How fast have you driven your Boxtser?

At no time did the front end start to feel light or did it float. It's ability to stick to the road is better than any other car I have driven. While driving at about 130mph I too went over a bump that felt like it went airborne but I am sure it did not leave the ground. It just feels that way since you are being pushed upwards and your body feels lighter for a split second.

I had more pedal as well. I figure I can get it at 160 on this road sometime in the future. It is at sea level so there is good oxygen, the road is flat and dry....I just worry about the donkeys.

Originally Posted by David N.

Cartegena hit it on the head, the steering becomes definitely more sensitive (although less so because of the progressive style steering). But I felt really confident because the car was still quite planted and I didn't feel the front wheels getting light or anything. Unlike other cars I've been in the Boxster just doesn't seem to lose its composure beyond a certain point, and just inspires you to keep going. It wasn't until I crossed a big seam in the freeway and went airborne for a fraction of a second that I realized it's not just the car I need to worry about, and that was all for the day.

By the way, I hope I am not encouraging any of the young kids in this forum to drive fast. There are a few things I should point out. I have had a licence for almost 20 years. I also learned to drive in some of the ****************tiest conditions in the world when I grew up in Toronto. Hey, I even lived in the Dom Rep for 6 months and their they give blind people licences. When I bought the car this year I actually had not owned a car in 3 years. So I did not run out and see how fast I could go on the first day. I started slowly bringing the car up to 80, then 90 and then 100. In fact it was well over a month of driving before I tried anything over 120. I knew I was out of practice and had to test myself. I think the kids on here who want to drive fast should go on a track and practice, not do it on the road, and take their time to learn the car bit by bit. Also many of the younger members are diving older Boxsters which might not be in as good shape as a new one. So, kids, do as I say, not as I do!

[shift26]

Originally Posted by cartagena

By the way, I hope I am not encouraging any of the young kids in this forum to drive fast. There are a few things I should point out. I have had a licence for almost 20 years. I also learned to drive in some of the ****************tiest conditions in the world when I grew up in Toronto. Hey, I even lived in the Dom Rep for 6 months and their they give blind people licences. When I bought the car this year I actually had not owned a car in 3 years. So I did not run out and see how fast I could go on the first day. I started slowly bringing the car up to 80, then 90 and then 100. In fact it was well over a month of driving before I tried anything over 120. I knew I was out of practice and had to test myself. I think the kids on here who want to drive fast should go on a track and practice, not do it on the road, and take their time to learn the car bit by bit. Also many of the younger members are diving older Boxsters which might not be in as good shape as a new one. So, kids, do as I say, not as I do!

agreed! I have also been driving for more time than I care to remember and have driven under various conditions and have done autocross and other course driving. It is definitely good stuff. I hate it when someone buys a car and is not familiar with it and frst time out, have to test it's capabilities. It takes time to learn the car and get used to the way it drives under various circumstances.

A few years ago I bought my father a 2000 Lincoln Continental. This car has more horsepower than the Porsche and is really fast for a big car. If I remember correctly it has like 300 horsepower with a V8 which I *think* is turbo?

The second day we had it I took it out for a "test drive" on the highway. It started to snow a bit. It was the first snow fall of the season so the commie government did not plow the highways. I was turning onto an elevated on-ramp (for those familiar with Toronto, QEW Eastbound to 427 North) when I hit black ice. I should have been driving slower but I never expected to hit the ice. I totalled the car into the concrete guardrail. I remember getting out on the side of the on-ramp and kicking the door, cursing and swearing about how much I hated the snowplow people who should have salted the road, but instead were at home eating donuts. The car was smashed up on the drivers side almost to the driver's compartment. Right after I kicked the door another car hit the ice and smashed into the wall beside me. I almost **************** my pants and ran back into the car. This on-ramp is about 50 feet in the air so there is no way off of it except to walk down in traffic which would have been suicidal or jump off the side into the highway below which would have been the same. There were over 500 accidents that night according to the newspapers the next day. I had just returned a week before from the sunny beaches of Cuba and at that moment vowed never to live in Canada again.

