I am thinking of going to the Porsche Driving School with a buddy of mine. I have every assumption it will be awesome but wanted to ask here. Any reason at all not to do it? Anything to know going in? I have read all good about it and think I would really enjoy it.

There are only open spots in December but think the tires may be too cold to fully enjoy it so may wait till next spring as average highs are in the 50s in Decembers so not sure that makes sense.

I have done other schools for Corvettes and Nascar but think the Porsche would be great. I don't want to track my car as I plan to keep it a long time and don't want to tear it up but also want to explore what it will do.

Thanks

 

Anthracite,

Cannot recommend the PSDS highly enough. Great experience, lots of track time, excellent instructors. I didn't think I would ever track my car either but after the course I somehow ended up doing auto-crosses with my local PCA chapter. It will take a week or two to get the grin off your face.

 

I am sure you will love it, no reason not to do it other than you just set off down the slippery slope. Porsche's are amazing track cars, bone stock, and DE's and auto-crosses are about the only way to really experience them. Plus it is very gratifying to learn how to drive a car well.

 

Everyone that I have spoken to who has attended has loved it. It's like a theme park for adults. The instructors are the best and the facility is amazing.

 

Just do it. I've been twice and would go every week if I could afford it.

 

Here's another vote to go. I did Performance and Master's back-to-back. Four very intense, very informative, and very enjoyable days. I've become a track rat as a result.

I wouldn't worry about December. The tires heat up (very) quickly once you're on the track. One or two warm up laps and tire temperatures will not be a problem.

Enjoy!

DMoore
'13 991S
'13 Panamera GTS

 

You'll get 90% of the way there, but for 10% the cost, if you can find a PCA (or BMWCCA) Driver Skills class in your area. Except, while these programs provide 90% the driving experience they provide only 10% (if that) of the aforementioned "adult theme park" experience! It all depends which itch you're most keen to scratch.

As for track/autocross, they are completely different and should never be lumped together. Especially not in terms of wear and tear on your car. Because, while a skilled driver can easily overload the tires and brakes enough on the track to wear them out in nothing flat, the same driver running autocross can go a couple seasons - and still experience more wear from plain old daily driving than autocross.

On the track you run 15 to 20 minutes flat out, then an hour or so to cool down, and repeat several times. Autocross runs are about a minute, maybe 2 min tops, with a good 20 minutes in between. Its heat that does the damage and you simply cannot get anywhere near track heat loads running autocross.

What's the worst you can do running autocross? Hit a cone. What's the worst you can do at the track? Car on flat-bed, driver in body bag. On the track its the same thing, lap after lap, day after day, year after year. Autocross, every event its a new course. Because of the risk of total loss (and I don't just mean the car) at the track you always hold something back. With the worst autocross risk being a cone scuff (which usually comes right off) you're free to push right up to and beyond your limits. Track events discourage timing for liability reasons, so people do it but its approximate. But time is the whole point of autocross so you know every run to 0.001 sec.

At the track you always feel this pressure to maximize your precious 20 minutes on the track. Consequently, even if you are making all kinds of mistakes the first lap you have zero time to really think about it and correct because you're pressed to just keep driving. I'm thinking of a video posted on RL this summer where a guy never came within 10 ft of the apex yet was advanced up the run groups so spent the whole day repeating the same mistakes. At autocross the pressure is competition not repetition and you have 20 minutes to mentally review your 1 min run, dramatically increasing your odds of rapid improvement.

All that being said, you really should also get some Driver Ed (on the track) experience. There are skills that can only be experienced and developed at speed. Done with the right emphasis you can easily acquire those skills very safely and without a lot of wear and tear. But that's for later. First and foremost, autocross!

 

Just do it, two days of total fun with their cars. You'll be signing up for the MASTERS after you do the Performance I assure you. While PCA DE is OK, the Porsche school is totally different as it is taught by Professional Certified Race Drivers, not weekend PCA Warriors. Most everyone that I have talked to that has been critical of the school have never attended it themselves. As I posted earlier on Saturday, I just did the Masters last week and we all had a total blast. Drove 991 S (MT/PDK), 991 Turbo S and 991 GT3 on open track laps and they were their cars, tires and brakes not mine. Good time to go in Birmingham would be March/April weather wise. Just do it......

 

I did PPDS in April a couple of years ago - great weather and a great time. Spouse did not want to drive, but got to ride along with instructors when they did the demos for us. Good driving skills reinforcement even if you don't become a weekend track warrior as well as learning the capabilities of these cars. I would have spent a LOT of time and money at the track if I had done something like this 20 years ago! You will certainly not regret it.

 

The 10% is really rather critical in this instance.

 

My experience echo's the others: it's awesome. Tons of fun. Had permagrin on my face for many weeks afterwards! I even made some nice friends and went back for the Master's program with some of the people I met in the Sport Driving program. My friend Dan went to PSDS on my recommendation and he had similarly great experience.

What was interesting for me was doing my first first D.E. after a couple visits to PSDS... it was end of summer... so there was no "novice" instruction that weekend... no cones on track for turn in, apex, and track out... etc. I didn't know the racing line... and it was humbling to realize how much I had to learn after PSDS!

Driving on other tracks has its own steep learning curve. So my take is this: go to PSDS if you can... it's awesome and tons of fun. But remember its one-part driving fantasy camp. There is a ton of skill to master beyond the Birmingham experience... and to really develop driving skill seek out more seat time and instruction after your first taste at PSDS.

 

Did it a few years back, awesome experience!

 

Sounds like a go. Thanks so much for the input. I don't have any expectations of being a pro at the end. I just want to have some fun and maybe realize even more than I do now that I have an awesome car.

Calling to make an appointment now.

 

Absolutely.

Another critical: consistency. Uniformity. As good as PCA (or BMWCCA) DE can be, its a little like getting your hair done at a beauty college. Some of these instructors are indeed experienced licensed professional racers. Some of them are even paid professional instructors. But some others, not so much. With Porsche you are assured of getting the very best of the very best, each and every time.

 

Anyone doing the two day in May?