New Owner Question

[z12358]

Each time I push above 4k rpms with the top down it's like opening a "box of chocolates". I can't imagine the sound geting any better. I frequent the 4-5.5k area quite often (when solo) -- with rare 6k+ excursions -- but have never hit the red-line, not even on the track. Simply see no need for that.
Z.

[RandallNeighbour]

Mark, thanks for that great explanation!

Gee, I never missed having a resonance flap until you told me I didn't have one. I gotta get me one of them flappy thingies on my next Porsche.

I still think it's important to recognize that the power curve falls off well before one hits the redline and it's not necessary to redline the car to get all the power out of it... or am I wrong on this?

Z, I couldn't imagine a better sound either until I swapped my headers and exhaust for what Che provides. It's like getting a chocolate FACTORY thrown at your ears when you have the top down and you really open it up gear after gear. I no longer give a rat's ass about my stereo system unless I am on a long trip somewhere.

[RandallNeighbour]

Oh yeah, Mark I forgot to add something important...

It's time to contemplate your NEW screen name now that you are saying goodbye to the C4S and saying hello to the '07 987S.

How about "Houston 3.4/987" ?

[Houston C4S]

Randall,

And I apologize to the rest of you if this sort of hijacks this
thread a tad, but a couple of comments here.

One: None of the 2.5s had the dual chambered intake manifold
with the flappy thingies. And the way yours drives, it feels fine
without it. If you look in your manual, I think there is a graph
that shows the power/torque curves of your engine. Indeed,
at a point, the horespower actually lessens after a certain rpm.
That's simply a mathmatically calculated number based on torque
at a given rpm. As the torque falls off, so must the horsepower.

And that's a function of air inlets, filters, mainfolds, DME controls,
valves and cam timing/lift, headers, cats, etc. And flapper thingies,
too.

But to your question of if it is "useful" to redline the engine,
the answer is sort of a weasely one -- it depends.

On the street for everyday driving, no.

On the track, which is something I need to talk you into
doing for your own education and resultant safety (you can
quote that to your wife!), there are times where running it
to the rev limit will let you skip a shift. Ie, leaving it in third
rather than short shift to fourth and then right back down
to third again, which wears the synchros, clutch, upsets
the car, etc. At least as long as you don't bump up against
the rev limiter.

And again, it won't hurt anything to do that except
your chances of getting Porsche to help pay for your
new engine if it blows up someday.

I think that answers that.

Now on to Two:

Shhh! Don't tell anyone, I don't know how to change the name
thingy! Shoot, I don't even know how you get one of those
picture thingies next to your name.

I know I am a Mac guy and this stuff oughta be easy, but this
does not appear to be a Mac function, rather a forum thang.

So maybe you can show me? But don't let on to all these other
smart guys what a dummy I am.

Okay?

- Mark

PS: If all goes well (at least for the other guy) the 4S goes to
Dallas tomorrow. My last drive in it. Sniff, sniff!

Unless he doesn't like the color, or its condition, in which case
I bring it back. You may agree that's an unlikely scenario.

But the new Box is officially on order.

And hopefully no one will want this 2001 Boxster before around December
or maybe even January -- we have the best top down months of
the year coming up! A perfect ultra low mileage Box should sell
easily.

Otherwise I will be in a Porsche-free zone for a while.

[z12358]

"But the new Box is officially on order."

Congrats, Mark! Colors, options?

Z.

[Houston C4S]

This went in today -- the only S allocated for the entire
month for this very large Dallas dealership.

It seems they are not making many Boxes -- mostly
the Crocs.

Meteor Gray
Cocoa top
Full cocoa leather interior (ouch!)
Sport seats, leather and heated (manual)
Floor mats (how can they charge for these???)
Bose
Windstop
Climate control AC
Sport steering wheel
Storage box
Cayman wheels -- 18s
Colored crests (and how can they charge for these, too???)
Xenons
Sport Chrono (after much pondering)
Sport exhaust (Ouch!!!)
PCCBs (TRIPLE OUCH!!!)

Std suspension -- to leave more choices available later. If any.

It's a "tracky" version.

And not too poofy. The PASM limits choices down the road and
is another big ouch $$$.

There you go.

Delivery in January, they say.

[z12358]

That's one tricked-out Box S! Beautiful color combo.
I've read reviews raving about the SpChrono+PASM combo. Never understood the Sport Chrono. The PASM made sense, but you're right, perhaps a PSS9 susp down the road would make things even better.

Z.

[C5150]

Really appreciate the input. I had always heard that you can take it up to the redline - but not to exceed. First few "performance" drives I took her on I never went over 5K for fear of hurting my new pride and joy.

Needless to say - I have grown a little in RPMs since this post - and I can't thank you all enough for the knowledge. Now - if only I didn't run out of open road so fast - I could really enjoy her more often! Guess I'll have to join up on the PCA and get some track time in my near future...

- C5150

[Gary Gaukler]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

I still think it's important to recognize that the power curve falls off well before one hits the redline and it's not necessary to redline the car to get all the power out of it... or am I wrong on this?

It depends. If you accelerate and you are going to upshift, then you want to wind it out past the HP peak, because once you upshift you will land 800-1000 rpm lower than you were before. You'll want to hit somewhere close to the HP peak after your upshift for maximum continued acceleration.