Which Porsche will be the used car of the future?

I asked myself that question and undoubtedly I think it has to be the Boxster.    In the Bay Area a used Porsche Boxster, in great condition, twelve years old, is selling as little as $5000. If immaculate, a Boxster might run $9000.   What makes this car really interesting, is technical research with ways to improve older cars with internal computers, major mechanical bugs are getting worked out.   What is unique is that this particular model of car has remained about as unchanged as the 911 during its run of years.

The Boxster (968) got its name from blending a Karl Benz design of horizontally opposed “flat” engine and “2 seater convertible roadster”.  Roadster of course being a design closer to the Porsche 550.   Introduced in late 1996 its 2.5L six cylinder engine was a stir for American markets.    Using the old Porsche 928 facility in Stuttgart, in the year 2000 Porsche released a 2.7L engine for its base model.   It became so popular that not much longer later, the city of Uusikaupunki, Finland became the site for more quantities of Porsche.   With then also the thirst for a need for greater power and speed, you could then buy the exciting Porsche S 3.2L engine.

The next generation of Boxster was a type 987.  It was a huge success and finally Porsche had a car that would be as notable in speed and performance as the Cayman… but not the 911.  In terms of recalls, they were limited too simply exterior lights and airbags.  Most have been corrected.

The boxster’s midengine design gave the car a performance advantage by its engine being located in the middle part of the car.   This gives the car a cornering advantage because unlike the 911 you won’t get under steer and your car won’t spin out behind you.   One of the biggest mysteries of the boxster is getting to its engine.  Its not in back, nor its in the front.

To get to the engine, you need to open the top about 12 in, this will pull back the metal cabriolet cover just enough to get yourself to unattached metal cables on either side of the car.  The the trunk cover open, just behind the seats,  you can open the 4 screws and remove both cabriolet chains and lift the top up.    Once there you will get access to to change air filter or check power steering fluid.  If you need to check spark plugs you gotta go underside.   To check oil, or battery or brakes, you get to those from the front.   Here at A. Bauer Repair, an Independent Shop we can help you out (like Pre Purchase Inspections).    Never the less, like I would suggest with any Porsche owner is having an owners manual in your glove box or trunk.   Just to do that operation.

Also..while having it open, clear out all leaves as well.

So.. as the used car of the future, the Boxster will be here to stay.   It’s a great car to own and more and more parts will be better related in buying a new one.

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From the Porsche Design team in 1981

“The decision to keep the 911 in the product line occurred one afternoon

in the office of Dr. Helmuth Bott de:Helmuth Bott, the Porsche operating

board member responsible for all engineering and development. I

noticed a chart on the wall of Professor Bott’s office. It depicted the

ongoing development schedules for the three primary Porsche product

lines: 944, 928 and 911. Two of them stretched far into the future, but

the

911 program stopped at the end of 1981. I remember rising from my

chair, walking over to the chart, taking a black marker pen, and

extending the 911 program bar clean off the chart. I am sure I heard a

silent cheer from Professor Bott, and I knew I had done the right thing.

The Porsche 911, the company icon, had been saved, and I believe the

company was saved with it.”

Porsche Tire Approvals “N-Specification”

As quoted from Porsche manuals:

Tires should be replaced no less than in pairs on one axle at a time. Only tires of the same tire make and type must be used. However, in case of tire damage such as cuts, punctures, cracks or sidewall bulges that cause a single tire to be replaced for safety reasons, the remaining matching tire on that axle must not exceed 30 percent wear. If the remaining tire has more than 30 percent wear from new, it should also be replaced. Handling inconsistencies may result if this is not done.

Initially, new tires do not offer their full traction. Drivers should therefore drive at moderate speeds during the first 60-100 miles (100-200 km). If new tires are installed on only one axle, a noticeable change in handling occurs due to the different tread depth of the other tires. This happens especially if only rear tires are replaced. However, this condition disappears as new tires are broken in. Drivers should adjust their driving style accordingly.

Tires are your car’s only contact to the pavement.

Porsche has a special tire approvals and designation called “Porsche N-Specification”

Due to types of drivers, engine placement, weight distribution and engine power the Porsche car has to “stick to the road.” Everything about how the car rides on the pavement makes the tires choice the foundation to a valid solution. Tire design, complex materials in the tires, size, width, how it fits into the wheel well and on the wheel all becomes factors. As a world class high performance vehicle, tire development requires the provider to be approved. Specifications also joint effort with the Porsche vehicle engineers for original or replacement market.

Requirements for dry and wet surfaces must meet criteria that supersedes other automobile manufactures. The wet grip properties raise the tire performance bar at extreme levels and must result in primal optimum handling for radial tires. High speed performances must also meet at intense levels.

