crg1717

You can decline to participate in any exercise,however you will not get EXTRA time in the 997s.They have set agendas and time constaints that keep the program on strict guidelines.After all there is alot of moving people and cars and to keep it safe for all they dont deviate from program.They are responsible for your safety and the staffs as well. Sure we would all like to drive just the S model from sunrise to sunset and beyond,it just doesnt work that way.Although we would all like to have it our way,sometimes you have to go with the flow.Their way works best for all .Go ,relax,enjoy ,you WILL have a great time. CRG

1080iAddict

Ben, my wife is giving me PDE for my birthday this year. Wanna pick a weekend and meet me there this summer?

bravocharlie

Good questions.

First of all, this a driving experience (a.k.a. school). The mid engine Boxster for example is best suited for the Autocross training and that's probably why they use it up there. Refuse to drive the Boxster? I guess you could, but you'll sit around while the others in your group have the time of their lives pushing the Boxster to its limits. They are not going to put a Carrera on the Autocross course for you.

Second, someone else in the group wasn't an SUV fan. However, the exposure to the Cayenne is so limited, take the 10 or 15 minutes, drive it, ride in it and be done with it. If you're a Porsche enthusiast, at least expose yourself to the capabilities of the vehicle. You can read more about the Cayenne's capabilities and my experience with them here.

Third, this is a program that has approximately 24 to 30 participants. As I mentioned earlier, it is run like clockwork. It has to be. And because of that, you are exposed to all of the instructors, all of the vehicles (except the Cayman), and get a well rounded education in driving high performance cars in a variety of conditions.

Fourth, your time in the Carerra S will be limited to the second day in the afternoon. After you get a number of laps on the track under your belt in the Carrera you get a taste of the Carrera S and its ceramic brakes. No one in our class (to the best of my knowledge) complained about the lack of time in the Carrera S. The base Carrera is a very capable car and for the first day and half you will have your hands full learning to get around the track at ever increasing speeds.

Fifth, the Carrera S is of course faster than the Carrera. However, it handles the same and for the purposes of this course, the difference in performance is not that significant. Furthermore, at the end of the second day after you thought that your final laps of the day were the fastest, you will strap yourself into a base Carrera with one of the instructors and see what the car can really do. I assure you, as the rest of the course participants will attest I'm sure, that you will not miss driving the Carrera S.

In the end, the skills you learn at PDE can be taught in any vehicle and yes, even an SUV (with the exception of heel and toe). Go with an open mind, push the cars to your limits based on your capabilities and you will not be disappointed.

1080iAddict

I'm sold. I'm in. It's my 40th this summer and my wife keeps bugging me about what I want. We'll go away together somewhere, etc., but, she asked what I wanted 'for me'. Talk about a light bulb popping on!!

HenryM

Having Just been to the PDE I would suggest you consider what time of the year you attend. We had beautiful weather; sunny with a high of about 72 degrees on the first day and 55 degrees on the second. The 55 degree day was very comfortable. The 72 degree day was a little warm in the car. During the summer in Birmingham it can get very warm.

By the way, I was the Cayenne hater in the group and the amount of time spent in it is very small. The Boxster and Boxster S were both a blast and the base Carrera is a very capable car.

MJones

OCBen- Trust the Program
The Boxsters are used exclusivly on the Autocross Course, and it is a Blast!
Driving the Cayenne is an eye opener!
It's not like your spending alot of time in either vehicle, its part of the "Experience", go with the flow, you will not feel short changed.
The basic driving skills taught are applicable to any car you drive, nothing changes between the vehicles.
It's all fun!!

Just sign-up and go!

OCBen

You bet Adam. That would be fun. I've been thinking about going this year. Toomey also wants to go sometime this year too and has asked me about taking it together. Yeah, let's see if we can all coordinate a suitable weekend that will work for us. I'll check with him to see if he's still in.

We'll definitely have to see what all there is to do down there within ten minutes of the track, besides busting the chops of Jeff there.

Hey Brian, after the basic program, can one sign up for the Masters? And are the same rotation of cars used in that program as well?

bravocharlie

Yeah, he whined and moaned the whole time around the Cayenne.

bravocharlie

Yes, you can sign up for the Masters after you take the first two day PDE. My understanding is that the Masters program is not all lead and follow and that you're out on the track on your own.

I would assume, based on the inventory of Carreras on site, that the base Carrera is still used a majority of the time. Again, I would not let this effect your decision to attend.

Also, HenryM makes a very good point about weather. We were fortunate to have perfect weather. I would suggest going in the late fall or early spring. I can't imagine what Birmingham is like late spring through early fall. Probably very hot and humid.

OCBen

Uhm, that question was directed at the other Brian who's attended more than one Master's program, if I recall correctly.

Are all the 997s (including the S) equipped with stock shifters? I'm hoping they're all equipped with the short shifter.

bravocharlie

Sorry.

The Carreras all have the stock shifters. At least two of the instructors I spoke to about the sport shifters thought that the throw of the sport shifter was almost too short and preferred the stock shifter. If I remember correctly, I believe that one of them indicated that the 997 stock shifter had been improved since the 996.

OCBen

Are you a Brian as well? ... What are the odds?

You're not saying that the 997 stock shifter has been improved since the intial launch of the 997, right? You probably mean that it is improved over the 996 shifter?

bravocharlie

Improved since the 996.

1080iAddict

I can only go during the first half of August this summer. I don't care how hot it is out there. The wheels will be stickier so we'll get better lap times.

August 5/6, 7/8, or 15/16 are the available dates I can go that correspond with the registration dates at PDE. I will stay at the suggested hotel.

I will be going with my friend and soon to be new Board member Stephen. I told him to get a username and post hello here. He will do it today or tomorrow.

Ben, what do you think? Anyone on the Board that wants to go with us can sign up (but for me personally I cannot go on any dates this summer other than those dates).

OCBen

I don't have a problem with those dates, although that's probably the hottest and muggiest time of the year down there. But it's not like the cars don't have A/C right?