My 2019 718 Cayman GTS PDK
- Thread starter Brian_Innes
- Start date
Brian_Innes
Member
Thanks Jeff.
I'll now know what this strange device is for if I see it fixed on any cars up here, can't say I have so far. I'm still very sceptical as to it's effectiveness for frightening off deer.
Graham certainly started something when he posted this topic.....
Thanks to all.
Brian
I'll now know what this strange device is for if I see it fixed on any cars up here, can't say I have so far. I'm still very sceptical as to it's effectiveness for frightening off deer.
Graham certainly started something when he posted this topic.....
Thanks to all.
Brian
Brian,
Just to say that although it's quite small, it is quite loud - quantitatively about the same frequency and level as a referee's whistle - but like you I'm not totally convinced that it's loud enough to stand proud of other sounds produced by a vehicle at speed.
However, discreet frequencies slightly above background noise are very noticeable to the human ear (think gear whine), so there's no reason why such a device couldn't be heard by deer whose hearing may be more acute than ours, particularly in certain frequency ranges (think human babies' cries).
Jeff
Just to say that although it's quite small, it is quite loud - quantitatively about the same frequency and level as a referee's whistle - but like you I'm not totally convinced that it's loud enough to stand proud of other sounds produced by a vehicle at speed.
However, discreet frequencies slightly above background noise are very noticeable to the human ear (think gear whine), so there's no reason why such a device couldn't be heard by deer whose hearing may be more acute than ours, particularly in certain frequency ranges (think human babies' cries).
Jeff
Brian_Innes
Member
Now that the daylight hours are getting shorter, especially up here in the more northern latitudes of the UK, my thoughts have been directed towards touring plans in my GTS for 2020. The south-west peninsula of the UK is appealing, more so since I've recently reserved tickets for the 2020 Goodwood Festival of Speed in early July. This is a particular motorsport event I have not attended before. Being at the opposite end of the island is one reason, the other being the difficulty of securing suitable accommodation.
I had almost given up hope, when thanks to very helpful information from forum contributor Andrew T, I was able to reserve accommodation in the city of Winchester which is conveniently located to the west of Goodwood. I've booked FOS tickets for general admission on Saturday with roving grandstand admission on the Sunday. As this is probably a one-off visit for me, I've also paid the premium for the Performance Car park on both days. Being a former hill-climb competitor I'm especially looking forward to the Sunday hill-climb shoot-out final. No one has officially broken Nick Heidfeld's F1 McLaren's 41 second time yet. Be good to see that happen.
My plan is, driving my GTS to explore the south west for 4 -5 days following the Goodwood event. There are many places of interest that appeal, both automotive and maritime, as well as the natural beauty and history of the area. It's been many years since I last visited the south coast. My first trip was when I was a teenager, visiting relatives in Epsom, Surrey. I particularly remember Brighton, Worthing, Bognor Regis, and Littlehampton. It was the year of the Great Train Robbery, which I recall was the predominant talking point at the time. The second occasion was a car tour with my late wife in the 1980's when we stayed at St Austell in Cornwall. The weather was dire, with relentless rain for the entire duration of our stay. I'm hoping I'm more fortunate with the weather on this next occasion.
During next couple of months I shall be compiling my itinerary for the south west tour including a few stops possibly in Wales, to break my long journey back north to the Highlands. I'm already looking forward to it.
Brian
I had almost given up hope, when thanks to very helpful information from forum contributor Andrew T, I was able to reserve accommodation in the city of Winchester which is conveniently located to the west of Goodwood. I've booked FOS tickets for general admission on Saturday with roving grandstand admission on the Sunday. As this is probably a one-off visit for me, I've also paid the premium for the Performance Car park on both days. Being a former hill-climb competitor I'm especially looking forward to the Sunday hill-climb shoot-out final. No one has officially broken Nick Heidfeld's F1 McLaren's 41 second time yet. Be good to see that happen.
