MR2 Turbo driving guides?

Hunders

Hunders

Hunders

Soldato
Joined
6 Jan 2006
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Location
Plymouth
It has been a little over a month since I bought my MR2 and I am slowly but surely building up confidence in the handling capabilities of the car each time I take it for a drive. I am still quite scared of pushing it too far, though, as I am still unsure of the handling characteristics of a mid-engined, rear wheel drive car.

I was wondering if anyone knows of any driving guides for high powered MR cars that I can read, preferably one specifically for the MR2 Turbo if at all possible.

Cheers.
 
A guide on learning to drive the car? Eh? Your right foot doesnt have two modes, you yourself can detmine when to press the throttle and not. Youll get used to it with time. It isnt going to hit boost and sling you into a hedge ya know.
 
It sounds silly, I know, but having driven chuckable FF cars for 4 years its a bit daunting driving the '2 sometimes because I am so unsure on what it might do. As an example I have heard that it can suffer from severe oversteer if you aren't careful and that it is very sensitive to weight distribution. I would just like to have a read about what I should expect and how I can properly deal with any given situation.

I have had the back end out on a few occasions and I was very surprised at how easy it was to correct it but I still don't feel confident enough.
 
Might it be a good idea to find an empty carpark/piece of tarmac and just hoon it a bit? Learn to catch a slide and control it.
 
maybe a track day/handling day would help? there were quite a few through imoc and mr2oc last year

i plan on doing a few once i get all my chassis/power mods on my new one :D

went for a tintop this time so i'll see if i can notice the difference everyone is always on about ;)
 
Totally echo the trackday thing. If you aren't confident, its probably a matter of time till you spin it (with winter fast approaching!).... book a trackday and/or some instruction on a track and really learn the limits.
 
Probably better off checking the imoc/mr20c forums mate.

My advice would be respect the car, especially in the wet - the back end has a tendancy to go, and when it does if you don't react quickly you'll spin, no doubt. If you drive any car like a clown you'll ditch it, and the MR2 is certainly no different.
 
Another vote for the trackday here. You come away knowing so much more about your and the cars abilities. It's great. :)
 
Tbh the best thing i ever did to learn the handling characteristics of my MR2 was to go down the beach and have a hoon around. Everything is accentuated because of the sand and it's easy to get the back end out without ragging the car stupid.

Obviously have to give it a good spray down afterwards, and i'm sure its no good for the car in general. Would have to find a nice flat beach that's nice and dry at low tide though.
 
Thanks for all the replies. The reason I ask for something to read rather than to just go and hoon about in a car park is because I don't really want to wear the tyres. I have 18's so good tyres don't come cheap :(
 
Be smooth and you'll be fine. The MR2 only misbehaves when you do something stupid, so just don't boot it mid corner or suddenly lift off and you'll be fine.

I'd agree with the wet carpark suggestions though, give it a bit of lock, put your foot down and feel the back end slide, then just keep the power smooth and control it, easy :)

I know your tyres are expensive, but they're not as expensive as meeting a lamp post through lifting off mid corner or something.
 
SgtTupac said:
AIt isnt going to hit boost and sling you into a hedge ya know.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what they do if you get it wrong :D

To be honest, if you have decent tyres on it and the suspension is in good condition (which it won't be if it has more than ~60k miles on the original components) then you'd have to be driving like an idiot to lose it in the dry. In the wet, it's much easier to make it misbehave, so if you are not fully confident in the car, then take it very steady in wet conditions.

A track day or two is a good way to let you explore the cars limits in relative safety.
 
You are going to have to do something fairly spastic for it to do anything bad.

The engines behind you, it will have a slight pendulum effect in corners, so you just have to be a little smoother than a normal rear wheel drive car, thats about it.
 
I've had mine a few months and I already want something with more power.
It's the same as driving any other car except this one goes a little quicker than most so I give it a little less than I would.
 
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