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RSS Report: Europe considering 70-mph speed limiters on all cars?


Ringo64

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I would think so, the weight distribution should be approximately the same (with most of the weight at the front of the car). If you had gone from a FWD to a RWD car, then I would expect some differences because of the change in the major drivetrain components location (transmission, driveshaft, diff) would change the weight distribution of the car closer to 50/50.

The only thing that perhaps might make some difference is if the Honda has traction control to help shorten the skid (if it can). The Grand Am probably did not have any traction control.

My GAGT had traction control, I always had it off. lol GM used a system that effected the engine's ignition/fuel to cut wheel spin, it was idiotic.

The Honda...I dunno if it has traction control. There's no button for it anywhere, any car I've seen with it always has a button to turn it off somewhere. I do know it has ABS, but that's about it.

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My GAGT had traction control, I always had it off. lol GM used a system that effected the engine's ignition/fuel to cut wheel spin, it was idiotic.

The Honda...I dunno if it has traction control. There's no button for it anywhere, any car I've seen with it always has a button to turn it off somewhere. I do know it has ABS, but that's about it.

Okay, I stand corrected about the traction control on the GA. So if you had the traction control off on the GA and assuming the Honda has none, then I would imagine the performance in a skid would be comparable.

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Okay, I stand corrected about the traction control on the GA. So if you had the traction control off on the GA and assuming the Honda has none, then I would imagine the performance in a skid would be comparable.

On paper maybe, but I'm more curious to how the car will feel behind the wheel. The GA was nose heavy, the Accord is about 150lbs lighter and more evenly distributes the weight.

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You will find out soon enough with winter just a few months away. Is there any sort of test track near you that you could possible try it on?



How do you know the weight is distributed differently? Have you had both cars on a 4-wheel scale before?


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You will find out soon enough with winter just a few months away. Is there any sort of test track near you that you could possible try it on?

How do you know the weight is distributed differently? Have you had both cars on a 4-wheel scale before?

Maybe the GA has more hood and sticks out farther past the front wheel? I know my Grand Prix, having a small ass and a long nose makes it dip more in the front.

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I know the GAs were nose heavy because the LA1 and 4T45E are heavy for a midsize car, also the car understeered badly when I really pushed the car to it's limits on some country back roads I know well.

I never threw either car on a scale, I'm going by curb weight and the weight on their drivetrains for that. I wish there was a racetrack near me to have fun on, but no racetracks are on Long Island that the average joe can run on. :/

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I know the GAs were nose heavy because the LA1 and 4T45E are heavy for a midsize car, also the car understeered badly when I really pushed the car to it's limits on some country back roads I know well.

I never threw either car on a scale, I'm going by curb weight and the weight on their drivetrains for that. I wish there was a racetrack near me to have fun on, but no racetracks are on Long Island that the average joe can run on. :/

How about this place?

http://www.arctestdrive.com/

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i think all new drivers should be taken on the first good snowfall to a big empty parking lot and be tought skid control, i know its the first thing im doing with the bmw since it will be the first RWD car iv had, plus its a big difference from the mantana or the GTP ( which dominated in the snow with the 245/45/18 all seasons) im just trying to figure out how much weight i should put in the trunk since it already has a perfect 50/50 distribution.


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How about this place?

http://www.arctestdrive.com/

I need to look into this, even though Riverhead Raceway is just a 1/4 mile oval.

i think all new drivers should be taken on the first good snowfall to a big empty parking lot and be tought skid control, i know its the first thing im doing with the bmw since it will be the first RWD car iv had, plus its a big difference from the mantana or the GTP ( which dominated in the snow with the 245/45/18 all seasons) im just trying to figure out how much weight i should put in the trunk since it already has a perfect 50/50 distribution.

Snow tires, I wouldn't worry about weight.

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I've got a couple of old sets of the Popular Mechanic's encyclopedias .. one has an article on snow driving with RWD (not that there were many fwds when those books were printed). One of the anecdotes in the article has the driver needing to catch a train through a snow storm with mostly unplowed streets. He starts off loading up his trunk with tool boxes, chains, sledge hammers and if I recall, even a pick axe. Somewhere upwards of 400lbs of additional weight behind the rear axle. He specifically notes that the nose was lifted some .. a fact he exploited to breach a ridge left by a plow as he got to the main intersection and onto plowed roads. He finished the article saying he made the train.



I don't speak for anyone else, and for certain everyone's specific driving style and experience will naturally come into play ... but I drive rwd in winter with 3 60lbs bags of sand and one of salt in the trunk. Also my toolbox, a steel shovel and circa 1970 Traction-Aids™. The beauty of this being that even should I get stuck ... my ballast will soon have me back on the road


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