Decisions, Decisions
 

i love the 370z, moreso since the aftermarket upgrades are really coming on line, and problems worked out-- oil cooler, track pads, suspension and tuning upgrades, etc.

i want a great performance daily car with good track competence. ideally, a track day would require only pads, tires, and a brake bleed. i'm not so worried about cost as much as that i like getting a lot of bang for buck.

so, the 370z is rising to the top of the list. but you know what else is? 2004 911 gt3. These can be had for around $50k.

so, will someone talk me out of spending an extra $15-20k on a five-year old car? or should i scratch that porsche itch and be done with it?

I can't tell you to go one way or the other, as I own neither car, but I can give you my opinion, which is that if it's a choice between a new car and an old car, I will always choose the new car (assuming they're the same class of car).

The reason, of course, is that the new car has 5 less years of wear and tear on it. Also, 5 years is a long time in car technology years... that 2009 370z is gonna be world's more advanced than the '04 Porsche.

And then there's that "new car smell" that probably causes cancer, but which I love.

And the fact that driving a Porsche kinda makes a person look like a douche. :rofl2:

The GT3 is a brilliant track car but not the most comfortable on the street. Most GT3 owners trailer their car to events rather than drive. The 370z on the other hand favors street driving and requires a few minor modifications to be a regular track machine.

The thing that always scares me with the Porsche, especially the GT3, is the engine. A guy I track with blew the motor in his GT3 RS last year, fortunately under warranty, but it was an ordeal getting them to find another motor and get it replaced. The motors changed quickly between year models and you need an exact match to get all the electronics to play nice. Nevermind the fact that a new motor costs more than a new Z!

If I fully trusted the engine and had $50K to plunk down on a used car I would take the Porsche in a heartbeat.

Gt3

I think if you can't afford the Porsche new then you can't afford it used. Unless you know you have the spare cash for upkeep I would go with the Z.

surely, there have been quite a few catastrophic failures for the 996 911's, but the gt3 and turbo engines are a completely different block from the regular 911, being based on older porsche motorsports design. it's supposed to be a lot more sturdy, but one should assume that they should be rebuilt with some regularity (which most owners probably never do).

it's a great point. as chrisslicks mentioned, the engine, if blown, would pay for a fully tricked-out z. i'm not particularly intimidated by consumable costs, but expensive repairs would surely erode one's ownership satisfaction! the gt3 would depreciate slower, at least.

one big thing in favor of the z would be feeling free to mod, which i enjoy doing in a modest, stepwise fashion.

thanks for talking me down! i'd use the beer emoticon, if there was one...

I've only seen one GT3 in the mid $50k range. If you get the car passed through a Porsche dealer you could get it CPO'd with a warranty.

As stated the GT3 would not be the most comfortable car to drive a long distance to the track.

There's also a lot to be said for 3 years of warranty on a new car. The Z is a lot of fun.