How do I drive a Porsche?!

[Perfectlap]

given your geography, I'd be careful on the wet roads if I were inexperienced in this car. I had several seasons of Autox under my belt, including an advanced EVO course in heavy, heavy rain where all we did was go balls out and after buying the Boxster I still managed to spin the car 180 degrees into oncoming traffic on a merely damp road. This car in anything but bone dry road can bite you easily and without notice. If the road is wet or damp take it easy. The other thing is that car is fragile underneath. You don't have to be going very fast to impact a curb or highway divider hard enough to cause total loss damage, I've seen pics of cars with wheels sheared right off the car and the speed was not all that fast and there was no other damage to the rest of the car. Still headed for the scrap heap though as the cost of repairs exceeded the value of merely buying another 10+ year old Boxster.

The other thing, driving for the track/autocross is one thing. Driving for the street may have some overlap but it might as well be a different thing altogether. I would gain dominance over the car on supervised setting with a professional instructor at your local Porsche Club track venue first. It's not that expensive relative to a racing school or programme. After one day you'll find something interesting will happen: you'll drive slower on the public road. Once you realize how easy is to lose a car, you'll be very unlikely to trust other drivers by allowing them to drive so close to you on the highway and twisty roads. You always need ample room to escape their miscalculations -- in one piece.

[southernstar]

I echo what everyone has said about the value of track/autocross days and some intstruction. I also echo what has been said about being very careful in wet or slippery conditions - it is very easy to get into terminal oversteer! In those conditions it is extremely important to have your braking and downshifting done before you start to turn the car into the corner and then, wide in, take a late apex and apply power gradually only after the car has virtually completed the turn. All of this, of course, is assuming there is no standing water in the corner! If there is any real risk of that, don't assume any path through a corner at speed will be trouble-free.

Brad

[com3dorm3]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

...driving for the track/autocross ... After one day you'll find something interesting will happen: you'll drive slower on the public road.

This is so true for me. After a track/autocross session, I have no desire to push the limits on public roads.

[stephen wilson]

I didn't work for me, but I really only play around in 2nd gear, and away from other people.