Sometimes starter doesnt engage on start-up...safety feature??

[donv]

Gear lever can be anywhere (though for safety I recommend it be in neutral - in case you slip off the clutch pedal, you won't be launching into the pool like those 80's Audi "sudden acceleration" claims).

One "feature" of the Boxster ignition is that you have one shot to start the car - if the engine doesn't start on the first crank attempt, you have to turn it all the way back to off (full left) and begin again. Unlike many other cars, you can't simply try the starter again while leaving the ignition energized (try again from "run").

While this saves the starter and flywheel from inadvertant use on a running engine (who doesn't hate that sound!?!), I find it a non-safety (actually, dangerous) feature. Let's say you happen to stall the engine in traffic - you need to either be good enough to roll start the car with the minimal remaining inertia or you have to turn the ignition switch all the way off, which locks the steering, and then proceed to re-start the car. Hopefully you were pointed the right way with the locked steering wheel and/or could stop dead while trying to re-start the car.