zaccdre

Sadly a tree fell on my Cayman R and I'm now on the hunt for a replacement car HPDE car. Bit of background, I did just over 20 events in it over this past year with around half instructed, and have another 20 or so under my belt from years prior, as well as a few one day schools over the year. I'm attending Radford Racing School later this month, and had planned to do a car control clinic in the Cayman until the tree cut that short... I have a shot list of potential replacements, and am drawn to the 996 GT3 for its durability, cost of consumables relative to newer GT3s and the GT4, and the specialness of the engine that I always found a little lacking in the Cayman and standard 997/981/997s in comparison to the GT3s.

My plan is to keep up the cadence around 20 - 25 HPDEs a year. My instructor has been telling me that to get to the next tier, I need to get more comfortable with the car sliding and rotating, so that is my next goal to tackle. I have a lot of experience on the street in newer 911s and older air cooled 911s. I have tracked a 997.1 and .2 GT3 a handful of times, but have never felt the same level of confidence in a rear engined car that the Cayman, and other mid and front engined cars have given me on track.

This may be wishful thinking on my part, but regular seat time in a 996 GT3 could help me feel much more confident in a rear engined car without quite as much speed as the later GT3s, and a few car control clinics could help me feel comfortable rotating it on track. Though, these cars do have a reputation for being tricky and the amount of fast drivers that have mentioned spinning a 996 GT3 makes me hesitate. I'm in the SF bay area and the walls at Laguna and Sonoma don't make them the most friendly tracks for trial by spinning...but I guess what doesn't kill you makes you stronger may apply here?

What do you think, is a 996 GT3 a good tool to continue to develop as a driver and get comfortable with rotation, or would something more forgiving help me learn more before "graduating" to a GT3?

Frank 993 C4S

It is an excellent tool and probably just a function of your budget. Have you checked 996 GT3 prices lately?

Porsche 996 GT3 For Sale - BaT Auctions (bringatrailer.com)

Olemiss540

With the crazy cost of street 996gt3s, I would run to the ads for a 996cup and do that instead. They are great fun to toss around a race track, but nothing about tracking a 996 is cheap, even if they are "reliable", just a heads up. The allure of the 996gt3 is it feels like a race car in street car clothing. Its angry, harsh, and rigid but its equally rewarding to drive fast. Sadly, they really dont make much sense as a track car given the cost of rehab/upkeep on a dated car, along with the uptick in buyin costs that will get you into something newer, more capable, and more reliable.

Personally I would jump to a gt4.

Olemiss540

https://rennlist.com/forums/market/1367389

Nickshu

One of the best street cars for developing talent. It's not an easy car to drive fast. Loved mine and have a lot to thank that car for in my progress. But the 6-GT3 is a collectors item now. A lot of parts are NLA for it, at least they were getting that way back in 2020 when I sold mine.

As said above I would just buy a real race car instead, such as a 996/997 Cup, Spec Boxster, GTB1 Cayman, etc. Or if the truck/trailer are not something you can manage then I would just buy a 981 GT4.

38D

If you can trailer, the best value is a 996 Cup by far. They can still be had for cheap and are very fast if driven well. After that a street 981 GT4 is also a great option but with a significantly higher entry price.

multi21

The 996GT3 isn't an easy car to drive well, which if you stay with it, will make you a better driver. No driver's aids, pretty raw, and keeps you on your toes as it demands your full attention when driving at speed. Had no idea they had gone up so much in price. Crazy how a 997 Cup is much more affordable. Good luck in your journey.

Bxstr

Unfortunate about your Cayman R. Saw it at auction, online.

