TMaxxTim

Its hard to describe, but just don't give it a lot of gas in the turn, get the car going and I don't hit the throttle until almost the end of the turn. Its a lot different with different cars.

Fiya

You call it scary, I call it fun I got used to it and now look forward to the rainy season when I can slap on by beater tires and pretend I'm a pro drifter. Oh and new all-weather tires will be a huge help if your feel uncomfortable at first.

SCV8

I'm from Seattle, pretty much learned in the rain, twenty five years later I can say tires are your friend.
My Kuhmo 712s were great in the wet with the stock Supra TT suspension, smooth, predictable breakaway.
Stay away from the studless snow tires unless you live in the snow belt; they absolutely suck in the wet.
Might want to get the alignment checked too, and make sure that the rear doesn't have the factory specified 5/16 toe in. A setting of 1/32" to 1/16" , both front/rear will get you down the road much safer.

SinisterSC

Spoken like a true drifter at heart. It's how I started to learn. I will eventually get a beater to seriously practice with.

dough boi

In my 3 yr driving career (I'm 19) I never had a huge problem driving in the rain, smooth and easy does it, keep it all smooth no sudden weight transfers and you're ok, only time I had a big problem was driving home from snowboarding in the rain on bald es100's I was going about 45 on the 215 freeway hydroplaning the whole way. I do feel that the SC is quite a tail happy car, and like people already said easy off the throttle or it will snap back hard. My first car was RWD cressida, then I went through 4 rx-7's 2 non turbo and 2 turbo. This is only rain season in So Cal, not exactly HUGE storms but in the past few years quite a bit of rainfall. So my experience is not so bad in the rain, but I came from quite a few cars that made driving in the rain a little "fun". I was able to keep control of my SC everytime the tail decided it wanted to pass the nose.

LexAnt

iTrader: (2)

i think it's mainly the tires... how cheap of cheap goodyears did you go for? since the worst we get in the bay area is rain and sometimes really heavy rain, my dad went out and got me new tires the moment we bought the car, bridgestones potenza 950s. they were bout 200bux a piece then but my dad was willin to shell out the money for the safety of added traction in the rain. and in my mind, it was well worth it. when i was completely stock, i raced a civic on 19th ave towards park presidio, and on a curve that's about 100-110 degrees, i took it at 80mph on wet pavenment, it was starting to rain. i slid into the empty left lane but from that point on i knew how capable the tires were in the wet after that. it's for this reason that when i get my new rims, i'm goin with the michelin pilot a/s... sure they're bout 350 a piece but i'd rather be safe than sorrie, they aren't making these SC's no more.

RacingLexusBoi

Man I totally agree with you. Compared to a nice sunny day, in the rain its like night and day especially when its pouring. 1st off, the mirrors fog up like crazy (front, side, and rear); 2nd, lex doesnt have rear windshield wipers (like soarers ), and lastly, ppl have no idea how to drive in wet conditions. They speed up like crazy and brake late.

All I can say is drive reasonably and get rain treatment for you glass.

xknowonex

iTrader: (2)

Lots of good feedback. I think Im a fairly experienced driver and learned alot of things along the away. Im good at being a defensive driver but Im incompetent when it comes to emergency handling or pushin the car to extreme limits such as going on a touge mission or drifting.

When I was driving my Chevrolet Cavalier Z24, I never had any problems in the rain whatsoever. After driving it for a while, it feels totally safe. In the case of my car, its so suprising about how easily it loses grip even when the ground isnt even wet, its just the tires that are wet right before exiting the school.

So I guess, the key is to keep the turning rate constant and be super light on the throttle?

As for upgrading the tires, Im planning to get new Volks within 6 months. Hopefully I'll make it through the winter. My goal is to put 10in wide rims w/ 275 tires in the rear.

soarer5780

thats what im talking about i love it when it rains....... rain=fun

SC400TT

iTrader: (4)

In all wet pavement conditions, much more attention to avoiding hydroplaning, or losing traction in any and all cars is prudent. The roads have many differing residues on them, including oil, dirt and other substances. When the roads become wet, they automatically become slick. So everyone needs to drive more cautiously in all wet conditions, whether your car is FWD, RWD, AWD. I have driven for more than 20 years, and I have owned all of the above...My Lexus does not break away in the rear unless I intend for it to, even in wet conditions. Good tires are critical, as well as proper alignment and a healthy suspension, but your car should not break away that easily, especially with the TRAC button on, unless you do not have that feature. You would do yourself well to have those three areas checked out.

Also remember that when you turn on wet pavement, do not do it too quickly, or give it sudden acceleration, a rear wheel drive will tend to kick out the back end if you do that, but that is normal for all RWD cars...

Good luck.

Ryan

V8drummer

iTrader: (5)

I've driven my Sc for almost 3 months now and it doesn't seem to bad to me. I've spun the tires around corners but have always had it under control.

This is after driving a 76 chevy stepside pickup for 3 yrs in rainy/icy weather. 360 lb ft torque plus little weight over rear tires, so I have had plenty of practice fishtailing around.

silkiechic

It just takes practice and getting to know the limits of your sc. I've only been driving for abou two years and I learned on a rear wheel town car that moves likea boat, so I have no idea what it is like in a front wheel drive car. Just dont go to fast and stay intune with the car you are handeling. Donughts in thick snow in the drive way are great though I;ve learned that if you dont want the car to slide out, dont push the gas hard during a turn. Good luck

mkorsu

I grew up driving RWD V-8's. My first car was a 1974 Camaro w/350ci 4bbl. So I'm quite used to the handling characteristics of larger HP, RWD cars. Everyone here has definatley given you the first rule of thumb. Do not accelerate hard while turning in the wet, the rear WILL break lose. Something you may want to try, since you said you feel incompetent in emergency situations. Take a defensive driving or performance driving course. Valuable skills can be learned in these classes. For me, when younger the budget was just not there for one of those, so pals and I would take our cars to vacant parking lots and sort of drift them. Not true drifting (especially since it didn't exist then), but just throwing the rear-end out and learning how to compensate correctly. Eventually we would be proficient enough to feather the throttle and complete turns with the rear-end hanging out to the side! Pretty much just like drifting. Just be wary of the police as they tend to frown upon such activity. More so now than in the late 80's!!!


And silkiechic is right.......try some in the snow too!!!

nnnickkk

iTrader: (2)

LIKE OGMOGMOGM DRIFTZORZ!!

heh. i think your shoes make your foot to heavy, jk. i get the same problems too. the rear gets out really easy in wet or gravel or anything. keep it save.

jpvarghese

iTrader: (1)

fun; definitely not scary!