How does you car handle? Your honest opinion.

Styles

Styles

Styles

Soldato
Joined
16 Mar 2005
Posts
2,889
Location
UK
Hi,
I have been thinking about this today. Basically since starting to drive 2 1/2yrs ago I have noticed a lot more things about driving, mainly how different cars handle.

I drive a 2000 Vauxhall Vectra 2.0 SRI and I don't really think much of the handling. The car is totally standard but seems to feel as if it's wanting to slide or 'slip' out quite often when going around a corner at what I would consider a reasonable speed for that corner. The car is quite large and you can really feel that when cornering.

Now I'm a sensible driver and I don't smash through speed limits etc, I will drive to a roads conditions.

What cars do you drive and how would you say they handle, in your own honest opinions?

I have to say, handling will be something I will be looking for in my next car purchase, becuase I think it's a huge part of the driving experience. I don't enjoy driving my car sometimes when it's being twitchy.

Edit: Could you post the car you're driving as well. Thanks
 
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Pretty well :) its totally standard too

edit: thats the 106GTi, the mini isnt on the road, but it handles alright too :p
 
not really pushed it, will do when its warmer.

plenty of crap roads around me that i would rather not be sliding around in the winter :D
 
I never understood all the stuff about handling till recently. I wondered what people were on about, cars a car. Had an 87 bmw 5 series once. God the roll on that thing was crazy.

Ive got a civic coupe currently. The car holds the road quite well with my new tyres and I'm hoping to get the suspension done soon to improve handling but the power steering is so light that I feel like the cars slipping everywhere. Just far too light. I just dont feel like I am in control of the car with it.
 
only had two cars but a move from my little 1.4 5 door civic to the vti coupe was a huge jump no more bouncy rides round corners sticks to the road like glue but no doubt there are cars that handle loads better. But that will come with the next car :)
 
Like a go kart on ice.. Oh and 3/4 of the engine flopping around. But it makes it fun to drive. As long as your on a nice twisty bit of road.. --- thats the chinqo, as for the other No Idea :(.. But I can't wait to find out..
 
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I drive a FTO and i can only agree when they say it is the best handling front wheel drive after the DC5. Everything is just perfect.
 
S7yl3s said:
I drive a 2000 Vauxhall Vectra 2.0 SRI and I don't really think much of the handling. The car is totally standard but seems to feel as if it's wanting to slide or 'slip' out quite often when going around a corner at what I would consider a reasonable speed for that corner. The car is quite large and you can really feel that when cornering.
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The only Vaux I have owned was an Omega V6 and considering its size, it cornered well, was sure footed, confident and had [relatively] direct steering. It didn't roll too much although to follow one you wouldn't think so and theyre quite composed on the move. Bar the very latest and VX220, maybe Vaux's best handling car, certainly better than Vectra/Cav etc...

I'm currently in a Saab 95 Aero HOT [260] and although it feels podgy the boost makes up for it. Still miss my old Pug 405Mi16 for the way it glides along b-roads but best handling car yet was a Westfield. I'm sure there's better though.
 
Focus Zetec - The steering is quite communicative about how much grip is left, this gives you more confidence in the car which may not be the best thing. Also the bodyroll is good on it, it doesnt roll about everywhere but in some ways it can be slightly dissapointing. It makes corners seem slower and your car dont seem on edge when it is, luckily you can tell through the steering wheel though. In the dry it does handle nice, but in the wet (because of my tyres) it just understeers really easy. Overall the rear end feels in check all the time, i have personally never had a moment where it has stepped out but a mate did in his Focus Zetec infront of me. Whereas my mums 206 has stepped out a few times round corners.

Overall, i really like the handling, it gives you confidence in it though so you got to remember its limits. I would probably like it loads more if i got a full set of Eagle F1's or the likes as my tyres really do feel the big let down for it.
 
Great, but never pushed it TOO far.

It's by no means a hard-core handling machine, but can be made that why if I wish with a few mods but I like it as it is, fun, chuckable, yet still very comfy :)
 
[TW]Fox said:
I like the handling. It inspires more confidence then a car of this size really ought to.
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I understand where you're coming from here. Is you're the ST24?

My boss used to have an ST200 which we travelled 70 miles to work in each day and he hurled this thing into anything and it was extremely sure footed. A very impressive machine this was to be honest.

He also owned a Vectra GSI and this was the same story. Seemed very comfortable pushing it into the bends.

Both lovely cars to travel in IMHO.
 
Like a bathtub, vomit inducing bodyroll on sharp corners, you soon learn the brace points!

Understeer that rapidly switches to snap oversteer, followed by very strange rear wheel steering as the axle tries to figure out what to do with itself. Easy to drift mind, but if you go at speed it will be messy.

Great fun, in some respects, unless you're for some reason on a 2 hour drive that consists entirely of small, twisty lanes ;D ....but it doesn't make for rapid progress!

Oh and in the wet it's just sideways, hell, when it changes gear accelerating hard the tail will step out, hillarious :cool:
 
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ElRazur said:
I drive a FTO and i can only agree when they say it is the best handling front wheel drive after the DC5. Everything is just perfect.
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DC2 Integra.
Best handling front wheeler imo.
 
VX220 NA


Handles pretty damn well, with a change of suspension and some more sticky tyres I don't think much would touch it in the handling stakes in terms of feedback and grip.

I'd only been in 2 cars which I gave me the same grin factor because of the handling, one was an S2 Exige, the other a Noble M400. 996GT3 RS isn't far off, but it's a completely different sensation.
 
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