Aircon on a GT3?

[gdunc]

For a GT3 intended not for everyday use but regular hooning and the occasional trackday is aircon a must? Related to the unusually good summer that even Scotland is currently enjoying.

Just interested to know opinions on this as I survived in my old 993 in which i hardly used the weak aircon.

Dunc

[glenn mcmenamin]

gdunc said:

For a GT3 intended not for everyday use but regular hooning and the occasional trackday is aircon a must? Related to the unusually good summer that even Scotland is currently enjoying.

Just interested to know opinions on this as I survived in my old 993 in which i hardly used the weak aircon.

Dunc

i couldn't live without it in this heat.

the ONLY reason to delete it would be for serious track use IMO, so why else
wouldn't you want it ?

Helps resale too...

G.

[Merritt]

Im with Glenn on this, the air con is invaluable.. Even on recent track days in 30 degrees ive been using it - I don't really care if it makes the car a few tenths a lap slower as im not racing!

Steve

[Loach]

Aircon is a must. It will rob absolutely nothing from the car's performance unless you realistically think you will be able push the car to the absolute limits of its performance capabilities. If you can bring the car to its limits, and plan to do so regularly, then it's perhaps worth debating. However, as you indicate that it's going to be used on the road, then why deny yourself the possibility of the odd puff of cold air when it gets as hot as it has been this Summer? I had the same debate when I ordered my Exige S, and went for A/C in the end. I felt a bit bad about it, but when I collected the car this year and drove it off into the thick of a heatwave, I wasn't half glad that I had the A/C on board - the couple of thenths it might cost me paled into insignificance when pitted against the fact that, at times, I wouldn't have wanted to get into the car at all without it.

[gdunc]

Yeah its a concern as i'm not bothered about tenths on track - more about being able to use it to tour a bit as well as fast road.

Do GT3s get the big climate control panel that the other 996s get or do they just have knobs and an aircon button? (A picture of one i've seen just has knobs).

Concerned that the right car could come along and not have it.
PCCBs too - there's another i'd prefer to avoid. Can they be easily switched onto steel discs when they wear out?

Dunc

Edited by gdunc on Saturday 5th August 16:32

[paulburrell]

Not many GT3's were specced with PCCB so this should not be an issue. If you want to buy one that is, then they can be changed for steels for around £2.5k. Aircon panel is the climate control type with a couple of small LCD screens and about 6 small switches(no knobs as these were replaced after the 993).

[gdunc]

Therein lies the concern as i have been informed of a car which looks awesome - mk2 GT3 in seal grey but has no aircon and has PCCBs. Price is reasonable but is a stretch from my origial mk1 budget.
Does the lack of climate and carbon discs devalue the car a lot? Are the PCCBs really that bad (for majority road use)????

Dunc

[maximu5]

Just come back from 2 days at Le Mans Bugatti track. Guys without aircon were all soaked and knackered at end of the day. Gladly sacrificed one or 2 tenths for cool air in mine. Unless your driving skills are much much better than most track day participants, it is a no-brainer. That particular GT3 may shift very slowly or for a significant discount

[Geneve]

Aircon is also useful for demisting the cabin glass in wet conditions.

PCCBs are down to personal preference. Personally, I would prefer them, and even pay extra. Apparently, on the Mk2, the most notable benefit of the lower unsprung weight of the PCCBs is the ride comfort and stability on poorer roads.

Edited by Geneve on Saturday 5th August 18:44

[ChrisW.]

So, PCCB for the everyday driver solves many of the issues of the GT3's waywardness ... ? Great value !

Aircon.

Some M3CSL's were specced without. Some checked out the cost of a retrofit. Horrendous.

Hence non-aircon cars are slow sellers at signifiacntly less money.

[ricardo60]

agree with comments above - get the a/c. on track originally i took to switching off, but now i switch it on! Le Mans trip this year + it waa great _ makes a difference IMHO>

& they are making it compulsory at LM next yr

Edited by ricardo60 on Saturday 5th August 23:42

[nervous]

its impossible to use this car, ever, without AC. its a no brainer.

[GreigM]

definitely get Air Con - on track in a helmet it can get very uncomfortable without air con.

As for PCCB - my fear would always be the cost of replacement discs when they do wear out (which they will)...if you're tracking at all then forget it.

[gdunc]

Thanks guys, prob saved me from buying the wrong car 'cos if i'd gone to see it i'd have bought it on looks. Its the PCCBs which scare me the most as when they go they seem to go big.
Plan to do a bit of touring etc too so aircon really is a must too.

Dunc

[ChrisW.]

Or, enjoy all the advantages of PCCB and replace them with something far more trackworthy than the standard stoppers, if you do wreck them.

At a cost of £2k from a variety of specialists ... ?

PCCB advantages --- apart from the lower unsprung weight --- less brake dust and cleaning --- longer life than steels for road work --- no problems with corrosion (the clean car owners nightmare) --- and they look and work extremely well ---

When I bought my almost new GT3 with PCCB's I reckoned I would sell them to the next forum member with a wrecked set for £5k plus the cost of fitting steels. Would I now ? No way.