Tires used on Porsche has the expectation to handle speed and endurance experienced on the German Autobahn. The is also a confirmation that added laboratory, race track and test track performance be conducted to benchmark noise, handling, and hydroplane. The added expectations need tires to meet high-speed durability, uniformity and serviceability. It is only when high marks are achieved may tires that go on a Porsche be released for production for a range of cars.

Production tires that have passed all the tests and received the engineering department’s release can be branded with an N-specification. The N-specification branding include: N-0 (N-zero), N-1, N-2, N-3 or N-4. These markings on a tire’s sidewall clearly show them as approved by Porsche for their vehicles. The N-0 marking is assigned to the first approved version of a tire design. As that design is refined externally or internally, the later significant evolutions will result in a new generation of the tire to be branded with N-1, N-2, N-3, etc., in succession. When a completely new tire design is approved, it receives the N-0 branding and the succession begins again.

It is recommended that only matching tires be used on Porsche vehicles. Since many Porsche vehicles are fitted with differently sized tires on their front and rear axles, this means matching the tire make, tire type and N-specification. If a vehicle was originally delivered with N-specification tires that have been discontinued and are no longer available, it is recommended to change all four tires to a higher numeric N-specification design appropriate for that vehicle. Mixed tire types are not permissible.

It is also important to know that while Porsche N-specification tires have been fine tuned to meet the specific performance needs of Porsche vehicles, the tire manufacturers may also build other tires featuring the same name, size and speed rating as the N-specification tires for non-Porsche applications. These tires may not be branded with the Porsche N-specification because they do not share the same internal construction and/or tread compound ingredients as the N-specification tires. Using tires that are not N-specific is not recommended and mixing them with other N-specification tires is not permissible.

by Tire Rack.

When in the market for new tires, realize that the designers account for a special car performance. Never underestimate your car or its potential performance.

 

 

 

In repairing tires due to finding nails in them.  There are 2 schools of thought.    First of all, never pull the nail out yourself.   EVERY CASE IS DIFFERENT!!!!  YOU MUST SEE A TIRE PROFESSIONAL

1. Patch whenever possible.  Patch requires that the tire is removed from the car, and then the tire pulled off the rim.  From inside this tires, one might patch.

2. Plugging!   Plugging is a good option, but know that patching is a better option.  The consideration completely depends on where a nail ends up in the tire.  If a found nail might be found anywhere near the edge of a tire, the size constraint on the patch will prevent installation without carving the interior wall of the ire.  In these cases.. use the plug option.  If you tires need alignment, and you have plugs near the sidewalls of a tire, that plug could work its way out.

If the tire is old, and need of replacement… get new tires.

 

Porsche part of bubble memory?

Imagine a world, inside and outside the confines of an electronic game, cyberspace, the limits of programming, database and bubble memory.   There is so much taken for it that for the last several years artists and developers have merged itself to a very high level human ascent.  The binary code has now been so much part of the world’s population that it is next to impossible to be someone old enough to look back to know when computers didn’t exist.

We have seen it all, space exploration, social media, architecture, music, art, sports,  a virtual world all built with the help of computer aided design.   In this world however, a massive emporium complete with a meta universe has all of the roads, cars, planes, trains, machines, robots, houses, buildings, people, satellites, horses, fields, prisons, dancing, ships, racetrack, and everything in between that keeps excellent tracks of them.  The endless scale that that never colloids inventions to touch one another.

Even here at A. Bauer Repair Independent Porsche Repair, our goal uses every aspect of computers to test and verify the oldest cars to the newest.   There are dynometer “dyno” machines that uses computers to read performance.  We even use computers to give readouts of what the computers are reading and then those decisions are handled by the human element.

This mix of human and computer technology has hit a new level.   Experiences and choices are past a forefront of what we have never seen before.  Social media has brought us Reaction Grid, Second Life and a few other virtual worlds that are the play pens of science, techs, engineers, and sports minded alike.  Invention and creation is only limited to whats on the mind, and replication of both touchable and the untouchable are as well.    For example… created by the GMUND team, on Second Life, of crafty Porsche lovers, and sticklers for factory details released a fully drivable and optional savvy Porsche 356B with a variety of body options.

Second life brings us the opportunity to interact with a 3D environment.    Here is my “savvy” self over viewing a stock, right out of a box Porsche 356B.   According to the engineers at GMUND, the designs were taken off of issued Porsche blueprints.   The 3D model of the cars has been altered enough to not be confused with the real thing, but having a the highest level of accuracy is 100% possible.

