[sambrown]

We recently moved from SOCAL to northern West Virginia, mostly for my work but partly to get out of the rat race. Instead of working from home I now have a 30 mile commute down I79. I figured I would use the 968 for a while then switch to something suitable for the winter. Hmmm. But I have been surprised at every turn. As opposed to SOCAL stop and go freeways the curvy bumpy and fairly uncongested roads are perfectly suited for my 968. Oil leaks are drying up, the tranny stopped dripping,the check engine light stays off (or maybe the bulb finally went out). It loves the regular highway driving. There are little back roads that leave you just giddy. I am a bit glad that my suspension is still very much as delivered as some are a bit lumpy, but that just affirms to me that these sorts of roads are precisely what the car was designed for... I just got home from work; 30 miles in alternating rain and sleet and the carwas perfect. Sure footed, stable around the trucks and utterly predictable. If I could make the heater work as well as the rest of the car...



There have been some challenges: my old SOCAL dry weather ultra performance tires were like driving on bowling balls. I finally had to replace the steering... a few things like that..



Anyway this place is just a playground for the 968 but leave those track suspensions home.

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[ds968]

Additionally, similar to its ( 944 ) predecessor the 968 never has and never will be at its best in hot weather. I'm not surprised may of the ails have healed themselves and the car acts differently in WV, especially this time of the year . IMHO

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[Rap]

Those of us who are fortunate enough to live in the mountains where twisties and fun driving is the norm often feel sorry for those stuck driving in the rat race. I for one don't miss it. The food yes, the driving no!



Continue to enjoy. Winter tires yet?

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[Cloud9...68]

You guys who live in areas with relatively uncongested, entertaining roads are so lucky. I've totally given up driving my 968 on the street - what's the point, where all I see are miles of tail lights ahead of me? What little driving I do is in a 2004 E46 with a slipping transmission. I've thought about rebuilding or replacing the tranny, but again, what's the point, where the traffic-limited top speed seldom exceeds 30 mph - acceleration is a foreign concept - except for on the track, of course.

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[sambrown]

I slithered into the local tire shop during a minor snow storm and got a set of Conti all seasons. As advertised they are adequate for most everything but not exceptional at anything. Around here that's almost perfect.



Driving the back roads has proven to demand more than the usual levels of respect for the unexpected: slow trucks, fast pickups with crazed oil field workers, and occasional sections of road that were clearly used for missile testing. All part of the fun!

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[sambrown]

On at least three occasions I have driven to work with av average speed of 78 mph and never actually stopped until I was in my parking space. There are two stoplights on my route. Sweet bliss after SOCAL.

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[Rap]

How about animals? Now that various hunting seasons are going on the animals are moving more.

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[ds968]

In retrospect, I have no idea how I could have possibly tolerated driving my six speed for more than seven years in this area's miserable bumper to bumper traffic for nearly one hour each way, every day . Particularly during hot summers when I could have sworn the clutch was going to fail at any minute after endless stop and go , in and out use in those high temps. Yet, it miraculously survived and at over 100k miles now it's still running strong. But as I got older I suppose my tolerance for that kind of torture wore thin so I switched daily drivers to my MBZ ( tiptronic ) for the following four years . But as comfortable as that was, boredom eventually set in so I searched for the perfect solution : a tip 968 as my daily driver. Fortunately I found it...and with a bonus ; it already had a D1R SC on it . So when that bumper to bumper commute frees up occasionally - woooo-hoooo !!

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[Cloud9...68]

[quote name='sambrown' timestamp='1416300966' post='163787']

On at least three occasions I have driven to work with av average speed of 78 mph and never actually stopped until I was in my parking space. There are two stoplights on my route. Sweet bliss after SOCAL.

[/quote]

OK, rub it in. Austin is the fastest-growing city in the country, and the roads haven't come close to keeping up. I take what little public transportation is available - I'd get a nose piercing before I subjected my own car, any car, to the torture of daily commuting ever again. The trip to and from the pick-up point is bad enough. This experience has totally soured my enthusiasm for cars. I couldn't care less what type of car I drive on the street. I'm trying to sell as many of them as I can - fixing them takes too much of my time, I don't even want to wash them anymore, and driving here sucks. But interestingly, this experience has amplified my love of driving on the track.

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[flash]

lol - get a motorcycle. i know somebody selling a great one.

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[Cloud9...68]

Can it fly? If so, I think we could work something out...

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[sambrown]

I found my tip 968 specifically because of i210 in Pasadena. Around here a six speed would be very happy. The only exception would be around WVU in Morgantown which is maybe 10 miles away. The locals complain about the traffic there. I point out that SOCAL is roughly the same, but the traffic extends 100 miles in all directions including up. A lot of conversations end there so I use that point sparingly.



And yes, deer are always a serious consideration both because of their size and suicidal behavior. I am extremely cautious around dawn and dusk when they are out. We have a deer family that hangs around the house. Hunting them would have about the same sport as shooting your dog.

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