Men buy Porsche 991.1 GT3 from Copart for $70,000 but when they discover why it's rattling they realize it's a huge risk
Published on Apr 23, 2026 at 1:30 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Apr 23, 2026 at 3:02 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Men from the Porschemode YouTube channel bought a Porsche 991.1 GT3 from Copart for a solid price, but a rattling sound coming from the sports car meant it was a big risk.
The guys knew this would be a risk given that the car was listed on Copart, but it also proved to be a much more interesting story than they first thought.
Despite this, it was a car that the team wanted to add to the collection for a long time, so they took the chance.
What followed was something far more interesting than just a simple engine issue.
What was wrong with this Porsche 991.1 GT3?
While there were cosmetic issues with the sports car, the biggest issue was below the surface.
The sports car had a known issue with the engine, namely connecting rod bolt failures, and finger follower wear in the valvetrain.
This causes misfires as well as a loss of power.
“This has got an engine issue, but that is why I paid a little more than half the retail value,” said the YouTuber.
Effectively, this car cost them 50 percent less than the full retail price.
After the car was started up, a bad rattling sound was clearly heard.
But the YouTuber didn’t believe it was an engine problem.
“That doesn’t sound like the engine, I think it’s the PDK flywheel,” he said.
These cars have these on the transmission to manage the power transfer and dampen vibrations.
If that was all it was, it was a part the team could replace.
Why the problem was much more interesting than an engine issue
Ironically, when driven back to the garage, the Porsche 991.1 GT3 felt fine at speed.
It was only when it was idling that the rattle became immediately obvious.
Yet once back at the garage, the root cause wasn’t an engine issue or a PDK flywheel fault.
It transpired that a bolt from the bell housing was missing and loose.
Designed to keep the transmission bellhousing secure to the engine block.
“The gearbox is off,” the YouTuber said during the inspection. of the Porsche GT3.
Basically, the transmission hasn’t been secured properly, possibly due to poor workmanship.
With that in mind, fixing this Porsche and getting it back on the road again could be incredibly easy.
Porsche timeline
1931: Ferdinand Porsche founded Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche GmbH in Stuggart as an engineering consultancy
1945 – 1947: After WWII, the company relocated temporarily to Austria
1948: The first car to bear the brand’s name is completed – the Porsche 356
1950: Returned to Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, rolling out production of the 356
1963: The 911 debuts at the Frankfurt Motor Show
1964: 911 production begins, as it becomes the brand’s defining model
Late 1960s: Models like the 908 and 917 dominate endurance racing
1974: Introduction of the 911 Turbo (930) brings turbocharging to road cars
1986: The company wins Le Mans with the 962
1996: The Boxster (986) helps put the company back on steady ground after a few years of financial difficulties
2001: Enters the SUV market with the Cayenne
2009: The Panamera is launched as the company’s first four-door sports sedan
2020: The company’s first fully electric sports car, the Taycan, is launched
2021 – 2024: The hybrid and EV lineups are expanded
Henry joined the Supercar Blondie team in February 2025, and since then has covered a wide array of topics ranging from EVs, American barn finds, and the odd Cold War jet. He’s combined his passion for cars with his keen interest in motorsport and his side hustle as a volunteer steam locomotive fireman at a heritage steam railway.
