Check the ...

... which almost cut our trip short.
Because my wife couldn't accompany me on this adventure, I decided to recruit a new copilot who lives in Tampa, so this trip for me would be 1,000 miles each way (999.8 miles to be exact).
Hence, the special livery on my car:

[i83.photobucket.com]

[i83.photobucket.com]

I left Monday evening to Tampa and overnighted there.
Next morning, with new copilot in tow we left for Atlanta to spend the night there and meet with the Atlanta-Florida Caravan at the Chateau Elan.

But just before we got to Macon Georgia, with my son driving, the car started to develop a weird jiggle.
At first I thought we'd lost a wheel weight, but changing speeds didn't change the jiggle, it just got progressively worse.

We had to reduce speed so that the car wouldn't come apart - it was that bad and the only tolerable speed was 45 to 47 mph.
I now believed that it was a suspension piece that had broken or come loose.
We pulled over and disconnected the trailer so that I could look at the tires/suspension from behind.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so we decided to find a shop with a lift.
On the phone with Christian and Alan who live nearby and we couldn't find one that would be close enough and open so that we could make it there.
Alan graciously offered to send us a tow truck so that we could bring it to his house and put it up on jackstands.

Because the Atlanta-Florida Caravan would leave the next day (Wednesday) at 10:00 AM, we decided to brave it all the way to Atlanta.
If we could reach the Porsche Dealer in time, they may have the parts in stock and could get us on the road in time to hook up with the Caravan.
I called Jim Ellis Porsche to see if they could wait for us (they close at 7:00PM).
No problem was their answer.
We were now in downtown Atlanta, on I-75 and it was 6:30PM.
Traffic was down to 30 mph at which speed my car would literally jump the right rear off the ground on every revolution.
We finally arrived at Jim Ellis Porsche at 7:10PM and Steven Dooley, one of their very competent and customer-oriented Service Advisors was ready for us.
We dropped the car off and he promised that the first tech to arrive next morning at 7:00AM would jump on it.

[i83.photobucket.com]

All of our stuff had to come out of our trunks and they arranged for us to leave our trailer locked up in their basement parking lot.

[i83.photobucket.com]

They also gave me a loaner that could take all the cargo

[i83.photobucket.com]

My son wanted a Cayenne GTS, but we got a very nicely appointed Audi A4 station wagon.

At 7:30AM I got a call from Steve: "Good news, bad news".
Good news was that it wasn't the suspension. It was a damaged rear tire.
Bad news, neither Jim Ellis nor any other tire dealer in the vicinity (they checked around for me) had a replacement (Kumho ECSTA SPT 255/40/ZR17).
The other "good news - bad news" was that Jim Ellis has the replacement tires (now I need two, because I can't mismatch the rears, not going to 226A).
The bad part was that these are N-rated at a much higher co$t than I was ready for.
So, we said "do it". Install the Contis.

By the time we got to Jim Ellis at 8:15AM, Christian and Alan were already there waiting for us and calling the rest of the caravan to do the same.

I was shown the damaged tire

[i83.photobucket.com]

It had a huge bulge right in the center of the tread. That's why I couldn't see any damage when we mover the car slowly forward,

We got our car back at 9:15AM, thanked Steve at Jim Ellis Porsche for all their attention, paid our bill - they gave us a discount - hooked up the trailer, loaded it and hauled a$$ to get to Chateau Elan.
Christian leading, we made it and the Caravan only had to wait about 15 minutes in all.

From that point on it was smooth Boxstering all the way out and back.

Now you know the rest of the story.

PS: Our sincere gratitude to Christian and Alan who went way out of their way to help a stranded BRBS'er. As has been said so many times before: ITS THE PEOPLE!!!!

Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/09/2011 11:08AM by Pedro (Weston, FL). (view changes)

While we didn't do much to help, we were ready to do whatever it took to get you to BRBS (Katie's Cayenne was also ready to go...).
There was no way we were leaving without YOU

Hope to see you and Beto soon.

Christian

I wouldn't have got my TechnoVolt. Boy oh boy, BRBS sure wouldn't have been the same without you.

Maybe the tire bulge is an Atlanta thing. I had the same type of thing happen quite a few years ago on route to Florida. I limped into Atlanta and managed to get a replacement tire on a Saturday. After returning home, I had to get the shock at that wheel replaced. It had taken quite a beating. (Non of my teeth feel out, though. )

My question, since you had a chance to Diamondback them: What difference (aside from lighter wallet) do you notice with the Contis compared to your Kumohs?

... zilch, nada.
The new Contis felt just as good as my Kumhos.
Granted, we didn't get wet pavement which is where the Kumhos really shine.
A drawback with this setup now is that the Continentals have a 1/4" overhang over the edge of the wheel.
Because my car is so low and I also use 17 mm rear spacers I would get a little tire rub against the rolled left rear fender with the suspension loaded.
Without the weight of the trailer and the luggage, all seems fine.
When the fronts wear in a few months I'm getting new Kumhos, and the same when the Contis bite the dust.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Just read all through this. Pedro you were well looked after!

Guenter, We talked some time ago. I used to post on PPBB. Our last Boxster was an 05. Our last Porsche was our 06 911 which we sold after a run from Toronto to Newfoundland. 8,500 klicks in 6 driving days.

Hope to have a Cayenne soon.

Best,
DaveL

I take that back.
Now I remember why I hate the Continentals.
As they wear the car becomes so unstable that I though I had a broken suspension component.
This never happens with my trusty Kumhos which I've been known to wear down to the cords.
The only reason why i put the Contis on my car was because that's what the dealer in Atlanta had and it was an emergency.
Glad they're off my car again!
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Thanks for the update Pedro, I'll make a note of that when it's time to get new tires. By the way I am thinking of putting my old 996's OME 18' wheels on the Boxster, any thoughts from you experience.

... clearance with the suspension struts because the offsets are off.
You may need some spacers, especially for the rear.
Happy Porscheing,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Hell will also freeze over before you finally admit those Kumhos are cheap crap

... this Kumho that failed is the first one I have had a problem with, ever.
I put the first set of Kumhos on my car when the OEM Michelin Sport Pilots wore at 10,000 miles.
Now, at 208,000 miles, I've replaced 15 sets of rears and 9 sets of fronts (that's 30 rear tires and 18 front tires for a total of 48 Kumhos. That's not counting 14 V700 Kumho Victoracerrs that I've used on the track).
To me, there's no better bang-for-your-buck rubber available.
Happy Porscheing,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna