GT350R vs EVERYTHING

[muntzr]

I have a 991.1 GT3 and new to me 2018 GT350 - while the GT3 is more refined I could be happy with just the GT350.

im impressed with the Shelby .

Sponsored

 

[WildHorse]

All day, everyday

 

[Strokerswild]

I've been considering an LS swap into my 944. But the car is so old and beat down it needs virtually everything. And the other issue with driving a custom is insurance. If you want to drive the car more than just a few times a year, classic insurance is out. Once you customize a car, your normal insurance doesn't cover your potential loss anymore. So it's hard for me to justify putting a lot of money or time into something I'm not going to use very much.

LS swap the 944 and build away. Hagerty will insure most anything that wasn't entirely home built.

I hear you on the last sentence too, being a fellow Minnesotan. I often ponder why I have a building full of cars and bikes when I only use them when it's nice out, during the (maybe) six months of the year that is habitable here. I need to move.

 

[DCShelby]

You could buy a fun winter car. I have a house in Mn way up north, when I retire I might get a used STi for a winter car and keep it up north., and get winter tires and wheels for it. Might go toss it around on the snow. But better not go in the ditch cause it could be hours till another car or truck comes by and no cell service.

 

[PA_R_DUDE]

I've never thought about replacing it. I think GT3, F430, and the 458 are all logical "upgrade" options. Cars that are super special and give huge emotional experiences. But where they are priced just doesn't make much sense.

I think the perfect garage to me would be GT350R + 718 Spyder.

 

[stanglife]

All day, everyday

Ok it's sexy looking and capable - but no manual...and at 3x the price of the 350R...mehhhhhh

 

[WildHorse]

and at 3x the price of the 350R...mehhhhhh

cause it's 3 times the car

 

[stanglife]

cause it's 3 times the car

I don't agree that it's 3x special.

 

[svttim]

cause it's 3 times the car

Could be 10X the car but not affordable

 

[Hack]

I've never thought about replacing it. I think GT3, F430, and the 458 are all logical "upgrade" options. Cars that are super special and give huge emotional experiences. But where they are priced just doesn't make much sense.

I think the perfect garage to me would be GT350R + 718 Spyder.

F430 might be more cool than a Ford, but it's not an upgrade on track. Understeer city and the brakes don't hold up long either. I don't know if the 458 solved those problems or not, but you can't get a 458 with a manual transmission - which means I'm not interested.

GT3 has a lot of grip on track and felt roughly equivalent to the GT350 (not R, regular GT350) when I drove one on track. However, I found the DCT to be boring. And the GT3 noises are ok, but not nearly as good as the Voodoo. The GT3 I drove was from a few years ago. I'm sure the latest model is faster.

 

[stars_fan]

I don't really like mid-engine cars myself. I think they lack drama on the street. And the Corvette is not even a consideration since it doesn't have a manual transmission. However, even with a mid-engine, the Ariel Atom definitely has drama, but I think it has other fatal flaws.

Here in MN, even a track only vehicle should really have heat, defrost, a windshield and a roof. If I ignore those missing features and the potential pain and suffering that goes along with being outside in the local weather, Ariel Atom would be great. The only other major problem I see with it is it's way over priced. IMO it should be closer to $40K for what you (don't) get.

I've been considering an LS swap into my 944. But the car is so old and beat down it needs virtually everything. And the other issue with driving a custom is insurance. If you want to drive the car more than just a few times a year, classic insurance is out. Once you customize a car, your normal insurance doesn't cover your potential loss anymore. So it's hard for me to justify putting a lot of money or time into something I'm not going to use very much.

Lack of manual on the C8 makes it a non starter for me too. If I want to sweat my ass off then I would rather be on my Ducati than in an Atom. But both cars are under 100k and faster.

I went C7 for street/track because it was far more fun to drive on the street vs a gt350. I know you guys disagree but the voodoo is hot garbage on the street if you’re not winding it out.

I’m on the form because I can sell my C7 for 18k less than I picked it up for new and basically pay cash for a Mach 1 from Granger.

