My 997.2 C2 is my first 911. Over the last 7 months since I got it, I have adjusted my driving style (from the BMW approach) to suit the 911.

I have always relished the challenge of driving in the rain. I regrettably pushed the envelope a little too far in my 08' 550i sport in the rain with worn rear tires and actually totaled it in a one car accident on the highway - without an airbag even deploying!

So with that in mind, I would welcome some advice regarding the 911 in the rain. The rear feels so planted, but I imagine if it lets go under power in a curve in the wet it probably snaps as opposed to sliding? Also, does the light feeling of the front end equate to a higher propensity for hydroplaning? This is the lightest car I've ever had. With other cars it was only the fear of hydroplaning that established a ceiling as far as driving in the wet. You can bomb a corner in a front engined car with 50/50 weight distribution with summer tires and a sport suspension and if the front end starts to break away a bit, you just ease off the gas and the grip comes back. I not sure if the 911 works that way?

On heavy throttle in a bend the 911's front end gets light and starts to plow even in the dry, so I'd gather that this effect is only amplified in the wet. Also, I understand that the car, by design, consumes its rear tires much faster than the fronts which would suggest that rear grip in the rain falls off far before the front end grip on a given set of tires.

Any advice, techniques, stories etc... about pushing the 911 in the rain?

Thanks,
DRP

 

rather than guess - monitor your local pca club auto-x schedule and come for a run on a rainy day. how car behaves depends of many factors, 997.2 seems to be better balanced (from what I saw so far) so you will be able to experience it yourself. tires will start 'skipping' with very specific feel in wet - you need to try it yourself.

 

Enroll in a course or courses at PSDS (Porsche Driving School) and join PCA to enroll in DE sessions. The open road/street is no place for learning a high-performance car, rain or shine.

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I drive it like I do in the dry slow into the corner and fast out. The PSM system will fix any problems you might have, if your back end starts to slip out sideways, let off the gas.

As the others have said, practice this in a safe environment, driving these cars in the rain is a lot of fun, as they handle the wet very well....I do recommend keeping the tires in good shape.

 

I'm looking forward to trying my C4S in the wet with fresh tires - the last time I drove it in the rain was on corded PS2's on the freeway - not a good time. In damp (not standing water) conditions, the all wheel drive experience accelerating from a stop through a turn was amazing...

 

My carrera is my daily driver, I have driven it rain and snow. I have a few years of track experience. I have owned many high performance cars. What I can tell you is always check your tires & pressures, DO NOT push it on public roads, it's not worth the ticket, or potential for an accident, ESPECIALLY in the rain.

You should go to a driving school, and you will quickly learn you can be in total control, one wrong move your totally out of control, ESPECIALLY in a 911. This car requires a lot of training if you want to drive it right and know how to handle it if it gets out of line. Please take it easy, go to a driving school. The street isn't the place for it.

 

This happened to me also, didn't realize I was down to the cords on my rears and hit standing water. Must always check your tires every time you check your pressure, every time you get gas.

 

In my case, I knew the tire condition - I had just finished using them up at an AX - on the way home, the heavens opened up with a classic SoCal downpour - I just went in the right lane and went very slow. It was more interesting when I neared home - I live in the mountains @ 6200 ft. - there was a couple of inches of snow by that time. I left the car at my in-law's house in town (5200 ft) and got a ride home in my son's F250 FWD.

 

i did an event on hoosiers a6 in a pouring rain conditions - it was fun.
all that stuff is not as scary as it looks like, it`s all about knowing what you do, and, as usual, without actual seat time any smarttalk is efficiently useless.

 

This is the best advice anyone can give you.

 

Here is some good advice... dont push it in the rain on public roads. Enroll in some PCA or POC events and push it there.

Jason

 

Thanks for the replies.

I'm planning to do my first DE this summer. Thing is, 1) most PCA members I know refuse to do DE in the wet and 2) if I get into doing the track days (which I'm sure I will) I'll want to get a track car which likely won't have i) multilink rear suspension or ii) PSM. I think a wet autocross day is probably the best idea.

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As an aside, I did some research regarding insurance coverage for DE events, and I read a few of the seminal cases where carriers denials were upheld. They are excellent examples of how American society has systematically demonized speed in automobiles. One of the cases cited testimony of the insured's car exceeding speeds of 70 mph and even reaching as much as 95 mph on the track. This was followed by the argument that the insurance policy covering the car never contemplated its operation at such high speeds!! Of course, just because a party proffers an argument doesn't mean they believe it, but I got a kick out of reading that one.

Thanks again for the advice.

Best Regards,
DRP

 

The fact that you found that DEs do not run in the wet is telling... We must slow down these cars significantly in the wet. You can get skidpad training at PSDS though.

Re track insurance: you can buy track insurance if you are serious about tracking. But I agree with you, it's a shame that insurance cos do not cover DEs - I think it is in their best interest to do so and promote it to all.

 

Flame me all you want, I drive the car pretty hard in the wet. I feel it is very important if not critical to know where the limit is in case I get close to it in an emergency situation. NorthVan (+1) said it best: slow in and fast out. Go in too hard and the car will understeer. The moment the car is closer to the edge, the oversteer will kick in and you'll be SOL. On a clear flat road, find out when the ABS kicks in. Then you know the braking limit. Be more cautious in the corners because the front end is light (PASM is a big plus here, the front wallows like a porpoise if Sport isn't on). Once you've set the car at the apex, then get on the gas.

Yes, I've heard of other people swapping ends on the highway with worn out rears. On worn rears, I've always enjoyed fishtailing and learning how quickly the slide comes on and how quickly countersteer will correct the car. With 19's and the really small slip angles, cars break loose and snap back into traction very quickly. Always be very cautious with this. As many people have swapped ends, others have ended up straight into the curb because the slide ended so abruptly they couldn't countersteer in the other direction fast enough. I had an M3 and it has taken a full year to sort out the dramatic difference in car character.

 

+1! I always do a little drift in the garage when it rains You simply counter steer and ease off the throttle. The PSM kicks in anyways...