Was wondering how many people actually push the car to its grip limits.My car is a 96 WRX running STI aftermarket adjustable front suspension and have just replaced matching rears to bilsein sti rears with blue prodrive springs also got a 22 mm whiteline ARB on rear and drop links.Also running Brembo Gran Turisimo 4 pots with 335mm disks running on Advan RG lightweight 17.s with yoko 215 45 17 Paradas spec 2. Now reading the press releases from years ago the handling got rave reviews.Now i just dont feel confident to push the car and feel i dont get the enjoyment from the mods i have applied.What im asking is does any one feel the same or is the impreza going to obay if pushed.I once remember going on a run and being in the middle of say 30 scoobies and it was a case of having to keep up and i drove like ive never drove before.Hand on heart i never looked at the speedo just watched the guy in front of me,s line and was physically exhausted when i reached High force.

 

Have a look over here

http://www.clubmsv.com/car-home/even...?productid=664

Great fun, and you can push as much as you like

 

i personally think the handling is over rated, i feel i can sling my mondeo around bends as quick as my subaru...but then i dont know the limits of my car that well if im honest, havent had a real good chance to test it.

 

I know for a fact my car far outperforms my ability... but then I'm pretty slow and useless!

 

My nerves & survival instinct give out [possibly] long before my STi starts feeling iffy. I suck.

 

+1

I thought I had it in the bag and I even knew how my car drove bearing in mind how much I have done to it myself or at home with a friend.

But recently I was ask to push it to the limit for the back end to start going and me catch it but whilst keeping power so to speak (in a controlled enviroment may I add).

I simply could not do this. My **** was going now and then too . THe guy who did this jumped in my car with me in it and simply did what I couldn't and he had never driven my car before.

I am starting track days as of this year anyway but they showed me not only am I not as good as I thought but how much I need to learn.


Steve

 

I've had a reasonable variety of cars during my driving years and also had access to various company vehicles. I now own a 2006 Hawkeye, to which I have fitted solid drop links and Whiteline bushes, and I recently had the opportunity to have a play with car in a suitable environment, having also recently fitted 18" rims with 40 profile tires. I personally found the point at which the car starts to let go is pretty insane and that flooring it whilst pointing the car where I needed it to go would in most instances recover things pretty well.

I don't personally see a driving situation on public roads where I'm ever likely to stretch the car to that extent, but a few more tweaks are planned in respect of the handling, though I view them more as personal taste items rather than vital improvements. It's certainly more anchored to the road than anything else I've experienced driving.

Tim

 

TRACKDAY !

I bought mine because they flatter a ham fisted monkey

Whilst the car was still standard I got onto an airfield to set-up/marshal a rally stage, had so much fun sliding it around with no traffic I decided I needed to do trackdays with it.

Now I simply don't bother on the road, at 400+ bhp it can slap almost anything and run off laughing, BUT I don't enjoy really pushing it any more.

dunx

P.S. As I'm relatively poor I also can't afford to badly damage it either ! ( I also have bad back already... )

 

A trackday will be the quickest / safest way for you to find the limits. Or go and 'play' on your favorite piece of deserted road.
Driving the same strech of road over and over, SLOWLY push harder, you should be able to find the point the car becomes unsettled without loosing it alltogether. The only thing i'll say if be careful of the surface conditions, this is where a trackday has it's benifits as their surface is usually consistant.

 

By the time I had finished modding mine its limits were so extreme that it would have been downright reckless to use them fully on the road, so I did, often Many corners that saw others braking under the ton saw me nearly at V-max. The thrill of being on power and hitting 140+ mid-bend is awesome. I used to slow down for the boring straights

 

also heard car limits is very good for getting to grips with your car

http://www.carlimits.com/script/view...rfieldtraining

a mate of mine too his Elise, and the instructor immediately knew there was something subtly wrong with the rear of the car, found one slightly leaking shock heh

 

Am i reading it right that you have mismatched front and rear suspension? Maybe that's why the car feels funny?

That said, the 96 WRX is certainly no benchmark in handling in stock form anyway IMHO. But to fit mismatched suspension front and rear is just a no no if you ask me.

