Oversteer vs. Understeer

Post by **-ASSASSIN-** » 27 May 2004, 00:23

What is your opinion on which is more suitable to your driving style?

I currently have a front-wheel drive car, so understeer is driving me crazy... I realise that it is much safer, especially when wet, but I just 'miss' the feeling of being able to control the car via the throttle....

/time to get a rear-wheel drive roadster

OverKill · Post by **OverKill** » 27 May 2004, 07:18

also have a front-wheel drive, but have driven rear-wheel. have to agree with you on this one. My dad just got a porsche 944 (for just more than
R50 000

) , Haven't gotten to drive it yet (and I probably won't ) but damn, nothing like the sound of a 2litre porsche engine!!!

Post by **wit_skapie** » 27 May 2004, 07:39

I Also have a front-wheel drive car...

The most exciting rear-wheel i've ever driven was a 330i BMW - man that thing flies!

My buddy had one of those Datsun 280 ZX 's - also rear-wheel drive, used to spin a lot...

brabham · Post by **brabham** » 27 May 2004, 09:08

I have a front wheel drive as well and I prefer it actually. It suits my driving style. I like throwing my car into corners and oversteer is a biatch when it comes to cornering.

With understeer you just lift a little on the throttle and away you go. Of course this is what makes it safer.

With oversteer though you have to apply opposite lock to prevent your back end from taking a different corner to the one you're on. This of course is more dangerous because if you apply too much opposite lock you can (depending on speed) overturn your vehicle.

Screeper · Post by **Screeper** » 27 May 2004, 11:45

i think i prefer oversteer to understeer,. I hate the feeling of the front skidding and slipping away. But then again the feeling of losing the back end of a car from oversteer and not being fast enough to correct it is quite a sickening experience.

Get a motorbike, oversteer and you get catapulted over the bars and die, understeer and you slide off and shred your legs and then die

jbayman · Post by **jbayman** » 27 May 2004, 11:49

Screeper wrote:i think i prefer oversteer to understeer,. I hate the feeling of the front skidding and slipping away. But then again the feeling of losing the back end of a car from oversteer and not being fast enough to correct it is quite a sickening experience.

Get a motorbike, oversteer and you get catapulted over the bars and die, understeer and you slide off and shred your legs and then die

Well there goes my thought of bying a bike....

Post by **-ASSASSIN-** » 27 May 2004, 11:50

brabham wrote:This of course is more dangerous because if you apply too much opposite lock you can (depending on speed) overturn your vehicle.

That is why the only time I try oversteering with my front-wheel drive car (i.e. through using the hand-brake) is when it is wet. (plus i dont think i could get it to slide when its dry...

)

Screeper wrote:Get a motorbike, oversteer and you get catapulted over the bars and die, understeer and you slide off and shred your legs and then die

That is exactly why I prefer to stick to the "safety" provided by 4 wheels....

Post by **Thrall** » 27 May 2004, 12:13

I prefer rear-wheel drive, probably because of ice-driving training. You can use your left foot on the brake to slow the nose while accelerating the rear, allowing you to slide the car around a turn with more control.

SquattingDog · Post by **SquattingDog** » 27 May 2004, 12:25

Well I had the same problem with VW Polo Classic, it came standard with 175/65 "14" Goodyear tyres, and I expierenced Oversteer and a funny snake movement of the car body when conering. After fitting the car with 195/55 "15" Perreli Draco tyres it greatly improved my road grip as well as it reduced the oversteer and got rid of that crapy snake movement of the body.

The down sode to this was that the road noise increased due to the wider tyres, the car ride is bit more firm and stiff which result in felling every bumb on the road.

If I ever have the choice of a car I would buy myself the Subara Impreza STI AWD [probably spelled the whole thing wrong]

Post by **neon_chameleon** » 27 May 2004, 12:26

Just have all-wheel drive, then you don't oversteer or understeer. Perfect control. Easy!

Post by **wit_skapie** » 27 May 2004, 12:29

Is that what you drive !?!?

SquattingDog · Post by **SquattingDog** » 27 May 2004, 12:34

wit_skapie wrote:Is that what you drive !?!?

I know Neon personally and let me tell you this guy can drive, that is not his personal car but well the car he drives on weekend on the SA Rally championship.

.....Wait can you hear that.....I sounds like someone is going to flame me

Post by **-ASSASSIN-** » 27 May 2004, 12:46

You can keep your Subaru's....

All i need in life is this bad boy...

Post by **Scarlet_Spider** » 27 May 2004, 13:01

'nuf said

Spabel · Post by **Spabel** » 27 May 2004, 13:45

When I still had my bike (Honda LS 125 R) I used to overstear only in CT or on my way there or back.

You get much closer to the road, and actually feel the corner you're taking.

In a town like mine you won't DARE doin it 'cause of the bad shape the roads are in. On a nice strech of open curvy N1 it's the best!

SquattingDog · Post by **SquattingDog** » 27 May 2004, 14:43

Scarlet_Spider wrote:

'nuf said

This is not for any Porsche Fan 8O

Check it out they had to recall 40,000 of their new SUV's 8O

Post by **Thrall** » 27 May 2004, 15:01

Live a little, guys, c'mon...

SS_Titanic · Post by **SS_Titanic** » 27 May 2004, 15:16

I prefer both, although I only have one car at the moment (which takes a lot of pounding trying to make it oversteer)

My sister stays on a small holding so on my way there when going to visit I make a dead stop on this farm road, parked sideways, and start up spinning to see if I can get it to drift,, only got it right once for about 3 seconds, which was awesome, another time I ended up in a ditch and another time about half a meter from a brick wall (it oversteerd for a change)

My opinion, there is no fun in driving a car which has absolute control. You can't call that driving.

Kill me quick.

Post by **neon_chameleon** » 28 May 2004, 12:44

wit_skapie wrote:Is that what you drive !?!?

Well, actually yes, well sort of, it's a Subaru Impreza 1.8, not the WRX though.

As for Thrall's posting : lol

doo_much · Post by **doo_much** » 28 May 2004, 16:17

94' Isuzu double cab Diesel.
Just being able to steer (Over or under) is a bargain!!

Post by **neon_chameleon** » 01 Jun 2004, 00:10

Any of you ou's, watch that episode of Car Torque on "Porsche's through the years"? (esp. Scarlet_Spider)