do low-mileage owners know their p-cars?

not trying to instigate and i got my flame suit fully on, but i'm really curious to hear of owners here who drive their p-cars less than 6k miles a year. I'm assuming that translates to taking their cars out once every two weeks? perhaps once each weekend at most? no long trips? here's my question: unless the majority of those miles are track time, do you think you understand the nuances of your p-car pretty well? i only ask b/c since getting my C2, i've been putting on around 90 miles a day on a wide variety of roads-- from straight and twisty highways at high speeds, twisties where high revs in 3rd gear is rule, stop-n-go city traffic. it's my daily driver and the miles just fly by-- i'm always amazed when i look down and see that i just drove 30 miles b/c it felt like 2. i love driving the car and feel i know it pretty well, but even with those miles, i still feel there are plenty of nuances i need to understand more (granted, most of which can only come from track time driving above 7/10s, but i do drive as aggressively as safely possible on roads)-- such as the subtlety of the car's rear-biased balance at aggressive 5 or 6/10s, modulating throttle-off oversteer (which i rarely do, unfortunately), etc, etc. i've yet to take my p-car to any DE or other events, but i do have seat time in scca solo events in past cars. anyway, i'm just curious since i love my c2 and love to drive it every day.

That's a fair questions "Nine9Sixer"! I make less than 6K mile a year with my 996 C2 Cab and it's not my daily driver. However, I'd say I learned already much about my car (bought it back in Nov. 05) as I go with the car on my weekend trips either to the track or into the mountains. IMHO this kind of driving (especially track events) teach you much more about the handling and limits of the car than tons of miles on your daily way to work (if it's not the German Autobahn).

I have a low mileage P-car, in fact I have two, a '99 986 that just turned 20k and a 996 with 49K. I didn't buy the cars to track or race, as I got that out of my system traveling the Western US for 8 years roadracing motorcycles thru the early '90s. I have had the Boxster going on 5 years and on a couple of trips of 700-800 miles and the Carrera going on 4 years and about 1600 miles at a stretch. I do all my own maintainence and feel that I know these cars and how mechanical components interact much better than most Porsche or any other Techs. I build race motors, modify transmissions, do my own chassis tuning, etc. Sometimes seat time doesn't translate into how well or quickly you pick up on a cars behavior or characteristics. I feel I know my cars pretty well, but the P-cars are not my daily drivers, I have three others to drive and a few motorcycles. So...because I don't put a ton of miles on the Porsches, doesn't mean that I don't understand them or know what they are capable of, on the street anyway.

I drive about 2.5k miles/year on mine. My daily commute to work is about 17 miles round trip, and I drive the 996 about half the time, so I consider it about a "half daily driver". I'm in a relatively small town, and only drive about 6k miles per year on average. I probably "know" my 996 about as well as I do my other cars, but since I don't track, I have no knowledge of the extremes of its capabilities. But that has nothing to do with my mileage.

I've probably got over 10,000 miles on racetracks in various cars, none in my 996. Regardless, I have no doubt that I "know" this car better than the average person knows their daily driver. Most people don't drive on track, do DE or autocross or Solo or race. Most people don't have a freakin' clue what it would mean to drive their car/truck/SUV at anything more than 2/10ths. So the question is rather moot. It really doesn't matter how many miles a year you drive your car - if that time is spent commuting or driving on the Interstate, you'll never know. The only way that you will "learn" the car is on the racetrack. To attempt to do so on public roads is not only foolhardy but dangerous and inconsiderate of the other people on the road. Michael

That's why we have Autocross

i don't disagree, but i think it's a stretch to say the question is moot because non-track seat time is irrelevant. that assumes that driver involvement, input, and feedback is the same at 2/10 and at 6/10- which i don't think is the case. like i suggested in my original post, i like to drive vigorously but safely and certainly not foolhardy. i don't street race or fishtail on every street corner, but, as one example, i have my favorite on ramps. i love to find that line and hold it, push it a little harder each subsequent time, but nothing crazy or outta control. doing that everyday, i feel like i know my car better. i'm not suggesting i know my car inside out- far from it. in fact, i'm conceding i don't know alot despite being a daily driver.

Sounds like work. I like the DE/big tracks better.

should post this question on ferrari site.

i drive my car about 50-60 miles a day, my daily driver and still learning about the car..... man what a relationship....

i have i low mileage 996, and I have gotten a feel for the power, but since the car is not my daily driver, I still dont know the inner limits of the car & sometimes I get scared driving it fast... I definately feel more safe & comfortable & am able to push the limits of my daily driver more... lol.. its a BMW E46 w/ 170 HP.

I drove my 99 as a daily driver for 1st of the 3 of the 5 years I've owned her. Bought the car with 13k miles and drove it to work 120 miles per day (on nice days i no snow/rain) mostly on highways and some backroads. Since she retired from the daily grind at 45k miles, I only drive the car 2-3k miles per year, I have noticed a big change inthe way I drive it (sunday to a breakfast spot....take a cruise....come back to the house wash her, cover her and put her in a heated garage

Yep, I know that I have a low milage P car

do low-mileage owners know their p-cars? I can't answer that question, 'cuz it does not apply to me. I know.... you can ask Phil G., he should be able to tell you!

I drive mine every day, but my commute is about 4 miles round trip. I have about 8k miles on it now. I think I know the car pretty well.

Well I have a low mileage car and probably know it better than many high mileage drivers. It is all in how you drive it, for me it is a toy I take out only in good weather and when I can have some fun on the Autobahn or the nice curvey back roads around where I live in Germany. My daily driver an old Chevy Blazer with around 115,000 miles does the remainder of my driving.

I know I'm going OT here, but I've always wondered: how much trouble is it to maintain and repair a Chevy in Europe? Michael

Michael It is rather easy since Opel sells them and you can order parts and have them shipped. The worst problem I ever had with a US car here was when my Bose alternator went out on my old Corvette and it took 2 weeks for a new one to arrive.

As a guy who has gone as long as 8 months without driving it, I would say it takes awhile to get back into the groove. It reallly depends on if you are just running errands or actually going out to "drive" it. If I'm just running errands, I can't really re-establish boundaries and handling characteristics. The more regularly I take the car out, the ballsier I become, so it's probably a good thing I only drive it occasionally.

i almost never drive my car during the winter (yes, those harsh northern california winters) the reason is simple: my drive to work is 10 minutes and the car just doesn't get a chance to warm up on the way to work. on the way from work during the summer its top down and hours of driving on windy mountain roads. that can't be done during winter, so winter months are DIY project months.

I don't think it matter how many miles you drive. You don't know your car well unless you track it or push it to the limits on the streets which is unsafe. Driving down the highway or to work only allows for the person to know where the gages and buttons are.