Ferrari 355 Accident "Cold Tyres"

[FurtiveFreddy]

Three thoughts:

1. The 355 was really the last of the 'unforgiving' Ferraris in that they will bite back if you're not used to their idiosyncrasies.

2. Normal (factory-fitted or equivalent) road tyres do have a pretty wide operating temperature range but if they're outside of that range they can behave in an unexpected manner.

3. Using either of the above as an explanation for the car ending up in a hedge is missing the point.

Having said that I know some very, very good, professional drivers who have had similar incidents. Always a good idea to have a few excuses ready in those situations...

[PugwasHDJ80]

tyres definitely behave oddly when cold.

If you have a large 4x4 tyre (33-35") they actually flatspot overnight- and not just a little bit, but enough to create massive vibrations. They need to warm up before really turningback into a circle.

Cold new tyres are the very very worst- can be lethal, know of at least one PHer who can certify to this.

[heebeegeetee]

doogz said:

Which is why everyone lights up the tyres on their way to the line. Every little helps.

Which of course leaves you with a complete mismatch between front and rear but is still no hassle to deal with, which makes me wonder what the point is on road tyres.

Having the first 64' measured is handy, and on my visit to Shelsley I found that of the four different methods used, the method that doesn't root clutch or tyres is but few hundredths slower, which made no difference to the results. :-)

[Zod]

heebeegeetee said:

007 VXR said:

Normal road tyres ARE temperature sensitive.
Slicks are on another level.

In what way though? Ambient temps I ca understand, when the road surface is also affected. Summer tyres operating at temps lower than is best for them I can understand. But a road car going off the road due to 'cold tyres' in a way that a race car on slicks might? No, I don't accept that.

You needd to try a performance car on theser tyres. Mine already deomstrate lower grip levels with this week's temperature drop. Below ten degrees, the fall-off in grip is obvious. When it's wet as well, things get very interesting.

Why do you think SportAuto puts an asterisk next to Ring times with "special" tyres? Why do you think manufacturers make you sign a disclaimer when you buy a car fitted with them (I had to sign one for my M3CSL and for the V12V)?

[markmullen]

Jasandjules said:

Sounds perfectly probable to me. I've certainly been on some test drives where the salesman drives like a loon right from the off..... Sometimes such things will go wrong.

And similarly those of us in the trade will have been on demos where the customer drives like a cock. Some of us still have health issues from when that driving crosses the line from good to crash.

[steve singh]

When I took a previous M3 out I said to the salesman i'd let it warm up....his response 'no we don't have time for that and these engines are strong, just go ahead and enjoy as you've only got 10 minutes drive'

Felt horrible pushing a cold car so hard

[Jasandjules]

markmullen said:

And similarly those of us in the trade will have been on demos where the customer drives like a cock. Some of us still have health issues from when that driving crosses the line from good to crash.

Of that I have no doubt. I have too when selling a car privately to the extent I told them to pull over.

I however have been told to push it/go faster etc by salesmen....

[markmullen]

Jasandjules said:

I however have been told to push it/go faster etc by salesmen....

I usually have to encourage my customers to drive the car harder, out of politeness they usually hold back, which is good.

[carinaman]

It does remind me of this thread a bit, but I can err to cynicism and was pondering a PH Tee shirt design featuring a sandbag, a Mars Bar and a 944S2 badge.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...