My plan is, driving my GTS to explore the south west for 4 -5 days following the Goodwood event. There are many places of interest that appeal, both automotive and maritime, as well as the natural beauty and history of the area. It's been many years since I last visited the south coast. My first trip was when I was a teenager, visiting relatives in Epsom, Surrey. I particularly remember Brighton, Worthing, Bognor Regis, and Littlehampton. It was the year of the Great Train Robbery, which I recall was the predominant talking point at the time. The second occasion was a car tour with my late wife in the 1980's when we stayed at St Austell in Cornwall. The weather was dire, with relentless rain for the entire duration of our stay. I'm hoping I'm more fortunate with the weather on this next occasion.
During next couple of months I shall be compiling my itinerary for the south west tour including a few stops possibly in Wales, to break my long journey back north to the Highlands. I'm already looking forward to it.
Brian
Brian,
Just to mention that I think Romain Dumas drove the electric Volkswagen I.D. up the Goodwood hill in a faster time this year?
Hope the weather is better for you this time around, although I believe Highland weather can also be very variable. [
]
Good luck with the planning.
Jeff
Just to mention that I think Romain Dumas drove the electric Volkswagen I.D. up the Goodwood hill in a faster time this year?
Hope the weather is better for you this time around, although I believe Highland weather can also be very variable. [
]Good luck with the planning.
Jeff
Brian_Innes
Member
Jeff,
I did know that Romain Dumas beat Nick Heidfeld's F1 record, but his time was set on a practice run and doesn't count. Splitting hairs I know. But as a former hill climber, practice times don't count as official records. Many's the time I've done a blinder in practice only to be a fraction slower on the timed runs. Such is motorsport.
Brian
I did know that Romain Dumas beat Nick Heidfeld's F1 record, but his time was set on a practice run and doesn't count. Splitting hairs I know. But as a former hill climber, practice times don't count as official records. Many's the time I've done a blinder in practice only to be a fraction slower on the timed runs. Such is motorsport.
Brian
Brian_Innes
Member
I had a short drive to Burghead today to witness the stormy seas. Burghead is a few miles eastwards along the Moray Coast close to where I live. This photo was taken at around 12 noon. You will notice the daylight gloom of winter days up here which the northern latitudes endure for about 3 months at this time of the year.
Brian
Brian
Can I suggest for your 2020 trip south and if you do plan to visit Wales that you drive the A470 from north wales down to the south Wales and take some time exploring the Brecon Beacons. We did the same tip this year and accidently drove the A470 and was delighted to have discovered its beautiful scenery and open roads.
Brian_Innes
Member
Graham,
Thanks for that tip. Currently I'm planning on returning from my south-west trip via Wales south to north. The A470 route is already marked on my road map.
The Brecon Beacons is an area I'm looking forward to exploring.
Brian
Thanks for that tip. Currently I'm planning on returning from my south-west trip via Wales south to north. The A470 route is already marked on my road map.
The Brecon Beacons is an area I'm looking forward to exploring.
Brian
Brian_Innes
Member
This post is intended as an illustration of what can go wrong, will go wrong, when pressures of time enforce cutting short the normal car washing process.
Friends of mine who recently bought a new Merc SL AMG, had a problem with the front brake pads sticking to the discs. See photos below.
We all know best practice is to take a short drive to allow excess water to drain from the brake discs and callipers. On this occasion, the Merc was parked in the garage with wet brakes for a number of days in very cold temperatures. When the car was eventually started and moved forward, the front brake pads disintegrated leaving chunks of brake pad material bonded to the discs. This resulted with the car being taken by transporter to the Merc dealership for repair.
This unfortunate event illustrates the importance of drying the brakes after car washing, this being particularly important with the cold winter temperatures now upon us. Sometimes even after drying the brakes, brake pads can still adhere to the discs after parking, especially in the wintertime.
To my friends's great relief, Mercedes completed the repair under warranty.
Have any Porsche owners suffered a similar occurrence?.
Brian
Friends of mine who recently bought a new Merc SL AMG, had a problem with the front brake pads sticking to the discs. See photos below.
