Jerome

After a few weeks of Scooby ownership, I seem to have got used to the straight line speed - I often think something is amiss until I look at the speedo, and have to slow down to an appropriate speed.

However, on the twisty bits, I seem to be easily able to get the car (a MY93 WRX) ragged. I'm intending to do some driving courses, but until then, can it really be this easy to get the car to the limit? The garage I bought the car from said "you'll never find the limits in the dry, just take it easy in the wet". I do take it easy in the wet, but it's the dry driving that more often scares me.

Maybe it's the crap Jap tyres it still has, but even so, I thought an average driver (i.e. me) was not supposed to get to the limits in the dry. I don't think I'm that much of a nutter, but I seem to be able to get the car to the ragged edge all too easily. Maybe I need to learn to drive all over again, or maybe need an injection of restraint. Trouble is, on a nice stretch of national speed limit twisty bit, the car seems to be begging me to grab it by the scruff of the neck, but every now and then, it seems to snap back at me. If I'm just simply going too fast, then fine, I'll adjust my driving, but I have a sneaking suspicion, that the limit is far to easily reached. Am I a one off, or is this one section of the learning curve of performance car driving?

Jerome.

[This message has been edited by Jerome (edited 26 October 2000).]

AWD

If you have Japanese tyres I'd definitely get them changed. Due to lower speed regulations etc. in Japan the tyres on Japanese cars are often rated for much lower speeds than on European cars.

I'd check this ASAP if I were you.

DavidRB

If it's an MY93, check the conditions of the dampers. They might need replacing, or they might not be well-matched to the springs (if they're not the standard ones).

[This message has been edited by DavidRB (edited 26 October 2000).]

AWD

Jerome

Do you know if the dealer that sold it to you got it straight from Japan, or whether it has been owned by someone in the UK for a while?

If it came straight from Japan the tyres might be low speed ones, but if it has been in the UK it is much more likely to be something else like the dampers that David suggested.

Jerome

The garage imported the car straight from Japan and hasn't been driven here before me. I'll replace the tyres and see what difference that makes.

Cheers,

Jerome.

AWD

Check the tyres before replacing them - see what speed rating they have. If they are some odd model that are for the Japanese market only you may need to look at the company's website to confirm the Japanese speed ratings for that tyre.

What's the mileage on the car? Usually cars from Japan have low mileages compared to European ones.

MorayMackenzie

Public health warning... Don't take this post as justification for killing yourself.

Could be that you are hearing the tyres squeel and feeling the car loosening its grip because you have let the tyre slip angles overstep the mark by using too little power... I can make my car squeel its tyres and feel ragged by coasting it around corners... 4wd is wonderful stuff, but it is designed to work properly under power. It does take a while to get used to the power all the time concept...

Moray