How fast have you driven your Boxtser?
 

This thread is not to encourage speeding, or to be proud of it. It is wreckless and puts people including yourself at risk but... atleast for me when I first get a car, I see what I can do with it and then never do it again.

So with that being said, I want to know how fast you have gotten your boxster up to before saying, I am an idiot and am now going to hit the brakes because spending the night in jail isn't the best thing for me.

Friday I got my '99 up to 125 mph on the open straight highway. It ran so smooth, no shimmys, engine sounded so beautiful. I kept it there for maybe 5 seconds and then took my foot off the gas and coasted back down.

What have you done??? What was your experience like?

I've reached mine up to 108 miles. Car was very smooth indeed and I never felt like I might lose control.


That was around 2am in the morning on the highway.

You know I have a friend that used to drive over 130 mph several times a day for years.

148 MPH, no other cars around, wide open road, down hill, 2 PM, for a few miles

111mph on one of the first day I had it. I'm not doing that again unless I'm on a track. *

*The car felt very stable and strong. I easily could have gone alot faster.

i drive only under speed limit :rolleyes: :D

130, no problem. 150 in the Z3 though.

120 mph with top up and 100 mph top down and it felt OK:dance:

I use to drive it over 150 mph about 3 times a week. Where I was living the cops do not chase down cars for speeding. Rather they have stop checks ever 20 or 30 kilometers. If you do not speed where the spot checks are there is little chance of getting a ticket. Sometimes they have a guy with a radar gun but the few locations they hide are often predictable. I use to do a drive that should take over an hour in less than 30 minutes with a cruising speed of around 100-110 mph and 130-140 mph on the straight aways. There is one long stretch where I can see ahead about 2 kilometers where I would bring it up to 150 mph provided there were no donkeys or cows around.

At 140 mph the steering gets more sensitive in that even the slightest movement of the wheel makes it feel like the car is moving a little back and forth, and also there is noticeable g-force when doing over a dip in the road. At 150 mph there is little difference from 140 mph. Overall the car handles great at those speeds. Very easy to drive and control. I always have done it with the top down which makes a lot of noise but I love it.

I have had absolutely ZERO problems with the car driving it regularly at those speeds, for long distances and in extremely hot weather. It is often over 100 degrees outside when I am cruising along. The car is less than a year old though.

Built for occasional autobahn jaunts, it doesn't surprise me the Boxster can maintain those speeds pretty well. I did the same early on, one full speed trial just to see and never really had interest to repeat since then. I got up to 152 at 3am in the morning on a deserted 4-lane freeway. The engine was slowly working it's way at the top of 5th into 6th, and it took me awhile to get there because even slight uphill slopes would start slowing me down.

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.

Nowadays...maybe 100 but only when passing. It's hard to be in a hurry when your in this car:)

-David

I personally have only gone 105 once. The person who I purchased the car from said he had it up to 140MPH on the Autobahn when he lived in Germany. I think for the 99's that is the top end and the car may be speed limited at that level.

I had no doubt the car could handle the speed, but living in PA, I wondered how the Boxster would fare hitting a dear at over 100MPH. It is a great car but somehow that would not be pretty.

145 with the top down on the freeway in LA smoking a Corvette... damn, he was not too happy about that. I am not saying it was the brightest thing to do, but I already had the care for a while and I was used to it. I know what to expect and know the limits of the car. It was definitely interesting, but I still prefer the car in the twisties. I have never been a fan of drag racing or any other straight-line racing. I have gone 150+ on a bike and do ride on the track occasionally. That is still more of a rush to me. I wish I could have taken the box up to 150 or more, but never had the chance. I just traded it in for a new toy, but will probably get a 997 4S in the next 2 years if everything goes as planned.

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.

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! :cool:

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.

flat out
 

i live in australia and in the northern terrrotry we have unrestricted speed limits on most roads and i had my boxter s at flat out 250mph

what a ride


d

side note
 

just wanted to add that i have been racing in porsche club events for over 10 years and have a track racing licence

dont try this at home kiddies

d

250 mph? Did you drop it from a helicopter?

I think you mean 150mph.

250 kilometers = 155.342798 miles

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

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 ;)

Looking forward to track time!

- C5150

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

so ure saying that to all the people that said to take it to the track?

That's a riot......fastest I have gotne is 101.....for like a second at that was it.....just wanted to see the 3 digits on the dashboard light up

Insanity
 

I myself, sometimes find the urge to see how fast I can take the car, but, have not done so. Trust me, I love the thrill of speed having ridden and owned several sportbikes in the past, but the dire consequences of having taken a car up to such insane speeds as I'm reading below on the STREET is plain stupidity.

I wish I could share with all of you the pictures I have examined and seen in my files of the barely recognizable mangled pieces of metal intertwined with human body parts from motor vehicle accidents. The pictures of the people involved, with blood and parts everywhere haunts me. It would make you seriously think about driving recklessly on the street. God forbid, if you were ever involved in an accident and killed someone - - that, would be vehicluar manslaughter.

I know we all want to see how fast our boxster's ago, but please, reserve it for the track. Let's make sure that we all get home safe and alive and that we don't jeopardize anyone else's lives.

Sorry if I sound like buzzkill or killjoy, but I've seen too many horrible things happen and I would hate to see one of us hurt ourselves or others.

Just my 2cents.

