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Yellow GT3 Test Drive

DRZ911

Well-known member
Joined
13 Mar 2013
Messages
2,217
Was lucky enough to get a proper test drive in a 2014 yellow GT3 at Belfast OPC this morning. Only ever driven two 997.2 GT3s before, so felt very privileged indeed.

Salesman initially showed me the full history of the car. Showed me cost of the replacement engine (due to worldwide recall) = £16.7K - almost a bargain.

Key thing that was disclosed was that the revised GT3 engine got the strengthened block of the GT3RS, so explaining how they finally put out the oil fires.

Started car in showroom. Amazing crackles, barks and pops. Almost visceral. I was stunned. :eek: :grin:

No creep on gearbox like my current PDK. Almost like the car wants to be a manual and needs a biting point. Gearbox felt notchy like pulling the bolt on a rifle. Terrific involvement compared to a standard PDK box.

Very firm on the road, even on the standard suspension setting, but took the bumps and potholes better than expected.

Throttle response in standard and sports settings is phenomenal !! Pick-up from engine at any speed was fantastic. I actually laughed out loud. Simply brilliant !!! :worship:

Brake pedal bite - literally no initial bite!!!! - skid mark inducing - needs a good hard stamp - would take some time to get used to it on the road. But when the anchors finally bit, reckon at least 10% extra power over a standard 991.

Accuracy of steering through the twisties with the 4-wheel steering was pin-point.

A stunning, stunning car. It makes you want to become part of it. Would have to rate it at least 50% better than what I have today, it really is that far ahead.

Had my brain and my perspective re-calibrated today. The GT3 991.1 really is in a different surreal place from the rest of the 911 range. I was left in total awe. :cigar: :yahoo: :clap:

So the million dollar question .... £57K to change - would you ??
 

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Whilst I love them - for me £57k to change is a big number.

BTW the issue with the engine was con rod related & nothing to do with the engine block - typical OPC waffle :floor:
 
I think every model of GT3 gives more than the sum of its parts.
 
This prompts me to share an interesting discussion recently with a well-respected Porsche trader. That is, that each successive range of Porsche's improves on the prior range by taking the learnings and building that into a framework of advances in technology and engineering.

If you have both a 997 C4S and a 991 C4S, I'd guess that you'd be able to see this or maybe if the 991 is the only car, you'd be able to feel and see the improvements supporting this statement.

There would be no doubt in my mind that the 991 Turbo would be a significant step forward from my steed (996 X50 Turbo) and would be an altogether different, "more modern" car with longer service intervals, less ramp time etc.

But the cost of change in this instance would put me off as would the depreciation. The latter being non-existet in my car with prices rising over time.

On your example, I'd struggle with a current car + £57k cost-of-change. But if it's in your reach, depreciation doesn't put you off and you really are impressed with the test drive, then its something worth taking forward with another discussion to OPC Belfast.
 
DRZ911 said:
So the million dollar question .... £57K to change - would you ??

I'd rather have your 991.1 C4S and £57k but ...........

I can't see that £57k 'cost to change' figure ever getting any smaller.
 
The 57k change over is obviously commensurate to disposable income so I can't comment on whether it's a lot or little for you.
The one thing I do know is that the world seems to be infatuated with all things Porsche GT at the moment, so the likelihood is that the GT3 will hold it's value better in the short term, and most probably increase in value over time (depending on use, miles, care etc).
 
Thanks guys for your positive and interesting comments.

Went to test drive the GT3 more out of curiosity than anything else. Wanted to come away so that I could tick-a-box and move on. But things are never that simple with Porsche. :what:

Porsche always manage to move the game on through extra features and incremental technology as I have seen on my previous 997.2, my current 991.1 and even the 991.2 I drove before the GT3 yesterday. Lots of small 2-5% improvements which hook you and suck you into the Porsche selling machine. :nooo:
By the way, they wanted £33K for me to change to a Miami Blue 991.2 C4S.

The GT3 is in a slightly different again. Recognised all the features inside the car as it is just another 991.1 in this respect, but the engine and gearbox are on another level. Not because of big horsepower or anything a number on a piece of paper tells you, but as kas750 rightly points out, the end result is so much more than the sum of the parts.

So I'm hooked on the GT3. Not even sure about the yellow colour. Do not have vast quantities of disposable income, so would need a creative approach and some risk to finance.

Still looking for someone to give me a reason to walk away, or that the GT3 is not really as good as it has hypnotised me to think. :coat:
 
Once that seed has been planted there is only one satisfactory conclusion.. Walk to the light not away from it. :grin:
 
As lovely as it is, I can't help but think of this when I see that 'smile'... :sad:



Cars_movie's_car.jpg



:nooo:
 
The dilema that you face is the reason why I have not test driven a Ferrari 430. That will only happen when the finances are in place and the decision is made to purcahse subject to test drive. I can always walk-away in that case if the car doesn't excite me as much as I thought it would.

