Rear wheel drive cars

[JayR]

Ok with fwd and awd cars but never known what the rwd's are about and id like to as my next car will be one!!! :lol:

Whats the pros and cons of having a rear wheel drive car?

Anyone actually driven one and liked it?

Are they easy to get used to after all previous cars being fwd cars?

Any info much appreiciated.

Cheers

Jay

[Scott-16v!]

my last car was rear wheel drive
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b3/scott1987/my%20old%20cars/back.jpg
i much prefer the valver, not just for the speed but for the handling aswell, even though the bmw was only a 318i it could still get a bit dodgy in the corners and was bad in the wet, you couldn't chuck it about as much as you can the valver and the tail would soon flick out if you tried to push it too much, it could be a lot of fun but i didn't really want to risk it too often. i suppose with time you get to know the cars limits, it was shit in the snow and icy conditions, backend was straight round :lol:

[FATBOY]

yes mate! i had an old mark 2 rs 2000 escort!!! loved the rear wheel drive action!!!! cant beat it! bad thing tho was to be very careful in the wet. used to nearly always spin out on bends in the wet.. but gotta remember that the old escorts are nearly 30 years old so the safety features you have on newer cars were not around back then! but loved it all the same, i will own one again one day!!!



http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/fatboy78/rs2000.jpg

[Scott-16v!]

^^lol at the minge numberplate :lol:

[FATBOY]

:wink:

[Zollo]

As above....be careful! Absolute blast though.

Advantages, everything else being equal -

Generally better weight distribution (transmission at the back in most cases)
Uncorrupt steering feel (no torque steer at all) and better front grip (because the fronts only have to steer, rather than transmit power and steer)
More adjustable handling (because power oversteer is available)
Better traction in the dry (because when you accelerate, the weight distribution pushes the rear wheels into the surface)

Disadvantages -

Pretty frisky in the wet and more difficult to drive well.
More expensive to manufacture RWD car
Packaging problems for manufacturers, not very space efficient lay out


Probably others of both, but my mind has drawn a blank without resorting to Google :P

[Gav]

my old man as a Capri as a track day car (handles like shite standard but we moved the engine back and shortened the prop shaft) and rear wheel drive cars are a blast!

Havent driven it since ive got my clio but there awsome!!

[northy]

my second car (skoda rapid) is class in winter.

Doesnt have enough power to slide out in normal wet weather driving :cry:

[j3ned]

FWD cars are better for inexperienced drivers

[JayR]

Cheers for the replies people!!!

j3ned iv had 3 years drivin exp and when i get the car it will be almost for 4................Am i classed as inexperienced then? :?

[Mark_Ritchspeed]

There really are so many variables. A good chassis, is a good chassis regardless of where the power is put down. Be it front or rear, or both.

I have driven, just as many rwd cars that handle badly as fwd cars. BMW have been making perfectly balanced rwd cars for ever.

I wouldnt necessarily say that fwd is better for inexperienced drivers either, as when an inexperienced driver runs out of talent they will make exactly the same mistakes and it wont matter which wheels are driven. How many 205gti's have ended up in ditches due to their drivers not being able to handle the adjustable chassis?

[clowo16v]

I like RWD its a right laugh, especially when you haven't got much power. I used to have a Mk1 Escort 1300GT, and even with only 75bhp it would go sideways whenever I wanted. Sold it when I was 16 I wish I hadn't now :-(.

Think my next car (probably when I finish uni) will be an old 105E Anglia, with a 1760cc x-flow i've got sat in the shed in. Escort front suspension converted to coilovers, lowered 40mm, Escort works arches, and my Revos lol.

See ya

Matt

[j3ned]

Cheers for the replies people!!!

j3ned iv had 3 years drivin exp and when i get the car it will be almost for 4................Am i classed as inexperienced then? :?

ive had 14 mate and you get better by the year - what i know now to what i new after 4 years made me inexperienced.

[Zollo]

Just done a track day in a rear wheel drive car today. I can quite happily say it is a lot more difficult to get it right. You can take far fewer liberties in a RWD car. If it wasn't for the DSC, I'd have been on the grass as much as the tarmac.

Thoroughly recommended :D . Just be very careful starting out. Personally I think the sooner you drive a RWD car the better. Otherwise you'll end up with years of experience in FWD stuff, but not have a clue how a rear driver handles.

[Purple]

IMHO, I think the general rule of thumb for me in a RWD compared to a Euro FWD hatch is - I need to go slower into corners with RWD but nail the throttle earlier after the apex. The Euro hatches seems happier braking later into corners and a have bigger range of entry speeds and lines. I find that Jap FWD a bit harder to drive quick as they generally must be in the correct line and speed.

:D But then again, you have some nutters that drive any car any way they like and still beat your time :D