What do I do now?

Well, my car has 1996 miles - 4 more and it's "officially" (dare I say this) broken in. From what I read here, I understand I'm supposed to drive it a little harder, right? Even my wife ordered me to take it above 35mph! 80 and sunny near Philly today, so I took some twisties at around 70 or so, and even (please don't tell Porsche AG) took it all the way up to 5500 rpm. Will this void my warrantee? Now, I'm now beginning to understand what permagrin means.

You're kidding, right?

Is today April 1st? C'mon....you're jerking our collective chain.

The day had to happen sometime... If I'd known I would have gone over to Phil's place with cake and Starbucks coffee and we could have gone and played together on the backroads! Congratulations! Now get out there and drive it some more! Before we know it we'll have 10K on that puppy!

You're telling me that you don't know of Phil's Wallflower C4S?

Drive it to California and back!

Phil - as the official "Basher of Newbies for not Posting Pics" on the Rennlist 996 Forum (note to John D. that I am sure only he will see - John, you GOTTA back me up on this one 'cuz Phil is one tough case!) I have also been granted the authority to give you a "4-mile credit." Consequently, you're car is officially "broken-in" as of 7:19 PM Eastern Daylight Time on Sunday, April 22, 2007. Now, because it took you 3+ years to get this "far" there certain things you MUST do to ensure your car is in perfect working order to drive it on public roads and to remain compliant with Porsche Warranty standards: 1. Wipe all cobwebs from under the car and around the door openings. 2. You can dispose of the Plexiglas case that you had specially built to protect your car while it sat in the garage during the last 3 years. (You know what I am talking about. It's the full sized version of the cases used to protect scale model cars. Yeah, THAT Plexiglas case!) 3. Change your battery! That one HAS to be totally dead by now! 4. Check your tires, they MUST have rotted out by now due to having spent the last 3 years in solitary confinement! 5. Change the oil! When you pull the drain plug, don�t be surprised if nothing comes out! The oil is still in there, but it is not probably the consistency of lard by now. So start up your and let it run for 4 or 5 days (BTW � just so you know� the ignition switch is located to the left of the steering column). It should have warmed up enough by then to have reverted to a liquid state and will then drain from the engine. 6. Fill your windshield wiper fluid tank. While you have never driven your car in the rain and have never needed to use the wiper fluid, I am certain it is completely empty through evaporation. Once all of these maintenance items have been completed, DRIVE THE DAMN CAR LIKE YOU STOLE IT...... THEN GO DRIVE IT AGAIN! PS - Phil - I hope you got the "special" 150 year /100,000 mile CPO warranty on your car, 'cuz at your current rate of driving, it will take 150 years to reach 100,000 miles.

I've calculated Phil drives 3.7 miles for every post on here...

good one!

Be nice guys, it is guys with cars and those miles that have the worst M96 issues.....drive the car! I put more miles than that in my first 48 hours in my car.... Really! JB

You know those cars don't really need a break-in period and those suggestions/warnings are just there to hope you get to know the car and don't kill yourself the first day, causing more lawsuits for the company...

Yes, of course I'm jerking your collective chain. Thought everyone would get a kick out of my craziness. I can see (especially from my buddy Tim's post) that is indeed the case! Get out the champaign and consider my car OFFICIALLY BROKEN IN!!

Phil - I thought you might get a little chuckle out of my post!

Loved it!!

no, seriously, how many miles do you have on your c4s?

He is serious! He has just over 2,000 miles on his '04 C4S, which is why I keep giving him so much **** about never driving it.

I think he needs to post a photo of the odometer to prove that he's not just winding us up. I think it could be a cruel joke.

I'll get a pic up for you - 1996 miles as of yesterday to be precise. Yeah, it's real. Here's a pic from today! Phil

I would flog the crap out of it to help seat the piston rings out a little more after break in.

Time to reconsider selling now that your car is so well-worn.

I agree.. heck, the car's not worth a whole heck of a lot with so many miles and at such an advanced age. Tell you what, I really shouldn't do this, but, you know, this seems like such a great bunch of folks, I'll be glad to help out - I'll give you 10 K for the car, which, given the fact that's its obviously been thrashed to within an inch of it's life, and is due for some major service (heck, I might have to even change the oil!), is exceedingly generous. - Nick

Nick - we can talk. For an additional $60K I'll throw in my kid's '99 Jetta GLS. Hot damn.

Phil - BTW, did you ever harvest those pumpkins and install clear side markers? If so, you need to swap out your avatar and use the one I photo shopped with clears on it. Here they are again.

Yep, did that a few months ago. Changed the avatar tonight! No more pumpkins!!