The avatar, standing to the right of car is a personification of myself in real-life.  But I wanted to make a point that scaling will be correct as long as my avatar isn’t 10′ feet tall.

Standing outside the picture frame, you can see in the background a scaled Porsche 911, again, stock right out of the box.  Everything from colors, interiors, wheels, sport packages, sunroof, body options and glass can be optioned to the avatars likings.   It is completely possible to also have an engine option.  The correctness for 3D virtual world is so great you could even open the trunk, hood, doors and even the glove box.  The options through a HEADS UP DISPLAY (HUD) will allow the user to pick and choose how exactly want their car.  What is even better, is that any Rennsport Reunion IV fan would see these cars and recognize them immediately, by simply its options and trim packages.   I was even able to replicate my own 1969 911T Soft Window Targa option in color and trim package, so of course I drive my Soft window all over meta world whenever I can.  What is absolutely true is I never have to change spark plugs, adjust clutch or replace brake pads.  Of course, no insurance, license or fuel costs will need to be paid either.  If the car is designed to seat 4, it seats 4.  If designed to seat, it seats 2.  What like about the seating feature is nobody in the back seat complains how small the space is back there.

The engineers really have made a few BMWs and in the constant process of improving computer script writing to make the cars do clever things like have the avatar head check behind while moving in reverse.   All signals works and should your avatar needs to know what time is it so you can log off and join your family for dinner.    They built a perfect looking Porsche 917 which like all the other cars they make offers a HUD that allows color changes.

The Porsche 944 is rather remarkable as well.  The car comes out of the box completely stock as well.  No need to buy one in three colors because using your HUD, you can choose from the many Porsche paints and factory setups.  There the car comes out of the box in stock red.   Reminding yourself that virtual reality is really a bunch of computer information saved out on in memory with attached “inverse kinetic” nested links of part and subgroups your car with your control will run all speeds and neutral, for that all the important oil change. Just kidding.. you don’t oil or gas for that matter.  All of that stuff is free on SL.  A matter of fact.. for the price of a couple of tanks of 92 octane gas, you can pretty much build a world like this.. including a surround track and own all three cars.   The license plates can be customized all you like.

Second Life is a huge meta world.  There are thousands of sims all interconnecting one to another.   A “sim”, if you don’t know is a word for Simulation, or basically several acres of square land of various interconnecting terrain.   The sky for a sim is virtually forever, so technically you could forever into a void of cyberspace and never return.  The inventors of the Second Life even helped this community of tying in roads to bridges around mountains, tunnels, bridges and waterways.  There was even talk of a Gumball Rally between one side of Second Life to another and back.  I’ve driven around some of it..and just to go a several dozen sims in one direction can take a good couple of hours.

In this image you can see part of a sim.  Incidentally, buildings in Second Life are completely accessible to avatars just like real buildings.  There is a huge architectural committee of people that work and remark on such structures.    This sim has an intersection and a gas station.   Here is where I have my Porsche 911 getting the windows washed.

These cars are made with vector files.  They then created using something known as sculpted prim.  A Sculpted Prim, or sculptie, is a prim whose shape is determined by an array of x, y, z coordinates stored as RGB values in an image file (a Sculpt Texture or Sculpt Map). Sculpted prims can be used to create more complex, organic shapes that were not before possible with the Second Life prim system. Each piece of a Porsche 911 to the right is one prim (and so is the plate). For technical details, see Sculpted Prims: Technical Explanation.

It is very interesting to see how an RGB value in an image file will make a Porsche panel.  Computers in today’s world would use those very same files to replace shapes that we might see in the 996 and 997.   In a real car the shape would be molded and a panel press would be created to stamp out metal shapes.   In a virtual car, the prim (or virtual world single shape) would be tortured to be a shape.  At that point it is all about using vector lines to align and link shapes to make a car.  If you can image, there is only 37 some shapes to make the car.   Hinges, doors, lights.. all of it.. in just those few shapes.

One might ask..why such a few number of shapes?  The answer is all too easy… it’s the limitation of having a server move that many shapes across the sim.

Each shape then can be colored, textured, given attributes to glow, spin, hinge, do whatever it needs to act and look like a Porsche.   Then, as part of the sculpted prim each are scripted to offer other interesting aspects of technology such as sounds, speed, rumble, and so many other pieces to make that car feel like a 911.   To then allow even more variations in how the appearance of a car might be, the HUD, will show speed, gears, braking, turning, lights, horns, locks like mentioned before.  It will only be a matter of time when real life cars will have these very same features, because they are here already.  I terms for A. Bauer Repair, be sure to visit our pit area during racing seasons.

