[dgoldenz]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

Nah, Porsches are common in Tampa too. It all depends on your income bracket. Of you're making 10 million a year, a Porsche isn't a flex. But if your make 60k a year a Camaro is a flex.

I think it's the California crowd that really are into Porsches and stuff. They're desperate to cling to relevance despite the fact that everyone thinks they're losers

Maybe they just like driving the car

[BlkGS]

Originally Posted by RM7

lolwut?

I've done tons of PCA events. It's all about what the owner wants to do. By your logic, what would be even "cooler" would be to design the entire car and then do all the manufacturing of it, then start a race team, then do all the maintenance on it, and then...and then...and then.

Why can't people freaking understand that not everyone wants to like what they like? We should be able to discuss those differences here...but the way you put it is like my dad "why can't people do and like the things that I like?".

You suck at reading comprehension.

I've done PCA events too and had fun. My whole point was if I had the kind of money to buy and track a GT3RS, I would rather just do actual racing than have the fastest car at HPDE. You can have as much fun as an HPDE or Time Trial in a MUCHeas expensive car than a GT3RS. You don't get a trophy for finishing first at HPDE, been there and done that.

[BlkGS]

Originally Posted by dgoldenz

Maybe they just like driving the car

I'd hope so. Owning a car you don't like driving sucks. Been there, done that.

I've always liked how Porsches drove. You can't get that rear engine weight transfer out of anything else now. I actually went and looked at a 991.2 C4 over the weekend. If I was a shorter man, I'd probably have bought one. But unfortunately even with a moderately uncomfortable seating position, there just wasn't space for kiddo legs behind me. And the rear seat is the real party trick of the 911, being able to take the kiddos along is a capability I want that the Corvettes just don't fulfill.

Sadly there was only about 4" of room behind me with the seat in my driving position. That would make for a very angry toddler.

[x622]

Originally Posted by FC4

It's wild how the perception some have about owners of certain cars varies. There will always be people with more money than enthusiasm for cars who will buy flashy cars. That's a pretty tired point and nothing new.

Go to any private day at Laguna or Sonoma and it's >75% GT3s. Most of the cars at or out on Thermal at any given time are GT3s or Cup cars. If you think these cars are just bought to parade around on Sunday, it shows you lack exposure to the circles which prove otherwise.

Besides, no one buys a Porsche to flex. Maybe in Scottsdale or Tampa or wherever they still wear Ed Hardy shirts. But Porsches aren't seen as fancy cars to many. A GT3RS on the street is a bit... gauche.

I haven't really seen the poseur spec out at the track, anyone serious just buys the cup car. But I also see Hurucans Ferraris and other stuff at the private tracks.

[RM7]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

You suck at reading comprehension.

I've done PCA events too and had fun. My whole point was if I had the kind of money to buy and track a GT3RS, I would rather just do actual racing than have the fastest car at HPDE. You can have as much fun as an HPDE or Time Trial in a MUCHeas expensive car than a GT3RS. You don't get a trophy for finishing first at HPDE, been there and done that.

Great, now we know what you would do. That was helpful.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by dgoldenz

Most people can’t tell the difference between a base 996 and a 992 GT3RS, all 911’s are the same to 90% of the people out there

That is me. I was saying this exact thing to a Porsche buddy yesterday. It's not that I can't, it's more of I just really have no interest.

[BlkGS]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

That is me. I was saying this exact thing to a Porsche buddy yesterday. It's not that I can't, it's more of I just really have no interest.

That goes for most cars. If they can get the brand right they're doing pretty well.

I think that the 911 has remained very similar in design is a good thing though, it stays true to form, and doesn't try to break from tradition, and the market rewards it for that consistency.

[Alfisti]

Truth is there's a mix of buyers, some are just for show, others like to cruise about on fairweather days and others mildly track or heavily track. I've said before on this forum, if I had the means I still would not go exotic, i'd blow money on a Singer maybe, Alfaholics definitely but big power exotics seem a road to nowhere as they are terrible on the street and a Caterham is more fun on the track.

[Guvna]

The best 911 is the base model.

[BlkGS]

Originally Posted by Guvna

The best 911 is the one with a manual

Fixed it for you

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

Truth is there's a mix of buyers, some are just for show, others like to cruise about on fairweather days and others mildly track or heavily track. I've said before on this forum, if I had the means I still would not go exotic, i'd blow money on a Singer maybe, Alfaholics definitely but big power exotics seem a road to nowhere as they are terrible on the street and a Caterham is more fun on the track.