Anyway, I learned from this experience to take it really slow when getting into a new car I am not familiar with. Ultimately the accident was not my fault but it still could have been avoided. I had the car only for two days. The tow truck driver dropped it back off at the dealer in the middle of the night. I am sure they were surprised to see it back in the lot totalled after only a couple of days.

Originally Posted by shift26

agreed! I have also been driving for more time than I care to remember and have driven under various conditions and have done autocross and other course driving. It is definitely good stuff. I hate it when someone buys a car and is not familiar with it and frst time out, have to test it's capabilities. It takes time to learn the car and get used to the way it drives under various circumstances.

[David N.]

Quote:

"At no time did the front end start to feel light or did it float. It's ability to stick to the road is better than any other car I have driven. While driving at about 130mph I too went over a bump that felt like it went airborne but I am sure it did not leave the ground. It just feels that way since you are being pushed upwards and your body feels lighter for a split second."

Originally Posted by cartagena

Yer right, the car was probably still planted. But when I myself go airborne it still counts

Concerning reckless driving, I think the best thing anyone can do is go race on a track where they've had some proper training and a set of crash walls to contain them. Many people who I've spoken to who do a track day or two instantly feel that need to push it on the roads diminish, it's just not the thrill when you've done 130 or 140 on a real racetrack. After that the thought of doing 105 or something on the road raises real concerns like road conditions, other drivers doing stupid things, and of course the cops, and it's just not worth it.

At the end of the day I feel anyone who has a Boxster vs. a real pony car is kinda missing the point with high speed streaks. This car is built for doing twisties with the top down, carving up corners and enjoying the pleasant winding out of the flat-6. Enjoy the fact your car is built with the quality to streak, and streak well, but it is capable of so much more

-David

[thomschoon]

The Boxster doesnt hit much over 100mph on the Turnpike, but I did hit 260kph last week on the A5 near Hockenheim in a rental car

[Topless]

Fastest ever driven on 4 wheels? 160mph on the back straight at Riverside Raceway in 1974 in a full race Camaro GT. (very scary)

Fastest ever in my Boxster? 95mph at Streets of Willow racetrack. (The car was as calm and composed as if I was going 40)

Fastest ever in my Boxster on a public highway? maybe 80?? I regularly have hot rod Hondas and SUV's blow by me in traffic at 95mph+... I also see a lot of fatal rollovers. I want no part of either.

[C5150]

Looking forward to track time!

- C5150

[Paul]

On most tracks you will never even get close to top speed....

[renzop]

Originally Posted by shift26

agreed! I have also been driving for more time than I care to remember and have driven under various conditions and have done autocross and other course driving. It is definitely good stuff. I hate it when someone buys a car and is not familiar with it and frst time out, have to test it's capabilities. It takes time to learn the car and get used to the way it drives under various circumstances.

Just because you have been driving a long time or are very experienced in the car does not make you immune to the laws of physics. Nor does it prevent the unexpected from happening on the open road ( a deer jumps out of the woods, a tire blows, a pothole, etc.)

Driving fast is dangerous for anyone. Driving fast on public roads is much more dangerous than track events where some of the unexpected occurrences are reduced or eliminated and where there is both personal safety equipment and ambulances standing by.

I'd say about 90-100 is all I am comfortable with on public roads.

To say to young people, "don't drive fast. I do but I know more than you" is foolish.

[ramo80]

I took the picture myself.

[chaabouni]

How fast have I driven my Boxster??? The smart alec answer version: "door unlocked, top down, jumped in seat, left hand on ignition key, left foot on clutch, right foot on accelerator, right hand on gear shifter, took off in under 1.2 seconds... That's how fast I can drive my Boxster!

[cvhs18472]

140 down the front straightaway at The Glen. Ed