is this a garage queen?
04-10-2006, 02:36 PM
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is this a garage queen?
new to the game after a long time of wishing, i've finally got a p-car....it's an 84 3.2 targa in great shape. my plan is just to put about 5k miles a year on it (has 90k now) and take it out every 1 or 2 weeks when the weather is good.....for sunday speed runs, trips to the beach, etc. during these times i definitely enjoy driving it hard and getting as most fun as possible out of it while on the street.
but.....i do want to develop my ability to drive the car closer to the limit in a non-street setting, however the thought of going to a track event gives me visions of scratching or tearing up something that will cost big $$$ to fix! which is not cool....
so really two questions here: (1) am i describing a garage queen that will slowly go downhill due to sitting all the time? and (2) what's the best way to get started on developing my technique with this car?
(i did see the autocross information on the PCA website.....cones in a parking lot....maybe i should start with that?)
but.....i do want to develop my ability to drive the car closer to the limit in a non-street setting, however the thought of going to a track event gives me visions of scratching or tearing up something that will cost big $$$ to fix! which is not cool....
so really two questions here: (1) am i describing a garage queen that will slowly go downhill due to sitting all the time? and (2) what's the best way to get started on developing my technique with this car?
(i did see the autocross information on the PCA website.....cones in a parking lot....maybe i should start with that?)
04-10-2006, 03:11 PM
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No.... I'd call a "garage Queen" a car that maybe gets driven once a month or less. 5K miles a year is reasonable. But I wouldn't sweat putting more miles on it unless you have an insurance issue. These cars like to be driven, so I wouldn't hesitate to drive it more often.
Tracking the car will legitimately expose it to some degree of risk. You will get some stone chips, hte occasional rock, and once in a while an off the track excursion that can scrape wheels, spoilers etc. BUt you can get that on the street too.
Decide what you want the car for, but reality is, Porsche's are best when driven. They really hold up, and they wear well, but you'll get some shios and scratches regardless of what you do, so you'll just have to accept that or not drive it.
My advice is not to worry about it and have fun driving it..... you can always shoot the front clip if you get too much road rash.
Tracking the car will legitimately expose it to some degree of risk. You will get some stone chips, hte occasional rock, and once in a while an off the track excursion that can scrape wheels, spoilers etc. BUt you can get that on the street too.
Decide what you want the car for, but reality is, Porsche's are best when driven. They really hold up, and they wear well, but you'll get some shios and scratches regardless of what you do, so you'll just have to accept that or not drive it.
My advice is not to worry about it and have fun driving it..... you can always shoot the front clip if you get too much road rash.
04-10-2006, 03:14 PM
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Congrats on your car.
I picked up my 84 Cab (1st p-car) w/ 50k on her 11/04, and have since put ~15k on her. While I'm still a newbie to 911s, I've done many track days & autocrosses (some of our autocross courses are >2 miles w/ almost 300 cones, too). Autocross is great for learning to judge distances, & breakout points on tire grip for the car, etc., and can be a stepping stone to road course events (but doesn't have to be). The two are very different. I personally find autocross tends to kill off things like balljoints, tie rod ends, wheel bearings, etc., more than road courses do, but I got through brakes more on the road courses (well, engines & trannies too, but that's another story). This is on all the cars I've done, not p-car specific. I've honestly yet to autocross my 911, but I managed to squeak in around 3 road course dates so far on her, street tires only, and it rained pretty much every time I try to track her.
Yours has been driven more than mine obviously, and I'd imagine you're on your 2nd clutch, oil seals replaced once already, etc.; mine's on the original clutch as far as I know. Mine was babied with the exception of a few quarter-mile rips from the previous owner (and my 2nd gear shows it
). I wouldn't be worried so much about the miles as the maintenance - one of the first things I did on mine was to flush the brakes, replaced pads & installed DOT braided hoses, wheel bearings, etc., figuring 22 years of age would start to show under sudden thrashing. Make sure the car's up to snuff first, and you'll be in a great place when you do start to polish the skills.
