About two weeks ago I traded in my 08 S in the hopes of finding the perfect Turbo. I know plenty of people on this forum have had the question of which car to get Turbo or 3, well please allow me to share my view after finally having driven both and finally making a decision.

First up was the GT3, MY07 with 4200k on the clock, white over black with very nice options, I was able to take it for a pretty long test drive (on my own ) and let me say, that car is a WILD ANIMAL. For anyone who has a carrera or an S model, the GT3 is just much more rev happy, and allows you to continue up the rev range much further than ever imagined in those models. It has such a nice sound and the throttle feel is much more in tune with what you'd like your Carrera or S model to feel like. I did get sideways for a sec. but its all a matter of getting used to the out of the box fire that the 3 has. As far as suspension the 3 feels much tighter, lower, better overall in the handling dept. However, on the flip side, if you live in an area like NYC which has terrible roads, the 3 is rough to drive (in my opinion). I was looking for a daily but always loved the way my S felt with the rear wheels driving through the turns. I got used to that feel and when I was in the 3 that feeling got elevated. So, for anyone looking for a great track car (which we all already know) as well as a bit of a fussy daily then the 3 is a great option.

On to the Turbo , obviously, from my avatar you can see what I chose, but the choice wasnt so easy. After the feel of the GT3 I was definitely on the fence. I drove a turbo briefly a few months ago but never got a good feeling since it was a friends car and I didnt want to push the car. On my turbo test drive and in the last week or so I have been able to get a great feeling on the clutch, and that turbo lag, as well as that blast that follows the lag. I must say, for me the turbo was just a great fit. First off, the clutch is a bit easier to depress (important for anyone who lives in an area with insane traffic, ie NYC) and after the GT3 clutch it was a nice change. Second, the longer gear ratios allows you to really push the turbo harder before having to change gears, a welcome change from the shift points on my S model. At highway speed the car feels much more planted and tighter than the S did, feels more durable almost , as if it can handle more. Believe me, I pushed the S to its limits, but on the highway it really felt weak. The turbo keeps pushing, trust me. As far as anything else, the interior is pretty much the same (my turbo is an 07).

So, all in all I am pretty sure I made the right decision, however, the feeling and responsiveness of the GT3 is really seared into my memory. In a perfect world I would love to have both, as they are on opposite sides of the spectrum but are truly remarkable cars in their own right. Also, to be perfectly honest, if not for the tons of traffic I see daily, I may have gone with the GT3. For anyone trying to make the decision, I hope this helps but try to take a test drive so you get the feeling for yourself.

 

Dino,

Congrats on the new car, I was disappointed when I saw that you sold your C2S, but am happy to see that you stayed with the Porsche's. Do you track at all? I think that the GT3 is at home on the twisty roads more so then the Turbo.

Enjoy the new ride.

 

I havent tracked yet, but I would like to just to get a good feel for proper driving, you know on a technical sense.

As far as twisties, absolutely the GT3 is more at home but after having the turbo for a week or so, this bad boy feels good as well

 

Congrats on the new ride. The exhaust note of the turbo must have been deaffining after the GT3 ... crickets ....

 

Excellent review Dino.

This pretty much sum up what we most think, is to have both in our collection. I'm slowly working on it...

 

^what he said... someday both...
excellent write up and I think excellent choice given your uses.

 

most importantly don't forget how mod friendly the turbo is. I'm sure you will be bitten soon by the infamous "mod bug"

 

the 997 turbos are a steal at current prices. there is good inventory on the used market and just about every porsche dealer has 1 or more to sell. i came across many clean low mile examples when i was searching for a 3 and at 50k or better off of msrp.

congrats on the TT and dont be surprised if you find yourself in a GT3 one day.

 

one can easily drop 50k on a TT in mods, not sure i call that friendly

 

Congratulations! Seriously consider the triad of TT mods: exhaust, ECU tune, suspension upgrade. They completely transform your TT.

 

I agree with your assessment - for everyday DD I probably would have gone TT also. Atlanta traffic is aweful and the TT would have been more user friendly. Fortunately I already have a DD that I enjoy and keeps me out of trouble with the law, a low mileage mint 2001 740i sport - comfort is key for me for DD, and especially for my wife and baby. Simply more room, more comfort for the family plan.

The issue I had with the same decision, TT vs GT3. It all came down to economics and true drivers car vs a great fast street car -
The TT value is depreciating faster than a 3 for cars with the same mileage. Great buys out there today but selling in 2-4 years worried me about the loss.
The 3 also is depreciating at a fast rate, but seems because of less production numbers maybe a little less than a TT. Time will tell reality on this issue (may be moot if I keep the car for long term)
Most importantly to me, after test driving both, I felt like the GT3 was more of a true drivers car. I feel more like part of the overall driving equation/experience in the GT3, if this makes since. Don't get me wrong the TT is a killer car just did not get my endorphins flowing like the GT3....Everytime I get into this car I get a testosterone rush...

In a Perfect world and Fat bank account I would have both, especially the new 2010 TT....that car is friggin Bad @$$.
Either way you made a great decision both are fantastic cars!

 

Hey David,

You don't want your endorphins flowing while you drive as it will numb your sensation.

You also don't want a testosterone rush as it will give you an erection (not nice with the 6 points belt).

What you need is an adrenalin rush during full throttle out of the corner.

 

Turbo and GT3 both great cars. A couple of months ago I went for a long drive on both of them (honestly speeking I was more a fan of the turbo since I drove few years ago a 996 model and I could not forget the special feeling of great and smooth power I experienced). Actually I'm living in Switzerland so still I was sure to want a Turbo because of the 4WD. Well, after having driven both of them I really felt in love with the GT3. The FUN factor with this car is abosolutely the highest I ever experienced in my driving life. So, despite the logic, I simply followed my instict and order a new GT3 MKII (will be delivered in April 2010).

 

it seems as though most of us go through the same thought process, which one to get, and I guess we are all experiencing very similar emotions when trying to describe both cars, that is what keeps this decision so tough to make, we would actually like to have a more lively turbo or a more powered 3, in a sense i guess its the GT2 without that extra $$. Anyway, I am enjoying reading all of your thoughts and the fact remains true, either way you cant go wrong, its just what do you prefer, lol, **** or ***!!!! I myself am an *** man, lol

 

I like to have **** and *** together, congradulation for the new porsche TT enjoy her and post some pictures please. i have E60 M5 and 997 c2s . i use my M5 for DD and c2s for the weekends , soon the c2s will be replaced by 997 TT(my dream car).