Quicker Cars

[imbecile]

So... tomorrow I'm picking up a 235bhp car, which is approximately double the power of my current car. I have driven cars like this before, but only on track or for maybe a mile down the road.

I suspect my most likely failing is that I will overestimate the power and make ridiculously dangerous overtakes. I don't see wet roundabouts, etc, as a likely source of problem, but I can see absent minded flooring away from lights happening.*

Anything else I should be looking for?

*I am seriously exaggerating my incompetence here, as I figure that's a lot better than only slightly exaggerating my competence

[imbecile]

It's a 1989 Jag XJ40, and it's lovely (my "previous" car was RWD too, but understeered to buggery, except in weather conditions like this morning when I was driving it to the station...)

[imbecile]

TheKeyboardDemon said:

imbecile said:

It's a 1989 Jag XJ40, and it's lovely (my "previous" car was RWD too, but understeered to buggery, except in weather conditions like this morning when I was driving it to the station...)

Any chance of some pics. It'd be nice to put a face to the name, so to speak.

I'll put some up shortly... So far:

Good points:
Suspension that, comfort wise, is astonishing. Also makes corners that would have my car off the road seem like a non event, although I haven't really got much feel for the car itself yet
Engine and box seem in good nick
As quick from 70-100 as it is 0-30
It's a jag for under a grand
All instruments etc working

Bad points:
Front right hand brake seems to be binding after driving for a few miles (not 100% confident of my diagnosis... basically it starts to make a noise that is almost like a wind noise at higher speeds, beomeing worse and morphing into a more traditional brake binding noise at lower speeds. Car only did 1000 miles last year and almost none in last few months)
Hideous, difficult to use, off-centre aftermarket all walnut steering wheel. Does come with the original though, so won't be hard to sort
Headlights crap (probably normal - I'm too used to the excellent volvo ones)
Cruise control works, but not as smooth as I would like (again, probably normal for cruise control from the 80s - I've never actually used cruise control before)
Haven't worked out how to open the fuel filler at the back, but luckily found an emergency release in the boot

[imbecile]

blueflash said:

Just take your time to get use to the slush box, learn to use the J-gate ,you can almost drive them like a manual(if you want to)

I know, it's lovely! I just wish there was a way of locking it in 1st, it would be handy around town.

MartinMGBGTSV8 said:

get the brakes sorted before you need to use them to stop your 2 ton motor in an emergency.

They are fixed now, and I shall be doing a 350 mile journey with it on Sunday. Anyhow I was driving a (heavier) volvo before this which *doesn't* stop.

As for the posts asking me to do ride drive or similar - I really would like to, but the opportunity cost of getting a course at the moment is too high. Once I've graduated and am in salaried work I intend to do something like that. I do have ROADA already, and have recently ordered the full set of commentry videos from Bespoke.

I think the main differenc in my driving style so far has been far more driving on the limits of vision than of grip than before.