How Do You Drive Your Porsche?
When it comes to driving style, are you the cautious, careful type? Or do you tag the redline and yell YOLO?Â
Buying your dream Porsche is easy for some, yet much more difficult for others. The same can be said for how you actually drive said dream car once it’s in your possession. Maybe you pamper the heck out of it, only taking it for a spin on dry, sunny days. Then again, maybe you use your Porsche as a winter commuter on weekdays and track warrior on weekends. We’ve seen both ends of the spectrum here at Rennlist. And pretty much everything in between.
This wide variation in driving style got user MikeinBloomfield wondering, was he driving his Porsche correctly? As in, maybe not hard enough?
“The question is a little tongue in cheek, but the request behind it is semi-serious. I bought my car in April, and having driven it cross-country and on weekends since then, I really don’t know if I’m driving it ‘right.’ To explain further, my last manual was a piece of crap 4-speed Chevy Monza I drove in college 20 years ago. I don’t even remember having any fun with that thing, only that the clutch lockout broke every couple of months it seemed like.”
That is definitely the first time we’ve ever heard someone compare a Chevy Monza with a Porsche 996. But the OP has a real reason for doing so.
“In this car, the sweet spot seems to be between 3k and 4k. So in 2nd, 3rd and 4th, I generally try to keep it there. Is this too aggressive? Not aggressive enough? Does everyone here engine brake? I used to downshift through the gears. But lately I’ve been waiting until I’m going slow enough to get it into 2nd, and that’s the only downshift I do. I am hoping this saves a few miles on the clutch, but again, I don’t know what I’m doing. My clutch helper spring broke, so I removed it and since then I feel like I can sense the clutch bite better. But I still feel like I’m burning the clutch in first sometimes. The best way I’d put it is I can inconsistently get a good start.”
As you would imagine, the vast majority of responses lean toward the more aggressive side of things.
“The owner’s manual tells you not to upshift until at least 2,700 rpm, if I recall correctly. Drive it like you stole it. Definitely keep it above 3k rpm,” says Paul Waterloo.
“I believe variation is important for engines. So keeping it between 3-4k does not make a lot of sense. Once the engine is thoroughly warmed up, I like to rev it to 6-7k regularly when going through the gears. Do the same on my bikes. However, I do have a 3.4 – that engine really likes to rev!!” adds Volkert.
“Seriously, yes, the sweet spot IMO is between 3-4k rpm for city slicking. But these cars need to be pushed from time to time. I mean get to 5k rpm and work it baby. Drive it like you stole it man, they are made to go!” says jb1007.
For Billup, there’s no point in shifting at all.
“I just drive around in second gear so the tires constantly spin and break traction. The exhaust also sounds the best in second gear IMO, so the rest are really a waste.”
HawkFan#12Â believes that the OP is putting far too much thought into the whole thing.
“You are overthinking it a bit too much. I drive with cruise control on during my commute, typically just above the speed limit. On the streets it depends on traffic. Just enjoy your car!”
But TonyTwoBags understands the struggle and has a detailed plan to overcome it.
“My routine:
– Keep engine under 3k until coolant goes over 150F
– Keep engine over 3k when warm
– When going below 3k, blip throttle downshift
– Engine brake where convenient (you should already have the rpms up over 3k!)
– Respect that the synchros will be fried if you manhandle the shifter and drive it like a pickup
– Use Shell V-Power gas
– Use injector cleaner every 1,000 miles or two
– When weather allows, run a 50-100 mile circuit in the mountains at least once a week”
It’s pretty clear that Porsche 996 owners, at least those who also happen to be Rennlisters, don’t worry about breaking stuff too much. In fact, in the immortal words of Ponchobroke, “Drive it, break it, fix it… repeat!” Because hey, these cars are meant to be driven hard, after all. But we want to know, do you have any advice for the OP? Head over here and chime in with your thoughts!
