That's a bit worrying. Have you had any experience recognising and catching slides in a rwd car? If not, it would be worth considering a handling course.

I've always found my S3 very progressive, I assume due to a good balance between power and handling.

Perhaps it is worth checking your springs/dampers and geometry?

..or laying off the right foot a bit

..or perhaps I just drive like a girl

Hi Mark, was it the roundabout that you have to do a U turn at to take your exit ? If so that was a long way.

Knowing you I wouldnt think it was the car, defo oil or fuel seeping out of the surface when the first rain starts landing.

Ive done some driver days (RideDrive) and have shredded a set of tyres on a runway session. When the back end goes it is very controlable as the power isnt too much to completely overpower the back end.
On my runway session I must of slid the back end and controled it about 20 times and only spun too far twice, flat out in second. So i'm trying to assure you that its a one off and not your driving

I personally don't find my S arse end happy enough, i like to drift round corners and rounabouts but my S seems to planted and has plenty of grip. I used to have a Nissan 200sx and had to steer it with the rear wheels, now that was fun.

I thought you were supposed to get the tail out.. but when you want to.. greasy roads and diesel suck.. added to that my tyres seem very hard.. what tyres are you running and how old are they..? I read recently that new recommendations will give tyres a best before date as the compound can deteriorated and harden quite shockingly on otherwise good (ie plenty of tread) tyres after 5 years. My car hasn't done too many miles in the last few years and mine must be 4 years plus old.

Damian (Blue S3)

Thanks for all the words of advice/sympathy - pride still battered and car remains hidden in garage today as spin was too close to home and I may have been seen For those who have commented tyres 12 months old and you can still see the red lines on the Goodyear Eagle F1s showing how new they are I run 17" wheels and lower profile tyres (225/45 R17) so there is less "give" than normal 15" wheels would have. Can see nothing wrong with car and suspension was set up earlier this year following front suspension overhaul and poly bushing. Only things different are weather/road conditions and the fact that I have recently (2 months ago) changed throttle plate to a straight plate - which makes throttle more responsive, so I think it could have been a combination of slight "overqueeze of throttle" as I haven't driven her that much since I did the work and diesel/oil on the road (there is some on the roundabout - I've been back for a look).

Normally in the dry with the tyres I run it is actually quite difficult to get the back end out - you need to give it a serious squirt as it corners like it's on rails. As I said this just caught me cold as I was taking it really easy on cold engine, cold tyres and moist road. Needless to say that roundabout will be treated with a bit more respect in the future - and yes Giles that is the roundabout although I was going the opposite way to normal coming from Dartmoor direction and heading back up the exit I had entered from.

As for Orange_dodo - I thought I'd post as a warning to all as the weather and unexpected road contamination or personal ck up can catch us all out even on roads we drive everyday and multiple times a day.

In shame

Mark

There are two types of TVR owner:

1. I've never had a 'moment' and find my TVR has plenty of grip
2. I had a moist moment when the back end went when I didn't expect it, I was only on part throttle

Hopefully as owners become number 2 they don't crash.

FWIW after 6 years of Chimaera driving and 5 years of T350 driving I've only had a few minor moments as I'm generally quite gentle. I never think the car has plenty of grip at this time of year though. I had a minor moment yesterday on what I thought was a bone dry A4 Westway coming out of London. Nothing major, car just did an unplanned oversteer and was gathered up safely (by luck as usual, and not driving skill ). Of course this was caused by me using the loud pedal, I can't blame diesel, tyre pressures, white lines etc.

I find the "S" much more progressive than the sudden-loss method used by Toyota's MR2 which resulted in my missus stuffing my then P&J through a hedge taking out four fenceposts in the process...



She doesnt drive my "S"... : phew!smiley:

K