Auto Show Bus Trip

We had a great trip, again this year, to the Chicago Auto Show.  There were so many cars to see and some very interesting concept cars.  How about the “Pod” by Toyota?  It is always interesting to see how the exhibits will be set up and Jeep did their very entertaining waterfall again this year.  Thanks to all of those that went on the bus for helping us have another successful event.

A big thank you to Tanya Meyer for making all the arrangements, getting the tickets for us, and taking the reservations.

For Sale:

Incomplete collection of Porsche Panorama magazines, including issues from 2001, 2000, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992, and 1991.  Also several 1987 issues when it was simpley called “Porsche” magazine and six 1988 issues when it was call “Excellence”.  These could become collectable! Will sell all for $50.00 or best offer.  Patrick Killean 319-377-1932.

Hit The Road- Porsche’s are for driving

By Hans Deutschmann, Kansas City Region (from The Der Sportwagen)

The voice at the other end of the line said, “You’ve gotta come down here and see what I’ve got.”

It was Paul, a buddy of mine, who owns an exotic car shop – some retail, lots of repair, and a little boutique.  Paul’s shop is unusual for these times; it operates the way the good old enthusiast shops used to.  Once you have passed a muster you are allowed to walk around anywhere – even in the work areas where the mechanics “toil” over Porsches, Ferraris and Lamborghinis.  Paul encourages this behavior, as he says:  “We’ve got nothing to hide, the more people see how we do things, the more loyal they become.”

“What’ve you got?” I asked, attempting to cut to the chase.  “Just come down here, and do it soon because this thing won’t last long.”

Yeah… right, I thought.  Paul’s trying to sell me a Ferrari again.  He did seem persistent, though, so I made a mental note to visit the shop within the next couple of days.  A week passed before I took the afternoon off to run a few errands and visit Paul’s shop.

When I arrived at the shop, I drove to the back of the building and waked into one of the shop bay doors with the goal of ultimately ending up at the retail entrance.  The T-shirts and models could wait; I wanted to see what the mechanics had town apart in the workshop.

As I walked in the garage, my eyes were immediately drawn to what Paul had called me about.  It was a Silver 1996 Twin Turbo,  burgundy leather – and it was perfect.  Paul and two other people were standing by the car talking quietly – not a good sign, in my opinion (usually people talk quietly when the topic is money, implants or a car changing hands).  I tried to catch Paul’s eye to see if I was welcome “in.”  After a couple of minutes the two other people, a man and a woman, broke off to talk alone and Paul approached me.

“Look at this car!” he said.  “I know”, I replied.  “No you don’t.  Take a look at the odometer”, Paul said.  I peeked through the window and saw that the car had logged a total of 558 miles.

“No way, is that real?” I asked.

“Oh yes, it’s real” the female voice behind me replied.  I turned around and Paul introduced me to Nancy, the wife of the man who owned the car.  “We ordered the car in 1995 and waited forever to get it” she said.  “We’d had Porsches before, but this was my husband’s dream car.  When he died five months ago, I couldn’t decide whether or not to keep the car, then I realized that it really wasn’t that important to me if he wasn’t around.  It’s really sad, his friends always kidded him about never driving it.  He would always tell them how fast it was, how good it cornered and stopped, and that some day, after the “new” wore off he was going to drive it more.”

“So, it’s for sale?” I asked hopefully (at this point you are never thinking of whether or not you can afford it).

“Nope, I bought it,” replied the man who had been talking to Paul and Nancy earlier.  “I’ve been looking for a car like this for years and I finally found it.”

“This car is right off the showroom floor, you could win a concours today if you entered it.”  I said.  “I really have no interest in showing the car,” he said.  “This is probably the best sports car ever made, and I intend to drive it.” 

“I don’t care for the garage queen approach to ownership either”, I said.  “I just assumed that you would be buying this car for its low mileage.”  “Low mileage is good”, the new owner replied,” as long as someone else does it.”

I thought about what he had said and realized just how unfortunate the original owners death had been.  Here was a man who had long dreamed of owning a Porsche Turbo.  He ordered the car and waited almost a year before he finally realized his dream.  This man had bought the car, washed it, waxed it and undoubtedly worried over every one of the 558 mines he drove it.  Then, tragically, he died before he dad really driven the car, even though he owned it for five years.  The car remained new, even though its value dropped 15 percent.

