MartinM

MY00 3000m. Completely std. Makes me grin nearly all the time, but I'm really forced to admit that I find the amount of grip verging on the very poor.

eg dry med size roundabouts, taking 3rd exit. Brake in a straight line, flick left, apply power at 1st exit and steer right - just get immediate terminal understeer taking me straight towards the bollard to the right of the 2nd exit. Lift off and I can't say it goes into lift-off oversteer, but the understeer does go away and I get the chance to aim at the 3rd exit. Overall progress poor and generally untidy.

Any thoughts (geometry check/change needed?) - or is it that I just don't know how to drive round roundabouts in an AWD?

Reza

Changing the geometry settings to those employed by Prodrive would help reduce the understeer but would cause slightly more wear on the inside fronts (I think?). It's best to search some previous posts to see the correct Prodrive settings.
Have you driven a 4WD car before, because if you are applying power in the 1st third of a normal apex a UK car does tend to understeer more. I personally apply full power in one go just before the apex of a roundabout as you described, roughly 3/5ths of the way through the corner. This works excellently for me as their is no understeer and the car rockets out the roundabout! This is followed by a large grin and accompanying laughter!

Reza

Of course, you probably haven't changed your tires yet either. Bridgestone S0-2, SO-1 Pole position and the Goodyear eagle F1 are generally regarded as good tires for the Impreza, Toyo and Yokohama do some aswell but I think they are more expensive. Always best to shop around.

MartinM

Have you driven a 4WD car before..

I think that's got a lot to do with it. I spend most of my miles in a MY00 328i with big tyres, M-tech suspension and traction control. You don't seem to get much understeer then. <g>

Would attending 'wetter the better' help - I get the impression its great to let you play around on v.low friction surfaces, but does it help with real world driving?

[This message has been edited by MartinM (edited 12-05-2000).]

Reza

You should speak to Dick Grimes and attend his driving course for SIDC members. His email/number is on the webpage.

Andrew Dixon

It's easy to say the Scooby understeers. I can go out and make it understeer like hell! However, I get better (read faster and better controlled) cornering out of my MY97 UK car when I turn in off the throttle. This allows the weight to shift towards the front and reduce the load on the rear tyres. Once turned in, the power can be fed in, and because initially there is more weight over the front, the car usually deploys the power far more effectively, and in a far less 'understeery' way!

I think a lot of it is down to driving technique. Might be worth a look at the

MartinM

Thanks all - I'll go back out and try different ways of doing it (ooer)

DavidRB

Steer first, accelerate second. Apply for "The Wetter The Better" course third.

GaryC

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Reza:
[B]Of course, you probably haven't changed your tires yet either. Bridgestone S0-2, SO-1 Pole position and the Goodyear eagle F1.... B]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Don't get S01s - they are a dry grip tyre, developed for home market and track work, they don't like UK roads and weather - ask any STi driver that had them as standard!! SO2 (standard or pole position) are the ones to go for. Grip in wet and dry is formidable. F1s and Toyos are also a decent and cheaper alternative.

Tyres will have the biggest impact on the handling of your car. The standard Bridgestone REs are crap! Get some decent rubber and you will be amazed!

Gary
17" S02 PPs - 18" grin!!