Going from FWD to RWD.Hints & tips please!
Discussion
Aside from not buying a RWD sports car on the day of the worst December snowfall in 30 years, what else do I need to know? 
Coming from a history of FWD hot hatchey type cars I'm well aware that I may have to alter my driving style slightly but just what they are i'm not quite sure yet.
I like to think of my driving style as smooth & subtle, no heavy handedness from me and I certainly think about what I'm doing.
I know it's only an MX-5 and not a hairy chested TVRRRRRRR but I still want to get the best from the tools that I have
Coming from a history of FWD hot hatchey type cars I'm well aware that I may have to alter my driving style slightly but just what they are i'm not quite sure yet.
I like to think of my driving style as smooth & subtle, no heavy handedness from me and I certainly think about what I'm doing.
I know it's only an MX-5 and not a hairy chested TVRRRRRRR but I still want to get the best from the tools that I have
sinizter said:
Just build up gradually and you will be fine. Obviously, going to be tricky in the snow, but 2nd gear start if possible and take it really slow.
Tricky is one word! Driving to work the other morning and there was perhaps an inch of snow on the ground, taking it nice and steady about 30 mph in fourth, car felt quite happy when I must have increased speed by a whole 2mph, next thing the car is fish tailing, thankfully nothing was on-coming but it certainly opened my eyes.
kambites said:
That's little to do with RWDness though, that's mostly just driving too fast for the grip available.
What got me was that I'd been trundling along for 30mins up to that point, quite happy when without any obvious provocation from myself off it went Edited by kambites on Thursday 2nd December 13:25
Dropped the speed by 5mph or so after that and it was quite happy.
Alfanatic said:
Just drive it like you would any other unfamiliar car and get to learn its habits. They don't habitually bite any more than FWD ones do.
Oh, about the lifting off, an instructor on a BMW course I did many years ago told us to dip the clutch when correcting oversteer, so that the engine was completely out of the equation and you were just correcting the slide with the steering.
This of course was how to correct the slide, not how to ride it out for three laps
It sounded odd and I'm sure that not many instructors would agree with it, but it seemed to work for most of the students, though the only advantage I found was that I didn't have to restart the engine once I'd stopped spinning.
I once did a skid pan course and was taught just that, lose control, dip the clutch, catch the slide.Oh, about the lifting off, an instructor on a BMW course I did many years ago told us to dip the clutch when correcting oversteer, so that the engine was completely out of the equation and you were just correcting the slide with the steering.
This of course was how to correct the slide, not how to ride it out for three laps
It sounded odd and I'm sure that not many instructors would agree with it, but it seemed to work for most of the students, though the only advantage I found was that I didn't have to restart the engine once I'd stopped spinning.
As someone who was just to catching a car by lifting off a tad I found that to a rather strange thing to do.
However, I've no doubt that for a non-enthusiast driver that one bit of advice could be a life safer.
Gizmo! said:
EDLT said:
Dr Derek Doctors said:
Put your foot down and stop being a nancy.
That.RWD cars are not scary at all. My mum used to drive a RWD Volvo and she had absolutely no idea it was any different to the Metro it replaced.
In the dry: floor it.
In the rain, floor it.
In the snow: floor it, but on winter tyres.
Little bit of an update after having the car for over a month.
Things that I've started to notice now I'm not thinking about <everything> I do.
Aiming for the apex of a corner seems to be a little less positive, my old technique in FWD was to gradually ease off then aim for the apex before accelerating away again. I'm not sure if this is down to FWD/RWD difference or slightly wonky geometry on the '5.
Traction away from junctions and traffic lights is nice, it is a different sensation to FWD and a lot more enjoyable, thankfully I'm not that heavy footed I've gone sideways as well!
Despite what the Internet says you don't end up breaking traction if there is so much as dampness mentioned on the weather forecast.
And lastly;
35mph, downhill, changing very gently from 5th - 4th on an untreated A-road will result in a change of underwear
Things that I've started to notice now I'm not thinking about <everything> I do.
Aiming for the apex of a corner seems to be a little less positive, my old technique in FWD was to gradually ease off then aim for the apex before accelerating away again. I'm not sure if this is down to FWD/RWD difference or slightly wonky geometry on the '5.
Traction away from junctions and traffic lights is nice, it is a different sensation to FWD and a lot more enjoyable, thankfully I'm not that heavy footed I've gone sideways as well!
Despite what the Internet says you don't end up breaking traction if there is so much as dampness mentioned on the weather forecast.
And lastly;
35mph, downhill, changing very gently from 5th - 4th on an untreated A-road will result in a change of underwear
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