The new owner really got a deal.  Not only did he get a great car with low mileage, but he is actually going to experience why this car has become one of the greatest sports cars in history.  Unfortunately, he will be the first true owner of the car – the other gentleman just held it in inventory.

So, what’s my point?  Simple; drive your car.  Porsches are, with few exceptions, beautiful cars, so it is understandable why some owners want them to remain “perfect” cosmetically.  But the real beauty (seriously) in Porsches is that they have done the sports car “thing” better than any other marque, bar none.  Overall, they are fast,  they have great brakes, they handle extremely well, they are reliable, and they look great.  If you aren’t driving yours for fear of “ruining” it, then you are missing the point.

Is your Porsche just parked in your garage most of the time?  Do you realize that you can’t take it with you and that, heaven forbid, you could be gone tomorrow?  One thing you can be sure of, someone will eventually drive “your” Porsche, even if you haven’t.  so why don’t YOU drive it?  You paid for it, you pamper it, and you fret overt it.  Get out there and attend a Club-sponsored open house, go to a Porsche Club breakfast, or better still, go to a driver’s education event.

Start slowly if you must:  Drive around the block, then venture out of the neighborhood.  Schedule an early Saturday or Sunday morning drive in the country when there’s no traffic.  Have fun.  You are one of the luckiest people in the world if you own a Porsche and can drive it.  The recent tragedy in New York reminds us that life is precious and uncertain and that we should savor it everyday.

See you on the road, or maybe at the next Club event!

Tip of The Month

By Matt Zakarian, Metro New York Region

To remove a dried bird dropping from paint, first cover with a water soaked sponge to make it soft.  Then hose it off.

Big brother to the roadster
By Robert Beamesderfer, No region given

The folk at Porsche have been at it again. This time the subject of refinement is the 2002 Boxster S, big brother to the roadster that the folks in Stuttgart sent stateside four and a half years ago. There were some fears at the time that the Boxster would be a repeat of the German marque’s
muchmaligned 914 or the unfortunate 924. Those fears were quickly dispelled for anyone who drove the midengine, reardrive sports car.

The S model, in its third year, answers the main criticism of  the original with a larger, more powerful 3.2litre flat6 engine (250hp versus 217). It’s not only the right answer, but it gets extra credit for having the song and soul of a V8.

Punching the throttle anywhere in the car’s broad power  and results in two very satisfying things: a ferocious growl, heard mostly through the air intakes just behind the doors, and instant acceleration. If not the jump to light speed offered by its 911 Turbo stablemate, the Boxster S goes from zero to 100kph in 5.9 seconds; that’s seventenths of a second faster than the standard Boxster.

Keeping all this under the driver’s spell are huge disc brakes and a suspension system that make this possibly the besthandling car that doesn’t come with a six-figure price tag or a pit crew.

The S is about US$10,000 more than the regular model, but the differences go well beyond cosmetic. Our test vehicle had four major options – metallic paint, sport package, 18inch wheels and Porsche Stability Management – which add about US$6,300 to the base US$51,600. The brakes, suspension and six-speed gearbox are transplants from the 911 Carrera.

Except for subtle styling cues, the S retains the “budget’’ model’s shape. There is an extra vent opening upfront for a third radiator, as well as a dual exhaust that exits from the centre of the car.

(Although the centered exhaust pipe drew criticism early on, it is barely noticeable compared with the homely back end of the Mercedes CClass coupe, which looks like Daimler raided the Saturn parts bin, or the large bustle of the Lexus SC 430, for which styling is compromised to accommodate the retractable hardtop.)

Most noticeable here are the larger 17inch wheels – or the optional 18s – which show off brightred brake calipers. There is also the red “S’’ trunk badge, plus a rear spoiler that rises at 110kph to decrease axle lift.

The interior is smartly laid out: ignition key on the left, in classic Porsche fashion, and simple gauge cluster with tach in the middle. Instead of a glove box, it has large, albeit unlockable, compartments in each door. The S has somewhat more styling glitz than the basic Boxster in the  form of aluminium look trim on the gauges and door handles.

