Fun in the snow with the new 997.2 Targa 4
12-18-2008, 02:43 PM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
Fun in the snow with the new 997.2 Targa 4
Sorry, no pics of driving action ( I cannot drive and be outside of the car at the same time).
We finally got our first winter dump of snow here in the Puget Sound, so I got the new Targa 4 out on its winter tires in the neighborhood up here on the Sammamish plateau. The streets were empty save the 4-5 inches of snow, the occasional pedestrian and the areas where kids were sledding down the hills.
I figured, it was the perfect opportunity to get a feel for the car in snow and on icy roads without all of the other traffic around it or the pressure.
Fun times. The Targa 4 grips really well on the Micheline Pilot Alpin PA2s. The ABS works great, and the traction is peachy when pushing in a straight line.
The tricky stuff comes when you are turning. Thats the fun part, but in a neighborhood, one cannot play.
Driving slowly at 20mph around sledders to try a slow ascent up a somewhat steep local hill, to gauge the grip of the awd with winter rubber system on a 10% grade, I should have slowed to 5mph, as all 4 broke lose on that sharp 90 degree turn and it continued to slide straight into some garbage cans. Got some snow on the hood, and knocked over the plastic cans. Woopsie. As a first lesson learned, I guess thats the best possible way to learn.. no damage, just someone's yard wast tipped over.
Backing it out and then starting the ascent up the hill, no problems. Climbed the hill as easy as pie. The roads here are a bit icy at the asphalt, with compact snow on top of that and then an inch or two or three of loose powder on top of that (depending on if you are making new tracks or on someone else's tracks). Good times.
A few blocks and turns here and there and I can say I LOVE THIS CAR! If only I could find a big empty parking lot to try more turns in (without the risk of imminent collision with something when it breaks loose).. I'd be in heaven.
But, no such luck; the one local park's parking lot was 'closed' (entry gate shut)... so I reluctantly pulled it back in the garage, the AC/DC Radio XM signal faded, and I dusted off the 3 inches of snow on the right front corner that had come flying off of those garbage can's earlier.
Ah, the joy of heated seats.
Still, a great first play in the snow.
The ladies down the block now probably have me marked as that mad-man, for toppling their yard waste bins.
-- added --
A couple hours later, more inches of snow on the ground... I'd say 5 - 6 inches of it at this point.... pics of the car in the driveway (I could not resist taking the car out to get a picture of it in the snow)
One thing was clear, with that much snow, getting back UP the driveway into the garage those 20 yards of incline (having stopped on the downward slope - maybe a 5% grade) was not happening. Wheel spin. With Pilot Alpins and AWD. That did not really surprise me one bit... I would have been surprised if it had pulled away without slipping. With all 4 warm tires sitting there a minute or so for the portrait, they had created a nice icy patch below all 4. Even with the brake assist, starting from that angle, stopped on the incline was a no-go even.
Clearly a case for chains. Or in my case, just roll it backwards down into the level part of the driveway at the bottom... where it is flat, and the snow is still snow.. .then slowly get it going... and then driving back the 20 yards into the garage was a piece of cake.
Of course, at this point, with the snowfall, I could be plowing, if I tried to drive the neighborhood.
We finally got our first winter dump of snow here in the Puget Sound, so I got the new Targa 4 out on its winter tires in the neighborhood up here on the Sammamish plateau. The streets were empty save the 4-5 inches of snow, the occasional pedestrian and the areas where kids were sledding down the hills.
I figured, it was the perfect opportunity to get a feel for the car in snow and on icy roads without all of the other traffic around it or the pressure.
Fun times. The Targa 4 grips really well on the Micheline Pilot Alpin PA2s. The ABS works great, and the traction is peachy when pushing in a straight line.
The tricky stuff comes when you are turning. Thats the fun part, but in a neighborhood, one cannot play.
Driving slowly at 20mph around sledders to try a slow ascent up a somewhat steep local hill, to gauge the grip of the awd with winter rubber system on a 10% grade, I should have slowed to 5mph, as all 4 broke lose on that sharp 90 degree turn and it continued to slide straight into some garbage cans. Got some snow on the hood, and knocked over the plastic cans. Woopsie. As a first lesson learned, I guess thats the best possible way to learn.. no damage, just someone's yard wast tipped over.
