s2k-dja

Jeez, everytime I read a post like this my heart sinks - after months trying to decide between the S and the 350Z, I finally settled on the S a few months ago (to be purchased this summer). My IS200 has swung out a number of times going slowly round a roundabout, but every time, the TC kicks in and sorts it out.

I consider myself to be an enthusiastic but safe driver and always slow down for corners, roundabouts etc, but these horror stories are starting to question my decision slightly. Am I just being a little paranoid about this or is the S really that hard to control? I'm thinking of all the mishaps recently and thinking about the Merc A class when it was launched it was recalled - surely if the S is liable to go sideways Honda should be sorting this out?

I know purists don't like TC, but I'd rather not write off

MarkB

Yes, you fishtailed. The reason being is that, like almost everyone ever in the history of going sideways, you over-corrected the slide (generally, you make a correction, not a lot happens for a short time, you correct more and more then.....oops, you've over corrected and now you're going the other way....). What's the best thing to do? Well, you're enemy is speed in this situation and your best bet is to lose as much as possible. So if you've come to the point you describe where you're just swinging from side to side like a pendulum, stand on the brakes and let go of the wheel

I know it goes against everything 'conventional' wisdom tells you but unfortunately you 'aint Colin McRae - you're you. And you (and almost everyone who isn't Colin McRae) is only going to get into more trouble by persisting in trying to correct the problem. The brakes will lose as much speed as it's possible to lose, and letting go of the wheel will at least centre the steering so that you're not amplifying the fishtail anymore.

How about if you're going in to the bend too fast? Well changing down is just as likely to throw weight forward as braking, but with the added bonus of possibly making the rear wheels lock, or at the very least cause the drivetrain not to match the road speed (this is why we learn to heel and toe), meaning that the grip they need for the sideways forces will be partly used up by trying to get the drivetrain turning at the same speed as the wheels (think about when you change down too early for a corner normally, the car lurches forward as the engine groans to make up the revs needed to match the road speed, the grip of the tyres is causing this to happen, you need that grip for the sideways forces) - so, in your example, braking gently would have been the lesser of two evils, you may have even surprised yourself if you hadn't done either, the car does grip well even in the damp, it's just that it doesn't need a huge amount of provoking to unsettle it, smooth steering and a constant throttle may have seen you round the corner without a problem.

Problem is, it's easy for us to sit here typing what you should have done, it's very different when you're faced with the situation for real isn't it?

What you might benefit from, as well as an Academy day with Motorsport Events (see here) which will help you find the limits and understand how to correct problems, is some on-road driver trainiing such as Ride Drive (see here) who will teach you how to read the road, which should mean you never get into any situation unintentionally. I would recommend the latter first, then the former.

HTH - Mark

Welshman

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Ric

MarkB

[QUOTE]Originally posted by s2k-dja
surely if the S is liable to go sideways Honda should be sorting this out?

Tonky

[QUOTE]Originally posted by s2k-dja
Jeez, everytime I read a post like this my heart sinks - after months trying to decide between the S and the 350Z, I finally settled on the S a few months ago (to be purchased this summer).

Welshman

[QUOTE]Originally posted by MarkB
:hello

What you might benefit from, as well as an Academy day with Motorsport Events (see here) which will help you find the limits and understand how to correct problems, is some on-road driver trainiing such as Ride Drive (see here) who will teach you how to read the road, which should mean you never get into any situation unintentionally.

Tonky

The trouble is we're all pre-occupied with this 'image' problem which gets in the way of sensible choices sometimes! Don't scorn an MX5 as a 'Toe in the water' a great handling fun car with good steering feedback!

gaddafi

I don't consider myself qualified to answer that one Ric.

I don't hang about and like to think I am a quick and able driver, but I'm not at all sure what lies behind this!

Tonky and Mark's comments on braking/gearchanging fit with my general sentiments.

I suppose in my simple world I consider brakes are for slowing down and gears are for speeding up.

Kobe

[QUOTE]Originally posted by euan

SandyS2K

[QUOTE]
quote:
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Originally posted by cheshire_carper