About rear-wheel drive
04-28-2006, 06:46 AM
#21
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Nick you might want to try a car control course, like a motorsport events academy day, 1st Lotus day, or Don Palmer. 
Plenty of details of those posted in the past in the UK
Plenty of details of those posted in the past in the UK
04-30-2006, 09:35 AM
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Originally Posted by AquilaEagle,Apr 28 2006, 06:46 AM
Nick you might want to try a car control course, like a motorsport events academy day, 1st Lotus day, or Don Palmer. Plenty of details of those posted in the past in the UK
Plenty of details of those posted in the past in the UK
04-30-2006, 09:38 AM
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Originally Posted by Chazmo,Apr 28 2006, 04:08 AM
Retitling this thread, and linking to it in the FAQ, as many newbies have asked this question. 
04-30-2006, 09:49 AM
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Originally Posted by cthree,Apr 27 2006, 11:09 PM
It really depends on how you look at things. All FWD car under-steer or rather torque-steer. Had you chucked a FWD car, GTI or otherwise into a corner and hit the throttle you would have induced under-steer. Under-steer is great for keeping grannies out of trouble and that's why 99% of cars made do it.
Over-steer OTOH is a weapon. You can really hurt yourself badly but if used skillfully can be very effective. Yes, it can be scary for a newbie and can get you in big trouble but once you've mastered the controlling car rotation with controller over-steer you will leave your pushy FWD friend in the mirrors.
Car control is developed over time though and it will take much to master. This is where an autocross and track days come in. They give you the change to practice what you can't safely do on the street. After a few years of wagging the tail you will not only be faster but you will be safer because you'll be able to control the car even if you get to hot into a corner and you'll know that the gas pedal has more than 2 settings, on and off, and what those settings are for.
You don't need to be a master of car control to safely drive an S2000 you just need to know that it will bite back if you disrespect it. You've already had one such experience and lived to tell of it so you are already ahead of the game.
Over-steer OTOH is a weapon. You can really hurt yourself badly but if used skillfully can be very effective. Yes, it can be scary for a newbie and can get you in big trouble but once you've mastered the controlling car rotation with controller over-steer you will leave your pushy FWD friend in the mirrors.
Car control is developed over time though and it will take much to master. This is where an autocross and track days come in. They give you the change to practice what you can't safely do on the street. After a few years of wagging the tail you will not only be faster but you will be safer because you'll be able to control the car even if you get to hot into a corner and you'll know that the gas pedal has more than 2 settings, on and off, and what those settings are for.
You don't need to be a master of car control to safely drive an S2000 you just need to know that it will bite back if you disrespect it. You've already had one such experience and lived to tell of it so you are already ahead of the game.
Ps I've just noticed where you're from.....It's got to be the best feeling in the world to drive an S2000 in CA. I'm looking into moving to CA myself in a few years time
(I'll have to export my UK spec S2000 though, ya'll drive on the wrong side!! 
)
04-30-2006, 09:53 AM
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Originally Posted by Liam,Apr 28 2006, 04:32 AM
So far i have only had 2-3 years experiance with rwd its self and very little experiance with the s2000.
I have learnt a number of very important rules for driving this car
1, look ahead, think ahead and expect the worst
2, read the road, bumps, oil, road kill :>
3, expect the back end to go at any time (keeps you on the ball and you'll be aware of the space you have around you to get it back again
4, Do EVERY thing smoothly, even when you think its gonna end in tears, do it smoothly cos you might just come out alright.
I have learnt a number of very important rules for driving this car
1, look ahead, think ahead and expect the worst
2, read the road, bumps, oil, road kill :>
3, expect the back end to go at any time (keeps you on the ball and you'll be aware of the space you have around you to get it back again
4, Do EVERY thing smoothly, even when you think its gonna end in tears, do it smoothly cos you might just come out alright.
Thats what a good driver does anyway....[where did I put my DVLA book?]
04-30-2006, 03:14 PM
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Throttle oversteer.. Unless you want the rear to kick about (in any well balanced RWD car) you just can't mash the throttle mid-apex. If the car isn't pointing towards exit, you need to feather the throttle and not treat it like a toggle switch where it's all or nothing.
04-30-2006, 04:52 PM
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Originally Posted by balltheheed,Apr 30 2006, 09:53 AM
So basically anticipate and over think everything and you MIGHT survive your first year of ownership!! Hahaha
Thats what a good driver does anyway....[where did I put my DVLA book?]
Thats what a good driver does anyway....[where did I put my DVLA book?]
04-30-2006, 08:42 PM
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I'm experiencing this RWD adjustment as well. I've driven FWD my entire life, and now I think it's taught me the wrong way to drive.
In my CRX, if I saw a good sweeping corner to attack, I would usually get on the gas to the point where I would feel the car understeer. If I could see my understeer line taking me too wide, I would left off the gas until the line corrected itself back into the available pavement. I could maintain good speed and feel the tires balancing on the edge between grip and sliding, and constantly adjust my line to balance between grip and speed. Get on the gas, slide to the outside, get off the gas, tuck in to the inside. It was all very intuitive (and fun) after many years of driving the car. Maybe a little too "gran turismo" style, but fun, and I've never had an accident in my CRX.
With my S2000, it's much more of a "ok going around the corne.... SHIT! (correctcorrectcorrect)" and from that point on I'm just fighting the car to restore balance. I don't trust the car yet, as a failure with oversteer is much more catastrophic than a failure with understeer, in most cases. My biggest fault is the gas pedal in the turn. With FWD, I was USED TO playing with the gas during the turn. With RWD, that's a recipie for disaster. I need lots of practice.
In a few months I'm moving to Reno, NV, and I notice there is a high-performance driving school taught at the Reno-Fernley Raceway. I think I'll be enrolling in the Level 1 course as soon as possible. At least there I can learn the car's limits as I screw up over and over and over.
In my CRX, if I saw a good sweeping corner to attack, I would usually get on the gas to the point where I would feel the car understeer. If I could see my understeer line taking me too wide, I would left off the gas until the line corrected itself back into the available pavement. I could maintain good speed and feel the tires balancing on the edge between grip and sliding, and constantly adjust my line to balance between grip and speed. Get on the gas, slide to the outside, get off the gas, tuck in to the inside. It was all very intuitive (and fun) after many years of driving the car. Maybe a little too "gran turismo" style, but fun, and I've never had an accident in my CRX.
With my S2000, it's much more of a "ok going around the corne.... SHIT! (correctcorrectcorrect)" and from that point on I'm just fighting the car to restore balance. I don't trust the car yet, as a failure with oversteer is much more catastrophic than a failure with understeer, in most cases. My biggest fault is the gas pedal in the turn. With FWD, I was USED TO playing with the gas during the turn. With RWD, that's a recipie for disaster. I need lots of practice.
In a few months I'm moving to Reno, NV, and I notice there is a high-performance driving school taught at the Reno-Fernley Raceway. I think I'll be enrolling in the Level 1 course as soon as possible. At least there I can learn the car's limits as I screw up over and over and over.