Will the day come when I can drive a Porsche Boxster GTS (MT)? -Vol.5

My Family's Car Life

Boxster MT Practice

The new year dawned, January 2, 2019. With my mother-in-law watching my daughters, my husband and I decided to go out to practice driving the Boxster GTS (MT). Until now, the practice location from home(Ashiu driveway and unpopular parking lots)My husband drove me to the airport and we took turns driving when we arrived, but that day, for the first time, we had aWe decided to leave from home with me driving.

Nakabayashi Kogyo's body coverThe Boxster was clean and in good condition thanks to the outdoor air-conditioning system.

It's been 3 years since I got my AT license... finally, finally I made it here (laughs).

First time in a Boxster on city streets!

."If it's a subtle hill, just press the parking brake button, and if something goes wrong, just put on the hazard and stop. It's all right. Let's just stay calm.I said to myself, "I'm not going to go out there," and off I went.

The most difficult part after our departure was "getting out of the parking lot onto the roadway," but we managed it and were able to drive for a while after that without any problems. Then, we were able to get to the "Today is the three days of the week, so the main roads will be crowded indeed.and decided to go through the mountain roads to Sanda.

However, that day, every time I shifted gears, from 2nd to 3rd or 4th to 3rd, the shift shock was so loud that I was violently rattling the gears. I even told my husband, "What the heck, you're getting worse than before.I couldn't remember the feeling of shifting gears myself and thought to myself, "Why, why, why...?

Meanwhile, my husband was beside himself.

I don't remember the Boxster being such a hard turning car."
The Boxster is in bad shape today...it seems to me like a car that weighs about 2.5 tons.
The Boxster is about to fall asleep.

But as he gave me more and more advice, I became more and more confused, and eventually, every time I tried to operate the clutch, my leg would move from my knee to my thigh, and I would tell my husband, "I don't know how to do that.

What's going on? Your legs are moving like a heavy metal drummer.

and to top it off, the light car behind me started to agitate me.

Oh no! I can't do it anymore!

So, I turned the driving over to my husband for a time.

My husband drives the Boxster.

I decided to ride in the passenger seat for a while, and my husband lectured me on the basics of MT driving again...

As soon as my husband got into the driver's seat of the Boxster and we started off, the Boxster looked different...The Boxster suddenly began to run like a fish out of water.It was very nimble, had a nice, bouncy sound, and went around curves very well.

Boxster...so much depends on who is driving it...

It was like driving a different car. Recently, my husband has been touring frequently in his air-cooled Porsche 911 (964C2), and he has been trying to master the RR sports car.How to apply load when going around curves, accelerating and braking.I felt that his driving had become much better than before because he has been able to grasp the situation recently through trial and error.

Meanwhile.

I need to listen to the car more. I need to listen to the sound of the RPM's going up, and make sure that when I shift up, that sound connects smoothly.

Try to imagine the structure of the car more while driving. Imagine that the clutch is just about to connect... oh, it just connected! Try to imagine the clutch is just about to connect...and then...oh, it just connected!

I don't have a good course at curves, so it's hard to turn, and I have to turn the wheel in the middle of a curve. You should be more aware of the clipping point.

It is important to operate the clutch, but it is also important to operate the gas pedal, and instead of turning the accelerator on and off as if you were driving an AT car, you need to be more delicate and smooth on the accelerator.

Maybe Mina-chan's driving position is not right. We need to check it more carefully before we leave.

And so on..."Well, I understand. If it were that easy, I wouldn't have any trouble.He took over driving again, saying, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

First, check the driving position. The Boxster's clutch is heavier, so perhaps I was putting in more weird force than necessary by not having the right seat position. Also, in my case, my sneakers were not fitting my feet slightly, so I need to wear the right ones again.(I went to see Negroni before because I wanted a pair of Negroni driving shoes, but Negroni only has MENS shoes and I couldn't find a size that fit.)

