How does you car handle? Your honest opinion.

Agreed on the LSD - tis really weird at first.

When I first tried it out - it was around an island - basically it felt like I'd reached out the drivers window and grabbed hold of a lampost lol :p
 
For a car that weighs 1805kg without me and all of the crap I cart around with me, I think it handles superbly well, staggeringly good infact.

Its a BMW 7 Series Sport, 235/50/18 Front & 255/45/18 Rear tyres, uprated suspension etc etc etc, so, I'd expect it to handle well. :)

I never thought it would easily out handle (at least, it feels like it) my old 318i , which handled very well itself.

Its weight isn't the issue, it is very nice to drive, quickly, on back roads.
Alas, its width is another matter.

I'll leave it to Wisebuyers Guides to sum it up.

Handling is sublime, with a supple ride that doesn't insulate the driver from the car's precise responses. It's surprisingly agile for a big car and can be hurried along, even on twisty B-roads.
Click to expand...
I could'nt agree more. :)
 
My car (E36) handles really well. I've never pushed it, but it's never lost grip on me yet. *Touch wood*.

Think the suspension is getting a bit tired, bit it still holds the road nicely.
 
Handles fine, just how I'd like it 99% of the time. The other 1% is that it can feel skittish at higher speeds where my old car felt better (guess as this has a shorter wheelbase), but I rarely venture up that high to worry about it :)

It's never let go or anything on me, only lost traction when I've wanted it to ( :) ) and generally goes where ever I point it which is lovely!
 
Bear said:
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
Click to expand...


:D That pretty much sums up my motor too, RX7 with lowered suspension thats a bit "firm" and not speed bump friendly at all.
 
I find my car really well balanced, and with plenty of grip. However the steering sometimes feels a bit loose on bumpier roads.
 
At the legal speed limit and around town and small country roads it's exceptional - there's so much grip you go round corners that you shouldn't be able to go round! Even pushed to and on the limit it is so responsive and gives you so much feedback that you know what's happening and if ever you push the enveloppe of grip it'll laugh with glee, and your back in control again. It's a very flattering car, but as with all RWD it does demand some respect too. Even in the wet it is very balanced and predictable, though the rear does like to play "chase the front of the car" a little ;)

Have just had the geo checked and altered I can honestly say that it's one of the best (not the best probably but bloody well close) handling cars I've ever driven - and in that class, certainly among the elite.
 
Well, my 04 Vectra Elite is never going to outhandle a sports car :) but it is a big impovement on its predecessor (an R-plate Vectra CDX). Much more solid in the twisty bits, and pleasantly stable on the motorway at vaguely sensible speeds.

Biggest problem is pulling out of wet t-junctions, but the traction control is rather better than on the old one, too.

Wandering off topic, I just realised I've driven nearly 220k miles since I owned a motor that wasn't a Vauxhall (2 Cavs and 2 Vectras). Is there a psychiatrist in the house? :D
 
The handling on the Cavalier is weird:

At normal (not on the limit) road speeds, it's fine. Predictable, quite direct steering, with good feedback through the wheel as to what the front tyres are doing.

Past that limit though, strange things happen.... I think the tyres (195s Avon/Cooper) give more grip than the (120k mile, still original) saggy Vauxhall suspension can take. Take a nice fast roundabout as an example. You can push and push and push and the front will just try and cling on, but steer a bit tighter (getting more angle out of the fronts), and the back sort of jacks up and over the loaded rear wheel. Instinctively, you back off the throttle and the steering then goes light then there's not a lot you can do other than wait for the car to settle back on it's springs with a huge, ungraceful wobble and a sag once you're not cornering too hard anymore.

If on the other hand, you keep your foot in it, you end up in some weird front understeering, back trying to oversteer, and sagging all over the place... If you try and change direction, it will just wallow...
 
The 16v:

Never really pushed it too hard. Engine/Gearbox are flopping around due to the dogbone needing replacing. From what I've felt so far it sticks to the road well, although slightly low and needs a bit of a kick up the bum to get going, but once it gets over 4000 and the engine starts to open, jeez it doesn't half pull well. Sounds nice too, could never go back to anything less powerful.

The 1.4 RT:

Predictable handling. Stays on the road and I never lost control once. Gutless below 3000Rpm, but nippy around the 3500-5000Rpm mark and 'thrashy' afterwards. Seats were comfy and wasn't too crampped inside. Easy to drive and never let me down. Good little car. Now sold though.
 
Stock mk4 Golf 1.6

Considering the reviews this car has had, I don't think it handles too badly.

The suspension is definately too soft, there's not that much bodyroll but the front wheels quickly lose traction in the wet and sometimes if you really put your foot down it'll bounce like crazy. However, the new eibach shocks should sort that out, and my new wheels should give the car a better footprint.

Cornering is alright, even in the wet, the understeer is predictable and controllable and can even be pursuaded to oversteer if you should want it to :p

Overall, for a "family" car - it handles better than I expected.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom