I haven’t posted here for a pretty long time. With my current set of cars, I think I might be fully content. Am I really saying that?

Let’s go over the cars. I’ve got two fun cars and two daily drivers. We’ll start with the fun stuff.

2010 997.2 GT3





I’ve owned this GT3 since 2016. I was so impressed with how it drove and how it made me feel the very first time I got behind the wheel. It’s been such a pleasure to own over all these years. Whenever I want to feel the visceral rush of driving, this is the one. A 100% stock 997.2 GT3 is a very capable machine, but my car is the result of indulging those Gran Turismo modding fantasies. In the engine bay, I have a built motor bored and stroked to 4.2L with a Porsche Motorsport RSR crankshaft. It breathes through a GT3 RS 4.0 intake plenum and FVD long-tube headers. The lightweight single-mass flywheel makes for savage revs. The suspension setup consists of JRZ triple-adjustable 12.32 dampers with springs matching 991.2 GT3 RS rates and monoball links and control arms all around. Wheels are BBS Motorsport forged monobloc RE-MTSP.

 

In 2022, I picked up a very special 991.2 GT3. It was a manual transmission car in paint-to-sample Pure Green. I believe this car may be the only Pure Green winged 991.2 GT3 in the US. It was spec’ed with $90k in options, giving it a higher MSRP than most GT3 RS builds.



I thought this was a beautiful car. It found it very fast and easy to drive, but it didn’t speak to me like the black 997.2 GT3. It was less angry when pushed hard and was also less communicative. I chose the black car over this one much more often when heading out to the canyons. I sold Pure Green after about a year of ownership.

 

The 991.2 GT3 overlapped too much with the 997.2 GT3 in mission. For the next fun car, I wanted something more different, a a machine that would better complement the black car. My choice? 997 GT2!





This car is the combination of GT3 chassis with thick Turbo torque and flexibility. I was immediately impressed with the effortlessness of performance. Even at highway speeds in sixth gear, it would only take a brief dip into throttle to summon massive boost fed torque. The GT2 can’t match the black GT3 for maximum intensity, but it is such a well rounded performer. I drive this car all weekend, not just when I want to hit the canyons or track. It is especially enjoyable as a grand tourer. Porsche doesn’t make a car like this anymore - light weight, manual transmission, rear wheel drive, high-boost turbo.

 

Thanks for not posting for long time
Now piss off

 

Very fun cars
You live in So Cal
Where is your open top car?

 

My primary daily driver is a 2024 Model 3 Performance. It replaced a 2022 Model 3 Performance, and I find the new car’s improvements are pretty significant. It’s faster - sub 3 second 0-60 and 1/4 mile in the high 10s. It rides and handles better. Range is greater. Front seats are awesome.

For my use case, this car plain works. I commute less than 10 miles each way to work and back, and I have home charging. For ~$55k, the 3 Performance is really good value.



The final car is a 2025 M340i. My wife drives this car most of the time. What does this do that the Tesla doesn’t? ICE cars are still much better for road trips, and we drive out of town about once a month.

The highlight is the B58 in-line-six engine. It’s smooth, torquey and sounds decent for a turbo. I think it sounds better than the GT2! It feels almost as quick as the F80 M3 I used to own.

What’s not to like? It’s hard to get into the car. The front door aperture is unusually small. It’s easier to get into the 997 GT cars than the M340i. The OEM runflat tires, Pirelli P7 all-season in this case, have very little grip. It doesn’t take much pace to get the tires squealing and the rears stepping out. I was surprised that BMW would equip a tire with such low limits on something with M in its model designation. The M340i is pricey. This one was optioned to a bit over $65k, but I was able to negotiate down to $59k. Even with these drawbacks, I still believe the M340i is the best car in its class for our needs.

 

You doing smog magic shops for your 997.2 GT3 with 4.2L mod/tune?

I recall you posting a track day at Streets of Willow Springs with the GT3. If you haven't been yet, need to make a trip out to Chuckwalla - and book their onsite cabins. Definitely a great car weekend experience. Prefer that track to anything in SoCal (WSIR, SOWS, BRP, ACS - when it existed). You'll notice that a lot of magazines and photoshoots are at that track now - the black and yellow curbing is unmistakable.

Wide track, butter smooth, nice sweeping corners, flows really well. Everyone wants to go to BW-CW13, but it's not that great other than for bragging rights as far as i'm concerned. Been tracking in SoCal since 2009 - Chuckwalla is where it's at. WSIR if you want show case how big your balls are - T8-T9 is no joke.

Anyway, cool cars. I too am very content with my cars - all three of them combined are worth less than your 997 GT3. LOL. Actually, if I sold all three of them, they would net me less than $80k.

 

Great posts and amazing cars! Can't find fault with your logic and choice in any of them!

This section has been slower and I think car buying/selling has slowed down (including myself) and I think people are finding it harder to upgrade or find a reason to upgrade.

I'm at a good point too and willing to play the long game for a C8 ZR1 and I'm still on the fence on getting a Raptor R or '25 Escalade V. Problem is, I don't need either as during the week I just drive the Silverado 3.0 diesel as my "work truck". It's annoyingly trouble free, squeak/rattle free, and just plain works and is comfy with 24k on the clock in just over a year. It's nice enough on the inside and boring enough on the outside to blend in and let me do work stuff without employees, customers, vendors noticing my bright red TRX or blue Raptor, etc. I used to have. So, I am content at this point and it's a bit frustrating.

 

I would love to have this car. I have driven a 997.2 GT-3 (once around the block). These are addicting cars.

 

I actually haven’t been out to Chuckwalla yet, but I hear great things about that track. I’ve done about 10 track days at Buttonwillow, so time to broaden my SoCal track experience.