How fast do you guys actually drive?

I'm mystified by some of the stories I read on these forums. I have a passport 8500, but it still doesn't make me feel protected enough to drive at some of the speeds you guys claim (I'm talking about on streets & highway). Yeah, I let it rip here & there, but as a steady diet, these claims of 130-170 are pretty amazing....it's is called prison where I live......This question isn't posed to lecture or disagree....it's more about how do you work up the nerve with cops all over the place?

in canada,highways rn't as heavily patroled and the highways are divided so cops can't cut across many lanes. also inbetween provinces and cities (or between townships) its just like forest and farmland. no one can hide anywhere.

Hey RLandis, I never thought about it, i just do it....Most times when i hit those kind of speeds, they are on my local highways.I can only say this for me , but when i am hitting those speeds say like 260 KHM, (160MPH) its for a brief moment and i start to backdown.If we get caught doing these kind of speeds here...strait to jail!! I would love to hit those speeds everytime i am out..but i guess its the right time and right place type of deal.

I have had my 2001 C4 up to 136mph and I was very uneasy at that speed. I think most of your fellow drivers are plain bad and there is great potential at a high speed of a person pulling out in front of you and causing an accident that could lead to serious injury. I agree with you in terms of the police; in North Carolina I believe it is jail without the car. . . .

You should have bought a VW...its a nice safe shiny car..

the other day on the way to knoxville after being frustrated by a 18 wheeler/minivan combo for 12 miles, i gunned it.... as i realised trees started going by a bit too fast i looked down to see 135, I quickly slowed down. just to clarify, dry clear day with literally no other cars on the road

Driving a p-car actually makes me more cognizant of the speed limits due to the fact that the car stands out so much. I've had mine to 121 mph, usually speed is done in short bursts on lonely roads where the probability of getting caught is low. There are way too many speed traps to consistently drive fast. I get more of a thrill on on-ramps and the occasional twisty.Personally, I think getting good exit speed off my favorite on-ramp is more satisfying than mashing the pedal on the interstate.

i was driving up from SC this past weekend. It was about 8 am in the morning between Charleston, SC and Charlotte and it was me, the birds, the trees and the highway. Did 120 mph +/- for a good hour. It made the rest of the trip suck, as it seemed like I was going so slow. I should also mention the speed limit was 70. Funny things is that what few cars were road, all moved to the right as I passed.

duhhh....whats the problem ?? Can't you move to Utah? Here there are still a good number of unrestricted autobahns but the problem is you have to share them. There is no problem running at a steady 200kph, but when you want to go faster you have to be careful. Having said that it is possible to run at maximum speed for an enjoyable amount of time. However, if there is an accident of any sort you can expect the usual view of Porsche driver going too fast.

Come on down to Fl if you want to have some fun. Most of the rural roads that run east to west (visa versa) are unpatrolled for large distances making 130 plus very realistic. The 2 lane roads thru the country farms are very wide in each lane making passing in a Porsche easy, even with a car coming toward you. The penalty here for say 130 in a 55 mph zone is $400 without jail or impounding. FL is the place to live if you have a Porsche, esp a Cab, all yr around topless driving. Cabman

The track. VIR, Watkins Glen, Summit Point, etc... I don't think I have the sack to hit those speeds on the street. Most (not all, but most) street only drivers here in the Wash DC metro area are pretty poor drivers and I (a pretty poor track guy) can't take those chances. That said, I'm no choir boy. But the on ramps and off ramps are far more interesting than holding the throttle down indefinitely and watching everything turn into a blur. Just my .02 -KJ

On days I commute in with my car (like today it's 60 and sunny!) I will hit parts of the NYS thruway where the car pushes 3 digits, but it's not for very long. The fastest I've had my car was 147 on a stretch of I-81 which was perfectly straight for about 4 miles and fantastic visibility with no other cars around... did it just to see what that speed felt like then slowed down. The 911 is so deceptive between 75-100 MPH, I'm always amazed when I pass someone then look down and I'm doing 105.