Although all of this is nearly posh when compared with sports cars from as recently as 10 years ago, the relative sparseness of the cockpit is a refreshing change from the overload of buttons and displays often seen in cars priced more than US$50,000.

Excellent seats and steering wheel are combined with  proper sport pedals and a somewhat longer-than-expected throw to the shifter. Still, gear changes were smooth, and the clutch didn’t require a running back’s left leg to depress.

All of this simplicity would be admirable in and of itself – call it antieye candy – were it not also the means by which the car connects driver and road.

With the top down on a pleasant fall day, the Boxster S proved itself more than up to the challenge during a recent test drive along the Pacific Coast Highway.

The car was as pleasurable in cruise mode as it was during more spirited driving in the twisty parts. There wasn’t a handling riddle the S couldn’t help the driver solve.

Indeed, all aspects of performance inspired confidence. This is a car for which the limits probably cannot be reached during safe driving on public highways.

Back in the city, the Boxster S has good driving manners and enough storage in its two trunks to be a guilty pleasure as an everyday car. Operation of the power top is a snap.

The only flaw is that the cup holders, otherwise a marvel of engineering, are unsuitable for anything larger than a double espresso; still, it is a feature absent from the 911 Turbo, in which serious G-force acceleration and hot liquids would be a bad mix.

For the money, you can buy a faster car, such as the BMW M3 or the Chevrolet Corvette, or the slower but more luxe Lexus SC 430. But the S has an excellent balance of power, handling, braking and comfort without disconnection from the road.

All in all, the Boxster S possesses the most important sports car characteristic: the ability to put a smile on your face.

Porsche Clear Coat Care

by David Bynon, San Diego Region (from WINDBLOWN WITNESS)

The high-tech paint on recent Porsche cars differs from their pre-1984 predecessors in structure and in the care they require. In general terms, the finish layer on all late-model Porsche cars was a pigmented, oil-based paint. When detailing these conventional finishes, you work directly on the layer of paint that gives a car its color. Todays Porsche car finish is a water-based paint system, which has a clear top layer for added beauty and protection. This article illustrates the complex structure of the modern clearcoat system and describes methods to care for and maintain its original beauty.

What is a Clearcoat Finish? A clearcoat finish is any paint system that has a color layer protected by a clear urethane, polyurethane or other transparent final finish. Although this protective layer is more tolerant than Porsches finishes of the past, it requires a little more knowledge for proper care. Understanding your Porsche’s clearcoat system is necessary to provide proper care.

Although the chemical compound and application technology is rapidly changing, all clearcoat systems are basically the same. A clearcoat system consists of a primer layer, a flat color layer, and a glossy clear top layer. The primer is a bonding agent for the bare metal and the color layer. It prevents corrosion and provides a stable substrate for the color and clearcoats. The color layer is applied to the primer and is typically very thin. It’s only purpose is to provide color. The clearcoat is two to three times the thickness of the color layer, adding to the appearance of paint depth and offering additional protection. To provide ultraviolet (UV) light protection for the color layer, Porsche’s clearcoat system contains a UV blocking agent.

Porsche’s clearcoat finish is somewhat forgiving. Faults in  the clearcoat are easily corrected compared to solid pigmented finishes, such as enamel. Scuffs and scratches in pigmented paint layers are challenging to correct because the top layer contains the color. This is especially true if the scratch penetrates the color layer into the primer layer. In Porsche’s clearcoat system, most minor scratches and scuffs never reach the color or primer layer. In these cases, a quick polishing is all that’s needed to repair a minor blemish.

Does Your Porsche Have a Clearcoat? How can you tell if your Porsche has a conventional finish or a clearcoat finish? It isn’t always easy to tell. One test is to gently rub an out-of-sight place on the finish with a polish. If the paint color comes off on your polishing cloth, you most likely have conventional finish. Polishing on a clearcoat will normally not reveal any color removal.