 

[brokenblinker]

Lack of manual on the C8 makes it a non starter for me too. If I want to sweat my ass off then I would rather be on my Ducati than in an Atom. But both cars are under 100k and faster.

I went C7 for street/track because it was far more fun to drive on the street vs a gt350. I know you guys disagree but the voodoo is hot garbage on the street if you’re not winding it out.

I’m on the form because I can sell my C7 for 18k less than I picked it up for new and basically pay cash for a Mach 1 from Granger.

That's a hot take.

I test drove a gt350 for 500 miles. Got my C7 test drive after and returned it in 45 minutes. Was a great car. Just boringly competent

 

[Hack]

Lack of manual on the C8 makes it a non starter for me too. If I want to sweat my ass off then I would rather be on my Ducati than in an Atom. But both cars are under 100k and faster.

I went C7 for street/track because it was far more fun to drive on the street vs a gt350. I know you guys disagree but the voodoo is hot garbage on the street if you’re not winding it out.

I’m on the form because I can sell my C7 for 18k less than I picked it up for new and basically pay cash for a Mach 1 from Granger.

I think the Voodoo is perfect for the street, but I'm mostly trying to obey the law when I drive on the street. The character the Voodoo has always entertained me even at 30-50 mph. If you are able to ignore the law and go for maximum acceleration all the time, I can see where you might prefer a different car.

I think the C7 is pretty good. It's just too small for me (not enough head room for a helmet). I don't like the detachable roof for track driving, either. I looked hard at a GS, but the defective wheel design was another factor that kept me away. And IMO LS engines are a little bland unless you modify them. And I have to admit that budget was a consideration as well. If the C7 was a little cheaper I might have bought one. I ended up buying a C5, which has many similar flaws, but weighs 300-400 lbs less and has a hard top. The C5 suspension felt a lot better to me than the porky C7 version. And there was more room in the cabin, but still not really enough head room. In the end I gave up on my C5 mostly due to head room. It was too uncomfortable with a helmet on.

 

[UnhandledException]

I have a GT350, C7 ZR1, and a 991.2 GT3RS. I have an incoming C8 Z07 and I plan to keep all cars. Each car is unique. I have the MOST fun with GT350 because it is the most playful, most approachable, most forgiving of all cars. GT3RS is a scalpel, it is so precise that it has one purpose, lap times. Its a car that you really want to drive 30-40 miles at a time. The valve train noise wears you down after an hour. Its like driving a cup car with legal plates. I used to have no muffler with sport cats (dundon crack pipe) and after a few weeks I could not tolerate it (although the downshifts that exhaust makes is once in a lifetime experience). Now I have their loud muffler with street headers, still quite a bit louder than stock and spine tingling past 8k rpm. The way that car carries pace at WOT is unparalleled. It doesnt matter how amazing GT350 or ZR1 is, neither can be a GT3 (no offense). The only commonality between GT350 and GT3 (RS) is that they are both N/A. The way GT3 revs so quickly and effortlessly vs how much slower GT350 builds up revs is quite striking when you drive them back to back.

ZR1 is a completely different animal (mine is stick). Close to 20,000 miles on that car (and 10,000 miles on my RS) and I am still scared every drive. It is the most unbalanced, unpredictable, scary car I have ever driven. The sheer acceleration pushes your eyes to the back of your head, much more than a jetliner taking off at 110% throttle (not exaggeration). Even after 20,000 miles, there are times when the tires hook, WOT acceleration beginning 2nd gear does make you dizzy. It has power that is unlike anything else. Where GT350/GT3 feels like in 2nd gear, ZR1 feels that way in 4th gear. It will light up traction control in 5th gear with cold tires in a cold day. Even in summer, it takes 15 minutes of driving before you can exceed 50% throttle in 3rd gear.

Given the above, I still stand by my statement that GT350 is the car that I enjoy the most. Yes its unrefined. Yes it doesnt turn in like the GT3RS or ZR1. No it doesn't have brakes like either. But Its fun even at 3k rpm. Roll down the window and simply hear that sound echo from the forest as the sun sets.

 

[PA_R_DUDE]

^ Yeah that 8-9K rip on an RS with proper exhaust and headers hits different.

Sponsored