[southernstar]

The incredible variance in the longevity of various mechanical components experienced by members on this site got me thinking about the causes. Some people are able to get almost 200,000 miles out of a water pump, others need multiple replacements in 100,000 miles. Some experience early CV joint failure, whereas many get well over 100,000 miles out of the original ones. Some need clutch replacements at 30 to 40,000 miles, others have their original clutch at 150,000 miles. Some need replacement of their suspension components at 60-70,000 miles, others not until 120,000 or more. Some suffer transmission failures, whereas others have no difficulties for a quarter of a million miles or more! The list goes on and on.

I cannot believe that production variances at Porsche are that extreme and hence, I have to believe that there are other causes. Of course, proper maintenance schedules including more frequent than recommended oil changes are important. However, just as important IMO is the way the car has been driven. There seems to be prevailing, or at least common attitude amongst owners that you should drive your Porsche 'like you stole it'. Hard and without sympathy for the mechanicals. The result, I suggest, is bound to be premature breakages and failures of many components.

High-rev starts and participating in stop-light drag races are not, I suggest, what these cars were designed for. The result is bound to be increased strain on not only the tires, but the CV joints and transmissions. Rapid upshifts are also going to put undue strain on the synchronizers and eventually, the gears themselves. Mis-matched rpms on downshifts are also going to contribute to wear on the CV joints and transmission. Indeed, sloppy shifting can result in hitting a lower gear than intended on an up or downshift and over-revving of the engine. And we know what that can lead to!!!!

Inexpert driving can often lead to curbs being hit. Yes, it contributes to 'road rash' on the rims, but it also puts strain on the suspension and steering components and creates problems with suspension alignment.

Of course, it is not only driving a car 'like you stole it' that can contribute to increased wear and tear on the mechanicals - inexpertly riding the clutch and lugging an engine that is designed to rev is also bound to contribute to early failures in the clutch and engine.

Where you drive is also bound to be a significant factor. Driving regularly over train-tracks and potholes (and especially doing so quickly) will put great strain on suspension and steering components. Using your car primarily for short jaunts to the mall will also contribute to wear to the engine - short runs mean a substantial amount of the use will be prior to the engine warming up. This will lead to condensation in the oil and problems beyond the door knicks and dings which often accompany that type of use.

Prior to driving the car that I ultimately purchased, the 70 year old owner got in the driver's seat and drove the car until it was completely warmed up. He shifted expertly, double-clutching all downshifts and not rushing his upshifts. At one point we crossed some railroad tracks and he slowed to virtually a crawl. He did not lug the engine, but he also did not rev above 3000 rpms until the car was fully warmed up. His takeoffs from stops were smooth and efficient. When we switched drivers, I was almost embarrased at my own efforts to drive smoothly in a car with which I was unfamiliar.

He told me that he drove the car primarily in the country on weekends and that he avoided malls and parking lots like the plague. The COMPLETE absence of knicks, dings or scratches on the doors and fenders provided substantial corroboration for that claim. So too did the complete absence of road-rash on the rims. He claimed that the car was never driven in the winter and that he kept a rigorous maintenance schedule. He had all bills for his years of ownership, showing 6 to-8000 km (4-5,000 miles) a year and oil changes every March or April, when the car was put back on the road. These records and the timing of his oil changes also tended to confirm that the vehicle was not winter driven.

The upshot? Apart from regular maintenance and having to replace my ignition switch, my car has been trouble free during my two years of ownership and 16,000 km. I cannot help but believe that the care and expertise he exhibited during the test drive were representative of how he drove the car at all times. Not like he 'stole it', but as a careful owner who was sympatico with the car's mechanicals and took pride in operating it quickly, but also smoothly and expertly. So yes, I suggest that before you take the wheel, you ask the seller to take YOU out for a test drive.

Brad