We all know best practice is to take a short drive to allow excess water to drain from the brake discs and callipers. On this occasion, the Merc was parked in the garage with wet brakes for a number of days in very cold temperatures. When the car was eventually started and moved forward, the front brake pads disintegrated leaving chunks of brake pad material bonded to the discs. This resulted with the car being taken by transporter to the Merc dealership for repair.
This unfortunate event illustrates the importance of drying the brakes after car washing, this being particularly important with the cold winter temperatures now upon us. Sometimes even after drying the brakes, brake pads can still adhere to the discs after parking, especially in the wintertime.
To my friends's great relief, Mercedes completed the repair under warranty.
Have any Porsche owners suffered a similar occurrence?.
Brian
Brian_Innes
Member
Close-up of pad material bonded to the disc.
I always do a short drive after washing mainly for disc appearance reasons to be honest but I am very surprised that the pads attached themselves like that, I haven't seen that happen before even when I worked in dealerships where cars are washed and left outside without being moved
Brian_Innes
Member
Winter gloom having now descended upon the far north latitudes, bringing short daylight hours and frequent sub-zero temperatures, my opportunities for touring have been been non-existent lately. The 718 GTS is currently resting in my garage with the C-Tek battery conditioner plugged-in while awaiting brighter and better days.
It seemed as good a time as any to do some house-keeping and archiving of my extensive photo and video library. While sorting through the scores of Go Pro videos, I came across a short clip of my Cayman R on a competitive 2 lap timed session at the 2014 Super Lap Scotland championship (SLS). What is especially unusual is the fact that this video clip shows Knockhill being driven at a competitive pace in the anti-clockwise direction. Knockhill circuit is one of the few UK tracks to have an FIA track licence for sprint events in both clockwise and anti-clockwise configurations.
I thought it may be of sufficient general interest to readers to see for themselves the driver's eye view of driving this thrilling circuit in the reverse direction. The SLS sprint championship format comprised of a standing start warm-up lap, followed by 2 individually timed flying laps, the fastest of which counted towards the overall championship placings.
The video clip is 3min 23 seconds duration and includes the standing start warm-up out lap. The tyres on my CR for this event were Toyo R888 medium compound. The best lap on this clip was officially timed via the on-car transponder at 60.611 seconds on the second of the two flying laps. Watching the video myself, now 5 years on, brings back many happy memories of my time competing in motorsport competition at national level.
I hope readers will forgive me the indulgence of including this clip from my past. It is so good to hear the howl of the flat-6 3.4 again. That's the one aspect I miss in my 718 GTS.
The hairpin at Knockhill is always a big stop....in an anti-clockwise direction the terminal speed is assisted by gravity on the downhill approach. My CR peaked at 125mph on this sector. There are frequent 100% throttle applications at Knockhill, in both directional configurations. Both the Chicane and Duffus Dip are particularly thrilling anti-clockwise.
Finally, I must express my sincere thanks to Steve Brookes for his help with posting the video clip on You Tube. The link to the video clip is shown below.
Knockhill in reverse 2014 Brian Cayman R
Brian
It seemed as good a time as any to do some house-keeping and archiving of my extensive photo and video library. While sorting through the scores of Go Pro videos, I came across a short clip of my Cayman R on a competitive 2 lap timed session at the 2014 Super Lap Scotland championship (SLS). What is especially unusual is the fact that this video clip shows Knockhill being driven at a competitive pace in the anti-clockwise direction. Knockhill circuit is one of the few UK tracks to have an FIA track licence for sprint events in both clockwise and anti-clockwise configurations.
I thought it may be of sufficient general interest to readers to see for themselves the driver's eye view of driving this thrilling circuit in the reverse direction. The SLS sprint championship format comprised of a standing start warm-up lap, followed by 2 individually timed flying laps, the fastest of which counted towards the overall championship placings.
The video clip is 3min 23 seconds duration and includes the standing start warm-up out lap. The tyres on my CR for this event were Toyo R888 medium compound. The best lap on this clip was officially timed via the on-car transponder at 60.611 seconds on the second of the two flying laps. Watching the video myself, now 5 years on, brings back many happy memories of my time competing in motorsport competition at national level.
