Sounds like an epic journey. Have fun.
Got it. Now the road trip.
Picked up our white 718 Cayman yesterday at the Porsche Experience Center in
Atlanta, GA. I did the track experience in a yellow '17 base PDK car (just like
my white car). They let my wife drive the yellow car on the skidpad too! It was
fun! And since I'd just been racing my other car (vintage MG) at Summit
Point for 3 days last weekend, I had a chance to compare two very different cars
at racing speeds.We drove our new Cayman to Savannah today and will slowly
"meander" home to New Jersey over the next 8 to 10 days. It now has about 250
miles on it and the nose was peppered with dead bugs from the ride on Rt. 16 (we cleaned it). It
will be nearly broken-in by the time we get home.
Atlanta, GA. I did the track experience in a yellow '17 base PDK car (just like
my white car). They let my wife drive the yellow car on the skidpad too! It was
fun! And since I'd just been racing my other car (vintage MG) at Summit
Point for 3 days last weekend, I had a chance to compare two very different cars
at racing speeds.We drove our new Cayman to Savannah today and will slowly
"meander" home to New Jersey over the next 8 to 10 days. It now has about 250
miles on it and the nose was peppered with dead bugs from the ride on Rt. 16 (we cleaned it). It
will be nearly broken-in by the time we get home.
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Yes....but thanks. This is a good reminder.
I'm not sure I've seen that in the Porsche documentation but I always try to vary engine speed with new engines in any of the new cars I've bought (or old ones I've rebuilt).
We did Beufort SC today and am in Charleston, SC right now. The car is in a public parking garage right now. I'm sure it's safe from theft but I am sort of freaked out by the possibility of door dings....Oh well.
One thing is for sure: we are really enjoying the Southern Hospitality, the wonderful history and the food.
I've only seen 3 Porsches driving down here (not including the Porsche-badged Audi SUVs). One of our tour drivers commented on a Watkins Glen tee-shirt I was wearing. He was a Brit and this lead to him telling me he had owned an MG and Triumph. He said he was driving an older Boxter these days. When I told I'd just bought a new Cayman he practically went apoplectic with enthusiasm.
I'll put up some other photos as I can.
I am jealous.
It looks like a great experience. I am even more envious of your nice road trip home. Safe travels!!!
I'm in the same boat: my wife doesn't drive a stick and she's missed out on a lot of our interesting street cars including the Lotus Super 7 and MGB that we currently own. I specifically bought the Cayman because it seemed like the *one* sports car I could tolerate (and afford) but would still be useable by her.
The dual-clutch gearbox really appeals to me (I'm a mechanical engineer) and I simply didn't want anything with a fluid-type torque convertor.
I knew we could share the track time but I never mentioned it until we were at PEC, when I brought it up with Kyler (the driving coach). He said that lots of couples do this and he liked the idea. And at that point, my wife was probably too mortified to object
But as I said, she had a great time and continues to talk about it.
By the way, you can't use a GoPro or similar in the school car but there are good viewing/photo spots of the track from several balconies at PEC. I got some decent shots of her driving which I intend to print and frame. She's taken lots of photos of me racing on-track and I know she'll get a kick out of this. I do wish I'd had the telephoto lens on my camera.....you may want to consider that.
My wife does drive manual, but after one year of ownership, she still has not been behind the wheel of our Cayman. She afraid that something will happen to the car while she is driving it. Actually, I think that she's concerned she will damage "my dream car". I'm still trying to convince her otherwise.We are planning a trip to PEC next year. I have convinced her take part. Looking forward to the experience.
Some of the PEC sessions involve driving on their race track (which is pretty small, narrow and with lots of guard rails). There may be other cars on the track and there are two approved passing zones.
Other parts of the sessions involved an autocross, a drag race start, wet skid pad and the "kick plate". You drive over the kick plate at about 30 mph and when the rear wheels are on the plate, it suddenly kicks the entire rear of the car to the right or left (you never know which way it will kick). This will cause the car to spin out. Since the track surface is soaked with water, it's very hard to straighten the car out, and "correct" it, but it can be done if you have quick reactions.
We both were able to correct for the spin after some trial and error, but my wife was better at it because she instinctively put the brakes on and didn't try to outsmart the computerized on-board stability system. I tried to correct with throttle which is what I've been doing with my MG for 40 years. Old habits die slow.
The attached photo shows my wife driving over the kick plate on her first try.
Other parts of the sessions involved an autocross, a drag race start, wet skid pad and the "kick plate". You drive over the kick plate at about 30 mph and when the rear wheels are on the plate, it suddenly kicks the entire rear of the car to the right or left (you never know which way it will kick). This will cause the car to spin out. Since the track surface is soaked with water, it's very hard to straighten the car out, and "correct" it, but it can be done if you have quick reactions.
We both were able to correct for the spin after some trial and error, but my wife was better at it because she instinctively put the brakes on and didn't try to outsmart the computerized on-board stability system. I tried to correct with throttle which is what I've been doing with my MG for 40 years. Old habits die slow.
The attached photo shows my wife driving over the kick plate on her first try.
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Very nice set of pics!!! Snowing here as well--your trip pics put a smile on my face.
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