ceboyd

I'm pretty sure it has a lot to do with the fact that it is set up for autocross/DE duty YET is a Tiptronic.

I think people don't think a Tip could handle the autocross or track DE environment... (most of those same people have never seen me or any above novice level driver at an autocross or DE with a Tiptronic)

...or maybe just a 'male ego' thing of owning a porsche that isn't a standard 6-speed?

I dunno..

I tentatively have someone else comeing to look at the car on Saturday or Sunday so we shall see!

I've had 3 people look at the car so far.

First one really REALLY wanted it and thought he could easily convince the wife since even she could drive it as a Tiptronic but she said no.....

2nd person was torn between my more DE set up one vs. the opposite extreme of a cabrio and he bought a cabrio 993 instead.

and 3rd person was interested but not at my price and basicly wanted to pay well below market value (a lowball insult actually) and he insisted on getting all the mods along with the stock parts so he could resell off the performance bits himself to get extra cash.. This 3rd person I think was under the impression that my financial situation was so dire that I would take a massive dive just to be able to sell the car and he was sadly disappointed at my abrupt NOT A CHANCE response.


...otherwise I've had tire kickers only and 'dreamers' asking if I would finance them, etc.

InTheAir

But have you been offered a 1970 Pontiac Tempest with 79K miles on it on trade, like I have?

ceboyd

lol.. no but I did have someone that wanted to trade me his 1985 911 plus a small amount of cash (basicly he overvalued his 911 and undervalued mine).. and he didn't seem to understand that I didn't want another 911 at this point anyway..

oh well...

we shall see how it goes...

chris walrod

I only mention this because I know of a few people who sold their P-cars to do the same thing and found that, as an example, brake pads and rotors, while less expensive, needed replacement much sooner than that of the p-car and often three times the frequency.

Not all cars have appropriately sized brakes like p-cars nor are they as durable or trackable out of the box.

Sumtoc

Haven't seen it on a track but a lady in a Neon regularly takes stock TOD at the local AutoX.... so something is working right.

ceboyd

ah o.k.

well I guess time will tell then..

BUT, the car is LESS HP than the porsche and lighter (so hopefully less braking needed.. and considering I paid $3500 to upgrade to big reds, paying $1800 to upgrade to front stoptech ST40 (basicly porsche 4 pistons) that would be more apples to apples IMHO... but I've heard the stock brakes are o.k. so I'll see how that goes..


..and the tires being replaced 3x as fast... I;ll believe it when I see it (if that happens)

...again, lighter car, not as fast... and all 4 corners same size to make for easy rotation around the car should eliminate the need to replace any faster than a 993...

on my 993, the rear tires wore out long before the fronts (which also happened to be wider and more expensive)...


....so I guess time will tell but I'll be very shocked it I have to repace things 3x as much on this car...

...and given my $20k investment in aftermarket go-fast bits on the 993, I have a long way to go to be apples to apples (brake upgrade match, etc.)


And someone made a comment to me about them not being as well built or strong as a 993... I'm sure that is true but that is what a roll bar is for and eventually a cage!!!!

thanks for the insight and observations.


I guess only time will tell if your 3x as fast replacment prediction is true or not!

ZombiePorsche44

Don't waste your money on a roll bar, put a cage in ASAP! it's safer and will add some chassis stiffness which that car will definitely need.

ZP44

jrok

At the 2006 NASA Nationals last Setpetmber at Mid-Ohio, a guy in a 2004 SRT4 won my class in TTC. Additionally, his time was also faster than the entire TTB class. The car was fully prepared but still, it's shows that it's a good platform.

2006 NASA Nationals Time Trials Results

Jack of Hearts

[QUOTE=ceboyd]
...and I'd actually like to race it with NASA and possibly SCCA and get my comp license.

*(yet another reason to go with a cheaper car.. because in real competition door-to-door I won't be as heart broken if something should happen to damage parts of the body panels.. (body panels for neons abound in junk yards!)


My 1st focus will be getting used to the car and a decent suspension set up (but not mighty motons either) and some safety things squared away (you know, 5 or 6 point harnesses, roll bar, fire extinguisher, etc.)


QUOTE]

I can heartily recommend SCCA club racing, Chris. Once you start racing wheel to wheel you won't believe how addicting it is. Autocrossing is a game in comparison.

And it's smart to do that with something you can afford to write off. One nut ball spinning in front of you can take you out; one oil slick can put you into the sandbank at 90 mph (ask me how I know).

I raced a D Production/GT3 Triumph TR-6 for ten years and the only thing I regret is all the nights spent in the garage building/rebuilding the car.

Word to the wise: Figure out what series you want to race in and buy the rule book now. SCCA (and any other competitive series) will fry you for rules violations, which can be as small as using an aftermarket shock or, as you mention, seat.)

Have fun and good luck!

Chris

(aka...Jack of Hearts)

ceboyd

thanks!

I'm going to have the cage build to NASA spec... as that is who I want to start out with on the competitive scene...

David '96 993

Chris,
Jack of Hearts nailed it right on the head. Don't do any mods until you figure out what class you want to run in and let your budget determine that. Be able to build to the limit of the class, otherwise you may find yourself not competative. I run in a SPEC class with limited mods and find that there is always more to do to the car(and the driver, of course).

You got the right idea: be able to walk away from the car (financially speaking) if you ball it up and not have it be a burdon. On that note, get a weld in cage done by a reputable builder. Don't bother with a bolt in. You can't buy enough saftey equipment.

The slippery slope just got steeper. Have fun...it is sooo addicting.

CP

Chris,

When I took Skippy driving school last year, we first drove Dodge Neons, then Vipers. Them Neons (not even SRTs) are darn capable cars, especially if you get a proper suspension set up.

It does not deliver the visceral sensation of a 993 (few cars do anyways), but just for going around a track, this car can do it. But if I were tracking, I'd go Spec Miata in a heart beat.

Good luck.

CP

ceboyd

hmm.. I'd love to know what suspension they had on those neons.. do you know by any chance?

CP

Chris,

Sorry I don't. It's just that the instructors said that the Neons were stock except for suspension tweeks, including larger sway bars. However, I'm sure there are plenty of websites (like RL) that talk about how to make the Neons go faster.

Have fun.

CP

ceboyd

yes, there is actually an entire book for neon and SRT4 and what to do with suspension and other mods that I plan on buying to see what it can teach me..