Matt O.

R Mont - I understand and concur.

BUT...

I also agree with slevy. And according to what you said (which is perfect advice), if you don't want to read what someone has written, don't read it. But you can not fault the person for being enthusiastic, and sharing his enthusiasm. Sometimes I think that people are annoyed at someone's enthusiasm, when they should welcome it. The way I see it, is that at least it's one more fellow 944 owner who's 16 and not one more rice-boy. Craig you are welcome here anytime just try to keep your posts to questions and interesting comments. Of course I'm not perfect either, I just don't want this board to turn into what 911Turbo.com board is. "Hey guys, how do you..." Answer: "What a stupid question why are you asking dumb questions yada yada yada..."

Sorry so long.

-Matt

Michael Stephenson

I think that everyone should do a few Drivers Ed events.

At an event, I get to go fast and my competitive nature gets some air time by trying to catch up with a car or by trying not to be caught. However, this is always tempered by being courteous and letting the car pass at the first opportunity when I am caught or by being patient and waiting for the car I catch to signal to pass. By the time either one of these situations occur, the game is already over – I have either achieved my goal or not, so there is no use pushing the point by being unsafe.

In addition, at a DE event there is the added advantage of having an instructor to remind you that your line is getting sloppy because to much attention is being paid to being competitive. Much to my dismay, I quickly discovered that adrenaline really can cloud the senses and divert attention from the important aspects of safe high performance driving.

That being said, I love a good on/off ramp and I love the adrenaline rush of being bad.

Dave

"Well, he'll either outgrow it or he'll become more proficient at it." Shelley Berman

Dave, Who just realized he's old if he knows who Shelley Berman is.

Adam Richman

I absolutely would like to echo what Michael just said. The irony of doing the first few DE's (for me at least and a couple of friends I asked) is that you drive home around 56mph because you have a fair assumption that everyone around you is sans clue. You also take a sense of relief at the track knowing that a.) there are corner workers to let you know what's ahead b.) everyone is going in the same direction (should be ) c.) you know your car just passed tech (how often can you say that on the street?) d.) NO TICKETS e.) point bys take the edge out of "does he/she know I am here?" . . . you know what I am saying?

Also, and I have heard this from a ton of folks - what they thought was 9/10ths on the street before taking it to a road course they realize was maybe 4 to 5/10ths max. An off-ramp never looked so nice (if they could just put a corner worker station at 485 and Jonston Rd).

Black_951

I had to jump in on this one eventually. I think there is a good debate hiding somewhere in here. Perhaps just which cars ARE worth our time toying with on the highway?

At 18 I would race anything that looked at me. Same with girls. I would fall in love with just about anyone that paid me any attention. Hell, at 22 things were not much different.

In two months I do not believe I have "raced" anyone from a redlight. And I really have not had any good opportunities. These rice guys around here don't seem to pay me much attention. But I have on several occasions ran with various cars on the highway at high speeds.

What I find fun is to let a cocky car get in front of me on a small road then "push" him faster and faster. I have nearly ran several people off the road like that without even getting my hands sweating. This is much more enjoyable then just drag racing. If you want to do that get a Chevy.

Just my thoughts. About the only thing on the road that gets my heart pumping anymore is evading police. But thats another topic.

Manning

No offence Craig, but it seems like on some days every other topic is something from you about your latest GTech results or some list of bolt-on parts you have on your car. Your enthusiasm is incredible for sure, but you might want to be a bit more selective in chosing which topics to post.

I have also posted at times just to start an arguement (to polish or not to polish) but there was at least some technical merit to the body of the topic.

Don't get me wrong, don't ever let anyone squelch your enthusiam and eagerness to learn, just don't be so bombastic about it.

K. Wells

Sorry, but the GTS has over 200hp, more than any of us, except the turbo guys of course. Just cuz its japanese and FWD doesnt mean its bad, some of you guys are a little too biased.

Macabre

In the US, the GTS is 180hp.

Tabor

Who said anything about how many horses the GTS had? Besides, Craig raced the non-GTS.

I personally like some Japanese cars. But the GTS is a piece of crap. The gear ratios are horrible. It is what everybody I know who has driven one has said, it is also what all of the magazine reviews that I have read said. If you want a good japanese car, get a Gen-III RX-7, or an Integra Type-R, or an NSX, or a 300ZX Twin Turbo, or a Supra.

911-944User

I personally like reading kill stories, I like to hear how the o'l 944 is holding up in the modern age. If you don't like the posts then don't sweat over it. Good work Craig, but don't get carried away, it will lead to tragedy.

deni durrell

yo black: i second your opinion about just cruising. drag racing is for jerk-offs who drive red-neck sportscars. pushing people to go faster or just merely keeping up with the car ahead is the way to go. i say that beacause i'm into technique. it's all about timing and the "line".. The only bummer is that when they see that i've got a '44, 3/5 people usually want me to pass (i'm one of those N/A people, "Nuclear Accelerated").. i had an exact experience this morning with an idiot speeding dangerously around me and across the golden gate bridge in a pt cruiser!! i had to let that one go, talk about lame, it's built on a Neon chassis! but on another note - i had a guy on a riced honda motorbike following behind me once.. the faster I went the faster he went, and so on. after a while he just pulls up to me and i had to shrug and yell that i couldn't go any faster**, he gave me thumbs up and went on his way. i'll put that one into my "don't try to keep up with m5" category).

when people let me pass, this is ok, but not so fun - unless i need to get somewhere in a hurry or i want to keep my speed consistent, which is fine. importantly, we've got to make sure we've ALL got radar protection - it's kind of like not using a condom, except it's not what we fear that we'll catch- it's that we fear what will catch *us*!


**anyone notice this effect with the fact that we now can only get 91 octane here in Cali? the engine has a harder time for some reason, hmm.

David G

Black951, I agree with what you said about the 'riceburners' not paying you any attention! Here in Alabama there's a bunch of slammed ricers all sporting 'Type R' stickers and coffee can mufflers, but every time I'm near one they just look the other way or act like they don't see me. I'm not even trying to race them, (some of 'em are probably faster than my '86 NA), that's not what my car is about. If all we wanted to do was go fast in a straight line we'd all be posting to the drag racing boards. Incidentally, my boss drives a new M5, and while it is fast and torquey, it's a pig going around a corner.

EDIT..K Wells, IMHO -yes FWD does mean it's bad. And it's wrong. And I hate torque steer. Thank you.

Craig944

David G is right, I live in Alabama as well. IT seems to me none of the honda's and stuff ever want to race or anything. I think they think my car is really fast or something. ...?

MAS

"I think they think my car is really fast or something. ...?"

Yes, many of the so-called "ricers" do think so. This is because many of them know little or nothing about older Porsches.

-MAS

Adam Richman

That might be true but I'd say that some of us know equally very little about FWD cars.