I'm calling lugging driving under 3k rpm since that's what some people are calling it. Even still, I'd bet the majority of non enthusiasts still drive their car significantly lower than 3k rpm. Especially with the drone that comes with exhausts on this car, it's entirely feasible. The majority of our cars are owned by clueless non enthusiasts who think driving at lower RPM only = better gas mileage. How many drivers you think haven't gotten lazy and taken off in 2nd gear in rush hour traffic for hours or just driving around? That has to bog the engine. Or just driving around with a loud exhaust on the car. It's highly likely. Manual cars get bogged all the time. Even performance ones.

 

I read this thread the other day and this Saturday I payed close attention to my driving style in regards to shift points and both up and down. What I noticed is that I do shift just above 3k most of the time but I rarely feel the need to cruise (in any gear) above 3k. In most cases 2.5k-2.75k seems to be "just right". I dont think I will be changing any of my habits based on this thread so far. Thanks for the discussion though.

 

I don't consider under 3k lugging. I think on these motors what I would consider lugging would be under 2400 rpm. At 2600rpm and above, responsiveness seems really good.

Just because I happen to drive my car at around 3k doesn't mean I agree with this. It just seems like the sweet spot.

For what it's worth, I have gone and searched the 2036 page tech manual of the 996 and have come up with ZERO, ZILCH, NIET, NADA, on rpm requirements in any part of these cars. So if you have found it, please reference it so I can look it up. tell me what page and I will cut and paste it here.

 

i highly doubt that, and i've never met or even heard of anyone owing this car, not being an "enthusiast". all it takes is one turn of the ignition. this you know.

i can honestly say, i've never done that, though i have as stated upthread accidently found myself being in an "inappropriate" gear relative to engine speed or conditions. i change that quickly, as i've said. but that again, isn't really what we're talking about. it's whether or not "harm" or "undue" engine stress occurs from driving the car under 3k rpm. a distinction that should not to be lost in this debate.

becuause i'm fascinated by this and have killed an entire useless day mulling it over, i just now drove in fourth gear at 2400 rpms and was going 48-50 mph, light engine load. NO lugging. not even close. lugging would have been below 2k, or i'll say possibly 2100 rpm. even then, it's not what I consider LUGGING. it's just "gear inappropriate" for the engine and actual speed, in my estimation. it was "close" to lugging, i'll give ya that, but by a few hundred rpm. my point.

but not by "us".. or for more than the moment it takes to realize we might be in the wrong gear! anyway, again, it's boiling down to semantics. what's a "lug" and what isn't. but i know 'em when i drop 'em cheers.

 

ya gotta love a holiday! nothing like a little time on our hands, eh?

 

Well said, and I agree.

 

I can't believe this is actually a debate. So... NO ONE can actually find where it says the car must be driven above 3k rpms in the manual or in any documentation from Porsche?

When cruising around town, my car is typically between 2k and 2.5k rpm... and that is driving about 5-10mph over the speed limit. It's definitely not "lugging" the engine. This engine has enough power stock to accelerate from even lower rpms.

 

You mean this whole debate (7 pages and counting) is because we all have different definitions of lugging it?

OK -- my definition of lugging the engine is when I'm in a gear that's too high for the acceleration I'm trying to achieve. In other words -- if the car doesn't accelerate the way I want (and I know it can) when I'm in a higher gear and I step on the gas. Otherwise, the car can be perfectly fine cruising at a lower rpm. And yes, that does save gas.

As I mentioned earlier -- personally, I prefer to cruise and shift at higher rpms.

 

No...even worse. This entire thread seems to.be based on.a.completely fabricated subject that nobody has been.able to.copy/paste from any reputable Porsche governed document. Its like a 7 page discussion on onBigfoot....

 

Actually, in the end, I think it was a valuable discussion. I tend to drive my 996TT at the higher end of the rpms (especially on the track), and I attribute some of that to my past experiences with lower HP sports cars that really like to be in that higher rpm range. It's good to know that others do it as well -- but that there's a wide range of driving styles out there.

 

From the other thread. Sorry, I'll do a "my bad" and stand happily corrected if need be but, I'm usually skeptical of these types of pronouncements. I like facts, and this sounds suspiciously like mechanic's urban myth. So....from the 2003 Porsche 996TT Owners Manual, Page 14 Under Break-In procedures covering the first 2000 miles...we read:

*Do not exceed maximum engine speed of 4200RPM.
*Do not let the engine labor, especially when driving uphill. Shift to the next lower gear in time.(Use the most favorable rpm range)
*Never lug the engine in high gear at low speeds. This rule applies at all times, not just during the break in period.

Now, they don't say why you shouldn't "lug" the engine aside from the obvious poor fuel economy, nor do they state what constitutes "lugging". They also don't specify what constitutes favorable or unfavorable rpm's. In the later sections on driving tips and shifting, there is absolutely no mention of an rpm range, recommended or otherwise, aside from the obvious not downshifting into a gear that would cause an over rev condition(not possible with a Tip). No mention of keeping rpm's above 3000 that I can find. To add to this, my Tip most definitely does not keep rpm's above 3000 unless I'm manually asking it to. At freeway speeds of 60-75mph, the Tip is in 5th gear and running 2200 to 2600 rpms. On flat and level, it will shift to 5th at speeds as low as 50mph/1900 rpms. The minds of Porsche engineers would not deliberately design the engine and Tip to operate routinely at rpm's that would be harmful long term. So I'd like to ask where exactly is it stated by Porsche that the 996 Turbo engine is happiest long term if run above 3000 rpm? Not saying I couldn't have missed it reading the manual, I certainly could have, and not saying that they may indeed make that recommendation on other earlier models/engines. But I can't find a peep from Weissach on the subject. And again I'll stand happily corrected if they indeed make such a recommendation in writing. Hence, unless proven otherwise, this is Urban Myth, and should be tromped.

Cheers
Mikey

 

Really? That's your substantive contribution to the thread?

Beyond that, my wife would agree with your assessment. There's also a measurably decent chance she'd spank you on the track in the Tip.

Cheers
Mikey

 

i agree. i'm waiting for my third MAF this year to be delivered from fleabay because i keep blowing them by hitting the rev limiter which has been raised so that i can drive the car properly and without hesitation(s) in rev ranges that most(?) of us ( uh oh, lol ) would prefer to be in

 

well put post. i knew it was being read backwards!

not gonna happen. some of this disputed info has purportedly come from a guy in stuttgart. presumably wearing a porkpie hat and trenchcoat. lol. seriously though, i've ordered t-shirts for anyone who wants:

"just say no to lugging and assertions that driving under 3k rpm will cause harm to your engine" lol. i've also enjoyed the debate, and info, and am glad to go do some work today and occupy myself with less pressing concerns

 

Something doesnt sound right to keep blowing MAFs like that..
I have the original one in and I drive my car hard and my red line is 7,400 rpm..