Selecting Wash Products for Your Porsche’s Clearcoat Regular washing of your Porsche’s paint is the most important step in maintaining a healthy finish. With a clearcoat system, it is particularly important to choose a quality car shampoo. I repeat: you should use a wash product specially formulated for car finishes (not your dishes). The ideal wash product for the clearcoat surface has the following characteristics:

1.    PH balanced (should be slightly alkaline to counteract the acidic conditions found on our Southern California roadways)

2.   Lubrication (protects paint from scratching and maintains gloss)

3. Thick suds (provides best cleaning action)

4. No residue (free rinsing, no streaking)

On the basis of overwhelming evidence, dishwashing detergent will destroy your Porsche’s clearcoat finish over time. Dish-washing detergents are formulated to remove grease and oils. Detergents will easily strip the wax and protective oils from your paint. The same wax and nutritive oil removal occurs if you put your Porsche through most coin-op car washes. In order to clean without brushes, coin-op car wash systems must use strong detergents. It is also important to note that many professional automotive detailers use detergents to strip wax and road grime. This allows them to quickly polish and wax the car. Most detailing expert agree that the preferred method of  de-waxing is to use a quality pre-wax cleaner.

Your washing tools are as important as the shampoo you choose. I prefer a natural (not synthetic) sea sponge, cotton chenille pad, or sheepskin wash mitt for washing. These tools have a large number of fine filaments that  draw dirt and grime away from the surface being cleaned into their internal structure. Synthetic (flat sided) sponges and wash clothes can trap dirt, grit, and grime on the surface which can scratch your car’s paint. If you use a natural sea sponge, use the outer “soft” side for washing, not the harder “cut” side, and always rinse new sponges thoroughly to remove any remaining sand or shell particles. 100% cotton chenille wash mitts and pads are also excellent as they hold lots of soapy water and are gentle to your paint.

You can cause significant surface damage to your  Porsche’s finish by using the wrong wash tool. For example, a synthetic sponge is not a free-rinsing tool, as grit gets trapped in the sponge’s pores. Towels and diapers are even more problematic due to the weave of cloth. The weave of cloth will trap dirt even if you wash with a soapy solution.

Whatever washing tools or shampoo you use, the basic washing techniques are the same. First, you rinse the finish to remove any loose dirt and cool the paint surface. This step eliminates loose dirt that can be quickly and easily removed. If any dirt remains, it must be removed with minimal friction to avoid scratching.

Most dirt remaining after the first rinse is affixed to the your Porsche’s clearcoat finish through surface tension. To remove this dirt without scratching, you must interrupt the surface tension without creating friction. This is the job of your wash shampoo. The shampoo must dislodge all pollutants, including abrasives, from the clearcoat and suspend the abrasives so they can be rinsed.

Washing & Drying

Here are some tips to make washing easier:

1.    Wash the wheels first!

2.    Make sure your Porsche is cool and work in the shade, if possible. A hot surface causes the wash and rinse water to evaporate too quickly, increasing the likelihood of water spotting. One trick is to park on a slight incline. This allows rinse water to run off moldings, trim, and recessed areas better. Start by thoroughly wetting the finish with a medium water spray to remove loose grit and surface dirt.

3.    Start washing from the top down and rinse your Porsche often. Frequent rinsing is especially important if you are using a wash containing natural oils. While these oils cushion the paint and minimize abrasion they are heavier than water and can leave a film if allowed to set on the car.

4.    Use a final rinse of free flowing water (nozzle off the hose) allowing the water to sheet off the car.

5.    Using a clean, damp, natural or synthetic chamois, start at the top of the car and work down, drawing the chamois across the surface in a straight line. If using a natural chamois, use the “rough”  side to dry the car. Repeat wiping until the surface is mostly dry then
finish drying with a clean terry towel or micro-fiber (Miracle Towel) to remove any remaining droplets.

Threats to Your Clearcoat

Environmental damage is a clear and present danger to your Porsche’s clearcoat. The most common problem is carbon from car exhaust, which can easily build up on your clearcoat. By itself, exhaust carbon is fairly harmless. Mix it with water, though, and you have an acid bath. Acid fog is very common here in Coastal California, as is acid snow in the Northeast United States. Every form of precipitation, including the morning dew, carries a potential threat of acid damage to your clearcoat. The problem is extreme in highly populated or industrial areas.

You can cause more damage to your clearcoat than any environmental hazard if you use the wrong detailing products. The clearcoat will not tolerate abrasives. Anything abrasive used on the clearcoat will scuff the surface.