Its the same reason I never took up those half-an-hour flying lesson trial at Manchester Airport. A colleague who had a Private Pilots licence told me never to take that unles the finances are in place becasue they market that knowing that the majority of people who finish the lesson want to learn to fly and will sell the house, the mother-in-law to finance it!

The same applies to vehicle test drives. That's why car salesman typically have a metric of viewing:test drives and test drives: closing the sale.
Once a guy is behind the wheel, it is really difficult to walk away and the sales pitch becomes fever intensity in some cases.
 
cheshire911 said:
The same applies to vehicle test drives. That's why car salesman typically have a metric of viewing:test drives and test drives: closing the sale.
Once a guy is behind the wheel, it is really difficult to walk away and the sales pitch becomes fever intensity in some cases.

Absolutely spot on. :thumb: Wanted to run, but couldn't. :sad:

Spent 40 minutes on the phone with the head sales guy this morning. Really is at the top of his game, and for every negative that I have, he has an even better positive. :what:

So setting the finances aside, think it comes down to the following :-
1. Am I ready for a GT3 just yet ?
2. Could I live with the conspicuousness of yellow? Do about 6K miles per year - a yellow GT3 in Tesco's car park - yes, no or maybe?
3. Does lacking ceramics and a roll cage prejudice any future sell-on?

As always, opinions and advice most welcome. :thumbs:
 

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DRZ911 said:
cheshire911 said:
The same applies to vehicle test drives. That's why car salesman typically have a metric of viewing:test drives and test drives: closing the sale.
Once a guy is behind the wheel, it is really difficult to walk away and the sales pitch becomes fever intensity in some cases.

Absolutely spot on. :thumb: Wanted to run, but couldn't. :sad:

Spent 40 minutes on the phone with the head sales guy this morning. Really is at the top of his game, and for every negative that I have, he has an even better positive. :what:

So setting the finances aside, think it comes down to the following :-
1. Am I ready for a GT3 just yet ?
2. Could I live with the conspicuousness of yellow? Do about 6K miles per year - a yellow GT3 in Tesco's car park - yes, no or maybe?
3. Does lacking ceramics and a roll cage prejudice any future sell-on?

As always, opinions and advice most welcome. :thumbs:



If 'someone' replied and said this to you:

ANON said:
A stunning, stunning car. It makes you want to become part of it. Would have to rate it at least 50% better than what I have today, it really is that far ahead.

Had my brain and my perspective re-calibrated today. The GT3 991.1 really is in a different surreal place from the rest of the 911 range. I was left in total awe. :cigar: :yahoo: :clap:

You'd be on the phone to the salesman already wouldn't you :dont know:



I think you answered your own question before you even asked it :thumb:
 
Only you know what's right for you.

There are some big ticket concerns there:
- colour
- are you ready for a GT3 (why did you test drive it if you weren't ready)
- lack of ceramics
- lack of roll cage - does this make it less desirable?

There is quite a bit of spontaniety in your thought processes - that the salesman is leveraging to his advantage.

I have a good friend who had a 911 Carrera, then briefly a 996 Turbo S after he had a drive along in mine, but realised he wanted air-cooled and the 996 Turbo was just too damn quick! Then he went out and test drove a Ferrari 360 knowing I'm after one or a 430. He couldn't sleep after the test drive. The salesman was trying to close the sale at fever pace. Every time he said he needs to think, there was a counter-reply. The next morning the salesman rang him at work. At that point he rang me.
I asked him a few questions and found out: Warranbty is extra, NO discount, car serviced already but big one with belts due next 12 months, his passion for Porsche (OK the Turbo S was a disappointment for him being an air cooled fan), cost to change was out in the open versus the annual mileage (around 1k).

He decided with that one hour phone call that he was standing firm and going to ring them back and say they can sell the car to the next guy, he is not ready to buy yet, but he might do in the next 3 months and he will take a chance if its still there in their showroom (a well respected Ferrari main dealer in the South of England).

He went an bought a 930 Turbo in the next month and was so pleased he didn't go ahead with the Ferrari. He agreed with me on my principle from that point on - dont try it unless you know you want it from the research and the finances are in place. Test driving on a whim has its risks.

I wish you luck in whatever decision you take.
 
GT3

I've been looking at that car too - very nice! Was there a Guards Red sitting around anywhere?

Cheers

N

ps Buy it!!
 
Re: GT3

911?? said:
I've been looking at that car too - very nice! Was there a Guards Red sitting around anywhere?

Have you driven the yellow car yet? Am told it is likely to be snapped up at any minute. :roll:

There has been a red GT3, although I didn't see it. Apparently, it ended up as a dealer-to-dealer sale and the punter at the end of the chain paid out £149K. Must have been some spec to warrant £15K over the yellow one.
 

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