If you do not have an account, visit Secondlife.com and create a free one.  I would suggest however if you would like to own one of these babies..be sure to get yourself some lindens and buy one for yourself.    For those interested in seeing more about these great virtual machines, visit “The City of Concord, West TeleHUB at Concord West 128, 100, 45.    Within the city you will find these amazing cars for sale.

So yes… Porsche is part of bubble memory and always have been.

Was the Porsche 924 really the “Entry man’s Porsche”?

Many exotic car companies would create an “entry” model for a car.  Ferrari developed the 308, Alfa Romeo created the 124,  BMW invented the 3 series, and Jaguar promoted the  XE.  All were intended to be a Sports car for the masses.   It was important that these exotic cars manufactures not only sized up these entry level models for sales, among many other reasons they did it to ascertain sales numbers.   In order to understand what an entry model might be, there had to be some understand what the full on model was.   Even today, you could walk into a Porsche Dealership and special order a full highest horsepower, best performance automobile at ten times the cost of their entry-level models.

The Porsche 924 was one of those models.   It was the Boxster of their day, the cheapest smallest entry available at less cost than the 928 or 944.  You could not buy it with many upgrades but you could get it in a wide selection of color and interiors. 

The engine was an in-line four cylinder water cooled 2.0 cc that could crank out a respectable 125 horsepower.   It used McPherson struts front and back and disc brakes al around.  Porsche was able to produce between 1976 – 1985 exactly 150,951 of them.   Made for the masses and initially suppose to be more Audi than Porsche.   The car gave an exceptional tight grip, wonderful forgiving balance all in a rather noisy and rough ride.    This successful automobile was well loved by the masses, especially when there was an option for a turbo package that gave it a whopping 140 hp.    There was even a few models that got the 924 Carrera GT designation which was even more powerful (210hp/150mph) all complete with extra pumped transmission, brakes, and suspension.    When Porsche had developed the 944 Turbo with a base model that produced  220 hp and could fly well over 160mph, the 924 production levels ended and the car is what it is today.

 

So don’t forget that at times, an entry man’s Porsche may not exactly be as entry man as expected.

Auto Union – A look at the original designers who developed Porsche

Auto Union – the designers

Merging four automakers in 1932 Auto Union to gain financial advantages in a trickling recovery of financial woes.     The inline 4, 6, 8, and 12 cylinder fallen out “Audi” member August Horsch, the Danish steam equipment business “DKW,” the V8/V12 “Horch”, and luxurious builder of 4 and 6 cylinder engines “Wanderer” joined forces.   Entering various races to gain noteworthy branding as Auto Union these cars had some very notable people.  They used eighteen drivers and over a period of a few years were able to place some respectable track times through most of the next two and a half decades.

The original designers for Auto Union was Von Eberhorst, Porsche, Siebler and Strobel.   It was a birth of what continues auto development to be quintessential examples of excellence that we see today.

Professor Dr. Robert Eberan von Eberhorst (b1902-d1982) Austrian engineer, main designer of the Auto Union Type D Grand Prix racing car.   He wrote and invented critical aspects of auto handling, physical mechanics and handling used pretty much in every car today.

Dr. Ferdinand Anto Ernst Porsche (b1909-d1998) was also an Austrian designer that operated Porsche AG in Stuttgart, Germany.   Both he and his father and nephew Dr. Ferdinand Piech (chairman of VW) were all involved in various aspects of many cars in that era.

Both Siebler and Strobel integrated backgrounds in fine tuning race cars and passengers car for various uses during those Auto Union years.  Everything from fine tune body panels, exhaust, shocks, steering, cooling, wind deflection, and more was review by these two men.  They took the concept and help get the projects built.  Should there have been any better help for a team, these brave people, the test drivers and the main conceptual creators created the birth of Porsche today.

Thinking about customizing your Porsche ride?

When I was a new classic Porsche owner I always would constantly surf the internet, looking for vastly rich examples of how to better modify my Porsche.  Call it a sickness, but  I remember being up till the wee hours of the morning looking at parts such as interesting oil coolers, fog lights, cold air filters, wheels,  suspension, and brake upgrades till my fingers go numb and I started seeing cross-eyed.  My brain would wow and flutter to uncontrollable spasms at staring at the options of exhaust muffler, reusable oil filters, pistons and cylinders, CV parts, jacks, diagnostic tools and even the huge selection of Porsche propaganda paraphernalia that not always gets connect on the car.   How many car enthusiasts before me would also be after the perfect ride?   There are hundreds of thousands of web articles, thousands of books, hundreds of car magazines, dozens of car museums the would cover the subject in building the best ride.   With all of that in mind, how does one think about upgrades and changes?

