Hello all. Recent lurker and first time poster.

I am thinking about purchasing a 2004 gt3. I do have a couple of questions that I would be grateful if you guys could assist with.

1. Reliability of the GT3. I am looking at two cars, one with mileage at 17k and the other 20k. Both are located at Porsche dealerships and neither will come with warranty. Can you guys give me some insight on things I should look out for. How reliable is this car and are there any questions I should ask?

2. What should I ask the dealer for to review (ex. 150 pt inspection,etc)

3. What would you consider a fair price for a 2004 GT3 with mileage between 17 and 20k? Pricing from the dealer is ranging from $56k-$58k.

4. Value. From doing some research it seems this car is on the rare side with 959 gt3's (04-05) in the US. Do you think this car will maintain good value as it gets older? I think it will but I am new to the Porsche world.

5. If I make the purchase I would be trading a 2008 m3 for this car. Would you guys consider this progressive move going from the m3 to this car?

Lastly, any advice. Sorry for the long post. I am very new to this world. I am excited as I've always loved this car. I just want to make sure that I know what I should going into this.

Thanks in advance.

-Vin

 

1. The GT3 is dead nuts reliable. The only fault recently has been a coolant pipe issue (coming from a BMW, you should be used to coolant issues...lol.) 20K is nothing. The Mezger GT1 style engine has been in development since the 1970s, it was originally designed to withstand the 24 hours of Le Mans, among other endurance events. Get the coolant system looked at, for sure, and otherwise it should be a peach.

2. Make sure you get it taken to an independent Porsche specialty shop for a complete Pre Purchase Inspection (PPI). This will give both you and the dealer peace of mind. Usually charges about 2 hours to complete, so budget an extra 200 dollars per car for that to be done. It could potentially save you thousands of dollars.

3. That range is exactly on the market. The lowest I have seen (much higher mileage than the ones you are looking at) were around 55K, and the highest I have seen is upper 60s.

4. As you noted, the rarity is a big factor. The 996 GT3 is highly regarded, and some say it is the last "true" Porsche. I don't know about all that, but it will certainly do better on long term value than your M3. They may continue downward for a little while, maybe bottoming out around 54 or so, but will only go up from there, or at the very least, stay steady. If you need any indication, I would check out the 964 RS America market.

5. The 6 GT3 will completely blow your E9X M OUT OF THE WATER! You will be absolutely astonished how heavy and bloated that car will seam in comparison to a GT3.

Advice - This is only my opinion, and it's worth exactly what you paid for it, but there you have it. To review: Get a PPI, if it checks out BUY IT! I promise, you won't regret it.

If you get one, and you need anything, we are only a phone call away.

 

Check for overrevs and hours on the engine. I've heard the rear main seal leaks, or leaks if the cars are not driven often.

The 996 GT3 really fun and phenomenal value. There were fewer than 1000 996 GT3's sold in the US, 2004, 2005.

I have a friend who has been racing for decades who says the 996 GT3 is as fast on the track as 997.1 GT3. I'm sure there are those that won't agree, but wouldn't disagree the 996 is 9/10ths a 997 with greater exclusivity and cost about 30 percent less.

There's a great book that covers the 996 - Porsche 996: The Essential Companion. it's good for some reading about the car.

It will tell you that Porsches won't appreciate, but this one should depreciate much slower now than most others.

You won't miss they 2008 electronics of the m3 though if you sell it. The GT3 interior may seem dated and you may want to buy an FM bluetooth transmitter as the car does not have bluetooth.

I have access to an e9x M3 and a 996 GT3. The M3 is more comfortable for me as a daily driver in the city and traffic and has a great sound. They are both wicked fun. If I could only drive one it would be the M3 for business and passengers as it is more practical.

That being said, if it's late at night or there's a clear twisty road, the GT3 is the one that gets to come out to play.

 

Just got my 996 GT3 - I have owned 964 C4 and 997.2 C4S with PDK

This Gt3 is much better, feels like a race car for the street

The best thing: it's analogue - you won't find this characteristic in any other Porsche

 

Thanks for all the info guys. I test drove the car yesterday. This was my first time ever driving a Porsche.
A couple of take aways:
1. The feel of the Porsche is pretty awesome. Sits a bit lower, definitely some more driver connection. The interior is somewhat barebones but I feel like thats okay. I think I might not even use the radio much as I would just listen to the motor.
2. The look of the car is priceless. This car is speed yellow and I'm totally in love with it.
3. Driving characteristics are similiar to the e9x m3. Now I am not saying that it is the same as the m3 but both are high rev platforms so it felt similar. I didn't really open the car up past 85mph or 5k rpms so I'm sure I did not get the full feel of the car. The clutch had a nice solid feel to it. I was totally surprised at how easy it was to drive the car. I was also surpised at how well the car handled dips and intrusions on the road. One negative was the car's brakes were pretty squeaky. Thes salesman checked and said that the pads on the car were not Porsche pads. Not sure if that means the pads are nearing the end of their life or the noise is because of the aftermarket nature of the pad. Also one think I noticed was the steering wheel was a little shaky at 85mph. I know a rear engine car has a different feel to it but I'm not sure if this is what I was feeling. Can anyone shed some light on how a rear engine car may feel different from a front/mid engine car. I wasn't completely comfortable with it on the highway

