because it was alive AND practical like no other car I've ever come across.
Soldato
Perhaps he meant just the normal turbo then. 
It's subjective really but I can see where he's coming from.
I asked Willie Green about the GT3 at Donington some years back, he detested it with a passion and said "god knows why someone drives one of those on road" as I got into mine, how we laughed.... "Turbo is a much better road car, the GT3 is terrible" and he of course has a very valid point, the 6 GT3 was VERY hard work on the road, the turbo is quicker on road as are many cars with less power and less ability overall due to being simply more pliant and not as weight challenged, as in the engine doesn't want to overtake you.
The 997 is however a bit different and if you read any review or speak to other Porsche people who've had them all (I also have lots of mates who race them, one of them arguably in the top 3 in the world today, another who won the British Supercup Amateur class twice) they would not support the view that it's to fast, though the 997 Gen 2 and RS4.0 ARE too loud for most track days sadly, which is a bit of a mistake by Porsche and I know annoys some owners hugely. They would support the comment that other cars are quicker, one of said races has a 7 GT3 RS AND Turbo S cab, he uses the Tub more but that kind of supports the fact its not too fast.
Mate of mine took his Gen 2 RS and M3 to Bedford last week, his Porsche lasted a lap due to noise and he spent the day in his E92 M3 instead. He would happily tell you the M3 would not see where the GT3 went, road or track, but he'd also tell you how much he loves his M3 to simply drive from A to B. He had a CSL before, he craves another. No question the GT3 is hard work, like any 911 and no question an M3 is much easier to peddle on the road and in most of our hands as quick. He may not be a slow driver, I'm sure he's handy if he is racing them, but getting a GT3 to go quickly is part of the appeal for many, which is why the 6 RS is held in such high regard, its rawererer.
I agree with what he says about balance, pliance and road ability, I just don't think the 7 is anywhere near as bad as the 6 as the 7 GT3 is not that much different to a 7 C2S like Gibbos. I drove the 997 GT3 Gen 1 and Gen 2 and thought they felt much more like a special C2S than a 6 GT3. Put simply a 997 GT3 is a better road car than a 996 GT3, Porsche built it to be, the 6 is too compromised for most the 7 simply isn't, though I still have many mates who say the 7 is too stiff so go figure.....as I said it's very subjective.
Associate
Thinking of taking the plunge next year and swapping my S3 in P/E for one. Still unsure which way to go, do I take an older 911 or a newer Boxster S... Suppose it depends on how much I want to spend really, although warranty is a must so could be the Boxster S.
Any advice anyone can offer?
Any advice anyone can offer?