I wouldn't mind the FL rules.... $400.00 is nothing.... Cabman, what's the penalty for running? I wouldn't mind trying that if the penalty wasn't that much.... $1200? $1500? $2000? D) -Eli

I'm almost ashamed to admidt that I've only barely cracked the century mark. There are just too many troopers and too much traffic down here. And most of 'em are hard asses too. Back in November I was driving my Saab to San Antonio, the interstate was practically empty and I was doing 75 in 70. Got busted. No sympathy from the trooper. Cost me $200 bucks.

indeed - i was caught on 290 on my way to Austin one time....not cool however, the drive up from houston to dallas is quite smooth - whenever i wasnt in traffic it was 110-120 all the way.

Wow, you did those speeds in the direction of Dallas on the I-45. That is the most famos consistent spot for patroling friends. It seems you were lucky. Indeed, in H-town we are overwhelmed with radars. So, you need to go out of town on the quiet roads and the nice long ramps.

For me, 90-100 is not uncommon. I usually have my 13 yr. old son with me....so jail is NOT an option. The problem for me is that even at cruising speeds of say 80-85, the 996 feels like 55!!

I generally try to keep it to within 10-15 mph of the posted speed, occasionally I will blip it up. I have my OBC set at 75mph to let me know when I'm getting up there. I generally leave my high sped driving (>100mph) for the track. A ticket/arrest just ain't worth it for me.

good lord, you guys make me feel slow. Generally i try to keep my speeds in the mid 80-90 range. The most ive had it up to is 129 and that was in a long lonely stretch of road. I just find it hard to keep the car near the speed limits, it just wants to flyyyyyyyyy....

Anything over 90mph in VA = mandatory jail time (according to the judge I had). There's one Fairfax county judge who gave/gives 1 day for every mile over 90... Jail time potential plus good lawyer costs... Kinda puts a damper on the willingness to go way over 90mph. Not to say that on a nice clear road 3 digits doesn't occur. Now if I can only get my car out of the shop...

I pegged my ex-944 400 HP TS at 180 in 1996, but that was before the War on Speed. Now, the fun is getting from 0-legal speeds as quick as possible. Hence, Renntech + C32 and combing the aftermarket for a post warranty 996 Forced induction kit.

I drive with the flow of traffic...sometimes 65 and sometimes 80mph. I DO try and hit 100mph at least once everydrive (Just a quick 100mph then back down to the flow).

once you get closer to dallas its trouble, but anything before Ennis is fair game. roads are open enough that you can usually see anything ahead. plus my V1 is quite helpful. i've stopped that though...mostly since i moved to georgia

The track is the only reasonable place to be in the >100mph world. I would expect that 90+% of us have been above 100mph on the freeway. It is not a smart thing to do but... It is stupid to do it reguarly and proves nothing. The track is where its at...155 in the straight brake late for a corner at 50...back on the throttle. It acutally takes a certain level of skill that develops over time. Going down the freeway impressing Honda Civics takes zero skill

Agree 100%. The dangers of street racing far outweigh any ego stroking. However, on a personal note, when I hit 180 a decade ago, it was Porsche and Powerhaus that impressed me. Glad to say it was a solo mission on an empty freeway in the wee hours of the morn. People who really want to test their skills can take a driving vacation in Germany. A's a pretty crowded these days, but The Ring is open for those with the nerve for it. Watch out for the insane motorscyclists.

Weather and road condition plays a huge factor in how fast I drive. In rain, fog, snow, you have to drive no faster than speed limit and sometimes even 1/2 the speed. If the road is straight and visibility is clear, I see no reason of danger going 120mph. To drive fast constantly, you have to know the road, observe condition and accept the risk of getting caught. People live in different parts of the road, and some can safely drive fast and some can't due to where they drive. Don't drive beyond your comfort zone. If you get sweaty palms, death grips on steering wheel, vision fixation, you are getting close or over your comfort and need to slow down.