One question I have is, I know there was mention of having an independent porsche shop do the PPI. Is it common for the dealer to agree to this? I mentioned wanting to a dme report for the car and they were okay with that. They also said they had a checklist with different things that were checked out on the car. However, I am not sure if they would agree to have the car taken to another shop to be inspected.

Lastly, as much as I want this car I feel that there is a certain price for it right now. Currently the dealer is not willing to budge in my direction for where I want to be with the car. I was willing to leave a deposit yesterday. So I guess I will wait and see what happens. I won't lie though, I keep looking at the pictures I took of the car lol.

Thanks a ton for all your help.


-Vin

 

I just went from an e46 M3 to a 6GT3 about a month ago and I'm happy I did. The Gt3 just feels special. It feels so small and nimble compared to my e46. The cooling issue is going to set me back some cash but it will be once and done. I'd also recommend changing the trans mounts. I have a higher mileage car but they were completely blown.

 

what do you mean by "shaky steering wheel"?
wheel balancing being off can lead to small vibrations in the steering at those speeds.
I got into my GT2 after owning an E46 M3 (comp package)
The thing that blew me right away was how responsive and communicative the steering was and how the car changed direction.
sure, my GT2 had all the suspension done, so I cant compare it to a stock car, but in the M3 you would feel the weight of the engine in the front and the dip of the suspension once it changes direction.
In the Porsche it just steers instantly

 

Thank Alex. I guess it could have been a couple of things from the balancing or tire pressure. The car does have an aftermarket suspension, however I am not sure which one it is and whether it is springs or coilovers.


-Vin

 

Have the car inspected. Have the dealer correct any issues needed - especially looking at the tires and checking tread depth. Have the inspector look at the brakes, clutch and for engine leaks. Especially have the aftermarket suspension checked as it could be the source of your vibrations.

I've had "heavy" feeling steering when letting the front tires wear too much but no shaking in the front (or rear for that matter) is normal. Have the pressure, balance and wear checked as part of your inspection. As stated above, the car will continue to depreciate but at a slower rate than other cars but it will not go up in value for well over a decade. Enjoy (and drive) it if you buy it. Don't buy it if you're looking for an "investment". Buy it only if you want it for what it is - super.

 

Vin,

if the wheel is shaky that could be tires out of balance or there could be a suspension issue. If the car is "darty" that could be an alignment issue or from grooves in the pavement. Check the front tires for scalloping on the inside or outside. Some dartiness is normal. Shaky is not good. That car will go 190 mph and should be very smooth at a relatively slow 85 mph.

The true power of the car comes on between about 5500 and 8200 rpm, so you haven't really felt the car in a long gear under full wail. It's the next best thing to a Carrera GT.

Yellow and red don't sell as well as the other cars. Your dealer probably paid around $50K wholesale and if you have friend in the car business, have them pull comparable numbers then use those for negotiating.

If another car is a cream puff say 4000 - 8000 miles for example, that could be worth a premium up around $60K. that is a rare car.

If this particular car is really clean and you can live with the color and your time is at a premium, $7K over from a dealer isn't a big deal relatively speaking. Just know that to turn it quickly, you'd probably get $50 and yellow can be harder to sell.

You might now want to let the dealer selling the car do the PPI if they don't extend the warrantee. It's a conflict of interest and wouldn't be fair to you or them. If they do, then the premium for the car may be worth it.

Have you checked the for sale are on this site, or www.autotrader.com or http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforum...rchid=10071777 ? There are 3 or 4 there.

Good luck and please post your pictures if you get the car.

 

Thanks so much for all the info. The car definitely did not feel as grounded as my m3 at 85. It is something that I will need to review if they accept my offer.
Funny you mention the red/yellow as those are my colors of preference for this car lol.

 

Not sure if anyone addressed your brake squeel issue, but that could be from the former owner installing more aggressive pads for track use. They could potentially squeel more depending on what they are. As long as the rotors and pads check out, then you are good to go. Changing pads is easy on these cars and there are a lot of helpful DIY threads in the forum that can help you out. Buy that car! You won't regret it. It's the most fun you can have with your clothes on.

 

I have that exact issue on my car. The PO had Pagid Yellows on the car. Nice pad but with me DD'ing the car they sometimes squeal loud. I'm going to try and put some disc brake quiet on them or actually replace them. I'll save the yellows for the track.