Phil - that looks much better! Nice avatar! Now all I have to do is firure out a way to get your wife to "lose" the keys of your current DD. Then you'll HAVE to drive the C4S daily.

Tim, that's just not happenin'

so I take it that you never bounced off the rev limiter...

Not yet. It's on my to do list.

BTW, see my post above with a pic of the odometer.

So do you fire it up weekly to keep the gas from separating and the oil from building up? 2k miles.. in 3 years..

I'm the second owner - bought the car February '06 CPO'd with 1100 miles on the odo. So to be accurate, I've put exactly 896 miles on it in 14 months - or 64 miles/month, which equates to around 2 miles per day. See, I DO drive it! It did sit most of the winter though, with Stabil in the tank and having sex with the battery maintainer.

i think you just turned back the odometer............good job...!

nah looks photoshopped.

Your avatar gets more use then your C4S!

I talked to Curt P in the hospital this AM - told me the Spring Fling was great but that you drive like a bat out of Hell. He could hardly keep up in his 997S. He warned me about you.

Phil, in your car it would feel as if you're loafing. Please come....I don't see your name on the list.

So Phil, at the next Spring Fling, I guess you'll have to bounce off the rev limiter just to keep up! Man, I MIGHT be tempted to drive 9 hours and 17 minutes to get to the Spring Fling just to see you hit the rev limiter!

Curt said I drive like a bat out of hell?!? He never said that to me. He was gushing like a kid when he got out of his car. I've never seen a guy so pumped up on adrenaline as he was when we ended the run. We had fun. I really hope that you can make the Memorial Day weekend run, I think you'd enjoy it.... although, your poor car wouldn't know what had hit it... you know, being driven like it was designed to be used. I've a feeling that the run in May will actually be more fun than the last, as it will have more curvy hill climbs. I just got hold of a DVD of parts of the last run... boy did we look fine! They was one of the nicest looking processions of cars you'll ever see. There was a car waiting at one of the covered bridges as we went through and I would loved to have seen his expression as Porsche after Porsche came through the bridge. Anyway, Phil. Time for you to join us on the run... and hassle Curt to be there also, so that we can give the two of you some lessons on back roads driving.

The Spring Fling is Saturday the 26th right? Guess what, I can't make that either - no I'm not on call. One of my twin sons is graduating from University of Delaware that day. So, I think my wife may be a little pissed if I don't show up for that. But I am going to be at the Reisentoter 50th at Radnor Hunt on June 8th. You guys are probably beginning to think I don't even own a Porsche.

Funny how you talk about doing 896 miles in 14 months and I was happy to be under 5K so that I could get an emissions exemption when my inspection was done last weekend If you can prove that you car hasn't moved do that exempt you from a PA inspection?

Phil, are you available on May 6th (Sunday) for a car event?

I knew that you'd have SOME reason. Well, I hope that you have a good time at the graduation. I'll see you at Radnor Hunt. Are you going to Hershey for the swap meet this saturday?

What's happening on the 6th? (Not that I can attend as I'll be on a plane to Frankfurt)

Wellardmac/Phil, There's a small contingent of 968s doing a fun run on Sunday in the area. Although it's mainly for 968s, they accept a stray 911 now and then. If you're interested, let me know - I'm participating.

Phil- Please drive your car more.

I'm sorry that I'll miss it. As I said, May is a nightmare month. the 6th is the start of a week in Germany for me... I'm still trying to figure out how I might manage to work some free time into my schedule to see something other than the usual airport, hotel, meeting room routine.

Here are some upcoming area events: 5/6 - Car Show at Red Bank Winery (Schattenbaum Region PCA) 5/6 - Deutsche Marque Concours near Vienna, Virginia (Potomac Region PCA/National Capital Chapter BMWCCA) 5/6 - Artistry in Motion Car Show at Lancaster Museum of Art 5/6 - Driving Tour in Rockville, Maryland (993 Rennlist group, open to all Porsches) 6/3 - Spring Rally in Newtown Square (Brandywine Porsche) 6/9 - Lobster Run to Cape May and Whale Watching Trip (Schattenbaum Region PCA) ...and many more

I might be able to make these two if you send me more info.