I got myself together and set off, consciously trying to make a smooth series of shifting movements, only to be met with a loud gulp and a big gearshift shock, and if I tried to do it carefully, it took too long to release the clutch and I ended up faltering...

Hmmm, difficult (*_*)

Anyway, after about an hour of driving, we pulled into a convenience store and managed to park the car, although it was stalling all over the place due to the delicate slope. We looked at the clock and it was already 1:30 p.m. Neither of us had eaten lunch, so we easily ate in about a minute, and then my husband drove and we were off!

Finally, we decided to stop at Ashiu Driveway and return home from there.

Go to Ashiu Driveway!

When I went there at the end of the year, there was snow on the Ashiyu Driveway, but it was also snowing that day, and the road was covered with "snow.icy warningI saw a sign that said, "East Rokko Observation Deck to the toll booth at the foot of the mountain. I decided to make a few round trips from the East Rokko Observation Deck to the toll booth at the foot of the mountain.

However, I was driving fearfully, thinking "I'm afraid of icy road surfaces," so I drove in 3rd gear all the way down the hill, resulting in endless slow driving down the hill.

To my husband in the passenger seat.

I mean, what is this practice?

I was asked if I couldI no longer know what is what. I have no more HP or MP, so I have to stay at the inn.I had never driven a MT car for such a long time, so I was getting tired and started to say incomprehensible things.(You always get tired and stop practicing.), ,

Me: No matter how hard I try to start the car, it won't move, it stalls!
Husband: I mean, you've been keeping your foot on the brake the whole time. That's why it won't move.

in Tokyo

Husband: Stop! There's oncoming traffic!
Me: I can't see at all, let me go ahead (-_-)

The situation was becoming dangerous, so we ended the practice and my husband drove us home.

Boxster driving, be patient, don't rush.

Previous PracticeNow, let's taste the roar of the Boxster and "I could drive this on a normal road!I was beginning to feel more confident, but after driving the Boxster for the first time on the city streets that day, I realized, "I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do this.We still have a long way to go.I was painfully reminded of this.

Plus, my husband has been driving a 964 lately, and he's a better driver than he used to be."The same car, yet it drives so differently depending on the driver.I was shown the fact that I was a "good person"...and I completely lost my will to fight (laugh).

I've got about 120km on the road today, so if I drive 100x more, I'll be good.

I was told, "Hyah, hyabai...." and became more and more uncomfortable. Well, compared to the beginning.(When I was about to wipe the bubbles out of my white eyes)I've improved a lot since then.

For now.If you want to enjoy the driving experience of the Boxster, it's quicker to get in the passenger seat, and with the Panamera, you don't have to think about anything because the car does it so well and it's fun to drive.I will enjoy the fun of Porsche driving there for a while... I will try to drive the Boxster patiently and steadily, without being in a hurry.(Don't let the GT3 Touring MT get delivered while you're saying that.)

...and two days after writing this article, I went for a drive in an air-cooled 911 (964C2) with AT, and I felt that the car moved without thinking when starting, stopping, and at the same time I felt that I was missing something.If I get used to the ease of the AT, I'm going to ruin myself.I felt a sense of "I'm not a fan of MT cars" and I missed MT cars. I never thought I would feel this way....

Click here for previous Boxster Practice articles.

→Until the day when you can drive a Boxster GTS (MT) -Vol.1
→Until the day I can drive a Boxster GTS (MT)-Vol.2
→Until the day I can drive a Boxster GTS (MT)-Vol.3
→directional marker or indicatorUntil the day I can drive a Boxster GTS (MT)-Vol.4

Follow me if you like this blog!

Close Comment
  • Comment ( 7 )

  • Trackbacks are closed.

  1. isi

    I look forward to working with you again this year. From this year, I will write under this name without B.

    The struggle is very realistic (laughs).

