Mark Rindner

Hey guys and gals. I can hear the groans from the oldies, but I'm new to Porsche ownership and I'm hoping to learn from some of you who've been down the road for a while in a 911. I've got 110k miles on the clock in my 02 6-speed. I just got a new clutch and upgraded some un-mentionable parts that are also back there. Now I'm ready to do some serious miles as a DD. I've heard people say "drive it like you stole it" and I assume this is to keep the engine oiled, the innards hot and gunk-free, etc. But my sensibility tells me to go a little easy on a 100lk powertrain. High revs are great fun but it seems like they might over-stress an older engine. How well-engineered are these cars? Am I prematurely aging this engine by reving to 5-6000 on a regular basis? I find that 4000+ is the sweet spot and like to drive in 3rd and 4th around town at this level. I'm by nature a lead foot and can't stand people who have hot cars and drive them slow. But I want to keep this car for a long time and don't want to create problems by being too hard on it. I've searched for threads but can't get a clear focus on this subject. Anyone out there with experience, please share your knowledge.

uberskier

"drive it like you stole it"
+1 I'm still having fun 4 years after I got it.

Mark Rindner

Thanks for your response. Just curious...How many miles on your car and how many have you put on since you got it?

uberskier

Purchased it: 3/21/08 with 33,412 (in Kentucky - I live in NY)
Today (3/15/12) just hit: 52,000

18,588 miles since purchase
12.78 miles/day avg.
4,663 miles/yr avg (I know - way too low)

Eroc

Sneaky Pete

I bought my 99 C4 with 52K 4 years ago. I have 105K now..........DD and track when I can. The car never runs better after a track day. When the car is warm I like to drive around town in 2nd and 3rd gear. Hwy in a 65 zone I'm in 4th.

Mickey356

The reality is heat cycles kill engines. Unfortunately there is nothing you can do to change that. There isn't an engine made that likes to be stressed. That said, there are engines designed to take stress better than others and I feel Porsche engineers those types of engines.
As long as the engine is given time to warm up to temp there's nothing wrong with running it hard from time to time. Less abuse will increase life..... In all things

Thundertub

Data point for you:

For details about my car and mileage see my signature.
For details about how the car is driven, see my avatar.
Daily driver since 2004 (only had 5k mi when I bought it and it was still on the original tires at that time), city driving to work, long trips, lots of DE's, oil changes @ 7500 miles - Mobile 1. Pirelli P Zero Rosso's always and only.
Dealer serviced since Day One. Service according to the owners manual.
Never garaged, although I always cover it at night with a quality cover.

I prefer to keep my engine running between 2600 and 3000 most of the time, and choose my gears accordingly. Once the engine is warm, shifts for daily driving are around 4000 rpm for the lower 3 gears.

No leaks. No major repairs. Original brake disc rotors and pads, original clutch, and all original "unmentionables."

I do not drive it like I stole it. I drive it like I am on the warm up lap at a DE, unless I am at a DE and have already completed the warm-up lap. Then I drive it like I'm crossing the Simplon Pass and I'm the only car on the road.

street rod

Mark why only the lower 3 gears?

Sneaky Pete

^^^I think you only need 3 gears for city driving. HWY different story. I do like to hug the far left lane with the windows down just to get the reverb from the exhaust.

Thundertub

Because shifts over 4000 rpm in 4th put me way over the posted speed limits here in Florida.

As posted in another thread here many months ago, I select my daily street driving gears based on a simple method:
0-20 MPH 1st
20-30 2nd
30-40 3rd
40-50 4th
50-60 5th
60+ 6th unless I am NOT on the Interstate.

I do not drive my car daily as though I am racing every one and every thing.
I save all of the that for DE weekends. Get it all out of my system there. In general city driving I just take it easy wherever I am going. No hurry. I plan ahead with my time.
WHY?
If YOU were driving a Guards Red sports car with spoilers and stickers and a sport exhaust, you would, too. No tickets for me since 1984 and that was in a silver 1984 Jetta GLI doing 12 over the limit. Red Porsches ALWAYS attract the local officials even if you are driving in the slow lane. Prior to that, I got a ticket in 1974 while driving my '73 Signal Yellow 911S at 6 over the limit.

Dennis C

I've got 108K on my 2002 C4S, and I run it up to the redline as often as I can!

ogun228

Here's a different take:

It's a car. So drive it normally if it's a DD (mine is).
The difference with Porsches is that they are better put together than most and are really happy at speed. So drive it normally and take it up once in a while after warm up. The main thing with them is not abuse ( they are many that are) but proper maintenance. I expect that after the initial couple of months when you're going to drive it ***** out, you'll get concerned about dropping 50 bucks at every fill up at the pump. That gets old very fast and you'll drive moderately and take it out on weekends.

Don't be swayed by those who'll tell you that you have to drive it to red line at every outing. This is simply BS. Just make sure you have enough money put aside for proper maintenance and enjoy. They are great even at normal speed.

jasper

Drive it aggressive like but don't *beat* it and you'll be fine. Porsches aren't like other cars.

I think taking it to redline two or three times per commute is healthy, lot's of 5000 rpm shifts are good to keep the IMS bearing oiled up. Never lug it below 2000 pm.

Just don't bang the shifts, and for god sakes don't gear down to slow down.

Brakes make the car stop, gears make it go forward.

I'm at 120K miles too - but the motor was replaced at 40K miles (before I got it).

Hurdigurdiman

Nothing below 2000 revs. Prefer 2500 onwards. I listen and the car sounds and feels healthy at 3000 revs. Thats cruising. When I want to show off I like to take it to 4 and 5000. Maybe 6000 on a short burst to **** someone off that are wanting to race or hanging on my tail. Very rare do I need to take it nearer to the red line. You will feel the engine wanting you to take it into the higher than normal revs. It talks to you. The more you drive it, the more it gets into or under your skin. I have never felt more part of a car in my lifetime as I do with the 996 and I am 70years of age. Its my first Porsche. 45000 when I got it a year ago. Now has 55000 on it. BTW I just got something (which I said I would never get) a radar detector. This car wants me to drive it like it was stolen and I do. Its like a 'Good Dog' .. Give it a good kick every now and then, and it comes back for more wagging it's tail. lol. Check fluid levels before leaving the garage and temps every minute or so when driving. Very rare do I drive with loud music. Maybe once in a while in town I do showing off with the top down to make a few heads turn. More often I like to listen to the engine. Love the sound. I either drive or listen to music. One or the other. It's a daily driver. Kind of going nowhere fast. Make sure it's well warmed up before putting the toe down then listen to those tail pipes. As someone else posted. I probably use the gears like this when I am not showing off.......
0-20 MPH 1st
20-30 2nd
30-40 3rd
40-50 4th
50-60 5th
60+ 6th

SWK6Cup

Mark:
here is my .02. Stop worrying, maintain the car "properly" and drive the hell out of it. These cars are engineered for the track and make excellent daily drivers. If you want to really learn how to drive the car, join your local Porsche Club of America chapter and sign up for a DE event that fits your schedule. This type of event will really teach you how to drive your car, the dynamics of how our rear engined cars handle and this will help you be a much better driver on the street. You will also observe some great people at these events and witness cars at various stages of preparation. All, if not most with lots of track time, a testament to their durability and great stories, too.