New car, when the next hoon?
Discussion
willd58 said:
I'm picking up my new car Wednesday, are there any up and coming events I should be coming along to similar to the Verbeer manor trip?
If you have something that grips well, and you fancy learning/watching some roadcraft that'll keep you pointy end forward then some of the early morning runs with no particular destination bar a brekkie cafe will be of interest
I'm toying with whether an Easter run may in order? Daz?
I was also chatting with Daz that we still haven't got round to invading Wales yet...
Edited by Neil_Bolton on Tuesday 3rd April 08:10
willd58 said:
The car iv bought isn't RWD this time and is in many ways allot more sensible, however its got twice the power (220BHP), twice the seats and is silly unreliable!
Its a Fiat Coupe 20V turbo!
Nice car as I am sure it will be, its a strange choice coming from a Mazda MX5.
I'm not sure of the insurance side of things, but I know they can be heart stopping to service economically and all that power gets lost up front.
What drove your decision behind it?
I personally would have pointed you down the route of a E36 3 series like mine if you were on a budget - still RWD, yet cheap to run, and available in various flavours - IIRC the Fiat Coupe is in the same insurance group as my 328.
May I recommend taking it very easy if you think that FWD = benign handling; especially in something with 220bhp? Lift off oversteer was on tap easily with only 150bhp in my last Golf...
You may find that the Fiat will swap ends easier than the MX5 if the suspension/geo isnt correctly setup...
Edited by Neil_Bolton on Tuesday 3rd April 18:08
Just popped in after picking it up because I wanted to double check the oil pressure gauge thingy was reading what it should, 3 at cold idle, 3 at throttle, 2 at warm idle. So far so good.
Its silly fast in a straight line and the turbo sounds awesome, I slow right down to about 15 mph at corners though cause the handling isn't something iv experienced before and id like to ease myself into it after iv bought new front tyres tomorrow.
The turning circle is hilariously bad, I feel like a proper exotic car owner when im trying to move it.
Its silly fast in a straight line and the turbo sounds awesome, I slow right down to about 15 mph at corners though cause the handling isn't something iv experienced before and id like to ease myself into it after iv bought new front tyres tomorrow.
The turning circle is hilariously bad, I feel like a proper exotic car owner when im trying to move it.
Thats three of us power-FWD heroes in agreement - I'd be heavily considering it 
Consider this scenario:
You hit that roundabout you wiped your MX5 out on again at the same rate, however as you go round and carefully apply the throttle you hit a a diesil patch, the front tyres spin up slightly, the trick diff in your Fiat starts to shuffle power around, and you end up accelerating a bit too much, so you back off.
Cue you, arms a-flailing trying to catch some pretty nasty lift-off oversteer as the back hits the diesil.
Just because you gave FWD doesnt mean you need to consider what the car is going to do when weight starts moving about...The thing I have learnt with RWD is that the slip at the back is more beniegn and controllable than FWD lift off oversteer (still bloody difficult to get right though).
Put it this way, I learn't the hard way how NOT to lift-off oversteer in my Golf, and that was in a controlled environment on track, with good tyres...
Worth considering before you go mad...
Consider this scenario:
You hit that roundabout you wiped your MX5 out on again at the same rate, however as you go round and carefully apply the throttle you hit a a diesil patch, the front tyres spin up slightly, the trick diff in your Fiat starts to shuffle power around, and you end up accelerating a bit too much, so you back off.
Cue you, arms a-flailing trying to catch some pretty nasty lift-off oversteer as the back hits the diesil.
Just because you gave FWD doesnt mean you need to consider what the car is going to do when weight starts moving about...The thing I have learnt with RWD is that the slip at the back is more beniegn and controllable than FWD lift off oversteer (still bloody difficult to get right though).
Put it this way, I learn't the hard way how NOT to lift-off oversteer in my Golf, and that was in a controlled environment on track, with good tyres...
Worth considering before you go mad...
Edited by Neil_Bolton on Wednesday 4th April 16:35
Right, went into Britannia tyres today just to see how much eagle F1's would be for my car (£70 fitted 
)
On the front are some continental sport contacts, which are quite badly worn out, and on the back are some fairly decent looking P zero's. I have no idea if these tires are good brands or cheap hatchback ones?
If the tyres on the back are any good I think ill keep them there and get F1's or whatever is recommended to me by various people (owners clubs, you guys etc etc) I think I should do it soon though because the alignment is clearly off as the rubbing on the front tyres is more on one side and the guy said i needed wheel alignment as soon as he saw it.
So guys, any recommendations? Switch the back tyres to the front and get some new rubber on the back? Ditch all of the rubber cause its all cheap rubbish and will see me in a ditch quicker than driving with a blindfold?
Much apreciated for the advice! If anyones about tomorrow evening id love to meet up for a quick drive and a chat (I need to learn how to top up my oil for one thing!)
) On the front are some continental sport contacts, which are quite badly worn out, and on the back are some fairly decent looking P zero's. I have no idea if these tires are good brands or cheap hatchback ones?
If the tyres on the back are any good I think ill keep them there and get F1's or whatever is recommended to me by various people (owners clubs, you guys etc etc) I think I should do it soon though because the alignment is clearly off as the rubbing on the front tyres is more on one side and the guy said i needed wheel alignment as soon as he saw it.
So guys, any recommendations? Switch the back tyres to the front and get some new rubber on the back? Ditch all of the rubber cause its all cheap rubbish and will see me in a ditch quicker than driving with a blindfold?
Much apreciated for the advice! If anyones about tomorrow evening id love to meet up for a quick drive and a chat (I need to learn how to top up my oil for one thing!)
Edited by willd58 on Thursday 5th April 19:15
willd58 said:
So guys, any recommendations? Switch the back tyres to the front and get some new rubber on the back? Ditch all of the rubber cause its all cheap rubbish and will see me in a ditch quicker than driving with a blindfold?
Afraid I can't give any valuable tyre info.
However, I suggest you PM Bomber Denton, he definitely knows his stuff about tyres.
willd58 said:
On the front are some continental sport contacts, which are quite badly worn out, and on the back are some fairly decent looking P zero's. I have no idea if there tires are good brands or cheap hatchback ones?
P Zeros were my favourites on the scooby. I'd be tempted to get a couple more of those and see how you go*
*Unless P Zeros are particularly hated in the Fiat world.
mechsympathy said:
willd58 said:
On the front are some continental sport contacts, which are quite badly worn out, and on the back are some fairly decent looking P zero's. I have no idea if there tires are good brands or cheap hatchback ones?
P Zeros were my favourites on the scooby. I'd be tempted to get a couple more of those and see how you go*
*Unless P Zeros are particularly hated in the Fiat world.
Excellent news, ill ask about. If they are Fiat approved should I then put the worn ones on the front and have the new ones put on the back?
willd58 said:
mechsympathy said:
willd58 said:
On the front are some continental sport contacts, which are quite badly worn out, and on the back are some fairly decent looking P zero's. I have no idea if there tires are good brands or cheap hatchback ones?
P Zeros were my favourites on the scooby. I'd be tempted to get a couple more of those and see how you go*
*Unless P Zeros are particularly hated in the Fiat world.
Excellent news, ill ask about. If they are Fiat approved should I then put the worn ones on the front and have the new ones put on the back?
Ideally, yes.
Try ProTyre.
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