How often do you explore your car's limits

obi_waynne

Administrator
Staff member
Moderator
Points
1,157
Location
Deal, Kent UK
Car
A3 1.4 TFSI 150 COD
How often do you get a chance to explore your cars limits?

I tend to play it safe now, especially on the roads. I have had too many lost it or nearly lost it moments to risk it.

I drive closer to the limits of grip and adhesion than many of my friends but I still leave a wide margin.

When on the track I push much harder, knowing there are safe run off areas and lots of space to correct a mistake.
 
In general modern cars, provided everything is working correctly; the suspension geometry is properly aligned (not just front wheel tracking) and good quality tyres are fitted, have very high limits of adhesion. It takes some real effort to breach those limits in road driving.
 
Nope not worth it for me. As Hdi says my car has very good grip which far outperforms my brain power in being able to stop if there's an obstacle around the corner I'm trying to go quickly around. I only overtake if I need to and then, although I know I'll only be on the wrong side of the road for a few seconds, I need a long straight bit to see down to make sure it's completely safe.
I do my fast driving on my XBox with a full steering wheel setup as it has a reset button for when it all goes wrong ;) My setup even has a gearstick and clutch for an authentic feel as I cruise around Forza Horizon or the new Need For Speed Ventura city maps
 
All the time that's why I crash everyday, have no licence or insurance:lol:

In reality there is no need to test your car to its limits! I do try to drive to the posted speed limit and cause I can go round a bend at 60mph some people may think I'm pushing my car to its limits. But I don't the car and myself are competent enough to do so without understeering or having to drive on the wrong side of the road!
 
My Passat is probably not ultimately as grippy as my Nissan Primera was but I cannot be certain as I've never actually exceeded the limits of either of these cars. But both have more than enough grip to make passengers reach for the grab handles, Which is more than enough for general driving.

I don't particularly want passengers leaving teeth marks in the sun visors whilst fighting to hang on :D
 
Although its pretty well set up I can probably drive quicker than my to go caldina will cope with . I dont though because that speed would be far to fast to be safe on the road . Not reaching the cars limits is fine because it means I always have something in reserve.
I dont take it on track as thats what the stageas for. I would love to be able to push the stagea to its limits (on track) but its far faster than I will ever be .
 
I like to test my limits as well as my Starions grip levels on regular track days only.
I practice being smooth and reading the traffic flow on public roads.
 
I can't be bothered (can't afford) to write off a set of tyres just to find out what happens at the last 0.0005mph before grip is finally relinquished.

I suspect the Passat will just delve into terminal understeer. The 'fully-laden-shopping-cart-trying-to-perform-a-U-turn-whilst-travelling-downhill' type of understeer !!:D
 
Not having driven a Passat but being a front heavy diesel FWD (bum dragger) it will almost certainly want to go in the direction the car is pointed rather than where the front wheels are pointed (understeer) when pushed hard into a corner but it may also get lift off oversteer if driven fast into a corner with a sudden lift off of the throttle as one turns the wheel into the corner.

FWIW & FYI fitting a heavier rear sway/anti roll bar can help dial out some of the understeer in a FWD car
 
Last edited:
Not having driven a Passat but being a front heavy diesel FWD (bum dragger) it will almost certainly want to go in the direction the car is pointed rather than where the front wheels are pointed (understeer) when pushed hard into a corner but it may also get lift off oversteer if driven fast into a corner with a sudden lift off of the throttle as one turns the wheel into the corner.

FWIW & FYI fitting a heavier rear sway/anti roll bar can help dial out some of the understeer in a FWD car[/QUOT

Yes, I could provoke lift off oversteer in exactly that way. Let's not even go into the fact that there is no throttle. You (and I) can steer pretty much any car with the right foot if we choose to do so. I choose to not do so. As I suspect that you don't.

It doesn't bother me, the lateral grip is more than sufficient for my purposes.

Free advice to all, don't bother driving a Passat anyway. And certainly don't consider buying one.
 
Last edited:
Just catch it with a dab of oppo and you're away.

I don't push limits much but I like to keep the speed up. Too many people seem to brake for what are just mild bends in the road, not corners.

I'd say it is harder to hit the limits in the average modern car. First off the electronic aids often won't let you. Second you're so detached from the road it's harder to tell when you're getting close.

Drive an old 80s car with no insulation, or pas, or electronic steering rack, or drive by wire, or abs and you can hear and feel everything.
 
There is no way any car can be driven close to its limits on the highway and stay legal :) Even my 1.2 VW Fox would be travelling above the posted limit on most UK roads well before the limit of adhesion was reached (on a dry road).
 
There is no way any car can be driven close to its limits on the highway and stay legal :) Even my 1.2 VW Fox would be travelling above the posted limit on most UK roads well before the limit of adhesion was reached (on a dry road).

That's kind of my thinking as well. The Passat is no dream of a handler but it's competent and more than adhesive enough for all sane situations. It's actually extremely grippy but just isn't entertaining.
 
Prefer to find out the limits on the track or on an airfield. The car makes such a noise that I would be busted long before I done anything silly.
 
TBH I'm getting to the age where I can't be bothered testing the limits. I mean I'd love a track day where I can go all out but for the daily commute I want to be cossetted.

Going to change the Focus finally in April next year, after bonus time at work so I've been researching what to get next. Researching cars on the net is great but you only ever read about the failures. If you went purely on that you'd never buy ANY car.

Anyway these days I have criteria of auto, dual climate, bluetooth, toys, reliability, less than 7 years old and reasonable pace, in that order. And £290 or under a year tax. And I'd like to move away from diesel as at my 7k mileage a year and short commute I'd get dpf issues I reckon unless I booted it down the motorway every couple of weeks. And I'm avoiding VAG diesels completely until we know what's going to happen to them.

On my list so far are Honda Accord, 2.4 petrol and 2.2 diesel, Lexus IS250, Octavia 1.8Tsi, Alfa Guiletta 1.4tb, Astra 2.0CDTI, Leon 2.0TSI FR, Volvo S40/V50 D3 or D4. They all do, or could be remapped to do, under 8 seconds to 60.

But this intrigues me the most, Lexus GS450H: 0-60 5.9, £225 a year tax and 38mpg on my type of commute. And every extra you can think of:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201509156920781
Looks superb in black.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201511158724107
There's one on autotrader with 230k on the clock so they can do the mileage. I like the idea that I can waft 99% of the time but know it can shift if I ever need it to.

Anyone got any experience or opinions on any of the cars in the list?
 

Similar threads


Please watch this on my YouTube channel & Subscribe.


Back
Top