Wet Mode Test Today
02-05-2020, 05:12 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Wet Mode Test Today
My wife and I decided to stop into see a 2020 C2 that Harper's Porsche in Knoxville had on the lot. We live about an hour away and while driving down, the clouds unleashed BIG TIME! 2-3 inches forecasted, at times I could barely see one car length in front of me, and my AWD Mazda CX-5 struggled at times with hydroplaning. For a few minutes I thought about going back home and then I thought, hey maybe this is the PERFECT time for a test drive and see how (IF) wet mode really makes a difference or not. Bottom Line: It made a H U G E difference and I was smiling from ear to ear.
The C2 was fairly basic (obviously no LSD or AWD) and with its large tires I was concerned. But as we drove out of the Porsche lot it took a few minutes for the car to notify us to put the car into wet mode. This verbiage / warning stays up until you do. As I got onto I-75 South, the rain was horrendous but the car was completely stable and boring (and I LOVE boring when it comes to safety features). I never encountered any hydroplaning and was firmly planted the entire time. I was truly impressed by this feature.
P.S. Struggled going home with several hydroplaning incidents, a few fairly severe so I just thought I'd drop a quick note about my test drive. I was very impressed. Also, loved that Apple Car Play is wireless (didn't know) and you can now configure how the car's systems warn you re: exceeding the speed limit. You simply set it for XX mph/kph over the established speed limit and the icon on your screen will turn red to let you know (NO annoying noises). I've been wanting these two features for quite a while.
The C2 was fairly basic (obviously no LSD or AWD) and with its large tires I was concerned. But as we drove out of the Porsche lot it took a few minutes for the car to notify us to put the car into wet mode. This verbiage / warning stays up until you do. As I got onto I-75 South, the rain was horrendous but the car was completely stable and boring (and I LOVE boring when it comes to safety features). I never encountered any hydroplaning and was firmly planted the entire time. I was truly impressed by this feature.
P.S. Struggled going home with several hydroplaning incidents, a few fairly severe so I just thought I'd drop a quick note about my test drive. I was very impressed. Also, loved that Apple Car Play is wireless (didn't know) and you can now configure how the car's systems warn you re: exceeding the speed limit. You simply set it for XX mph/kph over the established speed limit and the icon on your screen will turn red to let you know (NO annoying noises). I've been wanting these two features for quite a while.
02-05-2020, 06:10 PM
#2
Based on this drive, are you planning on ordering a 992 C2?
02-05-2020, 10:14 PM
#3
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
I have an order already in for a manual C2S that locks two weeks from today. But as of this past weekend / today, I am in the process of potentially changing the dealership who I purchase it from (long story); I will know more by tomorrow or Friday at the latest. At least that is the plan for now.
02-05-2020, 10:31 PM
#5
Nice! This mirrors my experience with a C2 in the rain. Only difference is I hit a patch of oil on the road on the way back which did cause some problems with the open differential.
I don't think the open diff makes a difference until it does, so they say. It requires a traction loss "event" to become a problem, significant rain alone won't be enough to upset even a base 992. It's more when you do lose, or nearly lose, traction an open diff gives you less control and you're more reliant on PSM bailing you out.
I don't think the open diff makes a difference until it does, so they say. It requires a traction loss "event" to become a problem, significant rain alone won't be enough to upset even a base 992. It's more when you do lose, or nearly lose, traction an open diff gives you less control and you're more reliant on PSM bailing you out.
02-06-2020, 04:53 PM
#6
Nice! This mirrors my experience with a C2 in the rain. Only difference is I hit a patch of oil on the road on the way back which did cause some problems with the open differential.
I don't think the open diff makes a difference until it does, so they say. It requires a traction loss "event" to become a problem, significant rain alone won't be enough to upset even a base 992. It's more when you do lose, or nearly lose, traction an open diff gives you less control and you're more reliant on PSM bailing you out.
I don't think the open diff makes a difference until it does, so they say. It requires a traction loss "event" to become a problem, significant rain alone won't be enough to upset even a base 992. It's more when you do lose, or nearly lose, traction an open diff gives you less control and you're more reliant on PSM bailing you out.
You certainly win the competition for the man most obsessed by LSDs.
I think there is a bit more to traction than whether or not you have a locker.