 

+1....suspension should match for me. I bet if you went fully standard you would enjoy a better set up than you have now. Also tyres are it in my experience. Have good rubber that you can trust and you CAN get you teeth chatering around corners without a worry, have something vague with rock hard rubber and the car will feel vague and loose at speed.

In my experience when you start understeering wildley in an Impreza your on the edge, but this is a good thing as i would rather it break away from the front than it snap away from the rear.....

 

You are quite correct i have differing suspension.But this was a recent change out.When funds allow the fronts will be changed out too.I have owned the car for 4 years now and never had the utmost confidence in either the car or my ability.

 

Get it geometry checked when you change the suspension. Maybe its well out, or camber is shyte from all the tinkering you have done. Could have even been involved in a knock......I have had 2 Impreza's now and to say they dont handle very well is madness. They handle VERY well, well beyond most drivers capability. If yours does'nt there MUST be something wrong....mis matched suspension is a no no (imho)- then geomety/ 4 wheel alignment - then what rubber you using>.....these woud be my check list...

 

+1. Tracks days are the best place to (and really the only place you should) explore the limits of the car.

 

That said, the 96 WRX is certainly no benchmark in handling in stock form anyway IMHO. But to fit mismatched suspension front and rear is just a no no if you ask me. [/QUOTE]

ive got a 95 wrx on standerd sti suspension and it handles just as good as my mates car with coilovers fitted and meny people i speak to say the classics are awsome.in truth no one should push there car to the limits on puplic roads as you might be a good driver but dont forget there are new drivers and old people on the road.do a track day or 10 to be on the safe side

 

I know the feeling mate

I've always enjoyed a B road blast in all of my cars, I just dont feel like I can drive the Subaru anywhere near what it can actually do !

 

Some better tyres might help

 

I agree. I fitted coilovers then took it straight to the UK to have a full geo setup done.. was like driving a different car out the garage.. handled so much better..

 

The correct size would help too

215/40/17 or 205/45/17

Tony

 

i really carnt see the point in spending money on upgrading the suspension on a car if your not very confident in using it.i have to say that there isnt many times that i can remember being in my car an not pushing it to its limits or near enough.as said,book a trackday and start off slow and work your way up.get an instructor to teach you a few basic steps and enjoy the mods you are putting on your motor.

 

One thing i require from a car is handling itss just got to cope with corners.
I havnt yet got a sooby so looking forward to getting one soon and it usuallt takes about a year befor i say i push it to limits as i do with my gtir curently
a very fast 0-60 is nice but if it cant do tight twisty bends its just no use to me.

Dont break on corners drop down a gear floor it and steer
4 wheel sliding is fab
(in safe areas)

 

from the amount of imprezas that come up for sale damaged i would say quite a lot lol as many are due to pushing to hard. There loss is my gain lol

 

My back usually goes before the grip does.
Unless you play with the dccd and get the back end out.

 

If your car is lowered try get a Whiteline Roll-Centre/Bump Steer kit, i recently lowered my car and the steering became harsh, the Whiteline Roll-Centre/Bump Steer Kit has made it not as harsh again i believe.
You could try a Whiteline Anti Lift kit also and new bushes, i'm in the process of fitting these now, trying to get the car feeling real good.
Have a read up on the items i've mentioned if you've not already got them.

But i agree, i think it's possible cars can out do the driver lol.

Thanks
Sam

 

+1


I've been known to test the limits and beyond and agree the ONLY place is on the Track


And if you test the limits there will be occasions that you get it wrong but in a safe environment

I've been passenger in two crashes on the Track and once as a driver.
If these crashes had been on the road, with Trees, bridges and on coming Traffic ALL would have resulted in multiple Fatalities

Bar from the odd bruise or aches and a cut hand from climbing out the drivers side window. And all emergency services were at the car in seconds and not 5 miles and twenty minutes away

Tony

Ps

 

Quite! Last time i was at brands i stuck the car into a gravel pit halfway through the session. It really is amazing how quickly it stops you!

Im not a track god by any means, having only done two previous days, but i'm hooked! I actually drive slower on the road now than what i used to, simply because its so boring in comparison.

Track day = sex (multi player)
Spirited drive = sex (single player)

Luckily im "getting some" on Mondy again, cant wait

 

Walshy is one of the best in the business!!

 

+1 I did north weald with 3"s of snow........ that was interesting



+1