Cool. FWIW my Boxster had TC (traction control), not PSM. It was a more basic system that just cuts power to the rear wheels when the car starts to slip/slide. Not a saviour, but worked quite well. It was fun to turn a corner and step on the gas early to feel the car start to break away, only to be cought by the TC and put back in line. Combine that with sublime turn-in and excellent overall rotation...man that car was fun.

...ok, now I'm really missing my Boxster... :rolleyes:

The Management program on my X5 is good in the snow but it take all the "fun" out of driving. Its like someone is sitting next to me with their foot on the brakes. If you take it off, the X5 always has 30-70% dedicated front to rear output (why you need winter tires) and it lets you power slide at any given opportunity with the 350hps. My kids enjoy our drives when I spot an empty parking lot and do my rally driver impersonations. See what you guys in the Sun Belt are missing!

Hi guys.....I am the (happy) new owner of Doug's old Boxster. I can corroborate all of his Boxster praise, too :). It's a sweet little car and I'm already missing driving it - this Boxster is officially retired from winter driving!! I've got a '99 Honda Accord that shoulders the load in the winter while the p-car rests comfortably in her garage stall.

Doug: on another subject, remember the '04 997 Cab I told you I got to drive (friend of my next-door neighbor)? Well, my neighbor says the guy is preparing to sell it in favor of a new Aston Martin (gulp). The guy told my neighbor to tell me that he'd make me a sweet deal on it and says he knows of a home for the Boxster too. Just for *****'s I got on KBB.com and checked the Private Party price for that car...................................

hang on to your prostate...........................

ready?.......................

65K

Think I'll keep the Boxster!!!......thank you and good night!!!

Matt I was wondering if you'd chime in here! :) I figured you'd put her away for the winter. When you have another option, most people do. Probably smarter, in the long run. I certianly won't be driving the old T anytime soon! (..ok, that's a lie...first sunny, dry day with no snow on the roads and I'll be out...cold be damned!)

Must be nice to be able to casually toss off an '04 Cab for an Aston! I still say, if I'm going to drive a newer convertible Porsche, it'll be a Boxster and not the 996. But since I can't afford either right now, I'll just enjoy what I've got.

We put my old 17s on my Bro's car over Thanksgiving. Don't be surprised if you see his black '03 around this winter!

SmileWavy

89911, Thats why the "off" sw is great (but the PSM will temporarily turn back on when you hit the brakes - and goes right back off when you release)

Doug, you would love PSM in comparison. The TC on pre e-gas cars ,like the 99 996, pull power by goofing w/ the ignition and fuel maps. The e-gas PSM cars actually remove the throttle. It was POURING at Roebling and I was volunteered to drive both sessions (@ 1 Lap) - no WAY I wanted to drive someone elses car w/o TC on. Well, turn 1 on the warmup lap showed how futile that was. Coming out of the turn, the TC starts to intervene, I gently put my foot to the floor to let the computer launch the car, and the car continues to "fart" all the way to the next braking zone. I immediately turned TC off, quickly learned to drive it in the wet for the rest of the lap, and had the most worrisome drive of my life;) I did really well overall, but I wish we could see my hands in the onboard video - I was on the edge everywhere but the camera makes me look smooth as silk. Spinning the tires across the puddles @ 100mph+ on the front straight wasn't fun either, but I didn't lift. An NSX wasn't so lucky and went around several times (but amazingly didn't hit a thing).

BTW, the TC had the same problem at every dry track too (but I was praying for it to work better in the rain). To its defense, we practiced w/ the car @ VIR on RA1s and it did a much better job. On R-compounds, there is enough grip for the system to eventually turn off. W/ even a great street tire it was hopeless.

SMD