While I emphasize no abrasives, paint shops and professional detailers use abrasives to repair paint damage. As an example, ultra-fine wet sanding paper, in the 1500 to 2000 grit rating, can be effectively used to blend paint repairs. A skilled detailer can wet sand a clearcoat when virtually everything else has failed to restore its original look. But you need skill and experience to do it without further surface damage. I once wet sanded and rebuffed my 1995 Porsche 993 after driving through an accident scene where battery acid had spilled. The acid left permanent black stains in my Speed Yellow paint (solid colors, like Speed Yellow, do not have a clearcoat finish) . Wet sanding with 2000-grit paper was my only recourse.

Clearcoat Polishes and Pre-Wax Cleaners

Many detailing pros use the word polish and cleaner interchangeably, as if they are the same process. They are not. A polish is a mild abrasive cleaner that cleans and smoothes the paint. It also removes oxidation, old wax, swirl marks and minor scratches. The result is a rejuvenated top paint layer, which is then ready for waxing. Polishing insures a uniform, high gloss shine. A cleaner is more aggressive than a polish. Cleaners uses chemicals to remove old wax, bug remains, tar and other build-up. Cleaners contain heavy abrasives to deep clean and remove severe oxidation and stains.

Generally speaking, the best product to use on a clearcoat is a mild polish with gentle cleaners. These combination products get the most work done with the least effort. While a more abrasive product will generally polish the paint faster, an overly aggressive polishing product increases the risk of scratching. In fact, a fast-cut polish (also known as a rubbing compound) removes some of the finish, making it thinner. Even more abrasive than cleaners are rubbing compounds. Rubbing compounds are preferred for treating conventional paint finishes, and are far too harsh for a clearcoat finish.

Swirl marks in the clearcoat are evidences of abrasive polishing or poor washing habits. There should be no evidence that a car was polished. Swirls caused by hand-polishing are irregular, reflective, hair-line scratches in the polished surface, whereas a machine creates a regular (even) pattern. If you get swirl marks when you buff by hand, it means the product you’re using is too abrasive, or your tools are old or inappropriate for a clearcoat.  Polishing technique is also a factor. When polishing by hand, do not polish in circles. Polish using straight back and forth motions.

In machine polishing, swirl marks may be created if you use wool buffing pads. Wool buffing pads are mildly abrasive. Although wool buffing pads are often used on conventional finishes, clearcoat finishes require a foam pad. If you see a wool pad on your detailer’s buffing machine, run! The preferred and widely used machine polishing pads for the clearcoat finish are made of synthetic foam. They all but eliminate swirl marks, and they can be used on both conventional and clearcoat finishes.

Clearcoat Protection

It was European coach builders that first applied coatings of animal fats and wax to protect the custom paint on their horse drawn carriages. This tradition has endured over 100 years and remains the best way to protect your clearcoat finish.

The multi-layered finish on your Porsche, from the primer through the clearcoat is mere .006 to .008 of an inch thick. Waxing the finish provides an easily renewable, transparent barrier of protection. Waxing also makes your Porsche, new or old, look better.

Quality waxes now combine enriching oils that wet the surface with protective formulas of wax or modern polymers for a high gloss shine. Detailers that prepare show cars will often apply several layers of wax to increase the depth of shine.

With regards to the level of protection, no single brand or type of wax is significantly better than another. However, the more expensive waxes are generally easier to apply and provide a more brilliant, clear finish.

Get Hooked Up!

If you have e-mail and are not getting notices of Porsche Club events, please update your e-mail address by contacting: john-dyson@uiowa.edu or jmdyson@mchsi.com or, phone 319-337-5367 or 319-335-9843. If you have a FAX number we can send information by that method.

There are times that we might need to contact you about an upcoming event that we don’t have time to send a mailing. Please consider getting this information to us.

The Club's Web Page

Jason Walter is our Porsche-webmiester.  He is doing a great job of keeping up the Central Iowa Region page.  If you wish to look at the page go to, www.pca.org/cia If you have any ideas for the site or contributions please let Jason know at jasonw@ninesixtyeight.com .  Please visit our website, www.pca.org/cia  Check out the pictures and our events calendar.

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Last modified: September 20, 2002