993s are made for driving ***300,000***
08-11-2013, 12:07 PM
#33
Rennlist Member
08-11-2013, 12:26 PM
#34
R.I.P
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Answers to the various questions;
My first cars had engines designed by F. Porsche. They were air cooled VW's. First was a '64 bus, then a '65 beetle, 71 super beetle, '73 411. They had 50 hp, 40 hp, 50 hp and 85 hp. When first purchased they were all, shall we say, mature cars. With the exception of the '64 bus, whose engine had a meltdown crossing the Sierra Nevada mountains and was my first, I was able to nurse along these air cooled wonders and still get max performance out of them. I think the key was not trying to get the engines to do too much at low revs, but stomping on the throttle when the engine was in the power band. The engines are very different than the big American V8s that were popular back then, with plenty of torque at lower rpms. If you tried to drive an air cooled VW like one of them, it's engine wouldn't last very long. . I drive my 911s the same way. My brother was into 911s years before me and I remember him telling me to keep the rpms over 3,000. I keep the throttle inputs gentle at low rpms. Once in the power band, look out!
I doubt that I'll hit 500,000 miles, or 400,000 for that matter. I work 5 hours away, hence my 3 road trips/month. I don't have the kind of job where I can call in if I break down on my way in. When on the road, the only place to repair a 911 is going to be the dealer. During my travels up and down I95, I doubt that I'm ever more than 1 hour away from a dealership, but getting to one and getting back on the road would be a major hassle. I only had that happen once when the alternator broke. Fortunately that was on my way back home.
The key to longevity:
1. ONE DRIVER!
2. Service - The car has been serviced by Porsche throughout, and only by 2 mechanics. I started out doing oil changes every 5,000 miles. I thought this would be a good selling point and hadn't kept a car more than 2 years. Once I hit 100,000 miles and realized that I would be keeping the car, I began doing oil changes every 15,000 miles. My miles however are mostly on the highway.
3. The break in: I had the advantage of starting off with a car with 42 miles on the odometer. I did the break in by the book. I kept the revs below 4000, no heavy throttle inputs etc. It was painful.
4. The warm up: I ALWAYS do a proper warm up. Revs below 4000, no heavy throttle inputs. In a mile or two the temperature gauge starts to move a bit and it's time to go.
5. Driving: I don't baby the car at all, but I don't beat it up either. I avoid heavy throttle inputs when the rpm's are below ~3000. The engine likes to rev and I stomp on it all the time when I'm up in the power band.
6. Oil consumption: I don't remember ever adding oil when I was changing it every 5000 miles. This engine was built right. Once I went to every 15,000 miles I would add a quart or 2 in between oil changes. In the past few months I've been adding oil more frequently, but the engine was leaking some, so consumption is hard to gauge. At the 300,000 mile service the leak was addressed . They replaced some gaskets (for the second or third time).
7. Repair: For the most part, the only things that have needed replacement are parts that are expected to wear out. Brakes, suspension parts, spark plugs, distributor caps, belts etc. I don't know where all of the records are anymore, but I only remember replacing the alternator, the SAI check valve, the clutch once, the top twice, the head unit (7 or 8 times), a bent tie rod once.
8. The SAI CEL: I first got the SAI CEL around 90,000 miles. It didn't matter then because I lived in rural southern VA and didn't need to pass any emissions test. I addressed it with a piece of black tape. When I moved back to the Phila area, and needed to pass emissions, they did a SAI flush. This unclogged 5/6 ports. I still throw the SAI CEL every 1-2,000 miles but I can reset it and get all the flags to come up O'K and fake my way through emissions testing (10 years
My first cars had engines designed by F. Porsche. They were air cooled VW's. First was a '64 bus, then a '65 beetle, 71 super beetle, '73 411. They had 50 hp, 40 hp, 50 hp and 85 hp. When first purchased they were all, shall we say, mature cars. With the exception of the '64 bus, whose engine had a meltdown crossing the Sierra Nevada mountains and was my first, I was able to nurse along these air cooled wonders and still get max performance out of them. I think the key was not trying to get the engines to do too much at low revs, but stomping on the throttle when the engine was in the power band. The engines are very different than the big American V8s that were popular back then, with plenty of torque at lower rpms. If you tried to drive an air cooled VW like one of them, it's engine wouldn't last very long. . I drive my 911s the same way. My brother was into 911s years before me and I remember him telling me to keep the rpms over 3,000. I keep the throttle inputs gentle at low rpms. Once in the power band, look out!