During the heyday of Porsche driving in the 70s, classic cruising include the modify for larger wheels, changing of bumpers, switching seats, and upgrading out shocks/brakes/suspension systems.  If conversion were left up to consumer, often the result would less than desirable.

In some cases, come severe upgrades makes some Porsche unrecognizable.

Factory Porsche leave the factory perfect for consumer-ship in a thirsty American market.   The American Market, however were not one’s to leave “perfection” alone.  While some Porsche was used for street, others were used weekend racing or full out racing.    It didn’t take Porsche that long to recognize that this American market needed a supplement owners manual to help them do so.    Porsche would then have upgrade techniques and options that would allow these conversations. The idea was almost coined, drive your 911 to work Monday through Friday, and use your car for the track on weekends.  There were even full page advertising showing owners

In some cases, notable race car drivers would be featured to drive events, drawing more buyers into a more insatiable market.  These cars would be stripped down and whatever it would take to give them edges in making the faster, it was done.  Its hard to hide the fact that all Porsche models are passenger cars.  Driver comfort then would be removed to reduce track times.   The car would go on a major diet, removing leather door panels and carpeted flooring surfaces.  It was some much of a need to promote the illusion of speed, at one point, even Porsche offered bolt – on modifcations at the dealership that could share with you ways to customize your vehicle for track use with all the possibilities of returning to factory setup or your own option to customize your car to your personality.  This personalization included changing out items such as wheel, tires, window tinting, stereos, headlights, steering wheels, engine swaps, suspension and braking upgrades and extra roll cage upgrades.    The changes say a particular customization measured and often suggested by either a dealership or by regulations set by race clubs.   While some of the kinds of changes do not affect the car’s performance to regular street driving others could change the car to handle off-road, drag racing, track and autocross.

Therefore, Porsche cannot simply be just any form of transportation.  

The owners, unlike the extreme spectrum of drivers everywhere, cannot be simply pegged into one kind of user.   Thus there are truly many kinds of owners, whether it’s a tuner, a teenager, the business CEO, or that little old lady from Pasadena.  Most importantly, it’s also that particular balance act of needing a measurement.  

The measurement, would be making your car ideal for a specific need.

Its having to keep up a bit of ritual, such as how not to lock yourself out of your car’s potential.   I suppose with enough money and energy you could win races if you have a great drive and the ability to keep a keen eye on maintenance.   It’s mostly the older school Porsche that need you more than you need it, customizing your street driving is all about making an excuse getting in the thing, to go somewhere… far…very far.    All of the street modifications you might bolt on your car might be rendered useless unless you drive the thing.  As the trend returns the car to how the factory intended it, maybe those guys in Stuttgart did get it right the first time around.  If you have means to be given a choice for any Porsche restoration, go factory.

10 top ways to hide a huge Porsche repair from your Sig Other.

10. Go to a local costume/makeup store and purchase the broken nose / gouged eye mask and wear after coming home with your car. Have her drop you off the at Emergency room and claim you’ll come on the bus. Tip: Remove mask before getting home. When she sees the bill weeks later, tell her its from the Emergency Room bill.

9. Recreate your bill on a Tiffany’s stationary and “accidentally” place it somewhere near where you keep your reading material next to the head. Then go out and buy her a 1ct. diamond ring from “Imposters” for a $150.00.

8. Say you purchased 5500 shares of Nvidia Corporation at the beginning of 2010.

7. You cashed a paycheck, and was held up by a group of teen thugs.

6. You bought a used car for your teenager, but it was so mechanically bad, the jalopy swerved out and fell into a levy. You were able to jump out just in time.

5. You are at popular Fleur de Lys in Mandalay Bay and you have been drinking beer. Unfortunately you get so drunk that you happily yell… “drinks on the house”. Everyone in the bar orders Liquid Gold* a cocktail.

*Liquid Gold is sold by the ounce for $175. Made with Grand Marnier Centenaire, Louis XIII Cognac, Krug Grand Cru Champagne, Fee Brothers West Indian Orange Bitters and raw sugar garnished with 23-karat gold leafing and a burnt orange twist.

4. You gave a donation to a favorite charity, turns out they were a front for laundering cash,

3. While at Mandalay Bay, you admit that you are a problem gambler and that you have already checked-in to G.A.

2. Tell her the money had been gone a longer than that. You ran into a short guy in an expensive executive suit and a wearing a baseball cap, named “Bernie M.”

1. A Mexican cartel loan shark wanted to collect an original loan plus interest. Unfortunately for you, the interest was 1000% the original loan that he failed to tell you.