Optimum shift time in Boxster S

[Brucelee]

Originally Posted by choddy

I'm a new owner of a 99 Boxster. I have been wondering what is the correct way to drive this car. Is it true that I should shift gears on the red-line...always? Or...at 6K? Help.

Taking this question at face value, I find it a tad absurd.

Are you suggesting that for on street driving you would shift at 6K RPM in every shift at all times? Or, are you suggesting that if you were tracking the car, that you would drive this way for the fastest lap times?

I don't know any practicable way you could always shift at 6K on the street unless you live in the remote areas of Wyoming.

Nor, would you want to. This way of driving would ensure that you:

Receive speeding tickets

Be involved in accidents

Likely go to jail

Get about 10 MPG

Replace tires every 6K miles

Need new brakes, clutches, every 20K miles

Replace the engine in about 2 yrs. or less

Make sense?

[Adam]

On top of that you shouldn't ever rev a cold engine that high. Keeping it below 4k rpm is a good idea until the engine is up to temp.

[Frodo]

See?? I TOLD you he was kiddin'.

[SinnerDC2]

I come from the honda/acura world where we always shift at redline without any consequence. I shift right before 7,200 very often in most gears.

[2000SoCalBoxsterS]

I agree with Bruce Lee for all of the reasons he lists. It's only common sense. Try driving your Boxster by doing all your shifts at 6K + and if you're smarter than a 5th grader you'll quickly understand why it's not practical unless you are racing on a track.

[eqs]

If you want to know, take it to a dragstrip and do timed runs videoing your tach. Real life stuff, not theoretical. I race sailboats and VMGs and performance plots are one thing, but the race course is where it matters. Obviously one can extrapolate values from the Porsche owner's manual and determine intersection points btwn hp and torque and factor in variables like timing and lift off and such, but whatever....

That's too technical. Shift it when it feels good - for me that's just before fuel cut-off (because I dislike the feeling of the engine stuttering due to fuel starvation).

6000, 6500, 7000, whatever, just keep it pegged until it feels good to you, then shift and do it again. That's the "best" time to shift - the point when you're having fun - and the person beside you is smiling too (or keeping her eyes closed).

Sorry if this isn't technical enough. :dance:

Cheers

[eqs]

And Frodo and 70Sixer, you guys crack me up. Good on you

Cheers

[2000SoCalBoxsterS]

Originally Posted by eqs

If you want to know, take it to a dragstrip and do timed runs videoing your tach. Real life stuff, not theoretical. I race sailboats and VMGs and performance plots are one thing, but the race course is where it matters. Obviously one can extrapolate values from the Porsche owner's manual and determine intersection points btwn hp and torque and factor in variables like timing and lift off and such, but whatever....

That's too technical. Shift it when it feels good - for me that's just before fuel cut-off (because I dislike the feeling of the engine stuttering due to fuel starvation).

6000, 6500, 7000, whatever, just keep it pegged until it feels good to you, then shift and do it again. That's the "best" time to shift - the point when you're having fun - and the person beside you is smiling too (or keeping her eyes closed).

Sorry if this isn't technical enough. :dance:

Cheers

I agree. You explained it perfectly. Forget the technical stuff and "use the Force Luke!"

[eqs]

Thanks for backing me up 2000SoCalBoxsterS you're on my good guy list too. You know me by now, if you have a Pcar ...... floor it ....... and drive safe. Can that be done .......... yes! I do that all the time and my family and friends just love it!

Ciao (and no that doesn't mean anything more than I like that word)