David Jenkins
|
| posted on 2/1/09 at 10:11 PM |
|
|
RWD skills?
Not to be morbid, but this is the time of year when inexperienced drivers risk stuffing their new toys into the scenery. Just wondering - how many
new Locost drivers on this forum have ever driven a rear-wheel-drive car in the past?
|
|
|
|
|
matt.c
|
| posted on 2/1/09 at 10:13 PM |
|
|
Nope none but i had fun learning on the way to the SVA. 
|
|
|
daniel mason
|
| posted on 2/1/09 at 10:18 PM |
|
|
Its my first year in rear drive cars.I have been driving around deserted car parks trying to get the back end out because its totally different to
drive.I have had 2 imprezas and an evo 8,all 4 wheel drive,but this is a new experience for me,but one which i love very much.am thinking of a track
day to really get to grips with things, an stm7 zx9r is my new toy!
 
|
|
|
TGR-ECOSSE
|
| posted on 2/1/09 at 10:18 PM |
|
|
Being 21 with 20 years experience i was brought up on MK1 , MK2 Escorts and Cortinas etc so i learned how to play with rwd but have raced fwd cars and
4x4s. Nowadays young drivers have never driven rwd cars and have not got a clue how to drive them. The main difference between driving either of them
badly is that in a rwd car you dont see what you hit
|
|
|
David Jenkins
|
| posted on 2/1/09 at 10:18 PM |
|
|
In the intro I should have added that I learned to drive on RWD cars - a FWD car was about the 4th or 5th car I ever drove.
The reason for asking is that FWD is far more forgiving than RWD - if you cock it up on the former you just understeer, but on RWD you're going
to visit the scenery unless you've had some practice!
|
|
|
nitram38
|
| posted on 2/1/09 at 10:19 PM |
|
|
It all depends on how you like to drive.
I prefer a car that will oversteer before understeer. I don't like understeering cars.
Both require different throttle responses in corners.
Also front wheel drive cars suffer from torque steer, which can be nasty
[Edited on 2/1/2009 by nitram38]
|
|
|
David Jenkins
|
| posted on 2/1/09 at 10:20 PM |
|
|
I should also have added that I much prefer RWD - there aren't many FWD cars that I like to drive...
|
|
|
mookaloid
|
| posted on 2/1/09 at 10:23 PM |
|
|
I find FWD cars harder to control when near or on the limit.
For me a RWD car easier to control on the limit, but it's a whole different set of techniques for FWD cars which I haven't really got the
hang of.
I don't wish to be morbid either but our cars are very fast and easy to spin in the dry, let alone on greasy roads at this time of year. I
wonder if the insurance companies are going to cotton to this and start to hike up the premiums for every one
"That thing you're thinking - it wont be that."
|
|
|
repper
|
| posted on 2/1/09 at 10:26 PM |
|
|
since passing my driving test in 1990 ive had 2x vax chevette, opel manta GTE, mk2 granada, 3x sierra 1 being a cosworth,2x s1 rs turbo and now have a
zafira GSI tuned to 250bhp witch on lift off the backend steps out lovely so dont mind ive but love RWD and live buy the rule if it ant sideways you
ant trying hard enough
|
|
|
need4speed
|
| posted on 2/1/09 at 10:28 PM |
|
|
Started with FWD mk1 mIni, First rwd was MK2 cortina followed by Mk1 capri 1600GT, viva HB, MK1 & MK 2 Escorts then did a MK3 fwd Escort then back
to 3 serria"s. think apart from a few hire cars all have been FWD from them on.
Dave
|
|
|
David Jenkins
|
| posted on 2/1/09 at 10:28 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by mookaloid
I wonder if the insurance companies are going to cotton to this and start to hike up the premiums for every one
It's being so cheerful as keeps you going, eh?
(but I do know what you mean...)
[Edited on 2/1/09 by David Jenkins]
|
|
|
meany
|
| posted on 2/1/09 at 10:43 PM |
|
|
my first car was a switchable 4wd (landrover).
followed by 2 sierras. (Rwd).
then a Montego GTI (Fwd).
Then a Mk6 Escort (Fwd).
1999 Impreza UK turbo Awd.
current ride is a 2006 Impreza 2.5 Uk turbo WRX AWD.
