912 Blues

12/4/16

Ever since I changed the coil in my blue 912 a couple of weeks ago, it has been driving beautifully.  I have been commuting to work in it two to three days each week with no issues.  So yesterday I decided to take it on a more serious road trip, travelling about 40 miles each way.  Sure I was a little leery, maybe more than a little leery.  I was going to take it down to Seal Beach for the monthly PCA GPX breakfast, something I had not done since early August, when it crapped out on me on the way home, forcing me to hitch a ride on a flatbed to get back.  But the 912 was running well, so I figured it was a reasonably safe bet.

Of course, I had to wash it before I went.  It was going to see its family so it had to look its best.  I was going to leave too early on Saturday morning to wash it before I left so I decided to wash it Friday.  Unfortunately for me it was cold and windy late Friday afternoon.  I was in shorts and flip-flops as I washed it.  Pam thought I was nuts.  She was right.  I did freeze, but I got it washed and dried, tucked it in for the night with its cover on, and told it to get a good nights rest.

Saturday morning dawned clear and COLD, very COLD, at least by LA standards, which meant the low 40s.  In my other cars, equipped with seat warmers and functional heaters and front and rear defrosters, this would not pose any issues.  In the 912, the only seat warmer is my backside, and the heater and front and rear defrosters do not work, making the trip a little more irritating to say the least.  Because it was pretty dry out and I had kept the 912 covered all night, the front and rear windows had no moisture on them and did not fog up, making the lack of defrosters less of an issue. Unfortunately, I underestimated the cold, and, though I had shoes and socks on instead of flip flops, my tee shirt and sweatshirt were not sufficient barriers to the cold. resulting in a very uncomfortable ride for the 45 minutes or so to Seal Beach.

The good news was that the 912 ran great, enabling me to cruise at 70 to 75 MPH all the way without any issues.  When I drive the 912, I drive very differently than when I drive my Cayman GTS.  In the Cayman, I am able to react to situations as they occur and use the accelerator in a defensive as well as offensive manner.  In the 912, I have to plan ahead, far ahead, as my accelerator is essentially useless as a defensive tool, meaning I cannot accelerate out of trouble.  I can only slow down to avoid it.  As a result, I drive very passively and assume all other cars are going to cut me off or f**k with me one way or another, forcing me to slow down when I expect it least.  Sometimes it is even fun to watch the expressions of disgust on the other drivers as they sit behind me and look for opportunities to get past me.

Despite driving at 70 to 75 MPH, I got passed by just about every other vehicle Saturday morning, including every Prius, which is the ultimate insult to any Porsche, even a 912.  It was a humbling experience, but at least I got to see the make and model of every car as it passed me and cut right in front of me.   And, as usual, the expressions on the driver’s faces were amusing.  As my radio in the 912 seems to have developed an extremely irritating buzzing in the left speaker making music difficult to listen to, focusing on the other vehicles and drivers helped me pass the time and took my mind off the cold.

The 912 made it to the breakfast.  I found a great spot to park and was pleased when a 1967 911 (red) and a 1970 911 (green) parked on either side of it.  The three cars looked really good together.

It took me a long time to warm up after I parked, and my feet were still cold more than an hour later.  Breakfast was fun, and then it was time to get back on the road.  The 912 ran really well.  I even began to notice just how well.  I was feeling good about it.  Of course, in the back of my mind I kept thinking, “Don’t jinx it.  Don’t jinx it.”  On the way back I stopped to buy a new camera, this one with a killer zoom lens and then went home.  I left the 912 on the side parking spot, so it would be accessible for Sunday morning driving.

Sunday morning also dawned clear and cold, but I only had to drive a mile or so to the gym, so I was not concerned about the cold.  As I walked behind the 912, I noted that something had leaked overnight.  So after berating myself for jinxing the car the day before, I just left it where it was parked, moved Pam’s and Kimberly’s cars out of the driveway, started the Cayman and drove to the gym, enjoying the heat as it permeated the cabin.  Despite the warmth I was somewhat chilled by the unknown issue causing the leak and felt the 912 Blues beginning anew.