    This may be a little off topic, but I learned about a disease called THC (dentition contact habit) on some TV program. It is supposedly desirable for people to have a slight gap between their upper and lower teeth when they close their mouths, but it is said that unnecessary and continuous contact between the upper and lower teeth can have a negative impact on physical condition and performance. I have noticed that my performance in tense situations has improved and I am less tired.

    I don't know if this applies to you, Mina, but if your body does not move according to the image in your head, you may be unconsciously clenching your teeth due to tension.
    If you have any idea what I'm talking about, I think licking candy or chewing gum during practice might help a little. (Though riding every day is a quicker fix than that.)
    I can't use candy or gum at work, so when I feel myself clenching my teeth, I prevent THC by bringing the tip of my tongue into contact with the back of my upper jaw, slightly behind my front teeth.

    • Mina.Mina.

      Mr. Ishi.
      Best wishes for the rest of the year!

      >The struggle is very realistic (laughs).
      Thank you (laughs). Sometimes I think I could be a comedian with bad motor skills on AMETOKU (laughs), so for me, driving a manual transmission is not a simple task.

      >I don't know if this applies to you, Mina, but if your body doesn't move according to the image in your head, you may be unconsciously clenching your teeth due to tension.
      Ha!!! That's right: !!!!
      I think it probably applies very much.
      When I was once allowed to test drive a Panamera Turbo at a dealership, I was so nervous that I clenched my teeth so hard that my jaw was severely tired after the test drive. (And I didn't notice it because I was unconscious when I was clenching). Next time I'll try chewing gum while I drive! If this makes it easier for me to drive, that's a lot of progress, right?

      However, as you say, I think the shortcut is to ride more often, so I will try to ride a little more on a regular basis this year.
      Thank you for everything.
      Best wishes for the rest of the year!

  2. isi

    Sorry, correction. The abbreviation for dental contact habit was incorrect.
    (Incorrect) THC
     ↓arrow (mark or symbol)
    (TCH (tooth contact habit)

  3. ivy (esp. Boston ivy, Parthenocissus tricuspidata)

    Nice to meet you.

    I read your well-written blog with great admiration.

    These are Negroni shoes, but they also make shoes for women at the factory's order session.
    If I have a chance to travel to Tokyo, that is.

    • Mina.Mina.

      earthworm
      Nice to meet you and thank you for visiting our blog.

      >Negroni shoes, but they also make shoes for women at the factory's order session.
      >I'd like to visit Tokyo if I have a chance.

      I see! So I quickly checked, and sure enough, they are taking orders only!
      And the design was very nice.
      If I have a chance to visit Tokyo, I would like to go to Negroni's factory, but I have a faint hope that they will eventually sell WOMENS' items as well... ^^;
      But shoes are important, right? Thank you for your valuable information!
      Thank you for your continued support.

  4. PorscheDreamer

    Oh dear, you seem to be having a hard time.

    Of course, it is up to each person to do one thing at a time.

    Anyway, I think it would be a step forward if I could have confidence in clutch meat, so I think it would be a good idea to go slowly on a wide, open, level parking lot, with the clutch fully disengaged (fully depressed) and half-clutched repeatedly while idling, and let the left leg learn these two positions (if it is difficult to do so). (If it is difficult to do so, you can adjust the seat as well. At first, it is okay to lift the pedal slowly, but as you get used to it, it will become faster. At first, try it for about 5 minutes.

    Oncoming cars... If you drive on the left in Japan, it is normal for the passenger to see you first, so don't worry about it.

    • Mina.Mina.

      PorscheDreamer.

      >Anyway, I think it would be a step forward if I could gain confidence in clutch meat.
      You are exactly right...!
      It no longer stalls on normal roads, but I'm still trying to get a sense of where it connects.
      I am always groping.
      If I could get a better sense of this, I would be able to concentrate on driving without thinking about anything else.
      I'll find a bigger parking lot and practice next time ^^^.

      >Oncoming cars... If you drive on the left in Japan, it is normal for the passenger to see you first, so don't worry about it.
      What kind words...! Thank you!
      I'll do my best!