When my wife & I went on our honeymoon, in '01, we got the local BMW dealer to arrange for european delivery on an M5 (which isn't on the BMW's european delivery list). I was there long enough to have the initial svc done (in zurich), and then we wound up back in Germany....I let the car rip for all she was worth on the Autobahn.....it hit 155.....All the M5's bound for US have a govenor set at 155, at least this is what we were told in Germany. I'm glad to get the info on Virginia....we're leaving tomorrow for Richmond, Roanoke, and back to Nashville, so I'll stay under 90!!

My wife and I just made the 1000 miles roundtrip from Chicago to Toronto for a wedding in the C2. I've never driven the p-car in canada before but it was very easy to hold 100 - 110 for minutes at a time because the highways are sparsely populated between towns and the visibility is great. Hit 125 mph for a brief moment as the highest speed posted. Funny thing, the car felt more planted over 90 mph than from 70 - 90 mph. Also, my wife finally drove the 911 after 2.5 years of us owning one on this drive and she was like "d*am, this is fun...there should be a separate lane for Porsches". All her words! She hit 110 mph twice for brief moments as well, which for her is a personal record. I should iterate that the weather was great, the visibilty clear, and no traffic around when we indulged a little. Whenever, we saw traffic, we let up and started flowing with the left lane speed. As an aside, driving a "mere" c2 in the Greater Toronto Area attracted the kind of attention from passer-bys and other cars that I imagine a GT2 might get in the States. A c2 is so common in Chicago, it isn't even funny (my garage alone has 4 of them) but in Canada, I saw only one other p-car the whole weekend I was there (we both waived which is something that rarely happens in Chicago). The only thing more exotic than a c2 was a lone z8. It was great!

124 in the middle of Kansas is the fastest so far but i've only had my car a week! to bad theres a speed limit in montana again...

huh, just realized my little picture there to the left is right around where I did the 124. hehe

142 for me and it made me want to do it in a controlled environment like a track. Too many risks (other than just driving skills) associated on the road where I live.

Most with the 997S is 120. I often drive home very late and there is a very safe stretch of freeway (no onramps, long visibility), so sometimes I'll kick it up to 100 for a moment (and 120 once) when I'm the only car in sight. But in general I'm a very sane driver, goin with the flow if there is any traffic. My nightly thrill is the 270 degree sweeper transition from one freeway to another, don't really need to worry about the speed limit but I often enter it next to someone and by the time we exit I'm a quarter mile ahead. I don't believe in street racing or crazy stuff. About 20 months ago I lost an acquaintance who managed to flip his 996 cab and go off a 600 foot cliff south of Big Sur (Cali) - he and his buddy both died driving home from the Monterey Historics (or something like that), and he left behind a wife and 4 young kids. From talking to his closer friends at his funeral, I'm pretty sure he was "racing" coming down Highway 1. Keeping this in mind puts things in perspective - and tracks are there for a reason.

Jcnesq: When you are young, you feel that you are invincible and your driving skills and reflexes are great enough to overcome any unexpected contingencies that you may encounter on the road. Since I'm not young and since I've totaled one Porsche and severely damaged another, I tend to be a lot more cautious. I totaled my 993 when I drove over some black ice and slid into an embankment which caused my 993 to flip. As I said the car was totaled but except for one small cut that I received while crawling out of my inverted car, I was uninjured. I definately owe one to the Porsche Engineers that designed the 993. After reading all of the posts on this thread, I don't recall any poster who boasted about racing on public roads. I believe it's racing more than driving fast that causes most of the fatalities. A short burst of speed on a highway although illegal, is certainly not nearly as dangerous as racing on public roads. As others have pointed out, you have to keep your eye on the speedometer when on the highway because you can easily be doing 100MPH + in your Porsche when you think you are only doing around 70.

I agree with Irv9 The other drivers on the road suck, not to mention the deer, dogs, children and all of the other hazzards on the public roads. Do I speed occasionally? Yes, but never more than 20 mph above the speed limit, and much less in town. Save the speeding for the track, like I do. Just because someone chooses to be a responsible human being doesn't mean that they should not drive a Porsche.

Agreed 100% Are you going to VIR this weekend? I am heading out around 5:00 pm

I wouldn't even get close to 90 in VA. They like to collect their taxes from non-residents!

