HOLY COW --- Squirrelly

[bojangles]

when I leave the parking lot at work, there is a big court.. ( circle with grass island in the middle )
every day ( until today-- first day with the esprit ) i zoom outta the parking lot start wide, and then steer into the corner and then play with my car as it kinda drifts a bit then off I go out the other end of the circle. This has been my experience with numerous BMW ( that handle ok, and are not so prone to understeer ) ..

Well i was a bit worried i would not like the lotus as there was some writing about the newer ones being balanced to understeer... bla bla bla..
well today at lunch I went out and as soon as I turned into the circle the back end was way way outta control.. HUGE over steer, and not like a power slide.. geeze then back the other way.. my hands are flailing and the car is all over the place... I am not an idiot about how to control a skid been with RWD for ever and lotsa snow to play in here during the winter..

what is my point? just I dont know--- is this normal?.. I could crash this thing... the Bimmers slide nicely but never get like that....

Comments?
Bruce
S4s

[MikeyRide]

bojangles said:

Well i was a bit worried i would not like the lotus as there was some writing about the newer ones being balanced to understeer... bla bla bla..

I'm not sure where you read that. I call my S4s "scary neutral". It pretty much does what you ask and if you ask poorly, it answers in kind. At low speeds/high steering angles, it does understeer but any other time it's pretty neutral. I used to autocross it a bit and you have to be smooooooooth in slaloms or you chase the rear end all around.

Assuming everything's to spec (how are your tire pressures?), I'd guess that you were just too agressive with your corner entry. A too sharp turn-in with the power off and/or brakes applied is asking for excitement. My old '95 M3 would do the same thing but I had to be far more ham-fisted to provoke it.

[cnh1990]

I would say your entry was too fast or the turn too sharp and you either let up or braked hard to swing the back end around. It normally does not swing around with the power on.

[bojangles]

well, what an excuse to press on the accerator more... heheh

for sure my iX and M3 never got loose like that.. i have to do all the basics,..check pressures and so on, I am also having a problem with a sticky caliper..
and it was sandy.. but never got outta control in the bimmers like this... i ma leaving work in an hour, and Ill try again.. paying more attention

Bruce

[wedg1e]

That sounds like my old TVR Tasmin: once the back end went, it was NEVER coming back!
Usually it wuld break free, so you'd steer into it, and nothing would happen. Then it would suddenly snap back the other way, too fast for you to wind the lock off. Scary as hell; had more than one close shave...

Ian

[lotusguy]

Hi,

Well let's see, it was sandy, you entered a turn, got on the Loud Pedal and the back-end spun out..??

Hmmmm.... I'm gonna have to give that one some thought... Happy Motoring! ...Jim'85TE

>> Edited by lotusguy on Monday 5th April 22:22

[Muck Savage]

As they say in the shampoo ads:
"And now for the science bit ..."

As with all mid-engined cars, the Esprit has much less rotational inertia meaning it turns (and spins around) with greater ease than a heavier BMW with the weight at the ends. This inertia can be your friend as it takes more force to spin it and more to correct it if you're used to it. A mid engined car will be a lot more twichy, just ask some former MR2 drivers.

With plenty of power on tap which can be poorly timed with the turbo kicking in, it requires a gentle touch at the controls. As always driver training, autocrosses etc. can be cheap and very fun investments and a great place to 'explore the limits'.

mikel
ex-1995 S4

[kylie]

Apart from what everyone else has said, how old are your tires? If you say you just pulled out of a park and gave it some stick, no doubt your tires are cold? If your tires are over 4yrs old even though heaps of tread they will eventually go hard and skiddy.
Anyway happy skidding

[az88turbo]

kylie said:

Apart from what everyone else has said, how old are your tires? If you say you just pulled out of a park and gave it some stick, no doubt your tires are cold? If your tires are over 4yrs old even though heaps of tread they will eventually go hard and skiddy. Anyway happy skidding

I second that one. Found myself going 90mph sideways up a freeway entrance last year due to 6 year old tires. Can't even make it do that with the new tires.

Mark - 88 Turbo

[bojangles]

remember that this is my work place, i drive it every day with the other cars.. and i always try to slide a bit.. cause it is fun..... so with various tires, road conditions, and so on i have to adjust my speed and turn in accordingly.. but nothing ever got so silly on me before..

i was not on the gas, i mighta been coasting or neutral.. but what i remember is turning in ( rememmber this is slow speed - 2nd gear just off idle )

well i will try again tomorrow today after work was uneventful..