I also used to have a 3.0L V6 G3 Escort (RWD mk3) but i never had that on the road, i sold it on
|
|
|
blakep82
|
| posted on 2/1/09 at 10:55 PM |
|
|
where's the option for always driven RWD, unless i've had the misfortune to have to drive someone elses FWD car?
I really really don't like FWD...
first car was a nasty old mk5 cortina, then the BMW E30, then the E36. drive my dads car a fair bit, Vauxhall omega
and avoid my mum peugeots like the plague 
in short, i've never owned a FWD car, and i never want to
________________________
IVA manual link http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCES&itemId=1081997083
don't write OT on a new thread title, you're creating the topic, everything you write is very much ON topic!
|
|
|
mookaloid
|
| posted on 2/1/09 at 10:57 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
quote:
Originally posted by mookaloid
I wonder if the insurance companies are going to cotton to this and start to hike up the premiums for every one
It's being so cheerful as keeps you going, eh?
(but I do know what you mean...)
[Edited on 2/1/09 by David Jenkins]
Sorry I don't mean to a grumpy old man - well maybe I am
It's just at this time of year there's always several 'I just crashed my Locost/indy etc' threads and it's always the
greasy roads which were unexpectedly slippy!!!!!!!!
Well I for one expect roads to be slippy at this time of year or if the conditions look as if they might be slippy at any other time.
Surely public roads are not the place to exploring the limits of these cars adhesion?
Grump grump grump
Any way it doesn't bother me as I'm building for the track only now. These cars are too fast to enjoy properly on the roads and in my not
very humble opinion I think a track is the best place for them.
Have a great new year everyone and go easy on those slippy public roads
Cheerz
Mooky
"That thing you're thinking - it wont be that."
|
|
|
jollygreengiant
|
| posted on 2/1/09 at 10:58 PM |
|
|
First Car was a MK1 Cortina (1964) 1500. By the time I had to move it on to the great scrap yard in the sky it had progressed to a fire breathing
1662cc full race cross flow pumping out about 150(plus)horses. Great fun with 7 leave heavy duty rear springs to keep the back end in place. She used
to eat the single rail boxes every 10k miles, one time I stripped ALL the teeth off the input shaft.  9 Boy did that go with a
bang.)
Side ways driving was best of all.
Oh and 30mpg on a long run with twin 40's. But then 11:1 CR did help with that.
Beware of the Goldfish in the tulip mines. The ONLY defence against them is smoking peanut butter sandwiches.
|
|
|
Antnicuk
|
| posted on 2/1/09 at 11:05 PM |
|
|
my first car was a capri followed by an RX7, never been without a RWD car.
If you want to practice in a safe environment, do something like a DWYB at the Pod, very cheap for a day of playing with the back end (so to speak)
or an activity day at north weald (lotus on track organise them) all are less than £70 for the day.
Here is me at the POD in my old supra
I have an M3 now and that drifts very well. Spooky, Was watching Fast and Furious 3 Tokyo Drift
The stylus drifts very well but i havent had a chance to play properly yet
[Edited on 2-1-09 by Antnicuk]
600 BHP per ton, Stylus Brought back from the dead! Turbo Rotary Powered!
|
|
|
Fozzie
|
| posted on 2/1/09 at 11:21 PM |
|
|
Yep learnt to drive in RWD.......most of my cars have been...... but as those who know me/us....owt newer than 1970 is positively ultra modern.....
My last few tin-tops ..have been fwd....
IMHO only a RWD feels as though you are actually driving.........
Fozzie the fossil
'Racing is Life!...anything before or after is just waiting'....Steve McQueen
|
|
|
mr_pr
|
| posted on 2/1/09 at 11:31 PM |
|
|
I have never driven a RWD only car.
Driven switchable 4x4's like Shoguns and a Nevada. Even these cars in some conditions took me by surprise (I will admit I had no idea how to
handle it at the time.) and it is with this in mind that on my SVA pass I am going to get some sort of tuition.
.JPG)
My Build Progress
|
|
|
bassett
|
| posted on 2/1/09 at 11:37 PM |
|
|
Being in my early twenties there isnt much thats desirable with low insurance i can get into so only ever owned FWD cars. I do have lots of karting
experience including bukc and club100 with direct drive karts and some mid-rwd track day experience so should be enough for when the MNR's
registered although i dont plan on using it to its limits till i've done an open aerodrome trackday.