My top speed so far has been 202kph (125.5 mph). I didn't have the car very long and was doing some spirited driving on the highway with very few cars on it. An M3 cab came up behind me and the 2 of us picked up the speed and spent the next few minutes trading places and I looked down to see my top speed of 202. I had to slow down once there was more traffic but it was quite a rush while it lasted.

its not like driving on the track and crashing at 150 mph you would be ok

151 Top Down....Car got up to 140 no problems but it was a crawl from 140-151. Car was super stable, only thing that was worried me was the rear wind screen I thought for sure I was going to lose it.

This thing goes above 35 mph? Damn, I was wondering why all those people have been flashing their lights and honking at me on the highway. I don't know what their problem was...I was safely driving in the left hand lane. Jerk offs.

Quote:


"its not like driving on the track and crashing at 150 mph you would be ok"

Originally Posted by djomlas


Yeah, but your chances of taking out an innocent bystander are much less, and that's all we're really concerned about if you've made the decision to drive stupid-fast;)

But to be fair, a lot of tracks have wide run-off areas, and a couple tire-walls, so a lot more places to lose speed and spin vs. a tight freeway shoulder. Plus other drivers have had at least basic training to avoid doing stupid stuff, and nobody is driving hazardously slow. Willow Springs motorcycle club riders routinely reach 140-160 on the straights of the Willow Springs track, and despite the fact they've had hundreds (thousands?) of crashes, I believe you could count the death toll (from injuries sustained in crashes) from years and years of racing on one hand. I would gladly ride a motorcycle there vs. on the street.

Sadly their track is probably a little small to get a Boxster up really fast when the cars do track days there, for that you need to do a track day at California speedway...

-David

Im lucky enough to have about a 4 mile straight which takes me nearly to my home.

have not seen a police car on it ever in the last year.

Every night I sit on between 130-140mph on it. Never any other cars around.

lucky me

110mph in 4th gear on the Main Straight at Limerock Race Park, CT, but that was the LEAST interesting part of the whole experience. Taking that S-curve at the right rpms, braking correctly, (probably not faster than 70mph, but who has the time to look at the speed) and with the perfect line, is THE thing.

The forces your body feels are the same when driving 40mph and 140mph constant speed in a straight line -- except for the increased vibrations. The joy of driving comes from experiencing and manipulating forward and lateral forces (i.e. acceleration).

I will concur with all posts that raised the issue of safety while driving 100mph+ on public roads. The track is built with mishaps in mind -- run-off areas, tire-walls, banks, etc. And on the track there is a warning logistics (flaggers) in place that warns against unfavorable conditions on the road (debris, accident, slower traffic, etc.). Plus, on the track, you are driving at speeds everyone else is driving. So on the track, BOTH the likelihood AND the consequences of an accident are minimized to the maximum extent. Not so much on a public road.

I agree, after taking it all out of your system at the track, the last thing one desires is to drive like a maniac on public roads.

As always, just my opinion.

Z.

I think about 125, briefly,

Ed

:cheers:

I got it up to 40mph once in Bradenton Florida, Now with the Snow Birds down here it is unsafe at 25mph. But when you get on Route 75 it is like driving on the Autobahn

135 in Canada on my way to see the GP du Canada with my son. He did 120 in NY Thruway. :cool:

hehe my bad
 

I had it maxed out several times....whats that about 152 I think?

but it was on the 10, in the middle of friggin nowhere in the desert coming back from Scottsdale to socali in the middle of a weekday.

Top was down as well. The only thing I saw on the road for at least 25 miles was a few roadrunners, so I took my chance. The car felt solid, but the steering gets very touchy above 130 or so. And it took a long time to get from 135 to 150.

You take your chances. I would never had done if if the road wasn't very clear, let me say, but I wanted to be able to experience redline in 5th in the car.

But interestingly enough, last Thursday, I was going to a jobsite mtg at Camp Pendelton up the 5 from San Diego, and the traffic was pretty light at 11:00 am.....

and this guy in a V8 mustang wanted to play.....so we both hit it (the first time I have really gotten on it since the engine swap) and we got up to 130 or so. We kept it up for a few miles and then started to hit some traffic so I slowed it down and he did too. It was fun. He gave me the thumbs up when we slowed down, I think he was suprised a boxster could keep up with him.

you can drive fast if conditions are right. Of course you have to be smart about it, and willing to risk jail time of you blow past a cop. The problem is conditions are seldom right. Thus, you can't go fast very often.

top speed
 

These cars were built to run at top speed all day.

Check the back of your owners manual and that should tell you what your car will do. Should you so desire.

A top speed run is not to be taken lightly. You need a road that is "safe" and free of the unforseen. Your car should be given a mechanical check much like you would prior to a track day or race event. Particular attention should be paid to tires.

Once you meet that criterion, you point the car down the road and keep your foot in it until the wind says no.

Nothing to it. As long as you. And the car. And the road are prepared. And there's no one around. Particularly no one with lights on the top of their car.

My personal top speed is 182. In a full race Viper. On a race track.

I imagine the top speed I will hit in my Boxster s will be what the owners manual says it will be... 164. On a desert road in the middle of nowhere.

These cars were built to go fast. Don't feel bad about doing it. Provided it's the right time and place and you know what you're doing.

By the way, the right time and place is almost never on a city street.

On that note, anyone who plans on driving their Porsche anywhere near the limit has a responsibility to enroll in a drivers school. Do a few track days. Learn what your car can, and cannot do.

Enough of the soapbox. Have fun in your sports car. That's what it's for.

If I wanted something to drive around in slowly I would have bought a Buick.

jh