Less grip = more fun?

[tim124]

Ive owned my 172 for a few weeks now but today was the first time ive had a chance to give it some stick in the wet.

The grip is amazing, ive driven ABS cars before but im used to my valver so im very impressed with the stopping. The ammount of speed you can drop simply by jumping on the brakes is amazing. How could anybody opt for no abs on a day to day road car...

One annoying thing is how easily you can spin up a wheel while pulling away, even driving carefully, and then how difficult it is to regain grip on that wheel (1 month old Conti Contact2's).

If you have the power down you have the usual understeer but when youre careful the speed it can carry through corners is good but i'll need to go somewhere a bit more open before i push it anymore as i have no idea what these tyres are going to do.

My valver used to be fun on and hard off the power on roundabouts, understeer... oversteer... understeer... oversteer... but no such luck in the 172, too much grip!

The lower grip in the valver made it almost more fun to drive as you could be on the limit at slower speeds! If i drove the 172 like that i would get locked up!

Dont get me wrong, its definatly an upgrade!

 

[W111ALG]

If your tyres are in that state then you should be getting the power down fine - have you had the camber/alignment etc checked?

 

[H182]

I find it easier to drive with a little less grip, not on about in the wet, but when my tyre pressures were a bit low i was starting to slide on corners but it was controlable. Seemed easier to judge then grip grip then losing it completely.

 

[Christopher]

I agree. Although it's not exactly the safest way to get about, it is fun.

 

[Henry]

may be i was spoilt by 8 years in a 205, but i actually find the Cup i've moved to dull - the handling's just not fun. the back end seems unstickable and the front's just nervous on the road. and the brakes are difficult to modulate. now that i've uprated the pads, i've got to be very gentle with them to avoid lock-up; something i can adjust to on track but far from ideal in an on-road emergency stop situation.

i agree wholeheartedly - cars with much more modest power and grip are just so much more fun.

 

[Jamie]

I don't have a Cup but my 172 does feel a bit more nervous than my Williams. I am much less aware of the limit in the 172 as there seems little feed back. Even when you are pushing and know you are going quick it still feels similar to pootling around. I also dont like the steering weight. Feels a little too light. Better all round drive the 172 though just not through the corners at speed.

 

[chur1996]

Recently I found in the wet that less grip = going backwards up a roundabout

 

[stooby]

I love my cup, love the fact there is no ABS.
Started driving many years ago at the age of about 13 back in the days of no ABS and I guess old driving ways still hang true with me. It just feels more raw, more fun.
Each to their own though.

 

[Jamie]

I never push in the wet. I find it hard to believe some do, just too bigger risk if you make a mistake imo. I learnt this lesson from a spin in the Williams a little while ago and I was actually doing less than the speed limit before someone says I got what I deserved! I was lucky not to do any damage.

 

[TooneySonic]

each to their own i believe.

i prefer the steering on my old 172 (fitted with 205 section goodyears) to that f my current yoko shod cup, as it was heavier weighting, and felt more "tied down"

 

[Andyman]

Im happy with mine sticking to the road. If i wanted back end out action id a bought a beemer or something RWD

For those who want to get the ar5e out on a clio sport, whip the back seats

 

[Brett]

If you cliosport drivers think you have little feedback try driving a non sport. My 1.2 has no feedback what so ever, the first you know of understeer is feeling it start to slide, and i also know when its likely to understeer i.e. small roundabouts.

No feedback = Dangerous to me. Although if you drive as you are taught to at those speeds etc understeer/oversteer should never be an issue, other than ice.

 

[Ollie82.]

The only time i've had things get scary was on a wet roundabout and i was really being silly with the throttle....other than that i've not overstepped the limit in the wet....i've snuck up to it now and then so i know what i can and can't do with it but i usually don't bother.
Of course its each to their own but i just cringe at the thought of having it all go horribly pear shaped down some wet country lane.