Which Porsche?? - Page 1 - Porsche General - PistonHeads UK

Hello, I am a previous Lotus/TVR owner, and want to spend the next 12 months or so in a porker, but need help to choose which model! I have tested a GT3 Mk11, and a Cayman s. I liked them both - although quite different cars. I had doubts about the GT3 i tested, as the wheel nuts were well worn, and the disks had cracks in the x drilled holes - i thought it might have seen significant track action. My current thinking is to go for a cayman - keep for 12 months, and buy a 997 GT3. I guess i am slightly worried that the 996 GT3 will be superceeded in the next few months. Do you think this is a good/bad move? Am i missing any other great models out there that are similar to the GT3? Advice appreciated. Thanks, Bruce PS - it has to be speed yellow!!

A new Speed Yellow Cayman will get hammered on price when you trade it in.

really? sp yellow takes a big hit?

Depends on the car - on a GT3, no, but on a standard car, then for sure.

I would do a little research on the colour. If you really are keeping the car only for a short time, buy a car with an easily re-saleable colour like Black, Blue or Silver. Boring I know, but makes commercial sense! comingfromsomebodywithadodgycarcolour!!

Was the GT3 the one being offered by the dancing donkey dealer in Egham? SS7

Personally, I would go for a GT3 - but not the one with cracked discs etc. Same old rules when buying secondhand: condition, condition & condition. If you buy a good enough GT3 and keep it that way I may buy it off you in a year when you buy the 997.

It's rare to find a GT3 that has not seen the track. The main thing is to ensure that it has been religiously serviced and maintained - and more frequently. Cracking discs on the original discs are not uncommon - the brakes are consumables. What is more worrying is if the colour of the red calipers (if steel, not PCCB) has turned orange indicating extended and serious overheating/trackday action. There are good upgrades available - including the Alcon non-rattle floating discs marketed by JZM.

If you are worried about yours calipers going orange then you had better not go near the track. This condition is easily brought on by minimal track usage as the brakes do get very hot(poor cooling inherent in the MK1 design). Don't be put off because that's what the car was really designed for. Would agree it needs to be regularly serviced and an OPC warranty is a useful safety net to have available. Otherwise, buy it, track it and start grinning - you may never stop.

I test drove a cayman S, nice but didn't make me want to part with £50K. Just bought a MK1 GT3, in a word awesome. I'm sure the 997 GT3 will move the game on but I can't afford one. My 2p, buy the car that you like and drive it.

the cayman is not in the same league as a GT3 , and if you actually go and get a new cayman as an interim car for 12 months or so , that's not really sensible financially. back to GT3 , the Mk1's are beginning to stabilise in value and are being recognised as a future classic sporting porsche. the drilled disks do crack on porsches, not just GT3s , its not at all unusual , and as someone else said , regard them as consumables like pads tyres etc. I'm assuming you want a sporting porsche rather than a cruiser , they stand up to trackdays pretty well and no surprise if previous owners have tracked them. GT3 Mk2's are not shabby , its just that Mk1's are more of a bargain and not so many RHDs made , hence less supply for the demand.

I agree with OldTimer...

whichever of those two cars you buy - if you keep it for only 12 months you're going to get bent over on residuals...

Not if you go for a Mk1 - I'm sure there's little to lose - residual wise - on these cars now......

I agree that it would be rare to find a GT3 that hasn't seen at least some track action. And anyone claiming that their's hasn't seen any track action - which you'll find hard to tell - will no doubt be asking a premium. Would you rather a car thats seen a few trackdays each year or a town car which gets driven 8 miles on a cold engine and then turned off again.... Consumables aside, my cars have always driven better after the old Italian tune up. I wouldn't think twice about a GT3 which the previous owner may have enjoyed on a track every so often - why not call the ex owners to ask? Also likely less depreciation than the Cayman, especially if you go Mk1. Good luck Ajit.

It will be superceded, but prices already reflect this.

mikeg996 said: A new Speed Yellow Cayman will get hammered on price when you trade it in. That didn't turn out quite true as yellow ones seem to command a premium.

Quite a thread resurrection!

Holy thread resurrection batman.