Backing it out and then starting the ascent up the hill, no problems. Climbed the hill as easy as pie. The roads here are a bit icy at the asphalt, with compact snow on top of that and then an inch or two or three of loose powder on top of that (depending on if you are making new tracks or on someone else's tracks). Good times.
A few blocks and turns here and there and I can say I LOVE THIS CAR! If only I could find a big empty parking lot to try more turns in (without the risk of imminent collision with something when it breaks loose).. I'd be in heaven.
But, no such luck; the one local park's parking lot was 'closed' (entry gate shut)... so I reluctantly pulled it back in the garage, the AC/DC Radio XM signal faded, and I dusted off the 3 inches of snow on the right front corner that had come flying off of those garbage can's earlier.
Ah, the joy of heated seats.
Still, a great first play in the snow.
The ladies down the block now probably have me marked as that mad-man, for toppling their yard waste bins.
-- added --
A couple hours later, more inches of snow on the ground... I'd say 5 - 6 inches of it at this point.... pics of the car in the driveway (I could not resist taking the car out to get a picture of it in the snow)
One thing was clear, with that much snow, getting back UP the driveway into the garage those 20 yards of incline (having stopped on the downward slope - maybe a 5% grade) was not happening. Wheel spin. With Pilot Alpins and AWD. That did not really surprise me one bit... I would have been surprised if it had pulled away without slipping. With all 4 warm tires sitting there a minute or so for the portrait, they had created a nice icy patch below all 4. Even with the brake assist, starting from that angle, stopped on the incline was a no-go even.
Clearly a case for chains. Or in my case, just roll it backwards down into the level part of the driveway at the bottom... where it is flat, and the snow is still snow.. .then slowly get it going... and then driving back the 20 yards into the garage was a piece of cake.
Of course, at this point, with the snowfall, I could be plowing, if I tried to drive the neighborhood.
Last edited by Minok; 12-18-2008 at 08:49 PM.
12-18-2008, 03:23 PM
#2
Nordschleife Master
Fun times!
12-18-2008, 04:43 PM
#4
Cap'n Insane the Engorged
Lifetime Rennlist
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Good to know that car is out and being driven like it should.
Especially for all you spent on those separate wheels and tires.
Especially for all you spent on those separate wheels and tires.
12-18-2008, 04:53 PM
#5
I took the 68 out this week and did the same thing! I had a blast!! Man do I miss Gig Harbor though! Such a beautiful place! Kansas City winters are just two brown. The PNW has green all year round. I do miss that!
12-18-2008, 04:57 PM
#6
Drifting
Thread Starter
Rob, I'm tryin' If the snow gets packed down some over the next few days, I'll take it out again. I'm not being paid to plow the neighborhood with the Targa.
I'll have to be more carefull... all those garbage cans are not targets nor roadside bumpers. The car got not a scratch off of the encounter.. but I'm sure the neighborhood will be at my door with pitch forks and torches if I start ralley driving trough the subdivision. I really wish they would have left the park parking lot open so I can practice a bit on the turning on packed snow.
I may order some chains for the rear just to keep in the car.. .in case... because one does not always have control of when one stops on a hill. I wonder, if I put some weight in the front trunk and tried the driveway again, if the awd would then get me moving from a standing stop. Hmmmm... maybe a weekend experiment.
I'll have to be more carefull... all those garbage cans are not targets nor roadside bumpers. The car got not a scratch off of the encounter.. but I'm sure the neighborhood will be at my door with pitch forks and torches if I start ralley driving trough the subdivision. I really wish they would have left the park parking lot open so I can practice a bit on the turning on packed snow.
I may order some chains for the rear just to keep in the car.. .in case... because one does not always have control of when one stops on a hill. I wonder, if I put some weight in the front trunk and tried the driveway again, if the awd would then get me moving from a standing stop. Hmmmm... maybe a weekend experiment.
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12-18-2008, 07:04 PM
#8
Cap'n Insane the Engorged
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I've had some fun in my bro's 996TT ( black w/chrome 20's if you see him around ) in the parking lot by QFC up on the plateau there.
Good fun - PSM Off.
Good fun - PSM Off.
12-18-2008, 08:00 PM
#9
Drifting
I'm not surprised at the steering issues, as those fat front tires don't exactly slice into the snow when turning. Any car with a relatively light front end and wide tires is going to be challenged when turning in deeper snow. Keep up the fun, but be careful of the other crazy drivers, who are usually my biggest concern in snowy conditions.
