[RandallNeighbour]

I think I'm squarely between the last two posting members in my attitude about the boxster.

The variocam on 986's kicks in at 4200 rpm. Pushing the engine over this rpm each time you drive it is a good idea to simply give the motor the workout it requires to "stay limber" so to speak.

I take mine right up to redline, but I do not redline it and bounce it off the revlimiter where it shuts half of the cylinders down to prevent catastrophic loss. That has happened accidentally to me twice and I was very upset with myself for doing it.

Every time you bounce it off the revlimiter and it shuts down part of the engine to save it, it records this in the ECU and it cannot be removed. So not doing it is good for anyone who plans to sell their car to someone with brains who looks at these kinds of numbers prior to purchase.

There is nothing wrong with driving the car hard though. The engine was designed to be wound up tight to redline gear after gear. Conversely, it was not designed to be driven like it was stolen each and every day or the motor will crap out on you much sonner than later, not to mention many other parts of the transmission, brakes and suspension.

I tend to shift at 4-5.5k most days I drive the car. When I'm out for a real "driving time" in the country, I will push it to 6.5k because I love the sound of the engine and che's headers and exhaust.