Quote:
kush said:
8 continuous hours of tracking?! I don't know what manufacturer would consider that normal usage. I understand you're pissed that Porsche has bailed on your claim, but I'm not sure I blame them. Care to elaborate on your experience?
Good luck.



The track events I go to are DE's at Willow Springs, Button Willow, and Laguna Seca here in California. I have had three Porsches and all have tolerated 8 hours of continuous use (2 drivers) with a 30-minute break for lunch. The three cars have been MY99 996, 2002 911TT and 2003 911TT X50 - 7 years worth of DE's. The transmission on the X50 failed and required a replacement. Porsche didn't stand behind the product, claiming I had 'abused' the car. And told me to 'learn how to drive'. That long sorry saga is here:
http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/showthread.php?t=249285

I have no idea what you people are talking about regarding car reliability and track events. At the DE events that I am at, BMW330's, M3, M5's, 996TT's, Boxsters, 996's, Vipers, and Lotus Elise's all run continuously without trouble. I have yet to see a Ferrari or a Maserati make it to the end of the day. I've seen an M5 burn up a clutch. The Z06 guys regularly run their cars off the road. But most of'em can still be driven home.

Quote:
I'm not sure I blame them



I don't understand Porsche's position at all. Seems to me they want the best of both worlds: Let marketing define the cars as 'race bred' and let the accountants refuse to pay for the consequences of tracking. Please help me clarify this position. My questions:

The sticker on my X50 in 2003 was $159k. Exactly what did I pay for?
What is acceptable? DE's? Autocross? Autobahn? Twisties? Drag-Racing?
What level of reliability can I reasonability expect from a car of this caliber?
What constitutes abuse? How is it defined?

Porsche is saying that I am not allowed to track the car without voiding the warranty. Autocross also constitutes abuse. What exactly am I paying for? I own a 450HP top-end model Porsche that cannot be used in the US legally anywhere near its design limits unless I take this car to a track? This constitutes 'abuse'? Huh? So I supposed to adhere to the 25MPH speed limit to/from work and shine the car up on Sunday for my concourse friends? Pissed? Yeah, I guess that is how feel.