Anir

after the odometer just passed the 10,000 mile point. Smoother acceleration, subjectively more power, just seems to finally be "broken in".

Am I hallucinating, or have others noticed a similar improvement over time?

Viken

No, you're not. Porsche's air-cooled engines break-in period is between 10K and 15K. Yours is right on track, hopefuly with 0 oil burning.

vinrey

Glad to know you're fine and back on the saddle of your four wheeled rocket. I noticed the same thing with my 993tt as well around the same mileage. I put in 15k in six months with one to two straight weeks off because of snow. The improvement made me put off getting the FVD ecu upgrade since I could still enjoy the acceleration of the stock powerplant. Safe motoring!

Vince

Anir

Vince,

Since my left arm's in a sling, I've actually spent more time recently in the "saddle" of my computer desk than in the "turbocharged wheelchair", as Ran so aptly named it!

It's got to be the most beautiful weekend of the year, and I'm stuck at home!

Other than that, I'm feeling great and am planning to take the bike into the shop tomorrow. Thanks for the kind words! Safe motoring to you as well.

os993

Anir-

You are definitely not crazy to notice such changes.

My 95 993 with 81K miles keeps getting better and better. I just spent a great day at Thunderhill (Willows, Northern CA) and the car just keeps getting better! Great acceleration, good temp control (day was HOT) and minimal oil consumption (need to add 1 quart of oil every 2K miles - not too bad, eh...) Oh, clutch is still original and has no signs of fading.

All I can say is these cars enjoy to be driven, and driving them hard seems to make the car drive even better. Can the Italian tune-up theory be valid??

Buying this car was one of the best things I've ever done...Life's too short not to drive a Porsche Cheers!

Tito

Hi,
What's the Italian warn up theory?
Tito

os993

An Italian tune-up is when you take your car and run the bejeezus out of it. In other words, hard acceleration to red-line, lots of speed, and lots of WOT (wide open throttle) driving. This susposedly "cleans" the engine out and, voila, car runs well again.

BTY, would not recommend this as your main maintenence criteria, capiche!

Garey Cooper

My car is at 46K miles and it runs smoother and smoother. I don't know that I would say it makes more power but it sure doesn't make any less!

At this weekends Autocross at Irwindale one of the fastest cars out there was a 993 with 140K miles on it! I think it was 140K Chris told me, it may have been 150K.

Anir

This collective sense that 993s improve with age stands in stark contrast to their Italian bretheren, which are considered "over the hill" after only 25,000 - 30,000 miles. People seem truly afraid to rack up miles on Ferraris and Lambos. Viken, how many miles on the 360 so far?

Interesting contrast, aye? I knew I did the right thing by getting the 993TT over a 355 or 360 at this stage of my life.

I'd be lying if I said an Italian beauty wouldn't be great in the garage IN ADDITION to the Porsche. At least, I've got the Ducati with aftermarket pipes for now.

Viken

Anir, I am not sure if I totally agree with that statement. While it is true that past Italian cars were much more fragile than their German cousins, they mostly fell apart because of lack of use. However, one must understand that a Ferrari is built very much like a race car with engines reving as much as 8500 rpm's. These cars cannot be expected to last as long as an air-cooled Porsche.

The 360 just hit 3000 miles yesterday and is as strong as ever.

Sam N

Anir,

I wouldn't sell the "Duc" short. I raced my Yamaha R6 against a 916 with a full Ferraci (Fast by Ferraci)exhaust and I thought it was a big block Corvette on my tail. They sound wonderful. The Ducs have a pretty complex valve train - Desmodromic, that requires adjustment by a qualified technician. Your Ducati is a worthy companion to the greatest 911 ever created.
Enjoy them both!

Regards,
Sam

Viken

Sam, is it true that Porsche Engineering has collaborated with Ducati in the recent past?

Jack

Anir:

The 993TT is a great car, but you don't know what you're missing--get a 360.

Anir

Sam,

My 900SS has a "Fast by Ferraci" exhaust, and the sound is incredible - low and rumbly, but so willing to rev! Brings the biggest smile to my face (and my children's). My wife says it's audible from 3-4 blocks away! (There goes the neighborhood! ).

Viken and Jack, there's no doubt about the 360 being a great car. I was previously on the waiting list for one at Ferrari of Atlanta, but eventually chose the 993TT instead. The closest authorized Ferrari service shop is 4-5 hours away, and I talked myself out of the purchase based on practical decisions (like there is anything "practical" about buying a supercar in the first place ).

For now, the Ducati is filling the Italian void nicely. In a few years, I plan to revisit the Ferrari "need".

If you can only have one supercar, it's pretty hard to argue against the Porsche Turbo.

Viken

That makes a lot of sense.