adam c

iTrader: (2)

This thread is not meant to start a big arguement. It is meant to provide info to drivers who have not had a lot of experience with high performance cars. Hopefully, they will learn from this, and will have a better understanding of why FD's are wrecked as frequently as they are. Maybe some helpfull hints will keep a few more from being destroyed. I invite others to offer constructive tips.

Most of the "I just wrecked my FD" threads start out with a driver going down the road thinking they are in complete control. The driver enters a corner at a fairly high rate of speed. Most of the time, the rate of speed is not the problem. If the driver were to maintain that rate, or GENTLY accelerate, the car would hold the road nicely. The problem occurs when the driver steps on the gas too hard before exiting the turn. The car boosts, and the rear tires spin. The car slides sideways, and you know what can happen next. When bad road conditions or weather is a factor, the rear will come out even easier.

I really hate hearing about FD's being wrecked. They are beautiful cars, and there are not that many of them around.

So, my tip for the day is that you MUST apply subtle/gentle throttle input while cornering. If you boost in a corner, you are not going to be facing the right direction for very long.

I hope this helps someone, Adam

scratchjunkie

scratches tip:
keep your tires up to date.

DCrosby

In my case, road conditions were dry, and I was overly confident as to the road conditions/ my abilities, and in a particular turn which seemed to be clear, had some dirt blown onto the turn, which made my turn slippery. My rear wheels slid from the road to the dirt on the embankment, and the rest is pretty obvious i slid off the road and flipped the car... so even perfectly sunny dry weather is no reason to be overly confident in your ability to maintain traction in a turn...

Whatever risks you take, take them on a race course, where a wall isn't the "End" result of your mistake...

wiblergt

Very Good Point!!!

keep a constant speed throughout the corner!

DaveW

Cold tires (not warmed enuff on a 50F day). The tires were only 6-months old with almost full tread.

dubulup

I haven't wrecked but, I think "If you boost in a corner, you are not going to be facing the right direction for very long"

Should read "If you boost 10psi on the primary in a corner, you are not going to be facing the right direction for very long"

I'm non-seq and have no problem not spinning my tires in corners while boosting...granted I'm not WOT.

Dub's tip: Plant a tree before you die.

vosko

iTrader: (4)

blame

j
e
t
t
a

for mine

jdhuegel1

LMAO

Blame ignorant white trash for mine..

mfigr1

dog ran out and I swerved.
& also
hazardous road conditions.

FDNewbie

iTrader: (10)

you know, you'd be surprised how many serious accidents are caused by trying to swerve/dodge some animal...

granted, this may not be the best technique for keeping the front of your FD in beautiful condition... but fact over fiction, your best bet is to hit the animal dead-on. Yes, there have been instances where the animal will somehow manage to fly into someone's windshield and kill them, but if you read the statistics, or even talk to the "experts," they'll tell ya deaths & injuries from actually hitting animals is a great deal smaller than what happens when you try to swerve outta the way, usually while at a high rate of speed, putting everyone else around you at risk, and leaving your car at the mercy of momentum...

mfigr1

Thanks for your concern. Before I owned my FD I owned a 98 mitsu. eclipse and the same thing happened. I didn't swerve and hit the dogwith my right front fender. He then spun and got ran over by my right rear tire. This is the good part: it threw my car into a 360 twice and I ended up on the wrong side of the road. It was a 4 lane street so i missed all of the parked cars and luckily it was 3am so there was nobody on the road. It's always a no win situation. By the way the first dog was a purebred Chow and his head left a dent on my undercarriage, I parked and stayed with it until it died in front of my eyes. I love dogs and it was the worst thing iv'e ever experienced. I had called animal control and they showed up to pick it up 1.5 hours later.

vchacon

A cat once ran out in front of my car during traffic... for a split second I was about to swerve... quick thought, traffic, and kept it straight. Nothing as sick as hearing the cats little skull bouncing around under the car.

JONSKI

I was sitting at a stop light.

The moral of this story is to run red lights. If a cop stops you just tell him that you didn't want to get rear-ended.

Zoomspeed

Do not let other people drive your car.

Detbyron

stupidity.
alcohol kinda skewed my judgement just a teensy bit, and I rev'd too high while shifting. I wasn't completely straight yet entering the free-way and the roads were wet.

Moral #1) don't drink and drive - ever.
Moral #2) don't pop the clutch if your not straight.
Moral #3) don't drive an FD in the rain (or snow).

I've done lots of stupid things, but this one is up there.

