MOGI

Hey guys, I have been tracking/autoX my car ever since getting a taste for it at Porsche driving school at Barber. Going onto the track opened my eyes at what these cars are actually capable of and since then my enjoyment of street driving has dwindled significantly. There is just nowhere on the street that can give you the same lateral G force you feel at the track. Anyway, besides going to more track days (which I found out costs thousands per weekend) anyone come up with a different mindset/way to enjoy the car out on the street (I know it kind of sound trollish, but I'm being serious here). I feel like all I'm left w/ street driving is a chance to hear the engine here and there, practicing heel-and-toe, or revving it for the random enthusiasts. I akin it to having a full set of golf clubs, but only going out to play a par 3 course. Anyone feel the same way? Your thoughts?

josephr25

My friend tracked everything from two to four wheels. He never really had the desire to go fast on the street.

For me, I only really like driving at go-kart tracks. Only time I can drive anything ***** out w/o having to think about the consequences that much

TubaFreak

Not sure where you live, but some canyon or mountain roads would probably be your best bet. I'm fortunate to live near some darn good ones like the Tail of the Dragon, and they certainly scratch the itch when local roads won't do. Granted, this coming from someone who's never tracked, so take that for what it's worth.

Ksdaoski

You're spot on. That's why I always think it's ridiculous when you have people that never take their car on the track and then complain about the capabilities on the streets....

They literally have no idea what the cars are actually capable of.

Anyways then it becomes more about the destination and the experience. Trying to find roads you enjoy maybe because of the scenery or the "gentle" rolls and turns. Yeah you can never replicate the on track experience on the street.


I think open air cars help this as well. So it's always nice to have at least one convertible or Targa available

TRZ06

I try to go out late at night or early morning on the weekends and drive some of my favorite roads and on/off ramps & sweepers. Just have to enjoy it in little spurts as conditions allow. I will usually make a slower 1st pass to make sure the road conditions are good and there is not slippery sections, then make a few "runs".

Really that is all you can do on the street. Don;t linger in one spot too long and give LEO a chance to find you playing around.

Just have to pick your times and spots.

Obviously not nearly as fun I would imagine as being on the track, but then again there are a lot of expenses that go with actually track driving.

If I want an extended adrenaline filled G force session, I choose aerobatic flying over driving. Although that is in short spurts too. 20-30 mins of that is all my stomach can handle these days.

coldfire

Not for me. I was never a hardcore track junkie, but did track my previous cars quite a bit. At some point I realized it would only continue to be interesting for me if I was actively levelling up my skills, but that really didn't have anything to do with what car I was driving. If I did it more I'd probably want a dedicated track car instead of my street car. I might do that some day, or at least build a great sim rig.

Right now I'm much more interested in driving amazing roads in new places and the overall experience from that (especially after doing a Euro delivery). I'd rather ship my car somewhere interesting for the same $ I'd spend in a season of heavy tracking.

rcfun33

I agree that you can't get the same experience on the road as on a track. We have a 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 with a PDK and a manual 718 Spyder. The Spyder is enjoyable on the road with the top down and rowing the gears. Comparatively, the Cayman on the road is quite boring. We have interesting canyons, but you generally can't see around the next curve, so pushing the car at all means dangerous speeds. There could be animals crossing the road (including humans), rocks on the road or other unknowns.

Jonathan_987

That's exactly what I see with my friends. As soon as they take trackdays seriously and really get to grips, they drive much more relaxed on the road and farer away from the limit.

If I wanted to push myself to the limit, I would get a professional go-kart. What is a good basis for Formula 1 drivers and the like should also work for me as an amateur driver

Nickshu

Pretty much. I prefer to drive my F150 on the street. At this point for me after 8 years of DE and 4 years of wheel to wheel racing, there is nothing more boring/pointless to me than driving my Porsche sports car in traffic, to work, to the grocery store, etc.
If I were going to do that I would get a base model 911 or Cayman to use.

DrainsWalletsFast

Buy a slower car with lower limits would be one suggestion. There's a reason Miatas are popular. Then you can push a car but with lower limits so you aren't doing insane speeds. These new cars are so capable that not getting close to all that headroom can be boring.

subwoofer

Not at all. I don't track my Boxster. I have great backroads in NH and VT and some lovely highways. With the manual, it is a joy to drive the car. It is almost as good as being on my road bike. I don't crave the adrenaline rush at all. Which is also why a PDK doesn't interest me in the least nor for that matter a more track-focussed variant like the RS.
I wouldn't want to drive it in Florida where I live seasonally and I don't. Too boring.

Macht Schnell

I agree that, if you live in the right place, a convertible is the way to go.

In my own experience, most real track rats have highly modified cars, often not street legal, and start from a lower base than a Porsche GT car. The costs - track access, travel, tires, brakes, wear - are meaningful enough that it better be a priority. Frequently running a high value car at the track impacts its value and opens you up to risk of accident - which might not be caused by you. I have had three GT3's (996, 997 and 997.2 RS) over 20 years and I put significant track miles on all three (all had roll cages and race seats). They are all wonderful on the track - especially the 997.2 RS - but if you do it you have to accept that most people don't drive them that way and you'll get looked at sideways on resale.

These newer GT and RS cars (992+) have higher thresholds than ever. This means that to drive a new GT3 RS at the ragged edge you are going pretty fast in something extremely expensive and better a) know what you are doing and b) be comfortable stacking it. That doesn't feel to me like a fit for most of the buyers of these cars these days - more boulevardier in their approach. So all the talk about track days seems a bit of a disconnect - do you 'need' a 997.2 GT3 RS to go to the track? Not unless you are Patrick Long. At their core, the RS cars are neither fish nor fowl - too much for most drivers at the track in cost and competency, and not really that great to drive on the street.

I think you have to look hard at your use case when you buy one of these cars. Will I go to the track? How often realistically? Do I feel comfortable in the car in town and as a daily if I want it to be? Will my family ride with me? Do I feel comfortable parking it etc? Porsches tick a lot of boxes compared to other sports cars, especially Italian. My view was that a GT3 was the best track car that you could buy that you could actually drive to the track - robust, reliable, fun and doesn't require a trailer and another vehicle to pull it. The Touring might be the best way to enjoy that amazing engine, maybe go to the track once in a while, but be more comfortable and a little less obvious on the street - and if you live in the sun, the Spyder RS has a lot of good qualities.

justabout

@subwoofer agree you don’t have to drive fast or at the limit to enjoy it. Have a manual 991.1 GTS and the driving position and controls make it pleasant to drive normally. The responsiveness of car makes it a fun drive. I’ve driven other cars on the track and it’s fun but I prefer less drama these days.

I get a typical response when people realize I have a 911. “Too bad you can’t drive fast on the roads” . They don’t get it.

Larry Cable

YES! 100% ...

TXshaggy

Probably depends on where you live. Texas Hill Country…nah, those local rolling roads epic in their own right.