Who said anything about you being bad? You were the one who slung an insult at someone who said that they like to drive sensibly on public roads. In response, I said that I agreed with him, without even hinting at insulting you. With respect to "driving our cars for what it was made for," you can, and many people do, save it for the track. Maybe someday we will have an opportunity to drive on the same track and then you can talk all the smack talk you want. Also, I used to live in Germany and drove on the Autobahn frequently. I hate to break this to you, but it is not the fantasy road everyone likes to make it out to be. First, there are many areas that do have speed limits. Second, there is a lot of traffic and a lot of really bad drivers, so it can be dangerous and stressful. Third, I have seen more horrendous wrecks with multiple deaths in Europe than I have seen in the states (although I saw more on the A1 than on the Autobahn itself). So, I think you should calm down and have another drink of coffee before you jump down my throat and try to make it sound like I was preaching at you about driving fast. I did nothing of the sort. Nonetheless, just because someone wants to drive a Porsche sensibly is no reason to tell him or her to "go buy a VW instead" Enjoy your coffee and good morning to you too. P.S. It takes no skill or ***** to impress Hondas (or Renaults in Europe) on the public byways. I have three kids so I don't feel the need to prove the fact that I have ***** to anyone.

TD, I'm heading out with a couple buddies at 1PM today, so I'll see you there. We can start a silver 996 ghetto if the turbo and high horespower boys don't let us into their barrio. -KJ

That sounds great to me! Save me a spot in the ghetto and we can hide each others RMS leaks if necessary

Ah........spoken like a true future organ donor...I too enjoy taking my RC51 to the edge ...but on the track only. There the chance to maim and destroy the innocent are at a minimum. And correct me if I'm wrong but the testes are nontransferrable, post mortem

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I save it for the track, it's just safer. 140MPH down the straight into turn 1 at TWS is a lot of fun.

my very first time there i rode with my instructor and we went...pretty much flat into turn 1 - coming off the enbankment my head bounced and hit the ceiling! and i'm 5'6"!!...i promptly tightened the harnesss to the point where i was had red lines on my stomach after the run

Since someone else brought it up; I have a special appreciation of Porsche engineers having totalled one and walked away. The same vehicle that hit 180 also spun into a tree rear 1st at 70. My unrestrained passenger ended up in the back seat and the impact of the back of my head caused extreme visual distortion in my left eye for about 6 hours. Looking at life like "the fly" after the wreck with my physician friend doing Q 15" neuro checks was a very sobering time for self reflection on how being young, dumb, and full of c*m is not necessarily a good thing. The smart thing would've been to go to the ER and get a CT. However, my friend knew who the Neuro-intensivist was that night at the Trauma center and deemed we had suffered enough. On a side note, the tree still bears its scar, The car drove away from the scene totalled with one flat for 5 miles home, the NSX that cut me off to provoke a race and caused the spin got karmic consequences, and everyone involved lived to be wise enough to worship the limits of mortality and the value of common sense.

A bit of topic but what is the procedure for doing a DE? I assume you must be a member of PCA? What type of requirements for the car (roll bar, 5-point harness, fire extinguisher, n spec tires, etc)? And what type of gear for the driver (helmet, gloves, suit, etc)? I'm very interested in doing something like this 'cause I know my car wants to fly!

Local rules vary. As a general rule, you will not need a roll-bar, harness, fire extinguisher or anything special for DE. You will need a helmet, and gloves and driving shoes are highly recommended. You can wear whatever you want so long as it is made from natural fibers and the shirt sleeves are long. Your car must pass a tech inspection. There are additional requirements for convertibles, but you have a coupe, so no worries. Some regions require P-Cars, others allow any type so long as it passes tech inspection. If you are doing a PCA DE, then you must be a PCA member. I highly encourage you to try it, because it is a blast and a real bargain (approx $200 for two days of instruction cannot be beaten).

Thanks for information. Do they do the tech inspection at the track or do you have the car "certified" prior to the DE?

