Photography by Tim Suddard
Our Porsche 997 checked out just fine as it only needed some air in the tires, a bit of brake fluid, and a little lubrication on the rear spoiler mechanism.
Our only real worry, however, was the 15-year-old front tires. And we planned to drive the car home, about 400 miles away.
Since there was no evidence of dry rot, we planned to take the back roads, and we wanted to get the correct tires from the Tire Rack, we decided to take the risk. Kids, don’t try this at home.
[Are your tires too old to be safe?]
Since we were fetching our new Porsche 911 Carrera from Charleston, South Carolina, we figured that we’d take the slow route and enjoy the scenery. This would be more fun than shipping the car, right?
We first headed south on U.S. 17 and stopped for lunch in the charming town of Beaufort. From there we took U.S. 21–the back way–into Savannah for the night.
Other than the roaring of the old tires, our first hundred miles went easily. We were starting to really like this car.
But the tire noise: Old tires or something more severe?
Our goal for this project: Have a comfortable GT that can easily devour 400 or 500 miles a day and still handle a track day. Basically, something that can do it all. Theoretically, a 997 Porsche is the perfect car for this mission, but we would need to figure out how to quiet it down.
Savannah, our second stop, was fun: lots of historical squares to visit plus all of the excellent drinking and dining choices.
We woke to near-freezing temperatures, though, and decided to cut short our time in Savannah and head an hour south to Jekyll Island. There we could relax at the 100-plus-year-old Jekyll Island Club.
With multiple weddings going on, unusually cold weather, and much thicker crowds than usual on the island, relaxation was not easy to find. We got up early and drove the last 150 miles home.
Time to get our 997 into the shop.
Hey Tim, these are great cars to cruise in. My wife has an '06 C4S Cab and it's real nice on the road. Plenty of storage with the frunk and back seat. Only downside with her's is its a little noisy due to it being a soft top (if the top is up). I'd love to take it to the track but I don't want to chew up the tires!! Before you give me any grief, my track car is a Viper Comp Coupe. Best wishes!! Enjoy your new 911, Mike
i see that you are in the central Florida region. any suggestions for a good garage? i live in Gainesville Florida and have a 2006 cayman S for the track. i'm looking for someone to help me with upgrades.
Gerard
In reply to redtanrt10 :
Thanks and yes with the hard top it is a bit quieter than the Boxster S we built last year.
In reply to GerardvdL :
AJR is in Tavares. BGB is here in Ormond Beach. Don't know anyone in Gainesville that specializes in P cars.
My 987s Michelins had radial cracks at the bottoms of the vertical tread blocks, almost looked like they belonged when I first got my car. I drove home from California to New Hampshire with them and then some. Drove fine but I should have replaced them.
I have said it many times...Porsches are fantastic GT cars. 5 trips across the US in my Cayman so far.
In reply to Tim Suddard :
Where in Central Florida would you recommend for a good Porsche garage?
In reply to c0c0_savage :
See my response to the same question above.
Tim,
I test drove one of these last week and the shifter was far notchier than I expected- and much more than the 996 I drove a few weeks ago. Did you find that to be the case? Also, the engine noise was too quiet for my taste- I wonder if that's because the first car I drove was a cab with sport exhaust.
In reply to Tim Suddard :
I guess I'll be more specific....Orlando area? Any recc?
In reply to c0c0_savage :
I haven't used them but know them: Zotz.
I use Lou at Aero Dynamics in Daytona Beach for my air-cooled 911: (386) 304-0380.
Displaying 1-10 of 10 commentsView all comments on the GRM forums
You'll need to log in to post.
