So..since I'm a newb to the 996tt i figured I'd ask....I'm sure there's some experianced drivers here that will agree that the car is not like any other car...

So how do you drive it, without getting in trouble and loosing control?

 

I'll start. I've had 2 996TT's (5 years in total), the first a stock version and the second a chipped X50. I'm now in a 997GT3.

- shift using the 'heartbeat method'. If you haven't gotten the message, the transmissions on these things *SUCK UTTERLY*, and Porsche hasn't stood behind the product. You do any short shifting between first and second, you will burn up the transmission quickly.

- I can't tell from you question if you are new to high HP cars. Be aware of the power. This is a fast car. When you floor it, nothing happens until the turbos spool up, and then you rocket forward. You can get into deep trouble very quickly. Save the speed for the track.

- Do not EVER turn off PSM. This statement will elicit a howl here, but if you are good enough to drive a 996TT with it off, you have bought the wrong car. The limits of PSM are very loose and will help you only when you need it. This includes DE's at the track. If you intend to race, again, you have the wrong car. I would note that PSM is much better than the BMW equivalent DSC.

- This is a heavy car and a bit numb, so apexs are different than say, a Lotus Elise. Be aware of this. It will take some experimentation.

- Brakes are terrific. Rely on the brakes as opposed to downshifting. My first Turbo had reds and my second had yellows, and neither ever came close to fading, even at the track with two drivers on a 110 degree day.

 

Good post...Great info... My car is a tip so no short shifting

I'm new to Supercars altogether. But not that new to HP.. I've a Mustang that is always a project but it is a 5.8L supercharged engine. I'm sure thou that as a car it doesn't come close to the 996TT.

I'm familiar with the DSC thou as I've owned 2 BMW in the past, a 1995 740IL and a 2003 Z4 3.0i which I sold in order to get the 996TT and DSC saved me numerous times in these cars especially the Z4 on rainy days. Now I got a 2003 s500 4-matic, as a daily driver, so I'm a bit familiar with "all wheel drive" but I have to admit that the Benz is somewhat unpredictible while driving it agressively.

I've seen some posts that say..."Go into turns slow but exit fast", "don't lift off mid turn" and they spooked me a little bit as to how sensitive/forgiving these cars are.

 

"You do any short shifting between first and second, you will burn up the transmission quickly."

What does this mean?

 

The manual transmissions on 996TT's are very weak. Attempts to quickly jam into second from first is believed to be one of the causes of transmission failure.

So, shifting should go: clutch, heartbeat (or breath in), shift, heatbeat (or breath out) clutch.

 

Mike, I think you mean "speed shifting"...

Couple of other comments here...

I don't know anyone's driving experience in this thread... I can tell you that driving the car with PSM turned off is not "the wrong car" for me. If you have experience driving any higher HP car with traction control turned off, then you'll be fine... This car is very neutral and safe to drive and very predictable regardless of the nanny button's engagement. I'd recommend turning it off in a safe place and experimenting (think LARGE parking lot) to see how much PSM interferes when on, and what the car does when off... Also, there are several of us who have found that the smooth way aruond the track sometimes is with it off... I learn the track with it on, keep it on until I've got it down to just "perfecting the line" and then turn it off for a few laps to see where I can actually make the car rotate around corners... I know several other track day junkies on here do the same exact thing, and I don't think Tom Kerr or Dez even turn it on at all at the track... PSM is VERY intrusive once you get beyond a certain level of driving, so know this going in to "leaving it on always, even at the track".

The "brakes" were HORRID, at least on my car... If you have the 6 piston setup, then you don't have the OEM stock base model brakes... This car is heavy and will overwhelm them at the track, unless you have proper hi temp fluid (NOT ATE) and track pads with minimum of 3/16th thickness... Jump on the brakes repeatedly from deep onto a brake zone and the weight of the car will cook the fluid and your pedal will go soft... I go in early and easy on the brakes, adding pressure as I get deeper, then I Heel/toe (sometimes to leasurely) and get back on the gas at turn in... Brakes are expensive on this car, so keep that in mind if trying to brake at the last two markers on a long straight...

My "street" driving goes like this...
Start the car and let the oil warm until it is nearing the 180Degree mark on the coolant gage... I will not rev the motor above 4K until the oil motor is at full "warm". In general, the car builds so much speed that I drive a LOT with my cruise control... Mine is modified and makes boost sooner than a stock turbo, with less spool, so I am constantly paying attention, especially in traffic. However, get used to where your turbos come alive and stay below that in stop and go, and it'll drive like any other car... They're do anything well cars, and extremely rewarding to drive rain or shine, anywhere, any time. Spend some time getting used to the car and just enjoy it...

No, it's not an Elyse, but the steering is much better than the C5 Vette I had... It's lively and responsive, and turn in is great... feedback is decent on my car, but again, it's got coil overs (Came on my car when I bought it) and I'm sure a stocker may have less feedback...

You'll get a lot of opinions on this site, including mine, and none of them are wrong. Each is our own "personal" perspective...
Mike

 

I am NOT as fast as Mikelly or others, but with EBC reds (carbon, the new version) and SRF and checked and intact OEM ducts, no fade at VIR....in 25 minute sessions. I was on street tires, so it is possible that the tires held me up enough for the brakes to be ok. I tend to brake late and lightly...one of the few things I can do well on track is carry speed into corners if I happen to get my line right. Per my instructors, I take the S's going up to oak tree quite well.....now, the corkscrew later....um, not as well.

