C.J. Ichiban

Okay well had my first scary experience driving the car last night...basically felt like all 4 tires broke loose and did a subaru style powerslide (power oversteer)while i was in 3rd gear on the onramp to the local freeway. I was accelerating pretty hard from about 35-40mph (not going 100 ) and definitely felt the AWD do it's thing. would have been fun if the road wasn't so narrow...so i quickly shifted into 4th and regained the car and my composure. I realize the skip barber tire equation comes into play but I was going in nearly a complete straight line. I haven't tried to slam the gas on a curve yet.

I was about 1 mile or 2 miles from my house, and there is some dust on my tires from the local construction...it wasn't until i was down the road that I realized my bridgestones were very cold- as it was about 43*F outside. Good for boost and bad for tires? Previous experience has been only RWD on Pirellis and Michelins and never felt any car do that before. It felt like the engine just over-torqued the wheels but I'm sure them being basically freezing didn't help me. Or the huge snarling 3.8L engine power. Or the bumpy road.



So how many miles or laps or temperature do I need before the S-o2's are ready for the full application of throttle before snapping free of the tarmac? Trying to be as under control with the car while I learn right and wrong.

I've only put about 60 miles on it so far. In a straight line while accelerating with warm tires, it felt like if I hit a bump my car would just lift right off, like a ducati lifting it's front tire. when I lift off the throttle after gassing it the fuel cut out is really harsh and the car really seems to want to keep revving in any speed- must be the lighter flywheel.

I love this car completely. I'm doing some DE stuff coming up soon so hopefully I will get a bit more knowledge of where the limits are.

cheers!

911/Q45

Cold tires and intercooler are a scary combo! At the track I do one lap easy before I turn it up. On the street at 43° I don't think you can get the tires warm enough for anything other than a straight line at full hoot.

thomas.rousseau

You use Bridgestone Potenza S02 I presume.....
I had those on before as well and they are bad in my opinion. Lousy comfort (extremely bumpy ride and first 15minutes the steering wheel is shaking). Furhtermore the grip is dangerously bad when cold. My suggestion is to change before you crash.
I tried Continental SportContact2 in the front and they feel so much better (beware of your front wheel alignment though that needs to perfect). I will get the Continental for the rear before next season starts here in Sweden.

/Thomas

bb993tt

I just switched to these Conti's after seven years on SO2's and would agree with Thomas' comments. Living here now, the term "all weather tire" has new meaning to me. I actually need to drive in the rain! I just did a track day last Friday at Brands Hatch in very wet conditions and the Conti's were awesome. Don't think I could have done the day with my old shoes on.

C.J. Ichiban

thomas and brian- thanks, I have never been told to try the continentals- most people seem to go with the pirellis or the michelin pilot sports...

TT Surgeon

Cold tires, boost, rear engine and a little throttle lift will do it every time. Probably takes a good 1/2 hr at least to heat up the tires on a day like that. You otta check out the Porsche PDE, great intro to track driving 911's by factory drivers in a first class setting.
Have fun, when's the black one coming?

ca993twin

CJ,

Dang... that car sounds like a total hoot to drive. What size tires are on that car? What condition are they in? How fast do you think you can use them up?

Best wishes,

Steve

thomas.rousseau

Continental or Michelin Pilot Sport. I couldn't really say what's best but what fooled me was to aim for the tires especially developed for the 993turbo. That meant actually getting tires developed 10 years ago....a lot of things have been improved since then, that I notice now.

C.J. Ichiban

steve, this car is amazing! I don't necessarily wish for any more ambient heat here in Dallas because when the calendar hits may that mercury is going to rise really quick. I really don't feel like blowing out the clutch, viscous coupler, or any other transmission parts so no clue as to how the car will launch or anything like that. tires look brand new- they're 295/30/18 and I'm pretty sure they'll wear much faster than my pirellis on my last 993. the car has a shift light in the dash and I definitely saw it in first gear the other night.
looking forward to DE

Bill (NC)

Before I changed out the OEM shocks and springs my car would tend to "float" alot over rough roads. Since the new shocks it sticks to the road like glue.

hiflexaust

I have fitted a complete set of PSS-9's and have just fitted some Conti's on 18" Simmons wheels which are a bit similar to a GT3 wheel. The Conti's are really good. They have behaved exceptionally well in all conditions inclusive of quite heavy rain and I drive the car as everyday transport. I like them so much I bought an extra set and kept them for stock in my warehouse as they are very hard to get here in Australia.
Cheers
Grant

CP

C.J.

Be careful out there. This amount of power in a curve is dangerous. Take it easy until you get to know the car better. It is a beast.

Enjoy in great health.

CP

JJayB

CJ,
A 3.8 will spin even slicks in the cold. As others have said our cars like cool temps which isn't the best for tire traction. Judicious application of the throttle until you get the feel of the beast will keep you out of the body shop. FWIW, I've run SO2's as my wet weather track tire with good results. It takes about two laps in the cold for them to come in. On the street, with dust and clag who knows
how long it takes to get warmed up.

C.J. Ichiban

thanks jimmy- i've taken the attitude that driver seat time is the only solution, and I'm trying to have a bit of fun in very small doses and just get more acclimated to the car. Then maybe I'll post a 60-130. but that's honestly way more than a month away at the pace i'm on- and i'd have to find an extremely desolate road. the great thing about the car -besides how great the exhaust and engine sounds- is that I don't need to slam the gas all the time to get up to speed like I felt was necessary on my c2s. Last thing I want is any damage to myself, others, and the respective cars on the road.

Johnny O

CJ,

I have now put two and two together and figured out that you are the new owner of my 993...all the best with a really great car. I don't get on the forums much, so if you have any question about the car go ahead and PM me. Just get used to all that power gradually and it will be fine.

John