SCHATTENBAUM REGION PCA ANNOUNCES: LOBSTER RUN V Please join the Lobster Crew for the Fifth Annual Lobster Run. On Saturday, June 9 we gather in Bordentown and Voorhees and drive south to Cape May. We will arrive just in time for a great meal at noon. Group 1 will leave from Mastoris Restaurant in Bordentown (junction of Rt. 130 southbound and Rt. 206) at 9:30 AM. The Group 1 leaders will be Larry and Mary Schmidt. Group 2 will leave at 10:00 AM from Coopers Plaza in Voorhees (located on Rt. 73 southbound). Fred and Joan Krieger will guide you through the Pinelands in route to Cape May. (Contact Fred & Joan at [phone removed] or [email removed] ). In order to celebrate our 5th year of the Lobster Run we have arranged for a two hour cruise on the Cape May Whale Watcher following lunch. If you plan to participate in the Lobster Run, please complete the attached registration form and return it with payment to Larry and Mary Schmidt. The deadline for registering is Tuesday, June 5. Checks should be made payable to Schattenbaum Region, PCA. Registration for the Lobster Run Driving Tour Yes, we want to come along: Driver: _________________________ Leaving From: Navigator: ______________________ Others: ________________________ Bordentown ___ ________________________ Voorhees ___ Driver�s Address: _________________________________________________ Driver�s Cell Phone: _____________ Driver�s E-mail: ____________________ Meal Selection: (full dinners including tax, gratuity and whale watch cruise) Whole Lobster (1 � lbs.) ____ number @ $44 $_________ Baked Stuffed Flounder ____ number @ $35 $_________ Chicken Francaise ____ number @ $33 $_________ TOTAL: $_________ Please make checks payable to Schattenbaum PCA and mail to Mary Schmidt, 14 Holder Dr. W. Trenton, NJ 08628 � any questions, call [phone removed]

Cool! Thanks! I'll see if there's a conflict in the boss' calendar.

Brandywine Porsche Announces Its Annual Spring Rally http://brandywine.porschedealer.com/...hp?newsid=2919

I will plan on being at the Brandywine Rally in June. Is anyone here going to show their car in the Radnor Hunt concours? I'm not going to show it, but will be there with the car. Been there done that with my '65 E-type coupe. You think my C4S is a garage queen - I think I put 10 miles on the Jag during the 3 years I owned it in the '90s. I placed 2nd in the National JCNA event in '96 with a 99.96 out of 100. My brother owns it now, and it's for sale. He can't drive it either. Maybe this familial failure to drive is a genetic defect. Fortunately, not inherited by my kids. Anyway, the Jaguar is gorgeous - and is listed here - just scroll down for pics. Sorry to get off topic, sort of. http://www.degarmoltd.com/currentinventory.asp Phil

Nah, mine will be in the lot, but I'm a bit of a detail freak, so the amount of work for me to get the car ready would be too much for my wife to take. I'll check out Brandywine... Not sure if I can get a navigator... I have a limted pool of navigators and I'll be stretching it thinly over the summer with all these drives. I'll see if I can get someone.

Actually, I just had the car inspected and in PA, if you drive less than 3K miles/year, you are exempted from emissions testing. Since I had <2K miles on the car, it was easy to prove! Inspection ran me all of $38.

<5K for emissions. I was exempt as I did 4500 miles last year.... I cut it close. Where did you go for inspection? I did mine at STS in Chalfont. I thought I got a good deal @ $49!

Phil - yes, the XKE is a beauty! That takes me back a few years. I owned a '71 XKE V12 Coupe in British Racing Green. That was the first car I really LOVED! Where have all the years gone?

You're correct - it is <5K miles. I had my inspection done by Holberts in Warrington. I've been happy with their work in general.

I don't even want to think about where the years have gone! The E-type has always been one of my favorites. Very fast, very beautiful and (unfortunately) very British. You know the old joke about why the Brits like warm beer? Because they keep it in Lucas refrigerators.

Well, it's finally happened. The magic 2000 mile mark has been hit. In honor of that milestone, I took the car up to 6500 rpm - several times actually - and jeez, I really didn't have a good idea of what this car can really do, and probably still don't. But it sure did provide me with an ear to ear smile. This car's really quick and incredibly smooth. The SSK only adds to the fun. I can only imagine what a GT3 or TT can do.

You should have dropped me a note - we could have gone out to play - I culd show you some roads where you'd really get a big grin.

We'll find a day to do it. Car's incredible. Phil

Keep on not driving it and babying it and avoiding the rev limiter, and this car will soon be burning oil and having issues - like every other garage queen, trophy car. I bet your pistons have carbon deposits on them, and your rings aren't seated properly. It's fun to look at though, I guess.

Now you'll never part with it and will be driving it all the time - just like the rest of us. The weather for tomorrow is fine. Tuesday and Wednesday Rain. Thursday and friday fine. There, you now know which days you can drive this week.

Jeez, Phil, why dosen't that surprise me?

I think that we need to write to Porsche and nominate the Garage Queen for the award of longest break-in period for a 996.

He didn't break it in, and looks like he never will. Poor engine..

In three years, Phil is going to have the record for the LOWEST number of miles on a car when the CPO expires.