Just a quick question re performance cars and how best to drive them

Almost middle aged man in a 140 BHP 2L diesel stereotype checking in :p

TBH I am normally driving in an assertive manner in a vain attempt to minimise my loss of life to Premier Inn stays and motorway drudgery.

I've used the traffic light grand prix method to get past performance cars in the past not because I'm looking to live my life a quarter mile at a time but simply because I'd like to travel a bit quicker than they had been. If they then get their knickers in a twist and speed up that is fine, net result is the same for me :p

On the best point to change gear thing- in my Focus I noticed that the gear shift indicator (the one that normally tells you to shift up stupidly early) comes on quite late in the revs if you have you foot to the floor. Is that now indicating the best point to shift from a performance point of view?
 
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chroniclard said:
mmm school mums you say.......
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A hideous breed of the species. All about 'look at me' and ladder climbing. I don't have kids, but I have loads of mates who do obviously and it's sad to see how many of their wives have become said species overnight, very sad to see mates become merely money feeds to allow them to climb to the next social level. I reference mainly private school here, but I bloody detest it.
 
jamoor said:
My car is automatic so it figures everything out for me
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Badly usually when pushing on. Always moved mine to manual when going quickly, though that was more for when entering bends and taking speed off, preparing for the exit rather than going forward at pace.
 
It's the one's who you leave behind on a NSL area or Dual Carriageway who then desperately catch up with you by slamming on the brakes in the last 50 metres before a junction or roundabout after you safely slow down for it.

These people rely too much on their brakes and as soon as you're over the roundabout/junction you then leave them behind again.
 
Housey said:
Badly usually when pushing on. Always moved mine to manual when going quickly, though that was more for when entering bends and taking speed off, preparing for the exit rather than going forward at pace.
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In a straight line theyre not too bad, but i agree when it comes to the twisties theres no substitute for being in the right gear before you need to be in it.
 
I miss having a quick car, I don't need any power at all now though, I can walk faster than the fastest car on the planet on my commute

Shame really, when I see a hot hatch or other variant of performance car I cant help but think why bother just to sit in traffic
 
You do realise that they are not bought for commuting exclusively right? :p
 
A lot of it is down to the car you're driving. When I was in the Subaru or E92 then just about everyone wanted a race ... slowing down to silly speeds and accelerating when you move towards the middle and attempting stupid maneuvers. When driving the R8 I found just about every single car gave way to me and not one person annoyed me. Driving the A5 for the last 2 years I honestly can't remember one person who's given way, everyone will tail gate or desperately cut you up to gain one car length. No one will ever get out of the way on the motorway either, up here the M74 / M6 is quiet but they'll still hog the middle lane when there's no other car insight. Drive one of the others and they move over promptly a few hundred yards away....

As for 140hp cars zipping past performance cars, lol not every journey is a race surprisingly but try telling that to the insignia and fiat 500 drivers lol
 
That also boils down to the old saying of respecting the power you have. You'll often find that drivers in slower cars with little time for patience will be heavily accelerating and living off the torque band. I see this every time it's a nice day and worth driving into work, or one of the other sites.

While people with huge engined cars just doss about calmly, only applying throttle when a genuine need arises.
 
mrk said:
You do realise that they are not bought for commuting exclusively right? :p
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Yes, but there comes a point in lot of peoples lives where you just dont have the time or bothered to go for a drive

It could happen to you, it certainly happened to a lot of people I know

I still want a quick car, but the reality is, it would be completely wasted and a wast of money
 
Relentless81 said:
Yes, but there comes a point in lot of peoples lives where you just dont have the time or bothered to go for a drive

It could happen to you, it certainly happened to a lot of people I know

I still want a quick car, but the reality is, it would be completely wasted and a wast of money
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This. I drive on average 40k miles a year for work and do around 10k personal (I live rural) but lately I can't be bothered to drive and don't enjoy it anymore. Partly why I bought a bike last month.
 
Not for me, I don't think I'll ever lose the desire to just drive for as long as I am physically able to do so.
 
Housey said:
Badly usually when pushing on. Always moved mine to manual when going quickly, though that was more for when entering bends and taking speed off, preparing for the exit rather than going forward at pace.
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yeah this is true.:D
it can have a bit of a brain if you stick the drivelogic thing in the fifth setting though.
 
kindai said:
Of course? How dare you let some random stranger get to their destination, or the next junction before you?!
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The occasional sensible "below the speed limit officer" squiz when you encounter someone else in a performance car is fun though. :D

I remember a very close race between my T-Sport and a 197 once... :cool:

These days though, your average family hatch with one of the slightly pokier engines could probably outstrip my MX5. :p
 
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