I have a 997.1 GT3. I have a full thread about my thoughts on my friends Cayman R. Short story is, I think it's amazing, very easy to drive and confidence inspiring. Also, considerably less cost upfront. My friends Cayman R has cost him very little, pretty much oil changes and brake flushes. GT3 definitely has some additional associated costs with it due to the design such as you wanting to pin coolant lines prior to getting on track. Others would be able to better speak to the costs when tracking. https://rennlist.com/forums/spyder-c...n-r-drive.html

However, I do think there are many advantages to the GT3, everything does feel more motorsport. Can't give you any track input as I don't have experience with either on track.

afilsinger

a 996 GT3 is far more difficult to drive than later GT3s in my experience. We have a 997.1 cup, a 991 GT3 street car and a track prepped 996 GT3 street car (Clubsport seats + cage, coilovers, arms etc) and it is significantly more difficult to drive than both the cup and the 991. The cup is FAR easier to drive in anger than most people will tell you, and the 991 is truly an easy button to great lap times in a platform you can drive to the track. The 996 is as difficult to drive as older air cooled stuff. If I were in your shoes, I would look to a GT4 or a 991.1 GT3 if you need the car to be street legal. Go to a cup car or a GT4 Clubsport if you can trailer it or get track support.

zaccdre

Appreciate all the advice!

Good insights. In what ways did you feel it contributed to your progress today? Cup cars are crazy value but being able to drive to and from the track is important to me right now, but maybe some day down the line when I have some space for a truck and trailer, and a little more patience for hauling it around.

The shock tower issues (which may be overblown) have put me off of a GT4. Nothing about the hobby is cheap but, the cost of rotors and pads for a GT4 were surprisingly high last I glanced, and my heart loves the feel and charisma of the GT3's engine over the 3.8 in the 981. The difference in price between a GT4 and a mid-mileage 996 GT3 is close enough (for now) that its hard not to cross shop them.

Ha, I also have a 997.1 GT3 and that was pretty much my experience with the Cayman as well. Confidence inspiring, cheap consumables, and I was always wishing for a little better sound and more "motorsporty" engine.

Where did you see the Cayman? Still dealing with insurance and curious where they were posting it.


I have some street time in a 996 GT3 and agree it's handling characteristics almost feel closer to my 993 and modified '72 than my 997.

A 991.2 GT3 is actually what I'm hoping to work up to. I still had room to grow with my 330hp Cayman, so I'm torn between just getting a 991.2 GT3 and growing into a 500hp car on track, vs leveling up my skills in a slower car so I can feel more confident getting into one in a couple years. I'd like to get more confident with slip and rotating the car, and while a 996 GT3 is no slouch, power-wise, it is closer to the Cayman and things happen quick with the power of the later cars. Getting confident in a tricky car seems like it would translate to going fast in just about everything, but maybe I am overthinking it and should focus more on getting fast in something easier?

Olemiss540

Wait, you already have a 997gt3? Y no use that?

Bxstr

The actual link doesn't work anymore, but posted pics here: https://rennlist.com/forums/spyder-c...l#post19071651

zaccdre

I use it for an event or two a year, but made the mistake of buying one that is too nice to really feel happy abusing it on track for as many events as I was attending in the Cayman.

Thanks for linking me to it. Bummed to see it smashed in the yard.

Olemiss540

While getting into an even more classic Porsche and thinking you wont feel bad abusing it on track? I say set your 997 up and put it to good use :-). No point in saving it for the next owner, unless it is seriously a museum piece in which case you wouldn't have been driving it for an event or two a year.

You pretty much already know how a 996GT3 is going to be on track considering the similarities with the existing 997 you already own. Might have a little less sound deadening, but otherwise a very similar driving dynamic especially if yours is a 997.1 with essentially the same powertrain. You know you will be getting into a cup car sooner or later, just get into one now or use your 997 a handful of event and get into a cup car in 6 months.

De Jeeper

Man im so happy to hear that u giys think a 6-gt3 is a handfull to drive on the track. I just think its normal because i dont have any other refference. I pretty much enjoy everything about my car except for some transitional tail wagging and transmission gearing. Im starting to adjust some settings so im sure it will get better. It has enough power to make hdpe fun but not too much to make the car go out of control. Seems to be the perfect power to weight for a no nanny car. I say go for it.

Just for refference it does a 2.13s at the glenn and there is easily a few more seconda to be got. I seem to be about 2 sec off the cameros and caymans with similar level drivers.