Hadn't even noticed your signature when I made the Miata comment! Glad to hear you're enjoying her. Trust me, all of this will be in the past very soon, and you'll be back (with full confidence) in your 991.


Cheers,

Chris

 

TTCarrera raised a very interesting point if you ask me !

 

Yes quite !
I mentioned this a few months ago in one of my threads as well. At the time I was "complaining" about unexpected down shifts while cornering during spirited driving uphill (your typical mountain pass attack mode).
This seems to happen due to higher than normal torque demand while going uphill. The PDK has on several occasions downshifted right in the middle of a bend with resultant loss of rear traction - in all cases so far quickly fixed by the traction control using unsymetrical braking action (very noticable) rather than throttle retard. This intervention happens far faster than I as a driver can react.
With the newly recalibrated PDK and the much harder shifts this may become worse - but I am guessing as I have not had a chance to try it out...

Rainier

 

Glad to see you and your wife are fine!
As far as the repair costs are concerned, this isn't a big surprise...

Here's what happened to me a few weeks ago:



Repair cost = $55k.
A Porsche certified shop will replace each and every part that has the slightest damage (even a small scuff or scratch). In my case, on top of fixing the rear bumper and wing, they almost repainted the whole car (little dents/scratches on several panels due to gravel) + replaced all 4 wheels + brake calipers + headlights + all windows, steering wheel etc. (also gravel scratches). The repair is almost completed and the car looks like it just left the showroom.

Glad you enjoy your MX-5 in the meantime. It is indeed a fun little car where you will experience good speed sensation under the legal speed limit.

 

Thanks Guys,
Really appreciate all the supportive comments - makes me feel better.
SM_ATL, yes, your damage seems a bit less than mine from the pic but you are correct on the Porsche repairs. They are indeed replacing things that have me baffled (I'm getting new tires, mags and other stuff - don't know why, I can't see or am expecting any damage there. They are even putting on a new exhaust - not sure why).
I'm not arguing - Porsche is working with the Insurance assessor and if he thinks that's dandy then it is.

Rainier

 

What happened? Track day mishap?

 

Yes. Car in front of me blew up its engine and spilled oil in a turn a few seconds before... Nothing I could do. There was a big gravel pit to slow me down fortunately. The gravel pit did more damage than the wall but saved me!

 

Which track insurance were you carrying?

Ryan

 

Wow, I hadn't seen this! Sorry this happen to you and hope it all works out. Thanks for the post.

ChuckJ

 

Just started reading this thread. Rainer, as others have said, I'm glad you and your wife are OK, that's all that really matters.

As to the mishap, I too am puzzled by the lack of throttle release by PSM. My understanding is that even with "full pedal" applied, PSM will cut throttle as needed to restore front and rear wheel speeds to a similar level. Do you recall hearing any loss of revs while this was occurring. I know you were quite "busy" at the moment, but I'd really want to know if, in fact, the throttle was in any way lifted. I guess it is possible that it did happen, but with the extremely slick (low traction) conditions the rears were experiencing, even no throttle would not have prevented the wild oversteer swings and may actually have worsened it, i.e. "don't lift".

Also, I'm concerned about the "update" to PDK that you describe. I don't own a PDK car, and have only driven them quite casually on the street, but the kind of intervention that you and others have described would concern me. Perhaps some PDK pros can chime in with what is the rationale for the sudden, mid-corner intervention that takes place.

Again, I'm truly sorry for this, but if we all learn something, and you come out even (or ahead!), then it is all good.

 

To answer your question, yes the throttle did retard but that took perhaps a second - by that time it was too late and the PSM was putting the brake on the outside front wheel to help create a turning moment - too sucessfully - as there was still no traction and a rapid spin resulted about 1/2 turn and it was off the road.
Yes, I have no doubt that the recent PDK update played a role. I'm not blaming the update - do not get me wrong there - but the power uptake can be rather explosive with a hair trigger throttle response.
It was a "perfect storm". Bad luck - everything just came togther in just the wrong way.

Rainier

 

Now you know why the dealer was so quick to respond ....

 

Yes, I suppose a Porsche dealership does not qualify as a "not-for-profit-organization".

Still, the response was good. Unlike that of my insurance company - they are still thowing a wobbly and asking for reports from anybody they can talk to. Not sure what they are expecting to find...

Rainier

 

Time has passed. Things are looking up. The car was returned a week ago but is back at Porsche to have a few minor things attended to.

It took much longer to fix than expected due to a variety of reasons.

Here are some pix after about 4 weeks of waiting for parts and first repairs. The front of the car has its new trunk fitted. This required hiring and transporting an expensive jig from Porsche Johannesburg in order to be able to fit and fix everything in place exactly.
Luckily the chassis has escaped any form of distortion so the repairs are really mostly cosmetic.



Here are some pix of the left and right sides with trimmings removed. The complete suspension had to be removed for the fitting of the new trunk. Here the suspesion has been loosly put back.





Everything new in the front so far, almost ready for the bumper...



More to follow...

Rainier

 

I visited the body shop a week later to find surgery in full progress. Not a pretty sight but some interesting pics.

Cutting of the new rear panel to fit:


A sad sight for my eyes... The black thing on the ground on the left is the new driver side sill.



Detail of the front suspension:



And the other side:



Another view of the new side panel:



Not a great view: Note the tools on the front seat leather. Yes, one of the reasons the car is back at Porsche is to get the oil stains out of the leather. That was not necessary.



Here is a nice one: What it looks like underneath. Quite neat actually.



And another one...



Hammering away...



Detail view of the rear suspension...



Any finally, the sight that greeted me on the way out. I like.



To be continued...

Rainier