Wide body driving tips?

peterjohnston · 28 Oct 2014

Hello,
Just bought a wide body 996 and already kerbed the rear wheels twice, without sounding like an idiot, any tips on avoiding this?
Also, what's the general advice on learning how to kick out the back end on corners to fully enjoy the experience without killing anyone?
P.S. it's a manual )

mr_stevo · 28 Oct 2014

Kerbing wheels - it's just one of those things. If you drive a car with low profile tyres regularly it's just going to happen unfortunately. Just take more care when parking or apexing roundabouts etc.

Back end out - I'm afraid that's for the track or private open spaces really. Switching PSM off may make it easier but on a damp public road you may regret it!

chimp911 · 28 Oct 2014

:welcome:

Porsche experience centre at silverstone or one of the CAT DT sessions (site sponsor) is probably the easiest/safest (and possibly cheapest?) way to learn how to get your back end out... :thumb:

peterjohnston · 29 Oct 2014

chimp911 said:
:welcome:

Porsche experience centre at silverstone or one of the CAT DT sessions (site sponsor) is probably the easiest/safest (and possibly cheapest?) way to learn how to get your back end out... :thumb:

Thanks, I may try that, I'm getting used to the extra inches now actually, sounds like my wife ))
Cheers!

chaser · 29 Oct 2014

I have to admit to having the same problem. Although I have managed to avoid curbing the wheels.
On our Sunday morning trip into town, for a Costa and toastie, parking in the street, my wife goes for the ticket and on more than one occasion I have had to get back in the car and move it closer than a foot from the pavement

quattrosteph · 29 Oct 2014

1: Don't hit the curb , you are not driving an articulated lorry.
2: For sideways fun go on track FIRST , when you will get the grip of it you will be able to do it elsewhere ......

freddynonos · 30 Oct 2014

Put some Michelin tyres on. THey have a small "rim" that gives some protection against minor impacts.

If you have kerbed them whilst parking, tilt the mirrors down. If you have memory seats, they come back in the right place next time you unlock the car.
If it is going forward (like in width restriction), depending on width, I also put my mirrors down to have a better look, but it is more a matter of clenching your backside.
(note: I have still managed to kerb my wheels a couple of times with all this)

911TEL · 30 Oct 2014

peterjohnston said:
Hello,
Just bought a wide body 996 and already kerbed the rear wheels twice, without sounding like an idiot, any tips on avoiding this?
Also, what's the general advice on learning how to kick out the back end on corners to fully enjoy the experience without killing anyone?
P.S. it's a manual )

1. Just be careful until the senses recalibrate to take account of the wider track than you were used to before, it will come soon ....
2. Don't fall into this trap of Top Gear/ Monkey Harris style behaviour on the public roads as it's more than likely you may lose control of the car rather than perform the tail out slide in the way that the aforementioned ' Monkey' can do it......

PS... Seems a bit odd to advise that you have not got used to the worth of your car yet , kerbed wheels , then next thing want to know how to get the back end out .... Seems to me that more learning of basoic crafts are in order for the road than trying to try the more dangerous acts on the public roads....
Sliding the back end out has no place on public roads , if you must , go to track days to keep it there ....

My thoughts anyway...
T

Maxie · 30 Oct 2014

mr_stevo said:
Back end out - I'm afraid that's for the track or private open spaces really. Switching PSM off may make it easier but on a damp public road you may regret it!

Sentiments agreeable. PSM off will somewhat assist in a tail-happy solution but beware of associated risks as others have pointed out.

freddynonos said:
Put some Michelin tyres on. THey have a small "rim" that gives some protection against minor impacts.

Also Bridgestones.

~ Maxie

iceboy · 13 Nov 2014

I'm still getting used to mine!

I kerbed the rears at the bridge in Marlow, going through the width restricted curb thingy.

I do find going around round abouts you have to be careful, who much wider is the rear body and track on the 996?

IceBoy
:sad:

t1x · 13 Nov 2014

I just had a driving tuition day on Sunday with Mike Cooper from Driver Tuition. Spent the whole day with him in my car driving through some really nice country roads.

Learnt how to drive the car through bends etc and also picked up some great tips in terms of normal road usage.

Plan to book a track day with them soon.

Would recommend it !!!

peterjohnston · 15 Nov 2014

Thanks for the tips guys...

Loving the car, nothing like owning and driving a Porsche

Shurv · 16 Nov 2014

Just remember that it is wider at the back than the front. I always keep an eye on the near side mirror to try to get as close to the kerb as I can without scraping it. I'd rather be a foot away and have to adjust it, than scraping it.
On getting it a bit sideways, my thoughts are that if you want to do some sideways driving, you've bought the wrong car. 911's are all about grip, the best method to get round a corner quickly is slow in, fast out, using the weight of the engine to find grip. A good sideways car is a Toyota GT86,the bloody things are sideways everywhere, even when you don't want to ( I know, I've got one).
If you are going sideways on the roads in a widebody 911, you are just about to shake hands with the hedge.

Maxie · 16 Nov 2014

iceboy said:
how much wider is the rear body and track on the 996?

996 WB is 60mm wider than a 996 NB at the rear of the body. Not sure how much wider is the track.

~ Maxie

New997buyer · 16 Nov 2014

1 - Kerbed wheels are stock in trade. Like others with WB cars I'm now a comfortable member of the 'shrug as I walk away from my far out from the kerb parking'. Despite this I still spend more a year on wheel refurbing and geo checking than is healthy for an adult male.............. :nooo:
2 - I totally get the reactions from others towards your second point on here. But please don't think anyone is practicing a 'parent / child' stance and trying to patronise you. I can't speak for others but my experience of the forum is that most come at things from a very positive 'duty of care perspective'. in this case towards you and also others, not because they don't appreciate your enthusiasm and passion. Tread with caution I think is the message. :grin: The wide bodies are damn quick so when rear end traction is lost it is not always as much fun (or as catchable) as it may have been in other cars you have driven which don't have a slug of alloy, steel and aluminium slung out the back! Winter's coming fast though and I presume you have roundabouts near where you live? Rear end outswing might happen sooner than you think

FYI - Ragpicker is organising a 911UK VMax event for next March, so why not come along to that...............? Then you can throw it around between runs and see what it'll do..........? :thumb:

Wide body driving tips?

peterjohnston

New member

mr_stevo

Trainee

chimp911

Zandvoort

peterjohnston

New member

chaser

Suzuka

quattrosteph

Barcelona

freddynonos

Silverstone

911TEL

Albert Park

Maxie

Yas Marina

iceboy

Nurburgring

t1x

Silverstone

peterjohnston

New member

Shurv

Mexico City

Maxie

Yas Marina

New997buyer

Fuji

Similar threads

Latest posts

New Threads

Porsche Model Range

Porsche 911

Porsche Hypercars

Other Current Porsche Model

Porsche Legacy Models

Forum statistics