Everything that is wrong in the world....

[old-git]

It is a complex topic.

Yet you're average driver gives tyre selection about as much consideration as he/she gives air freshener selection.

Probably less. As long as the aspect ratio is no more than 35% and it is stretched to the point of surrender over a rim much too wide for it.

A lot of amateur modders and customisers (and quite a few 'professional' ones) don't understand how tyres work, the difference between a spoiler and a wing and what each does, the negative handling implications of lowering, how air flows, the difference between a damper and a shock absorber (pedant alert), to name but a few

 

[HDi fun]

Re: Why do some cars have bigger brakes?

Probably less. As long as the aspect ratio is no more than 35% and it is stretched to the point of surrender over a rim much too wide for it.

A lot of amateur modders and customisers (and quite a few 'professional' ones) don't understand how tyres work, the difference between a spoiler and a wing and what each does, the negative handling implications of lowering, how air flows, the difference between a damper and a shock absorber (pedant alert), to name but a few

I'm with you on all of those. I also fail to see the benefit of suspension so stiffly sprung and overdamped to the point that the car's ride now resembles that of a trolley jack

All that happens is the wheels spend most of their time airborne rather than in contact with the road surface.

 

[Chris Green]

Re: Why do some cars have bigger brakes?

All that happens is the wheels spend most of their time airborne rather than in contact with the road surface.

Especially hanging on to a fast right-hander, with the wheels running along the cat's eyes! One of the reasons I didn't go for the FR Leon, given the parlous state of west London's roads.

 

[HDi fun]

Re: Why do some cars have bigger brakes?

It's not just West London mate. The entire country's road system is knackered.

 

[Chris Green]

Re: Why do some cars have bigger brakes?

It's not just West London mate. The entire country's road system is knackered.

Yes, I guess that's right, but after two hours test driving of the kind I most have to do, i.e. staggering from one jam to another, I concluded that a 'fun' car designed for sporty handling would be pointless and my man-boobs agreed with me.

I think two things make urban road surfaces seem worse than say, national A-roads.

One is the sheer volume of stop-start traffic, making you plod over every pothole, and the other is that urban roads are more like covers for the greater volume of services underneath, leading to more frequent patching than out in the sticks. It's almost like the blacktop is only a waterproof cover for pipes which you're begrudgingly allowed to drive on until the next time they need access.

My God - we're a long way from 'Why do some cars have bigger brakes?'!

 

[pgarner]

Re: Why do some cars have bigger brakes?

yup this has went well off topic miht have to prune this down, went rom brakes to tyres to the state of the roads.

you should see the roads up here mate, the london ones ive seen a ultra smooth compared to here.
when the roads are dug up the concil say that it must be replaced to within 7mm of the surrounding area. unfortunatly 7mm on top of another 7mm soon adds up.
that is main roads. back roads around town normally arnt replaced until the claims start flooding in for damage.
ohh and we have more lorries going over the roads, weighing in at 40 ton eaxh soon rips up the roads no problem

 

[Chris Green]

Re: Why do some cars have bigger brakes?

Guess it's going to get worse too. I think councils have a rating system for how often a road gets a total makeover dependant on usage. My cul-de-sac has the same concrete it had in 1935, and someone once told me it's on a 300(!) year cycle! We don't need speed ramps when we've got subsidence.

 

[pgarner]

Re: Why do some cars have bigger brakes?

thats not bad, theres a corner near me nicknamed new drivers corner where alot go off there mostly new drivers as the corner throws you. it was dug right up and done last summer. it knackered again couple of potholes starting again and the inside corner is cracked up with the wagons. just need a flood now to take away all the debris so the roads back to normal

 

[J0K3R]

Re: Why do some cars have bigger brakes?

Having just spent ten grand on a new motor which is like my pride and joy, I can safely say there is nothing worse than flipping potholes everywhere! They make me paranoid that I'm going to dent my rims. Lol.

 

[HDi fun]

Re: Why do some cars have bigger brakes?

Jok3r - if you have the 18 inch rims on your ST then be prepared for BIG money tyres. ONE Continental Sport contact 3 is over £200.

Personally I think that Ford overdid it in what is essentially a family car at the end of the day. But they do look nice

 

[J0K3R]

Re: Why do some cars have bigger brakes?

Jok3r - if you have the 18 inch rims on your ST then be prepared for BIG money tyres. ONE Continental Sport contact 3 is over £200.

Personally I think that Ford overdid it in what is essentially a family car at the end of the day. But they do look nice

I do indeed have the 18" rims on my ST, and I'm fully prepared. Even for low grade part worn tyres with my friends staff discount I'm still looking at 50-60 for one.

That's the whole reason I like this car. My girlfriends has a 2 year old, and he's a right terror! So I need a big car to move us around as a unit, specifically in holiday circumstances. However, having developed a love for performance cars, the Mondeo is the perfect halfway between a cavernous expanse of a giant family car and something that can keep up with flash mugs on the motorway, and even sometimes embarrass them. And after all, isn't that what driving is all about? Making everyone else feel small? Lol.

Alongside looking nice, it's very practical and a very nice drive.

 

[HDi fun]

The Mondeos are a truly great drive, I totally agree. Don't spoil it with crap tyres though.

 

[dpsubaru]

if you do have alloys (even factory standard as at retail price they are often more expensive than many aftermarket wheels) and they are damaged on a pothole, take lots of photos of the hole, measurements etc and then send the quoto to the council that is responsible for that section of road - you can, with enough persistance, get them to pay out for the damaged wheels and tyres (esp if you can find out they have already been warned by other road users about the problem).
Roads: the A9 dual carriageway is near my house, it has some sections that they are working towards resurfacing but are still some miles off where areas the size of table tops have come away to a dept of about 10mm with no warning signs and almost impossible to see,

 

[Chris Green]

Re: Why do some cars have bigger brakes?

Having just spent ten grand on a new motor which is like my pride and joy, I can safely say there is nothing worse than flipping potholes everywhere! They make me paranoid that I'm going to dent my rims. Lol.

To make matters worse, potholes make even a well-built car rattle, usually for good. I can forgive a car most things as long as it doesn't f*****' rattle!