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Buying a GT3 from an OPC - any war stories/ advice?

Fat_Man

Member
Joined
25 Jul 2012
Messages
14
Hey, guys. Ive been advised to re-post this here rather than in the buyers advice section, which i guess makes sense if this is dedicated to the GT cars. Cheers.

Im at that stage where i have the GT car itch. I love the 991, but its still a bit too....comfortable and I'm after something a bit more hard edge thats also preferably NA. I've been into the local OPC enquiring about the (seemingly remote) possibility of getting a 991.2 GT3. Sat through the usual stuff about "oh car isn't confirmed to go into production, might not happen" etc etc. Anyway, Ive only had two cars from them, both from new, and they were on about needing to have at least five before you are "allowed" to part with 6 figures for a GT3. Is this true? Have others had any experience with this?

I understand a lot of people see them as a money making opportunity, and can see why they'd probe to ascertain your seriousness, but for those of us who actually want them to drive is there any hope? I was told that September time would be the earliest id hear anything, but to be honest i got the vibe that they won't be in touch.

I have been keeping an eye on the 991 GT3 market and very few appear to have the clubsport kit specced which seems odd, given their intended purpose. Even so, they are all up for well above mrsp and they don't seem to be selling. To be honest i think the whole car as an investment thing is misplaced anyway, although i know some folk are into that, and getting the thick end of your money back after ownership would be the best thing to hope for. Id want low milage/new as id be planning on keeping for many years. How much would be classed as stupid money for a second hand one with roll cage and buckets? Would it just be better avoiding this if it is indeed a wild goose chase and looking for track based thrills elsewhere?

Any advice/input would be much appreciated. Thanks.
 
It generally pays to not put all your eggs in 1 basket, and register your interest with and speak to as many dealers as you can. They're all different with different targets, different sales people, different attitudes to customers. A few of them have attitudes that stink, but the majority are ok, and a few are very good. That's just general advice, as I've never had a new Porsche off any dealers, but that's not to say that'll never happen at some point ... Good luck
:thumb:
 
Clubsports have always been a minority of UK ordered GT3s (a quarter or less of each generation is generally considered on or about accurate, though there aren't official numbers other than for the 996.1), but the 991 apparently had a lower proportion than any of the others due to a whole raft of different kinds of buyers ordering them when new (there were even people on Pistonheads buying them as a short term stop gap until the launch of the 991 Turbo. Seriously - the PDK gearbox and sanitised driving experience opened the appeal of the model far beyond the GT3's previous niche buyers). That doesn't necessarily make the 991 Clubsport especially rare though as they made far more of the 991 than any previous GT3 (numerically, the least common Clubsports are going to be the 996.1 and 997.2).

As for getting one - the wider appeal of the car outside of the purist driving niche has become its curse and it is up to dealers as to who gets to order from their allocation (it is no longer based on first come, first served, letters of intent or pre-placed deposits). Objectively - the more money an OPC makes from you, the better your chances - though customers with strong historical links with their dealer could still potentially be favoured. Anything that you have been told may be a smoke screen, rubbish or entirely accurate.

With regard to prices, using the number produced as a baseline, considering that there are always a choice of cars on the market and looking at how long they can take to sell : the 991 GT3 and Cayman GT4 look overpriced to me in the current market. Older generations ought to be a safer place to put your money (and are cheaper to own too). But as ever : I am not a dealer and the market will decide over time.
 
Thanks for the replies guys. I think my best chance would be sticking with a dealer I've at least bought from. Whilst going elsewhere may have its merits, i think it would be even more unlikely that a dealer would entertain selling a GT car to a customer they hadn't dealt with before. Having said that, i have heard of folks in the US who claim to have a GT4 as their first and only Porsche. Albeit their car history is unclear to me. With the return of the manual in the 991.2 GT3 it may mean that production numbers are further increased and/or that the 991 GT3 market stabilises at a more appetising level. Wishful thinking, but not entirely implausible. I was also told that out of the customers who bought a 991 GT3 at the local, only one still has his. What the point of this anecdote was, I'm still not sure.
 

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