Again, rules vary per region but, typically you must do both. You must have your car inspected on a lift within two weeks before the event, and then they do a mini-inspection at the track each morning. This is another good reason why ultra-high speeds should be reserved for the track. Tech inspections have revealed nails in my tires. I would hate to have a tire blow at speeds above 80 (hell, I would hate to have it happen at 80, but I think you would stand a better chance under 80).

It is true that driving at the limits on the track is more fun and safer than on hwys., how ever, I for one don't think that brief spurts of speeding on empty hwy harms anyone but a possible ticket or jail term if you get caught (reason enough not to speed)....it's rediculous to say that you are compromising the safety of others, whern it's done smartly. About being organ donors....do you think a porsche doing 100 can out-maneuver and out-brake an expedition doing 70, I think it can, and thus avoid mishaps easier than an expedition doing legal speeds. It is a fact my C4S feels more planted above 80 and easily upto 100....I never do it in busy hwys. For instance, last wknd. in the whole 4 hr. drive I probably found two stretches where I was certain there were no cops and no traffic, where I opened it up...pure bliss.

Go to www.lsrpca.com there you will find out all needed info about local DEs. Basically you need a tech inspection, which most dealers do for free, and a helmet.

Check with the SCCA and make sure the helmet you buy is approved to their current spec. Many motorcycle helmets are not. That way when you go overboard and buy or build a racecar you won't need to get a new helmet.

The actual speed is not the issue - it is where and when you do it, the weather conditions and your state of mind (do you drive faster when you're angry?). Outside the school at closing time 30kph is dangerous as the kids are everywhere. Auotbahn to Stuttgart on a quiet Sunday morning is comfortable at 250kph plus with no excessive risk to anyone. (empty 3 lane highway) Anyone who pushes it when the road are busy is not safe. It is impossible to predict how every other driver will react to someone arriving from behind at a million MPH. I know I got a fright at 250kph when I looked in the mirror to see some A-H on a big bike sitting 2 meters off my bumper. He wasn't there when I previously looked so he must have closed on me at more than 50kph and he assumed he had better reactions and brakes than me. Brave guy !!! I think the point about driving fast is not to put yourself in a position where someone else's mistake will harm you. Keep your distance. P.S. I agree with whoever said that the autobahn exits with high g forces are better than maxing in a straght line. Real drivers prefer lateral G forces !!!

Exactly!!! I do >100mph daily. Max speed reached with my 996 was 174mph (before I had the Supercharger installed) acheived at 3:00 AM on a deserted freeway, and I felt like the car could have done more.

GOD WHAT PUSSIES, On a daily basis my current P-car goes at least 100MPH to work. On Sats if I don't see 125 I'm in traffic. (I won't go fast in traffic.). What's up? Go to BB school of hipo drving, or a Porsche school. WTF it's a great car! Drive it! Get a good lawyer on retainer.

Geez I am an a**hole, but 152 EAZY ONCE A MONTH , okay if I don't break130 mph once a month why have the car. (Granted conditions permitting.)

My dream is to have diplomatic plates. That would be a hoot!

i drive at whatever i feel comfortable at given the conditions in which i am driving. on a clear highway on a lazy weekend morning, this may be very much above the limit. in bad conditions, i may even drive at or below rediculous 25mph limits.

This may be a good idea along with placing all personal assets in trust; just in case that potential vehicular homicide thing goes sour. Riding a motorcycle for 17 years taught me that my skills are such a small part of the equations. All six wrecks were from circumstances beyond my control. Food for thought.

yep, it takes most of my concentration to try to avoid the countless idiots on the road. only a small percentage can be allocated to enjoying the car.

In my book that's called responsible driving.

Let me see if I understand your point of view. Porsche owners who don't hit triple digits on a daily basis are pussies. So conversely Porsche owners who do drive insanely on public roads must be real studs in your book. Has it ever occurred to you that most of us don't feel it's necessary to drive insanely fast in our Porsches because we don't feel we have anything to prove? I often see guys in Hondas with their obnoxiously loud mufflers also driving at speeds that are far too fast. When I observe this type of irresponsible driving, the word "jerk" rather than "stud" is the first thing that comes into my mind.