Rx is now Gt

I hate talking about this sorta stuff, but if it helps someone not wreck their RX then I will help. Do not accelerate into or out of turns. That is what happend to me. I accelerated out of a turn in my 93 touring and it boosted...voila, spun around and hit a Dodge Ram. The roads were completely dry, I was just being a moron. But I'm glad that no one had gotten hurt. In the end thats all that really matters.

RonKMiller

EVERYONE over rates their driving "skill", and with a high power to weight ratio the FD3S is literally an accident waiting to happen.

UNLESS you take a course like Bondurant, etc.

The most important thing I learned from taking an advanced driving course is to keep my full throttle escapades on the track and off the street.

The course was the the best accessory I ever bought, and for $2K you can learn to drift like the pros or for $895.00 teens can learn how to really drive...

www.bondurant.com

SWAT81

iTrader: (14)

In my case my supposed friend's friend drove my car without my permission and crashed it, ended up having to argue and threaten that I will sue him for him to pay me up front over a period of 1 year. He even blew my engine and denied it so he ended up only paying for the body damage. GRRRRRRR GETS ME SO MAD!!!!

jg937

how about you just save the hard driving for the track and just take it easy on the city streets. i love my fd way too much to lose it trying to smash around a corner its not worth it.

Flybye

Don't remind me. I'm a victim of a damn animal

I was with a nice little FD caravan a couple of years ago flying around some mountains in PA. Was in the middle of a curve when a deer decided to jump out of no where. First idea that popped in my head was "STAY AWAY!" I steered away sucessefully. Unfortunately, I steered TOO much to the left crosing over a patch of dirt on the pavement. I instantly lost traction.......tree was smiling at me....the rest is history. It actually wasn't TOO bad. I nicked the tree on the front left tearing the bumper and accordionizing the left fender, but I was able to still drive back home. This gave me the perfect excuse to get the Feed front end

kcolyer27

blame the jews for mine (spun out into my lane with yamika on his damn head)

FDNewbie

iTrader: (10)

LOL...it's funny how FD drivers can always somehow manage to see *EVERY* situation as a potential opportunity for upgrades! haha

but im sorry for your loss. I almost picked up a few deers over the past year, but thank God for the incredible FD brakes...

my worst experience was a squirrel who darted across a 3 lane road, then when he was maybe a foot away from the other side, decided it was too dangerous ROFL...then ran back. i had no warning, and the next thing I knew i heard a "KACHUNK!" on the side of the car. Pulled over, and I guess he ran so fast into my fender that he snapped his neck, cuz he wasn't run over... =(

REDNECK

Adam C was on target on what happened to me... I'm lucky I'm alive all because of boosting out of a turn... just don't do it.
Ryan.

Sorry Adam...didn't mean anything in my last talk with you, I was just angry about wrecking and on medicine for my neck and back... my car was declared totalled beyond repair and insurance still hasn't given me an offer as for settlement.

Johnny

I did the rookie dumbass over correct move.. not to mention old tires..but the dumbass move is what really caused it..not to mention the uneven/off cambered surface..but still the dumb rookie move..oh yeah did I telll you it was 40 degrees and wet out ?..oh yeah I over corrected

rajeevx7

iTrader: (11)

Hah! Alot of us in this boat, huh?

At the risk of being black listed by our much better looking readers.....I NO LONGER HAVE ANY CONFIDENCE IN FEMALE DRIVERS.

Many, many things have lead me to this conclusion...but both of my FD's have been damaged at the mercy of lotioned, sweet hands on a steering wheel. I simply say that these 2 competent women in my life are uterly blind to the fact that I value my car above most and still manage to have a total lack of respect for it.


I was 19 and still in love with my '93 Touring. Bone stock, superb example of an FD with 60k on the body and 15k on the factory isntalled engine. I mean perfect car in every aspect, didnt even have the regular torn bolster. I loved it enough to keep it covered when there wasn't garage space available. My mom, in her Durango, backs straight into the pass. fender and severely mangles it beyond recognition, the Durango actrually climbed up onto the car. 2 days later, I had to risk driving it (daily driver) and a jagged metal shard managed to slit the sidewall of my tire going into a turn. Half the car is under water now, in a ditch....totaled.

Bought new '93 R1 with no body damage/accident history. I am nice and let my girlfriend have the one spot left in my garage, and I park outside. The morning comes and I find she has moved my car from the drive to the street and poorly parked it out of the way at best.
Somehow, out there, something scratched the pass. side, crushed the fender, dented the door. Wow.

Other peoples ignorance is the one thing keeping me from having my perfect automobile.

Sorry for the rant, but you see It's happned twice to me!

Raj