I hope readers will forgive me the indulgence of including this clip from my past. It is so good to hear the howl of the flat-6 3.4 again. That's the one aspect I miss in my 718 GTS.
The hairpin at Knockhill is always a big stop....in an anti-clockwise direction the terminal speed is assisted by gravity on the downhill approach. My CR peaked at 125mph on this sector. There are frequent 100% throttle applications at Knockhill, in both directional configurations. Both the Chicane and Duffus Dip are particularly thrilling anti-clockwise.
Finally, I must express my sincere thanks to Steve Brookes for his help with posting the video clip on You Tube. The link to the video clip is shown below.
Knockhill in reverse 2014 Brian Cayman R
Brian
Brian_Innes
Member
Jeff,
No corner markers on competitive motorsport. Unlike track days.
This was a live championship event at Knockhill circuit.
It was fun driving the track in the anti-clockwise configuration. Two corners were especially tricky in the reverse direction. Clark's corner, turn 2, and exiting the top of Duffus Dip. In both cases the car is on tip-toes due to the cambers and crests. In neither of these corners do you want to go off, as a solid tyre wall beckons.
Given the choice, I would go for anti-clockwise as my preference.
I count myself fortunate to have driven it and survived unscathed.
Brian
No corner markers on competitive motorsport. Unlike track days.
This was a live championship event at Knockhill circuit.
It was fun driving the track in the anti-clockwise configuration. Two corners were especially tricky in the reverse direction. Clark's corner, turn 2, and exiting the top of Duffus Dip. In both cases the car is on tip-toes due to the cambers and crests. In neither of these corners do you want to go off, as a solid tyre wall beckons.
Given the choice, I would go for anti-clockwise as my preference.
I count myself fortunate to have driven it and survived unscathed.
Brian
That's pretty cool Brian and yes I agree the sound of the flat six is sublime on full chat
I did a few track days around the UK in my old Caterham Seven but never got as far North as Knockhill (just a bit too far to go from "down South"!), so that's the first time I've ever seen a "driver's eye view" of it (in either direction!). It certainly looks pretty tricky to drive in places with some very hairy looking corners (that blind chicane at the back of the circuit and the sudden drop in the road at the hairpin looked really nerve wracking - sorry I have no idea what either of the corners are called so these may well have been the ones you mention!). I definitely wouldn't like to be going round there in the wet in that direction!
Interestingly the next video up on YouTube was another dash cam one of you (I assume!! the caption was "Brian 718 Cayman S") driving round the circuit the other way which was a very interesting comparison. I have to say it doesn't look anywhere near as scary, at least to me anyway, in that direction - the corners all look way more "normal" and intuitive to me that way around (I assume that's the "normal" way around so the road cambers are intended to go that way?).
Either way it looks like an interesting and tricky little circuit to drive - not sure I'll be taking the Cayman on track (the mere thought of just the tyre and petrol bill compared with the Seven is enough to put me off :-o) so maybe I should have made the long journey when I had the Seven after all...
I did a few track days around the UK in my old Caterham Seven but never got as far North as Knockhill (just a bit too far to go from "down South"!), so that's the first time I've ever seen a "driver's eye view" of it (in either direction!). It certainly looks pretty tricky to drive in places with some very hairy looking corners (that blind chicane at the back of the circuit and the sudden drop in the road at the hairpin looked really nerve wracking - sorry I have no idea what either of the corners are called so these may well have been the ones you mention!). I definitely wouldn't like to be going round there in the wet in that direction!
Interestingly the next video up on YouTube was another dash cam one of you (I assume!! the caption was "Brian 718 Cayman S") driving round the circuit the other way which was a very interesting comparison. I have to say it doesn't look anywhere near as scary, at least to me anyway, in that direction - the corners all look way more "normal" and intuitive to me that way around (I assume that's the "normal" way around so the road cambers are intended to go that way?).
