I can't handle a front wheel drive car!
I can't handle a front wheel drive car!
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Discussion

br d

Original Poster:

8,992 posts

246 months

Saturday 17th March 2012
quotequote all
I had to run the g/f somewhere this morning in her Clio so afterwards I went to do a bit of shopping and whatnot.
I can't drive the bloody thing! I never drive front wheel drive cars and I was lost!
Under-steer on all the left handers, over-steer on all the right handers, nearly clipped the kerb several times, kangerooing on pull away for some reason. And are the brake dynamics different? I thought I was just applying the right amount of pressure but the car was lurching about all over the place. If any PH's had been behind me it would definitely have warranted a 'Why can't this idiot drive' thread.
She drives it fine so it's definitely me.
I'm not the best driver in the world anyway but this was just embarrassing, good job it was dry.

stoocake

330 posts

192 months

Saturday 17th March 2012
quotequote all
Just how much of a rush were you in?

vescaegg

28,145 posts

187 months

Saturday 17th March 2012
quotequote all
Getting oversteer and under steer on the way to the shops? Does youre route to Tesco take you round the Nurburgring?

If not, you can't drive.

deadmau5

3,197 posts

200 months

Saturday 17th March 2012
quotequote all
I'd get the wheel alignment checked if I were you.

balders118

5,896 posts

188 months

Saturday 17th March 2012
quotequote all
br d said:
Under-steer on all the left handers, over-steer on all the right handers
Well something is wrong there. Why on earth would it act like that!?

jmcc500

667 posts

238 months

Saturday 17th March 2012
quotequote all
Not sure it's likely to be because it's FWD. No matter what the PH puritans might say, FWD and RWD won't make much difference driving normally. Suggest you try to drive as wide a variety of cars as possible to improve your adaptability. Maybe you'll even find some FWD cars you'll enjoy!

Eighteeteewhy

7,259 posts

188 months

Saturday 17th March 2012
quotequote all
Worst FWD bashing thread ever.

B Huey

4,881 posts

219 months

Saturday 17th March 2012
quotequote all
balders118 said:
Well something is wrong there. Why on earth would it act like that!?
Tyre pressures?

br d

Original Poster:

8,992 posts

246 months

Saturday 17th March 2012
quotequote all
balders118 said:
br d said:
Under-steer on all the left handers, over-steer on all the right handers
Well something is wrong there. Why on earth would it act like that!?
Well it doesn't when she drives it.

I just kept not turning enough on right and turning too much on lefts, very odd.

I've just thought back on my driving history and I honestly don't think I've driven a front wheel drive car for 25 years, unless I'm forgetting something.

Not been feeling too well this week, perhaps it was that (and any other excuses I can think of!)

McSam

6,753 posts

195 months

Saturday 17th March 2012
quotequote all
B Huey said:
balders118 said:
Well something is wrong there. Why on earth would it act like that!?
Tyre pressures?
Or, as has been said, truly horrendous wheel alignment following a shunt or big kerbing.

Your girlfriend is unlikely to notice because she probably don't test the limits of grip on her way to the shops.. idea

OP, I'm sure you know just how obvious it is that the steering input bias from left to right does not change based on the driven wheels..

TheAlfaMale

629 posts

168 months

Saturday 17th March 2012
quotequote all
You DID check to make sure that it had all FOUR wheels on, didn't you?! :lol:

Could be the tracking, tyre pressures, steering rack, your driving or a combination of all of them. Go for the easy one first: tyres. Check 'em over. :thumbsup:

cuprabob

17,563 posts

234 months

Saturday 17th March 2012
quotequote all
Simply put your g/f is just a better driver :-)

tonys

1,080 posts

243 months

Saturday 17th March 2012
quotequote all
You can't be serious - this is either a wind-up or there's something seriously wrong with the car's set-up. Could be lots of things, suspension/steering/wheel/tyre related, even chassis.

I may not care for FWD, but it's not as bad as you make out.

Of course, the thread title might actually might just be a bit short, you might have forgotten to add ..., a FWD or an all-wheel-drive car. You might be okay in a Morgan 3-wheeler though - try that biggrin

blearyeyedboy

6,691 posts

199 months

Saturday 17th March 2012
quotequote all
OP, mechanical faults can be less obvious to people who drive very sedately.

My mate's mum had a Morris Minor- I'm not that old but the car is! hehe When her husband borrowed the car it came to an abrupt halt- she never accelerated quickly enough for the broken bit around the handbrake to move and apply the handbrake... but he did.

I suspect the car has a steering/wheel alignment fault that your girlfriend drives it too gently to detect.

If you're understeering/oversteering on a simple drive to the shops and you're not driving like a pillock, there's something wrong with the car.

balders118

5,896 posts

188 months

Saturday 17th March 2012
quotequote all
blearyeyedboy said:
OP, mechanical faults can be less obvious to people who drive very sedately.

My mate's mum had a Morris Minor- I'm not that old but the car is! hehe When her husband borrowed the car it came to an abrupt halt- she never accelerated quickly enough for the broken bit around the handbrake to move and apply the handbrake... but he did.

I suspect the car has a steering/wheel alignment fault that your girlfriend drives it too gently to detect.

If you're understeering/oversteering on a simple drive to the shops and you're not driving like a pillock, there's something wrong with the car.
Orrrr the OP is just FWD bashing for the sake of it. If it's as bad as he says I'm sure his OH would have noticed something.

PumpkinSteve

4,231 posts

176 months

Saturday 17th March 2012
quotequote all
br d said:
kangerooing on pull away for some reason
A well-known characteristic of FWD cars. fking deathtraps, the lot of them.

XitUp

7,690 posts

224 months

Saturday 17th March 2012
quotequote all
1. Car is broken.
2. You were going way too fast.
3. You're a st driver.

fozzymandeus

1,076 posts

166 months

Saturday 17th March 2012
quotequote all
Clios are about as benign a form of automotive transport as it gets.

Regarding kangarooing, when did you last drive a car with a clutch?

Regarding oversteer and understeer... it's probably just you not being used to driving a car with tiddly tires.

balders118

5,896 posts

188 months

Saturday 17th March 2012
quotequote all
PumpkinSteve said:
br d said:
kangerooing on pull away for some reason
A well-known characteristic of FWD cars. fking deathtraps, the lot of them.
Seriously!? or do I need a whoosh parrot?

Degner

198 posts

167 months

Saturday 17th March 2012
quotequote all
Sounds like a well-knackered car.