Less than one week old and this happens

[porschedude]

Wheel repair is quite easy or you can get it done at any shop for $100-150. Don't worry, it will look brand new again.

[pteam]

make your friend pay for the repair.

[RandallNeighbour]

I let one of my best friends drive my boxster a week after I got it and he backed into a curb and badly scraped one of my wheels. Fortunately, the wheels were non-Porsche crappy heavy aftermarket wheels and I wasn't concerned because they'd be replaced soon enough.

However, I learned a valuable lesson that day. Never let anyone drive your car unless they can prove two things to you in advance:

1. They know how to safely drive a Porsche (gear changes, brakes, wary of curbs and other obstacles, etc.)
2. They have the financial means AND personal desire to immediately pay for any damage they cause while driving your Porsche, avoiding a claim on your insurance policy if at all possible.

A few months ago, an older, wiser and very cautious friend of mine went out for a drive with me and I eliminated the curb rash issue by allowing him to drive it in the country where the roads have no curbs. He actually told me he'd repair any damage he might cause, and I know he has the money. However, he missed a shift and hit 3rd when he should have hit 5th and bounced it off the rev-limiter. At least it wasn't a missed downshift, which would have caused catastrophic damage.

Today, I'm thinking I will not let anyone else drive my car, even thought it's about to turn 11 years old and is only worth about 12k. I can't afford to replace it, and to tell you the truth, my friends and family don't have a friggin' clue as to how to drive a Porsche and I am not about to let them learn on my car.

[Ronzi]

My viewpoint is that if person X asks to borrow your car, asks to drive it, etc., that person is assuming responsibility for any subsequent damage and you are justified in requesting that they at least share in the expense of repair.
If, on the other hand, you allow or request that other person to drive your car for your own reasons, maybe convenience, maybe "see how you like it", etc., then as the incautious owner you are stuck with the results of your decision.
Not being a lawyer, I have no idea how this squares with the legalities of the situation, it's just my opinion.

[vipola]

Your comment is interesting, but it make me asking myself. I own a boxster for a month now, and it's my first porsche. I do all I can to be gentle with it, keeping it away from curbs, etc. Shifting gently and not over-rev it, not downshifting for nothing. always let the engine warm up before goign hard on throttle, etc.

But is there a Special way to drive a porsche? thing to absolutely NOT do or things to DO ?

I'm open to any suggestion that will make my car happy

Thanks

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

Today, I'm thinking I will not let anyone else drive my car, even thought it's about to turn 11 years old and is only worth about 12k. I can't afford to replace it, and to tell you the truth, my friends and family don't have a friggin' clue as to how to drive a Porsche and I am not about to let them learn on my car.

[OldBlevins]

I've driven stick-shifts all my life (I'm 55) and I was taught to generally keep them between about 2k and 3k rpm. I have concluded this is NOT the way to drive my Boxster. I've had to get a little more accustomed to winding it out, though I rarely take it past 5K.

Turns and curves seem to be a lot more fun to take without bothering to brake.

On a recent 2500 mile road-trip to CA, we pushed it pretty hard and it brought us home happily purring as it has since we got it 3 months ago. So I've concluded it's generally designed to drive reasonably spiritedly.

But the biggest adjustment I've had to make is in avoiding tickets. The cops seem to pay a lot of attention to these cars!

- Jim

[deano_123]

sorry but thats complete bollocks, the car was made to be driven and thats what i do with mine. it hits the limiter at just about every change and always will. for the money iv paid i expect to have some fun in it not drive round in a bubble

[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.

[deano_123]

oh id never bounce it off the limiter ill change at the redline. ive driven all my cars this way elises, civics, rallyes etc and never had any problems just got the maximum out of the engine

[OldBlevins]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

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.

That's Highly Useful info - thanks!