Good luck & have fun, you're only going this way once.
I picked up my 84 Cab (1st p-car) w/ 50k on her 11/04, and have since put ~15k on her. While I'm still a newbie to 911s, I've done many track days & autocrosses (some of our autocross courses are >2 miles w/ almost 300 cones, too). Autocross is great for learning to judge distances, & breakout points on tire grip for the car, etc., and can be a stepping stone to road course events (but doesn't have to be). The two are very different. I personally find autocross tends to kill off things like balljoints, tie rod ends, wheel bearings, etc., more than road courses do, but I got through brakes more on the road courses (well, engines & trannies too, but that's another story). This is on all the cars I've done, not p-car specific. I've honestly yet to autocross my 911, but I managed to squeak in around 3 road course dates so far on her, street tires only, and it rained pretty much every time I try to track her.
Yours has been driven more than mine obviously, and I'd imagine you're on your 2nd clutch, oil seals replaced once already, etc.; mine's on the original clutch as far as I know. Mine was babied with the exception of a few quarter-mile rips from the previous owner (and my 2nd gear shows it
). I wouldn't be worried so much about the miles as the maintenance - one of the first things I did on mine was to flush the brakes, replaced pads & installed DOT braided hoses, wheel bearings, etc., figuring 22 years of age would start to show under sudden thrashing. Make sure the car's up to snuff first, and you'll be in a great place when you do start to polish the skills.Good luck & have fun, you're only going this way once.
04-10-2006, 05:02 PM
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You'll probaby end up driving it more than you plan on driving it.
If you're worried about track damage, then (like Fred suggests) take it to an autocross. You'll learn great car control tricks, and you'll be doing it at safe speeds, with no one else on the course to bump into.
But be warned, if you go to a track day, your whole perspective on what's 'cool' might suddenly change.
If you're worried about track damage, then (like Fred suggests) take it to an autocross. You'll learn great car control tricks, and you'll be doing it at safe speeds, with no one else on the course to bump into.
But be warned, if you go to a track day, your whole perspective on what's 'cool' might suddenly change.
04-11-2006, 09:05 AM
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Breaking things happens as you get closer to 10/10ths, start slow & you won't have a problem. I got my wife out on a road course a couple of times with my old daily driver automatic, but it wasn't her bag. She prefers autocross, as she doesn't like to deal with other cars.
Start slow, no expectations other than to learn some things, and you'll limit the wear & tear to something manageable in the first year.
Put it this way: I drove to WV to run at Summit Point once, did the whole day at the track, packed up & drove overnight to Michigan to go drag racing with some car pals, and on the 1st trip down the strip I destroyed my front motor mount (& had to drive home to RI using a motorcycle ratchet strap as a mount to tie the front of the motor down). Road Course & Autocross don't have to be devastating to a car, no more than a stoplight blast can be if you're on top of things. Stuff happens, but that's part of the game, even driving to work.
Once you get out there, you'll probably never want to leave.
Good luck!
Start slow, no expectations other than to learn some things, and you'll limit the wear & tear to something manageable in the first year.
Put it this way: I drove to WV to run at Summit Point once, did the whole day at the track, packed up & drove overnight to Michigan to go drag racing with some car pals, and on the 1st trip down the strip I destroyed my front motor mount (& had to drive home to RI using a motorcycle ratchet strap as a mount to tie the front of the motor down). Road Course & Autocross don't have to be devastating to a car, no more than a stoplight blast can be if you're on top of things. Stuff happens, but that's part of the game, even driving to work.
Once you get out there, you'll probably never want to leave.
Good luck!
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04-11-2006, 09:29 AM
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Originally Posted by JackOlsen
You'll probaby end up driving it more than you plan on driving it.
I too, started out thinking it as a weekend car, ended up using it everyday through the summer, bought an Audi A3 turbo for the winter and everyday use.................................Audi spends more time parked up on my drive than the Porsche!!!!!
Just drive it as much as you can