But, I am a bigtime believer in SRF. Given its stability with H2O, I happen to think of it as a standard thing. Also, I can use the EBC pads every day. No squeaks. No bad wear. I plan to try yellow pads soon...supposedly better braking, slightly more dust....perhaps better at speed...this is from a low level DE person. Keep that in mind.

Jeff

 

I agree for the most part with Mike regarding driving this car on track.

You don't want to lift off the throttle in *any* car in the middle of a corner, with the exception of intentional oversteer in an understeering car. If you are backing off due to being timid, almost any car will oversteer and spin if you are near the limit. You also want to go into a corner slow and come out fast in any car - it is better exit speed that lowers lap times. Here's the test: can you be on full throttle at the apex? If not, you probably went in too fast. Does full throttle at the apex not make you use all of the track at the exit? You went in too slow. Move your brake marker forward a little at a time.

As for brakes - I disagree with Mike a bit. I have found that as my driving got better (I've been a DE instructor for 7 years), I use the brake less and less. My car has stock brakes. I did Road America last weekend, where there are 3 different parts of the track where I was about 150 mph. One of those ends in a 50 mph right hander. I use Pagid yellows. No fade, no brake issues. I did use a fair amount of my new front pads. OTOH, I should note that RA is a long course at 4+ miles, so there are opportunities for brakes to cool a bit. A tighter course might be more of a problem. And for sure, the 6-piston fronts are a major improvement that is on my list for some time in the future.

Definitely you need good brake fluid. I use Motul 600. It's a lot less expensive than Castrol and seems to work fine for me. I had some issues with Ate Superblue. Always change before every DE event.

I agree 100% with Mike's advice about PSM. Leave it on until you find it coming on when you are actually trying to drift the car or some other thing where it intrudes.

My bottom line advice: If you are new to DE, then make sure to check over everything in your car before you go to the track. Mike had a nice checklist in another recent thread. Invest in a good torque wrench, Motul or Castrol brake fluid, and racing pads. That's it. Spend the rest of your money on seat time. These cars are darned fast as they are. You might also want to look into a set of track wheels because you're going to go through tires in DE. If you are a novice driver, I'd recommend street tires on those wheels for now.

Jon

 

What I found in talking with several Indy shops and a couple of instructors is that novice students will want to know "how fast" they're going in the big straights, jump on the brakes hard, throw a ton of heat into the brakes and lots of pad deposits into the drilled holes, and end up with crappy brake pedal feel for more than a few laps. Funny thing is this same thing is happening on C6 Corvettes now that they're running track events with OEM cross drilled rotors... It boils down to learning how to brake properly with this car, and I know I certainly didn't when I bought it.

Jon's assessment of using brakes less is absolutely true, as you're carrying more momentum as you advance. From my personal experience, the comments above are more for "dollars and sense" of using the brakes... Go "EASY" on them and they'll reward you with lasting a lot longer, once you go with good pads and great brake fluid.

Mike

 

Mike - I look forward to meeting you one of these days on track.

It's not just dollars and sense. Your description of how you are braking now is exactly the way we teach people to use their brakes: get on them hard enough to set the pads evenly, then brake hard (threshold) and gradually release as you start to turn-in to the corner. This puts less heat into the pads, and even more important, as you release the brakes and turn, you can traverse the friction circle between full brake and full turn. I tell students to think of an imaginary string between their foot and the steering wheel. As your foot goes down on either the throttle or brake, the steering has to go straight. And vice-versa, as you turn the steering wheel, your foot has to come up at the same time.

One more thing - you can gain 0.2 seconds by braking hard at the last possible moment and hitting the corner perfectly. You can lose 2 seconds by getting the entry speed wrong. I prefer to brake earlier as Mike described, and focus on carrying as much speed as I can into the corner. You can't do that if you are on the ragged edge of not braking enough.

Jon

 

Interesting read fellas.. Thanks for the info..

 

The in-slow, out-fast is more about the technique than any instability in the car. Being rear-engined, if you turn-in abruptly, there's too little weight on the front, and you understeer. By going in a little slower (under braking, or perhaps with some trailing throttle, which help settle the front), you can rotate the car, then get on the gas much earlier and much more assertively than other cars, giving you great exit speed, as the weight of the engine anchors the rear tires to the road.

Not lifting is good advice in any car, but rear-engined 911s are more prone to snap-oversteer than, say, your Mustang. That said, the AWD 911s do a great job of hiding the location of the engine, and are really quite forgiving to a point, but if you're close to the limit, an abrupt lift-off the throttle will wake you up, if it doesn't put you in a coma.

 

This has become more of a track lesson; very good info for DE, but a little off track from the original post. He a newbie... don't think he's into advanced tracking yet.

 

Lazy today and didn't read all the knowledgeable post above but one thing that will keep you out of trouble, at least for a while. Don't mash the gas unless you're going straight! And, I learned to ask the uninitiated to take a deep breath before I mashed it.

 

From my first post above:

My "street" driving goes like this...
Start the car and let the oil warm until it is nearing the 180Degree mark on the coolant gage... I will not rev the motor above 4K until the oil motor is at full "warm". In general, the car builds so much speed that I drive a LOT with my cruise control... Mine is modified and makes boost sooner than a stock turbo, with less spool, so I am constantly paying attention, especially in traffic. However, get used to where your turbos come alive and stay below that in stop and go, and it'll drive like any other car... They're do anything well cars, and extremely rewarding to drive rain or shine, anywhere, any time. Spend some time getting used to the car and just enjoy it...

No, it's not an Elise, but the steering is much better than the C5 Vette I had... It's lively and responsive, and turn in is great... feedback is decent on my car, but again, it's got coil overs (Came on my car when I bought it) and I'm sure a stocker may have less feedback...

Mike