I'm seriously considering taking an advanced driver's course.
I love everything about cars including driving them quickly. I want to get a rear wheel drive car, but the way they behave isn't at all intuitive compared to front wheel drive. I don't want to not be confident in my ability to control the thing.

I also want start rallying.
( Kroney, Mon 2 Apr 2012, 10:44, 1 reply, 13 years ago)

rear wheel drive cars are easier to drive than FWD by a mile
rear wheel drive cars ARE intuitive. It's front wheel drive that isn't.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 2 Apr 2012, 10:46, Reply)

What I mean is, if you start sliding, your instinct is to take your foot off the accelerator
in a FWD car, that'll counteract the understeer, in a RWD car, it'll aggravate the oversteer.
( Kroney, Mon 2 Apr 2012, 10:52, Reply)

chances are
that in a modern RWD car there are enough gadgets on there to stop teh back end going all over the place... that said I did enjoy the icey conditions in mine... You do get used to it very quickly
(Bonzodog29 is an unemployed sponge of the worst kind, Mon 2 Apr 2012, 11:03, Reply)

Gadgets can't change the fundamental physics of the car

( Kroney, Mon 2 Apr 2012, 11:25, Reply)

They can if they are heavy enough

( Naked Ape call me Caitlyn, Mon 2 Apr 2012, 11:27, Reply)

very late reply
Actually that is exactly what they do...
(Bonzodog29 is an unemployed sponge of the worst kind, Mon 2 Apr 2012, 13:45, Reply)

not necessarily
a lot of RWD cars have lift-off oversteer. Accelerating in a car throws the weight back, which often improves rear end grip in a RWD. Particularly true of things like 911s. Of course, if you hit the accelerator too hard you might make the rears spin, which does bugger up grip.

I guess it depends on how you got your instincts, though - I guess I was lucky in that my first car was RWD.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 2 Apr 2012, 11:11, Reply)

That's what I mean, if your back end goes in a RWD car
and you lift off on instinct, the weight shifts forward and the back end goes out further, usually resulting in a spin.
( Kroney, Mon 2 Apr 2012, 11:24, Reply)

Or if you mash your foot onto the accelerator thaen the back wheels will spin and you'll spin
so should accelerate or ease off, it's so confusing
( Naked Ape call me Caitlyn, Mon 2 Apr 2012, 11:26, Reply)

sorry, I totally misread the second half of your post for some reason.
yes.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 2 Apr 2012, 11:28, Reply)

Having only driven a rear wheel car once I can't say I noticed a massive difference
I reckon most people would only notice the difference if you were trying to do something a bit more taxing that driving up and down the motorway.
(Bazongaloid, Mon 2 Apr 2012, 10:52, Reply)

Oh, totally.

( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 2 Apr 2012, 11:08, Reply)

mine is rear wheel drive
you notice a BIG difference in snow/ice. and once when it was slippery wet and i was being a twat on a roundabout (although in my defence it turned out the rear tyres were bald).
( rachelswipe with a fork, Mon 2 Apr 2012, 11:25, Reply)

Bald tyres are your fault really

( Naked Ape call me Caitlyn, Mon 2 Apr 2012, 11:29, Reply)

although getting the back end out in an SLK is a fair effort.
just sitting in the driver's seat is usually enough to turn your right foot gay.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 2 Apr 2012, 11:31, Reply)

I wouldn't mind a 55 AMG

( Naked Ape call me Caitlyn, Mon 2 Apr 2012, 11:35, Reply)

yeah, but why bother with the SLK version?
I'm looking at an AMG CL65 for shits and giggles at the moment. Pity I can't afford the fuel.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 2 Apr 2012, 11:39, Reply)

i went to an end-of-season hockey bash on sat night
player of the season for the mens first - broken thumb, mens seconds - broken ankle, mens thirds - stitches in his face etc etc. the women were unscathed. so either hockey is dangerous or men are worse at it?!
( rachelswipe with a fork, Mon 2 Apr 2012, 11:40, Reply)

ball travels faster in men's hockey.
damages more and harder to get out of the way.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 2 Apr 2012, 11:40, Reply)

i have 2 X chromosomes
this makes me constitutionally incapable of either checking whether tyres are bald or changing them.

however, it means that men do it for me, which is great.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Mon 2 Apr 2012, 11:38, Reply)