ST430

Yes, he got a smooth transition...right off the road. Grippier rear tires would promote understeer and help negate the situation altogether. This is why many mfg. have staggered wheel/tire setups on their hi po cars, to counter the effects of the rear end loosing grip and be more controllable. The kid was accusted FF cars where you power through the understeer as opposed to FR where you have to have a steady linear throttle (too much acceleration or deceleration will cause the back end to go out). No doubt, it was driver error, but similar things have happened in the past with MKII MR2s and Toyco redid the back end lsuspension just to counter the propensity to oversteer.


Edit: looking at his posts more. Looks like his backend started going out and he pribably suddenly shut off the throttle inducing a mild case of snap oversteer. Typical FR newbie mistake (hell happened to me on my first Supra TT).

spwolf

i have a feeling that you are imagining FR-S to be some drift king where you touch the throttle and it drifts. It is not so.

FR-S main purpose is that it is very controllable. Meaning smooth transitions between grip and no grip. Worst part of MR-S that I owned (custom turbo), was that it could snap so easy...

Adding bigger and more aggressive summer tires will increase the grip for sure, but grip isnt bad right now - you do realize that right?

From MT comparo:
lateral g's
FRS: 0.93g
GTI: 0.87g
Miata: 0.92g

Exactly nothing would change with any kind of tire he could have had on it because it was driver's error... and thats why I would never disable VSC unless on track, especially since this car has sport mode which supposedly works very well.

Most more powerful RWD cars will snap a lot easier and faster than FRS, it is actually pretty good that FRS doesnt have more than 200hp. Same thing would have happened if he was in 328i or IS350, just sooner probably and a lot easier.

ST430

@ spwolf - not sure why you're so defensive / argumentative but anyhow....First, coming from 600hp Evos, 500 hp Supras, SR20DET powered S14 Sylvias, modified S2000s as well as 600 to 1000cc sportsbikes on the road as well as the track, no I don't think the FR-S is some sort of "drift king". Secondly, of course your old MR-S would snap oversteer more readily, since its a MR afterall and that's an inherent "trait". Third, no one is saying the FR-S can't handle, but with a lightweight torquey boxy engine and skinny Prius tires, of course the backend will go out more readily. Adding stickier tires in the rear would result in more understeer at the sacrifice of feel and tracitbily which was the goal of the FR-S.. No one is blaming the car fir the accident as it is clearly the noobs fault. We're pointing out that that ultimate adhesion can be improved for thise more experienced so it the backend drift as readily, because by definition having the backebd break loose is result of loss of traction ( whether intentional or not). It's kool to see, but not so good to go around the track fast.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

Yea, it has less to do with the car and more with the driver itself. The same crap went through with the S2000 crowd (well still going on...). They go from their FWD Civic to the S2K and think they've mastered the car within a 3 hours. Then you see a thread all day long involving: "I just wrapped my car around a tree". It doesn't imply that the FR-S and S2000 are bad handling cars.. it just means the drivers suck

spwolf

problem here is that you think it has skinny Prius tires... it doesnt. Car has a lot of grip... It has more grip than Miata.

What I am trying to say is that the crash that he had would have happened more easily in most other RWD cars on the market - like 335i or IS350, because problem was the driver, not the car.

Coconut

Checked this out in person today and I really like it. Simple cockpit like interior, great seats and seems very easy to work on (engine, stereo, etc). Reminds me alot of my S2000. This would be my top choice for a sporty everyday driver under $25k new.

JessePS

Someone parked their FR-S next to mine in a parking lot. I wish I had a chance to take a picture and meet the guy, but he drove off before I got back to my car.

Individual

iTrader: (7)

Congrats Jess! It's a beaut! I'm very happy for you!

I've only got to test drive it a couple of times and sat in it to admire it, and I can't get enough of it.

Motor

Nigel-JDMParts

iTrader: (74)

I own a 2000 AP1 S2000 which has the "snap oversteer" while AP2 or later year AP1 do not have it as bad as the early AP1.
The S2000 will go side way very quickly and in a sudden.

I also drove the new 86 for 2 days and turn everything off.
86 is VERY VERY EASY to control, is very easy to catch and the slide is very predictable.
He probably never drive any FR car before.

Nigel-JDMParts

iTrader: (74)

I don't really agree, because 335 and IS350 tends to understeer

Motor

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

I dont doubt that its controllable. Whats not a good idea is to floor your car midway through a turn and not expect any repercussion. I seriously hope those who are driving RWD cars for the first time will take the time to learn the car before getting into some drifting competition on the streets.

Motor

spwolf

if he floored the IS350 mid corner like he did that FRS, he would have ended wrapped around the pole :-)
(which is what I meant).