I have quite a bit experience of this issue on the track and on the road.
When racing MX5s, we quite often removed the locker because it caused issues mid corner leading to loss of traction, replacing them with the open diff.
I have a few XKEs as you would say with "Powerlocker" diffs and open diffs.
The only way you can tell the difference between the cars would be on open throttle on full lock. In other words appalling driving by someone who has little mechanical sympathy.
If you pull wheelspins, you might find the locker spins 2 wheels, not 1. Great if you are a fan of Roadkill and burnouts.(which I am by the way, just not on the road in my 992).
Lockers do not guarantee traction. In a powerful car both wheels will spin and you will lose traction anyway There are pluses and minuses to them,
I trust Porches judgement on the issue. In the real world it makes little difference to traction.
Anyway, getting the back end out a bit is one of the reasons I like the 911. Makes a change from many of the sanitised cars of 2020.
You have to have some driving skill and experience to enjoy what Porsche are offering you.
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JCWLS3 (02-06-2020)
02-06-2020, 09:22 PM
#7
Burning Brakes
Gratedwasabi,
You certainly win the competition for the man most obsessed by LSDs.
I think there is a bit more to traction than whether or not you have a locker.
I have quite a bit experience of this issue on the track and on the road.
When racing MX5s, we quite often removed the locker because it caused issues mid corner leading to loss of traction, replacing them with the open diff.
I have a few XKEs as you would say with "Powerlocker" diffs and open diffs.
The only way you can tell the difference between the cars would be on open throttle on full lock. In other words appalling driving by someone who has little mechanical sympathy.
If you pull wheelspins, you might find the locker spins 2 wheels, not 1. Great if you are a fan of Roadkill and burnouts.(which I am by the way, just not on the road in my 992).
Lockers do not guarantee traction. In a powerful car both wheels will spin and you will lose traction anyway There are pluses and minuses to them,
I trust Porches judgement on the issue. In the real world it makes little difference to traction.
Anyway, getting the back end out a bit is one of the reasons I like the 911. Makes a change from many of the sanitised cars of 2020.
You have to have some driving skill and experience to enjoy what Porsche are offering you.
You certainly win the competition for the man most obsessed by LSDs.
I think there is a bit more to traction than whether or not you have a locker.
I have quite a bit experience of this issue on the track and on the road.
When racing MX5s, we quite often removed the locker because it caused issues mid corner leading to loss of traction, replacing them with the open diff.
I have a few XKEs as you would say with "Powerlocker" diffs and open diffs.
The only way you can tell the difference between the cars would be on open throttle on full lock. In other words appalling driving by someone who has little mechanical sympathy.
If you pull wheelspins, you might find the locker spins 2 wheels, not 1. Great if you are a fan of Roadkill and burnouts.(which I am by the way, just not on the road in my 992).
Lockers do not guarantee traction. In a powerful car both wheels will spin and you will lose traction anyway There are pluses and minuses to them,
I trust Porches judgement on the issue. In the real world it makes little difference to traction.
Anyway, getting the back end out a bit is one of the reasons I like the 911. Makes a change from many of the sanitised cars of 2020.
You have to have some driving skill and experience to enjoy what Porsche are offering you.
And if GratedWasabi wins the award for most LSD-obsessed dude on the 992 forum, I'm pretty sure I'm second. I had all but talked myself out of a base C2 due to the open differential. I have experience with high-powered LSD and open-diff cars, and greatly prefer those with LSD in inclement driving conditions. (As Jeremy Clarkson often termed it regarding lap times around their test track, "mildly moist" roads come to mind.) However, after reading and digesting your post several times, I am now wondering if my disappointments in the open-diff cars had more to do with their overall chassis design limitations, rather than an inherent traction issue with their open differentials.
I agree with you that Porsche knows what it's doing. There's not a single motorsports-centric automotive manufacturer whose engineering I'd trust more than Porsche's on this subject.
I am now rethinking my decision to skip the base C2. I'll drive one in a few weeks, probably back-to-back with the C2S, which I've already driven. I'll post my amateur impressions then for all to read. Don't touch that dial.
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02-06-2020, 10:24 PM
#8
Also if you can jcwls3, check out an S with option RWS and compare against base which does not come with RWS to evaluate any discernible handling , traction and the additional power and torque