Drove a 2011 Cayman R for the first time.

[WhipE350]

..and boy was I surprised on a 90 degree at slow speed (35-40mph) when the front end plowed!! The owner who has tracked a lot in all sorts of Porsches said that was common and that I had to learn to tap the brakes to drop the front end. I've known about this driving technique for years but since I never track I haven't actually learned it. When I was growing up we would always drive some old American beast through snow packed roads and force a 'drift' situation (I'm originally from near Canada).

Here is what is interesting to me, my 2000 Boxster 'S' has never plowed on me, not once. Now with the Boxster it is manual (the Cayman is PDK) and I'm probably always accelerating into the 90 degree turn...I'm thinking what really happened was I let off the gas as I started the corner with the Cayman. Was just wondering what you experienced drivers could tell/teach me. The reason this is interesting to me is I thought the Cayman and Boxster pretty much were the same.

Oh also, here are some pics after I detailed her...full leather interior...she looked just beautiful.

[ddb]

Whip,

Great job - the Cayman looks fantastic! How long did it take to you to detail it?

How did the power feel compared to your car and how did you like the PDK?

Do you think the tire pressures could have been off adding to the understeering condition?

ddb

[stephen wilson]

Pretty much any car that is balanced at high speed will push in slow speed corners, I know my '06 does. Letting off the gas will reduce plowing(understeer), not increase it. Just as turning in "on the gas" will increase corner entry understeer. The throttle reaction is more complex, and can cause understeer or oversteer, depending on the car, where you are in the corner (entry,mid, or exit), and how much throttle is applied.

Tire pressures will have some affect, my car has reduced push with lower pressures in the front, and higher in the rear. Just don't go much below the recommended pressure.

[WhipE350]

Originally Posted by ddb

Whip,
Great job - the Cayman looks fantastic! How long did it take to you to detail it?
How did the power feel compared to your car and how did you like the PDK?
Do you think the tire pressures could have been off adding to the understeering condition?
ddb

Thanks man, it took a LONG time. We were talking the whole time too, though I tried to stay focused. The car was already clean, but not like the Benz clean, so initially I had to find all those out of the way places that don't get touched by the average washing. With the Benz and the Boxster there is never any sand or dirt left in the wheel wells, I started to do his but he told me to skip it. He also would have let me skip the inside of the wheels but after I did them he loved it. All I did to the paint was strip any old wax and put on a fresh coat. On the inside I didn't get enough time to vacuum the whole thing but I did get all the dust and stuff off the beautiful leather. I also treated all the plastics under the frunk.

The driving experience was interesting. New car, little time, a lot goin on if you know what I mean. He had it in 'sport' mode so the PDK shifts were very obvious but then I wasn't accelerating fast enough to smooth it out. We put it in manual mode pretty quickly but that takes a little getting used to. My Benz had it but I only used the paddle shifters occasionally. Here's the thing, the engine is very quiet so one really has to shift by feel alone...give me 30 minutes though and I'll have it down The PDK would be great for a daily driver, I did feel myself wishing it was a manual. The power was great, it pulled all the way through, high revs were reached very quickly. I think it reds at 7600. You know it funny how little things have changed since my 2000 'S'. A Porsche is a Porsche.

Since he was going that trip today with the PCA guys I wanted to check all his tire pressure and I forgot. They could have been just a little low.

All and all it is a beautifully refine sports car, very easy to be doing 110mph without knowing it, where with the Boxster I'm well aware...but then my top is always down

[WhipE350]

Originally Posted by stephen wilson

Pretty much any car that is balanced at high speed will push in slow speed corners, I know my '06 does. Letting of the gas will reduce plowing(understeer), not increase it. Just as turning in "on the gas" will increase corner entry understeer. The throttle reaction is more complex, and can cause understeer or oversteer, depending on the car, where you are in the corner (entry,mid, or exit), and how much throttle is applied.

Tire pressures will have some affect, my car has reduced push with lower pressures in the front, and higher in the rear. Just don't go much below the recommended pressure.

Thanks Stephen! See this is why I need to get a high mileage 2002 base for cheap...so I can track and learn this stuff. I think I turned in too early so had to increasing my steering. I was on the gas pretty light. I can't remember how much I had down shifted either. There is a similar turn that has a lot of room for mistakes that i always push my Boxster into hard, each time I learn a little more and get a little more confident. With the Boxster though I'm geared down to 2nd, turn in hard and start on the gas pretty good. Most of the time I just feel the whole car slide or I have started a little oversteer which I'm comfortable with. I love my car though and don't go hard enough to break loose and do a 360...though with my limited experience I'm not sure it even will. I need to just put the old 17s on and go down to Knights Stadium with the PCA guys and fly around the parking lot. The only car I ever did that with was a 1979 Ply Horizon with front wheel drive...talk about constant understeer...I hit more cones then I can count.

[Topless]

Stephan is right on about car dynamics. Learning car control skills is a lot like learning any sport. It takes practice.

I have driven both the Cay R and Box Spyder with PDK and they felt pretty good to me for a stock car (same chassis). Tires and alignment matter as well. Eyeballing your pic it looks like the Cay R has no negative camber in the front which would make it prone to significant plowing. My first stop would be a performance alignment shop.