My MNR Blog Updated Jan 2010 - Track Day Prep Begins!
|
|
|
Davey D
|
| posted on 3/1/09 at 12:20 AM |
|
|
I had my 200sx for nearly 6 years before selling it to build my VortX. it had 300bhp, and was very lively in the wet
|
|
|
mark chandler
|
| posted on 3/1/09 at 01:03 AM |
|
|
A succession of jags and range rovers in the last 10 years, only dabbled in FWD, grew up on RWD cortina's and capri's, v8 rovers never
less than 2litre's.
FWD you stop feeling like you are driving the car and just become a passenger behind the controls.
|
|
|
D Beddows
|
| posted on 3/1/09 at 03:53 AM |
|
|
So a MK1 Golf GTI is no fun to drive or a Peugeot 1.9GTI or...... sorry there are LOADS of fun FWD cars and a lot of them are a lot more fun than a
lot of rwd cars - especially the Fords people pay stupid money for nowadays! - most Capri's were horrible because the steering wobbled like no
ones business even 10 minutes after you'd changed all the bushes at the front, Cortinas never handled nor did Granadas and 90% of Escorts and
Sierras were underpowered and to be honest boring........ FWD is just different but once you get the hang of it it's just as much fun! or you
can be a car snob and witter on about how much better it was in the olden days when all cars were rwd - I was there and tbh it wasn't better
really - but if you want to pay £5k for a rusty Ford Escort I'm sure someone will be happy to let you find out for yourself 
|
|
|
David Jenkins
|
| posted on 3/1/09 at 08:51 AM |
|
|
That's the whole point of this poll, sort-of. RWD and FWD both have a place on our roads - I was just wondering how many newbies have
experienced RWD at speed, when all they've driven is FWD.
Many younger drivers have only ever driven FWD, which can certainly be fun (my daughter's old 205Gti, for example), and which can be extremely
forgiving if you make a minor error. For instance, going too hot into a corner and hitting the brakes half-way round - not a good thing to do, but in
all probability you'll just understeer and get away with it. Try the same trick with a RWD locost and you'll hit the scenery
backwards!
There are other things, like changing gear half-way round a fast corner, which I was told by the instructor to do at 100mph in a FWD Pug 306 at
Silverstone! That would be certain to cause a spin in RWD, and was a bit of a culture shock for me. Setting a RWD car up for a corner, and knowing
what to do and not do as you go round, is part of the fun and the 'craft' of driving these beasts.
And I do agree about the old cars - some of them were horrific, and wouldn't be acceptable if they were introduced now... but people just
didn't try to drive them too fast (not if they wanted to live until tomorrow) 'cos they knew how bad they were!
|
|
|
snapper
|
| posted on 3/1/09 at 09:01 AM |
|
|
I ticked both FWD & RWD but admit to taking it easy this year until i get back the confidence from 20 years ago back.
One of my rear wheel drive cars was a Triumph Spitfire which had possibly the best front suspension (double wishbone) coupled with the worst rear you
could get (transverse cart spring swing axle) lift off oversteer was more like lift off and die.
Chasing Cortinas through the back lanes from Brentwood to Rainham, when they went a bit quick they lifted off and i had to keep my foot in,
Aaaarghhhh.
I eat to survive
I drink to forget
I breath to pi55 my ex wife off (and now my ex partner)
|
|
|
zilspeed
|
| posted on 3/1/09 at 09:30 AM |
|
|
I have loads of RWD experience, but most of it is old.
Opel Monza, BMW 3.0SI, BMW 2002, BMW E28, the locost (which Cossiebri now has) , the first Sylva Star, the GTM, Jag XJ40, BMW 750i.
The main difference with a light RWD car is the things that can happen when you lift off / change down / don't brake properly. Everything
happens so much quicker compared to an old barge like RWD saloon.
I won't pretend that I will somehow be talented behind the wheel because of ancient RWD experience in the wrong type of car, rather I intend
being cautious as none of the above can possibly prepare me for the combination which I am about to try.
|
|
|
