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Ouch! Bent my Boxster....

Dapster

Dapster

New member
Driving home from a dinner party on Sat night in the pouring rain. Driving from one dual c/way to another along a long left hand sweeping slip road. Was holding a constant throttle opening until the bend opened up and then just as I brought on some more power, the back let go (no PSM). I didn't catch the slide in time - the car did half a revolution and the nose hit the barrier on the inside of the bend and then completed a 360 without hitting anything else.

Thankfully no other cars were around so after kicking all the debris to the side of the road and checking the car I continued in an attempt to get it off the road. The front o/s headlight was smashed, the bonnet and front o/s wing shoved in, and the p/u dangled forlornly. The radiator must have been damaged as as I tried to drive off the red light in the temp guage illuminated. Not wanting to risk a blown head gasket I found a hotel, locked the car in the car park and got a cab home.

Car was recovered to the OPC on Sun and they said it looked worse than it was - the car was essentially travelling sideways when it hit the barrier and that would do less damage than a head on - lets home there isn't any twist in the shell.

Hopefully this story will make you that little bit more wary on those wet drives. I have a reasonable amount of rwd experience (last car was a Caterham Superlight) and wasn't tanking considering the conditions. Tyres were in good nick, maybe there was some diesel down - who knows? These things happen so quickly.

OPC is getting the estimate done now - will post some pics later.
 
Big shame, sorry to hear this.

When you get repairs done, I suggets you align suspension to Track Day settings as in my opinion, this makes the Boxster more stable and easier to catch.
 
Nic,

Are you sure or is it because the Boxsters come out of the factory with a wide range of settings within the tolerence.

I never once lost the back end of my old Boxster S when I wasn't really trying, and therefore expecting it, either on the original or trackday settings.

Last month I drove a friends S, 2 years younger than mine and it went sideways on me on two seperate occasions in the wet, once under power and once whilst accelerating from a stready state. It seem to have much less grip than my old S and it was on the same tyres.

Before anyone replies 'don't ever lend your car to Cooke' the friend was in the passenger seat. He was disappointed in its grip level and asked me to advise if his car compared wellwith mine. I said not and advised him to get the geometry checked.

I'll follow this up over the next few days to find out if his car has improved.

Regards.
 
I took Nic's advice and whilst the car handled well before the geometry changes it now feels like an extension of ones self - it almost gives ESP.

I know the 2.7 doesn't have the same power as an 'S' but I also have never lost the back end without trying - with one very noticeable exception.

I was the first to come a cross a patch of oil at a damp Castle Combe just past the the first chicane by the tower. The car was 90 ' in a blink of an eye and almost as fast coming back around. I have no doubt that if I had been told a week earlier I still would not have caught it.
 
Tire pressure seems to make a huge diffrence to the handling of my Boxster.

and i had the wheel alignment none a little while ago and the car is much more possative into/out of corners now.
 
Sorry to hear your news but glad you're O.K and hopefully the car will be back with you soon.

Dawn
 
I agree with helen, tyre pressures can make a big difference, as can 4 wheel alignment. I recommend every porsche get it's alignment properly checked once a year, or after and incident with a kerb as it makes such a difference to the handling of the car.....and a local independent specialist can do the full alignment (castor, toe, camber) for £50....well worth the money.
 
I must agree about the tyre pressures. massive sideways moments coming out of roundabouts in the wet under power when the tyre pressures are down at the rear, but no problems when they are correct. After 1 huge moment I check them a lot more regularly now
 
Greig,

Where can you get a full alignment and adjustment for £50?
That's a fantastic price.
It normally takes 2 to 3 hours and £150 at a speciallist.
 
Mark, check the scottish region..full details are there. This is the place that Edinburgh OPC used until they moved to larger premises recently, so the guy has plenty of experience of Porsches. This is all this guy does...nothing else, does most main dealers in Edinburgh apparently.
 
Let's see if this works....

B86AE30632AA43C5A0C55C07F72A5B40.jpg
 
Oh, dear Dapster, hope it isnt as bad as it looks.

On a more positive not maybe you could 'request' 2003 style clear front lights instead of the ambers [;)]
I dont think the price is any different
 
Thanks for all the comments - if the headlight was still in the "hole" I don't think it would look that bad!

As for the tyre pressures, I had new tyres fitted on the front less than 3 weeks ago, and had the pressures and geometry checked then. I hadn't noticed any change in the handling characteristics since that time so therefore think that maybe I hit some diesel? It also transpires that the junction I fell off on is the 10th worst accident blackspot in London so maybe there were fluids on the ground from before.

I rode in the recovery truck back to the OPC with the car and the recovery driver put everything in perspective for me. He said if you see the death, gore and ruinous effect bad accidents have on the lives of normal people every day, a bent bonnet is not a big deal.
 
Dapster - nasty pics, but maybe a 2003 bumper and headlights conversion? [;)]

I agree with your tow truck driver - after all it's what you pay insurance money for.
 
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