Either way it looks like an interesting and tricky little circuit to drive - not sure I'll be taking the Cayman on track (the mere thought of just the tyre and petrol bill compared with the Seven is enough to put me off :-o) so maybe I should have made the long journey when I had the Seven after all...
Brian_Innes
Member
Caroline,
Thanks for your interesting comments on the reverse Knockhill video. One other thing that is different doing the track anti-clockwise, is the fact that with right-hand drive cars the driver is placed on the outside "loaded" side of the car. As most corners on clock-wise circuits are right-handers, so the opposite is the case when driving anti-clockwise. This does make a difference, not only to the handling but also to the psychological effect of the driver being at the side of the car most likely to hit the tyre barriers. Oulton Park would also be a great track to drive anti-clockwise, it has the same characteristics as Knockhill with chicanes, a hairpin bend, and multiple rising and falling undulations. Both of these tracks flatter the mid-engined Cayman compared to mainstream 911's. A well driven Cayman will catch a more powerful 911, overtake it, and disappear into the horizon on both of these circuits. That's my experience anyway.
You are right that track day participation is expensive. Tyre wear can be mitigated if you have the chassis geometry set up correctly, keep an eye on tyre pressures, and you work on developing a smooth driving style. Brakes take a hammering, particularly where big high-speed stops are a feature. The fun factor and driving satisfaction of completing a good tidy lap is worth the financial indulgence in my opinion. It is also good for any Porsche to be given the chance to stretch its legs away from public road constraints. Good to hear you have had a go at track days in your previous Caterham 7. I can recommend you give a PCGB track day a try with your 981 Cayman. Tuition at these events is always available and highly recommended. Even if you just come along as a spectator the first time, the club track days are a friendly social event as well. Now that I have retired from track driving, I still attend track days as a spectator and passenger.
Jeff,
If I could just add a caveat to my reply to your comment on the absence of corner markers at the featured Knockhill event. This was filmed in 2014, and it was a single car sprint event, not a multi-car race. Since then, I understand corner markers have become mandatory on all motorsport events including track days. The most recent PCGB track day at Knockhill had both corner and braking markers in place during the event. This was not common practice at Knockhill in 2014. I hope that clears up any ambiguity.
Brian
Thanks for your interesting comments on the reverse Knockhill video. One other thing that is different doing the track anti-clockwise, is the fact that with right-hand drive cars the driver is placed on the outside "loaded" side of the car. As most corners on clock-wise circuits are right-handers, so the opposite is the case when driving anti-clockwise. This does make a difference, not only to the handling but also to the psychological effect of the driver being at the side of the car most likely to hit the tyre barriers. Oulton Park would also be a great track to drive anti-clockwise, it has the same characteristics as Knockhill with chicanes, a hairpin bend, and multiple rising and falling undulations. Both of these tracks flatter the mid-engined Cayman compared to mainstream 911's. A well driven Cayman will catch a more powerful 911, overtake it, and disappear into the horizon on both of these circuits. That's my experience anyway.
You are right that track day participation is expensive. Tyre wear can be mitigated if you have the chassis geometry set up correctly, keep an eye on tyre pressures, and you work on developing a smooth driving style. Brakes take a hammering, particularly where big high-speed stops are a feature. The fun factor and driving satisfaction of completing a good tidy lap is worth the financial indulgence in my opinion. It is also good for any Porsche to be given the chance to stretch its legs away from public road constraints. Good to hear you have had a go at track days in your previous Caterham 7. I can recommend you give a PCGB track day a try with your 981 Cayman. Tuition at these events is always available and highly recommended. Even if you just come along as a spectator the first time, the club track days are a friendly social event as well. Now that I have retired from track driving, I still attend track days as a spectator and passenger.
Jeff,
If I could just add a caveat to my reply to your comment on the absence of corner markers at the featured Knockhill event. This was filmed in 2014, and it was a single car sprint event, not a multi-car race. Since then, I understand corner markers have become mandatory on all motorsport events including track days. The most recent PCGB track day at Knockhill had both corner and braking markers in place during the event. This was not common practice at Knockhill in 2014. I hope that clears up any ambiguity.
Brian
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