How does you car handle? Your honest opinion.

[TW]Fox said:
I thought handling and grip were two different concepts, Muncher?
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Very true, I was commenting on handling and grip, not suggesting they are the same thing.

It is the feedback which really sets the Elise platform apart.
 
I would have expected your car to handle well, so have you checked the shocks are in good condition? Are the rubber bushes in good condition? i.e. for the anti-roll bar, strut tops etc.

Are the tyres wearing evenly? If not, it could be wheel alignment (camber, caster, toe-in etc).

Any of these could have an impact on the handling of your car.

When you write that the car feels like it's going to slide, is that oversteer (backend breaking free) or understeer (ploughing forward when you try and turn)?

If your car is front wheel drive you can expect a greater tendency towards understeer, when compared to a rear wheel drive car that tends towards oversteer.

I drive an 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V, and it handles superbly.............and more importantly, it handles predictably!
 
I certainly can't complain about my Prelude, even on the wettest/greasiest of roads the worst it's done is a touch of understeer, but it definitely inspires confidence :)
 
michael baxter said:
I would have expected your car to handle well, so have you checked the shocks are in good condition? Are the rubber bushes in good condition? i.e. for the anti-roll bar, strut tops etc.

Are the tyres wearing evenly? If not, it could be wheel alignment (camber, caster, toe-in etc).

Any of these could have an impact on the handling of your car.

When you write that the car feels like it's going to slide, is that oversteer (backend breaking free) or understeer (ploughing forward when you try and turn)?

If your car is front wheel drive you can expect a greater tendency towards understeer, when compared to a rear wheel drive car that tends towards oversteer.

I drive an 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V, and it handles superbly.............and more importantly, it handles predictably!
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He's talking about a Vectra here. And as for your Audi, try a BMW 330Ci and then comment on the Audi's handling ;)
 
michael baxter said:
I would have expected your car to handle well
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You expected wrong - the Vauxhall Vectra is reknowned for its poor handling, with the exception of the GSi which has a heavily revised suspension setup.
 
As you'd expect the Elise handles exceptionally well under, on and over the limit. The steering is always talking to you, I can feel the rear wheels start to lose traction through the base of my spine and when necessary the car passes on information about opposite lock through my shoulders.

When driving normally the steering tells you exactly how much or little grip you have at the front end allowing you to make good progress without ever feeling like you're going too fast for the conditions.

At the limit the steering weights up but never stops talking to you. You can feel the back end beginning to lose grip but it's never broken away suddenly when I've been driving.

Despite its reputation the Elise is still recoverable when you get it all wrong. Opposite lock and a slight reduction in power will normally pull the back end back in and understeer can be dealt with by slightly reducing the throttle though you do need to be ready to catch any resulting oversteer.
 
Not too bad really, it's a 620 ti, but it doesnt really handle like the barge that it is. I would say that it's not too good on the edge, but that would be comparing the 'edge' of this car to others that i've driven. In-fact, it seems to give you plenty of warning, and reasonable feedback for a FWD, but ultimately it aint that great in the handling stakes.. Err, better than the 214 , the fiesta, volvo s40, mondeo mk1+2 (imo). But not as good as most RWD cars i've driven.

That was a poor review, but i'm in the middle of an essay.
 
In the dry it handles well and feels rather nimble considering its size and sticks to the road like poo on a blanket, in the wet it can be scary
 
306 GTI was good, especially on track you could over or understeer with your right foot i liked it.

306 1.6 has body roll and doesn't handle well, but the chasis and passive torsion bar seem to add lots of grip and you can make good progress in corners. I think i got the concept right anyway?
 
In the wet I have a grip issue with these Bridgstones so I can't really comment, except to say I've span the car twice in the last 30 days at less than 50 mph.

On my stock suspension in the dry the car was just absolutely brilliant, since then it's got Spoon springs and proper geo & whilst finding dry roads is difficult atm I already know it's better than it was.
 
In the wet I have a grip issue with these Bridgstones so I can't really comment, except to say I've span the car twice in the last 30 days at less than 50 mph.
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My god, that's shocking! I've never spun my Triumph over two and half years! And that's on budget "Courier Continentals" (althou they're quite good).

Get that sorted! :D
 
I had a Mk1 RST with lowered (a tad!) and uprated suspension and its easily the best handling car I've had...... and that includes a 205GTI which was like a go-cart!
 
-Mic- said:
DC2 Integra.
Best handling front wheeler imo.
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The Lotus Elan is possibly the best "handling" FWD production car.

Like, ever.

After that there's a mish mash of DC2, DC5, FTO, FRP etc.
 
DC2 Integra - Handles great but lift off on a corner at high speed at your peril :D

The LSD on the front wheels takes a little getting used too aswell.

I take your point on the lotus - however put 180+ bhp thru the front wheels of an elan and I think things would get interesting :)
 
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