Many times on my early Sunday AM drives I would hit 150+ but only in short burst, when the road is clear (at 7am on Sunday on RT287 north, there is nothing out) Daily when I drive to NYC on various routes I stay under 90+ due to traffic flow and the Bolt On boyz may think I want to play. But I agree you must remain controlled when driving fast, stupid things happen and the ratio of stupid people out there vs smart is not in our favor.

Dude, that kind of crap is not needed here - this is not the honda forum, most of us are grown ups with families. Chill or be Chilled !

Please take my comments for fun.. I don't want to come across like a bookish-wannabe-smarter-than-you-are- PorsheSnob. Speed responsibly (It took you five sentaces to insult me. Lighten up and enjoy life a little. )

A 19 year old in Oregon received a $6,000 speeding ticket for driving 142mph on an Oregon freeway in his early 90s honda civic.. he said that "it was the first time he had ever sped" (uh huh).. what a moron... anyone that drives that speed in a civic on a public roadway deserves that fine... in a car capable of that speed, that's another story <g> The amazing thing is, the Oregon State Patrol indicated, that the ticketed speed is the second highest rated speeding ticket in that state's history... (142mph)

Here is another from a different thread: This is my point regarding >100 on a U.S. road. If it is worth it to spend three time the money then going to a three day SCCA driving school, have fun. Butt you do meet the nicest people in jail so I guess it is a good decision after all. My buddy got clocked at 125mph near Dulles Airport outside of DC. Cost him roughly that same $6K but he also lost his DL for 1 year and spent a week in jail! Let's just say he doesn't do that anymore. FYI....the one week was a serious reduction by the judge b/c the rule is something like a day for every mile over 100mph so he was staring at 1 month! Lucky him right? __________________ 2000 996 CAB (too many mods to list...I'm addicted) 2000 MB ML430 (one fast SUV) 1981 Datsun 280ZX (pristine, Dad purchased new when I was 9,now mine, only 60K on the clock) Rennlist Member #050220-5718

i bet that during his stay in the jail he definetelly had with him an "excellence" mag.....

hope he keeps ky handy

driving fast does not always means that you drive dangerously.... years ago, a guy in M25, the orbital road of London, U.K. was banned from driving and finned as well because he doubled the road limit....140 MPH... @ the court he was not accused for dangerous driving because it was something like 4:00 in the morning , with no fog and of course no traffic!!!! the only time of the day (actually....night that there is no traffic on M25....) i personelly found more dangerous driving with 60 MPH in the city than 140MPH on the motorway.... our cars can do 105 MPH , on ^th gear at only 4000RPM!!!! it is dead easy to brake the road limit.....

Actually I didn't insult anyone in particular. I was simply criticizing a behavior. There are lots of guys out there who think that they aren't real men unless they drive insanely on public roads.

i heard about that guy harris, wasn't he driving an M3. and when you say banned, you mean forever? DAMN! thats the worst punishment for a car enthusiast

check this one http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6246844/

There was also a 20yo kid in the middle east someplace that got killed in a CGT, speeding I'm sure. What a waste.

It's not only for those BMW bound for the US. The german car companies have all ( except sport car makers like Porsche) agreed to limit their cars to 250km/h no matter where they are delivered to. The goverment was about to come up with a speed limit here in Germany so to prevent this they came up with this idea. Nevertheless I hit top speed only once a month an most of the time I don't go faster than 130 mph. It just feels good to know that I could if I wanted to. It's like with other women when you're married

152 in 993 Cab with top down on I97 Maryland near Annapolis - 10 miles - smoked Vette who quit at 130.......... 165 in 996 C4S with sunroof closed....I 97 - same stretch 170 in 996 turbo - autobahn A-5- Frankfurt to Darmstadt, Germany both Cars very stable and don't feel stressed making and maintaining those speeds.................tire pressure checked every 2 weeks on high side ...............don't wear tires too low on treads..................never speed that high when others are around..................