I doubt that I'll hit 500,000 miles, or 400,000 for that matter. I work 5 hours away, hence my 3 road trips/month. I don't have the kind of job where I can call in if I break down on my way in. When on the road, the only place to repair a 911 is going to be the dealer. During my travels up and down I95, I doubt that I'm ever more than 1 hour away from a dealership, but getting to one and getting back on the road would be a major hassle. I only had that happen once when the alternator broke. Fortunately that was on my way back home.
The key to longevity:
1. ONE DRIVER!
2. Service - The car has been serviced by Porsche throughout, and only by 2 mechanics. I started out doing oil changes every 5,000 miles. I thought this would be a good selling point and hadn't kept a car more than 2 years. Once I hit 100,000 miles and realized that I would be keeping the car, I began doing oil changes every 15,000 miles. My miles however are mostly on the highway.
3. The break in: I had the advantage of starting off with a car with 42 miles on the odometer. I did the break in by the book. I kept the revs below 4000, no heavy throttle inputs etc. It was painful.
4. The warm up: I ALWAYS do a proper warm up. Revs below 4000, no heavy throttle inputs. In a mile or two the temperature gauge starts to move a bit and it's time to go.
5. Driving: I don't baby the car at all, but I don't beat it up either. I avoid heavy throttle inputs when the rpm's are below ~3000. The engine likes to rev and I stomp on it all the time when I'm up in the power band.
6. Oil consumption: I don't remember ever adding oil when I was changing it every 5000 miles. This engine was built right. Once I went to every 15,000 miles I would add a quart or 2 in between oil changes. In the past few months I've been adding oil more frequently, but the engine was leaking some, so consumption is hard to gauge. At the 300,000 mile service the leak was addressed . They replaced some gaskets (for the second or third time).
7. Repair: For the most part, the only things that have needed replacement are parts that are expected to wear out. Brakes, suspension parts, spark plugs, distributor caps, belts etc. I don't know where all of the records are anymore, but I only remember replacing the alternator, the SAI check valve, the clutch once, the top twice, the head unit (7 or 8 times), a bent tie rod once.
8. The SAI CEL: I first got the SAI CEL around 90,000 miles. It didn't matter then because I lived in rural southern VA and didn't need to pass any emissions test. I addressed it with a piece of black tape. When I moved back to the Phila area, and needed to pass emissions, they did a SAI flush. This unclogged 5/6 ports. I still throw the SAI CEL every 1-2,000 miles but I can reset it and get all the flags to come up O'K and fake my way through emissions testing (10 years
08-11-2013, 03:17 PM
#35
Drifting
Richard,
Inspirational to say the least! Hard to believe you're thinking about moving on as we are all awaiting the ultimate answer....."Just how far will a 993 go?" And I greatly enjoy that you provide the perfect counter-point to these sub 1000 mi "investment" cars that come up for sale for little above their original cost + inflation.
BRAVO!
Inspirational to say the least! Hard to believe you're thinking about moving on as we are all awaiting the ultimate answer....."Just how far will a 993 go?" And I greatly enjoy that you provide the perfect counter-point to these sub 1000 mi "investment" cars that come up for sale for little above their original cost + inflation.
BRAVO!
08-11-2013, 03:32 PM
#36
Sounds like you been "Truckin like the do-dah man"..."What a long strange trip its' been"
I guess the bulk of our RL Porsche drivers never heard of, or didn't catch your referenc to the Greatful Dead
I guess the bulk of our RL Porsche drivers never heard of, or didn't catch your referenc to the Greatful Dead
08-12-2013, 12:51 AM
#37
Rennlist Member
Congrats! that is absolutely awesome.
08-12-2013, 11:01 AM
#40
Rennlist Member
Great information. Thank you for sharing.
08-12-2013, 11:09 AM
#41
Three Wheelin'
08-12-2013, 03:55 PM
#44
Racer
Join Date: Jul 2003
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Another amazing post, Richard. I love your rules to drive by!
