# How bad is it when you smell "fireworks" when driving a Porche Carrera 4S? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** 911, porsche\ **Created:** [May 16, 2010, 10:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-bad-is-it-when-you-smell-fireworks-when-driving-a-porche-carrera-4s/48956 "2010-05-16T22:24:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![badporchedriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@badporchedriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/badporchedriver)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 10:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-bad-is-it-when-you-smell-fireworks-when-driving-a-porche-carrera-4s/48956/1 "2010-05-16T22:24:04Z")
I was coerced into driving my best friend’s husband’s porche carerra 4s after dinner one night. I told him I had not driven a car with a clutch in over 8 years, much less a Porche. (As an aside, my father has one, but has never let me drive it). I used to have a Jetta and loved it, and was a good driver, but I’m out of practice, and, I realize that a Jetta is NOT a Porche. That being said, as I was reluctantly driving the 1.6 mile distance from the restaurant to the house, I started to get the feel for the car, although I realize I was riding the clutch a little. And having a little “learning curve” getting used to changing gears. So, as we were driving along, I suddenly smelled what seemed to be some pretty powerful fireworks. This was after I had switched into the wrong gear and then corrected that. I also had the window open. The smell eventually faded, I go to the house, parked the car, and went inside. However, when my friend’s husband got back in the car, he noticed a smell and asked my friend about it. Now, I’m afraid I did something bad to the car that will end up being an expensive repair. What do you think?? ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 11:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-bad-is-it-when-you-smell-fireworks-when-driving-a-porche-carrera-4s/48956/2 "2010-05-16T23:00:10Z")
Did you notice the car revving quite a bit while you were riding the clutch? Being acquainted with how to drive a manual, unless you were doing outrageous stuff, there should be no real harm done. You were probably smelling the clutch, but a 911 should have a plenty stout one. Did your friend comment on how you were driving? ---
**Author:** ![waterboy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/waterboy/32/764_2.png) [@waterboy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/waterboy)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 11:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-bad-is-it-when-you-smell-fireworks-when-driving-a-porche-carrera-4s/48956/3 "2010-05-16T23:02:55Z")
I smoked my clutch a few times pulling a boat out with my 2wd ranger manual tran, 100k before I sold it. Probably no problem. ---
**Author:** ![badporchedriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@badporchedriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/badporchedriver)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 11:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-bad-is-it-when-you-smell-fireworks-when-driving-a-porche-carrera-4s/48956/4 "2010-05-16T23:06:34Z")
yes, it revved, but i did not hear it catch - you know the chu-chug-scrape sound it can make. My friend did not comment, except to say make sure you’re not riding the clutch. I really barely had time to get the feel of the car before that smell… ---
**Author:** ![badporchedriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@badporchedriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/badporchedriver)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 11:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-bad-is-it-when-you-smell-fireworks-when-driving-a-porche-carrera-4s/48956/5 "2010-05-16T23:31:05Z")
Thanks! I feel a lot better. My friend’s husband is pretty “intense”. He makes me nervous.