Agreed and I think that subset of GT3 owners that take their cars on tracks (whether HPDE or true racing) are VERY few. Yes, there are some wealthy people in CA, FL, AZ, etc. out there racing their GT3s, but come on, they are a rarity. Most of these GT3s aren't tracked. If you're really serious about racing a 911 competitively, you're buying a 911 Cup car. That actually is a steal for the money given the capabilities of the car and all the Porsche support that comes with it. It really is an amazing program and kudos to Porsche for providing it. Hourly running costs for a Cup car are only in the range of $2,000 per hour

Knowing what I know about Porsches now and wanted to race but still have a street legal car, I'd buy a 997 or 987 with a blown motor on the super cheap, build a 4.0, mostly gut it, and go to town with the chassis. I'm not about status. Different strokes.

[dgoldenz]

As someone who had a GT3 that never came anywhere near a track, I can confirm it’s still a great street car and anyone who says otherwise doesn’t know what they’re talking about. Since my opinion trumps everyone else’s, this matter is now resolved. You’re welcome.

[reallymarkedup]

Originally Posted by dgoldenz

As someone who had a GT3 that never came anywhere near a track, I can confirm it’s still a great street car and anyone who says otherwise doesn’t know what they’re talking about. Since my opinion trumps everyone else’s, this matter is now resolved. You’re welcome.

Shoot, I was just about to jump in with an opinion coming directly from someone who has never owned or driven a GT3 and therefore knows more than everyone else, but I guess I'll let you have this one.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

That goes for most cars. If they can get the brand right they're doing pretty well.

I think that the 911 has remained very similar in design is a good thing though, it stays true to form, and doesn't try to break from tradition, and the market rewards it for that consistency.

I'm not sure who "they" is, but for me as a car enthusiast, I don't get mixed up about brands.

There are simply just too many versions of the 911 currently and over the past few decades. The current count on Porsche's website is 16 variations of the "911". It's a "911" but the chassis designation is like 992, or 996, or 996.1, 996.2, 996.295 (is that a 996.3 ?) I mean FFS.

[dgoldenz]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

I'm not sure who "they" is, but for me as a car enthusiast, I don't get mixed up about brands.

There are simply just too many versions of the 911 currently and over the past few decades. The current count on Porsche's website is 16 variations of the "911". It's a "911" but the chassis designation is like 992, or 996, or 996.1, 996.2, 996.295 (is that a 996.3 ?) I mean FFS.

You’d be surprised how different they feel from each other

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by dgoldenz

You’d be surprised how different they feel from each other

Then they should just make one that feels the best.

[x622]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Then they should just make one that feels the best.

But then when you go to cars and coffee how are you gonna stand around with the other porsche guys and talk minutiae between trims?

[dgoldenz]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Then they should just make one that feels the best.

What does that even mean? They make different versions for different purposes and price points.

[Alfisti]

The Carrera/S, Turbo and GT3 for example are wildly different cars. Then you have the GTS and the AWD vs 2WD thing to fill the gaps but it is very, very clever as it allows Porsche to sell to a lot of customers using the one platform.

I want a 2+2, naturally aspirated, RWD, convertible sports car. Others want more power, or AWD or a sportier trim/larger bank balance then me (GTS) and others are willing to go to extremes (Gt3+) and even then you can have a big rear wing or not (touring), strip it right back (T) ......... the beauty is in the configurability

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by dgoldenz

What does that even mean? They make different versions for different purposes and price points.

Okay, but 16 variants?

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Okay, but 16 variants?

Why not? If there's a market and it stops buyers going elsewhere, why not?

[BlkGS]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Okay, but 16 variants?

The real answer is all these different trim levels give all these rich guys an excuse to make themselves feel more special.

The Carrera T for example is a "lightweight" version that is marginally lighter than a regular one, but it gives buyers the option to pay a premium to say how they can feel the barely existent difference and how it's "so much more direct and focused". Or you can buy a GTS and talk about how "it's like a race car for the street because it has monoblock wheels".

They sell all these different trims so that the mostly older buyers of these cars can sit around at Porsches and Pancakes and talk at length about how they're different and toot their own horns.

I've been there. My father had a 997.2 S and a 993, both were great cars, but the PCA crowd even then was getting overrun with big bank accounts losers. The sad part was a lot of the older PCA crowd was just enthusiasts. Porsche didn't really start to attract these owners until the very end of the 997 run.