Almost Joined The Crash Club This Morning

[Jeff Torrey]

Its Been Raining For So Long. Spent some time cleaning, detailing. Caught between worn out Pilot Sports and Show Quality XGTz. So I put on the XGTz and promise myself to Take It Easy until I get the new Pilots. No rain this morning, but its coming. Roads are dry. Car is looking so beautifull and I'm feeling great. Heading for home and it starts raining, sprinkling. I come to a fork right it bends left right away (gas to soon). As$ end comes around right(tree, phone pole), I steer out of that. Car comes around left, I steer out of that. Back around right, I'm power sliding down the center of the road. I bring it back around and finally get it under control. Man that scared the crap out of me. All the time waiting for that dreaded smack (never happened). The guy in the Ford Explorer behind me got quite a show. Close call, lucky. I always thought that you had to drive wreakless to spin the car around, not true.

 

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

Jeff,

Glad you came through this without a scratch.

"I always thought that you had to drive wreakless to spin the car around, not true." Call 800 221-1131 of click the following http://skipbarber.com/contact.asp

To spin a car on a wet surface can be easy. VCA members get a 25% discount on the 2 day program and 10% on all others.

FYI, wide tires in the rain act like a flat bottom boat.

 

[J DAWG]

Jeff, glad everything turned out ok. How true is that last sentense. Thanks for the post.

John

 

[GR8_ASP]

Old XGTZ tires must be hard as a rock. Those tires were terrible in the rain when new. I can only imagine how they are when old and hard. They also had snap oversteer tendencies. And once in oversteer very poor recovery characteristics. Fred is correct in guiding toward a driving school. However, when using old XGTZ tires you need a higher calling than driving school.

For everyone that has not driven a 1995 and older Gen I that came with XGTZ tires you cannot imagine how difficult they were and how sharp the transitions were. Same car on Pilots is like night and day. Most of the bad press Gen I's have about handling are related to those tires.

 

[Viper99]

Glad you're OK. Nice piece of driving, car control is key.

 

[Vreracing]

Check your pants before you get out in public.

Seriously, glad you pulled it out.

 

[Paolo Castellano]

Jeff, I would recommend you purchase the newest pilot sport tire you can put on that car. I see a lot of guys wanting to put the original XGTZ's on the car. I think that is a bad move. If you're into that, save a set in garbage bags in a humidity controlled wine cellar and break them out when you do a car show. For driving, use only the newest and the best tires.

Aside from taking a driving school or lessons on exactly how to drive the Viper at or near the limit(and of course, knowing exactly where the limit is in different conditions like temperature, contours of the road, dew on the road in the am, seemingly dry pavement for 24 hours after it has rained etc...) You have to consider these things with every single trip no matter how short or long. Aside from this stream of consciousness filtering into your daily modus operandi, TIRES and the tire pressure are the most important thing on your car Period! I check my cold pressure before every time I go out.

While a driving school is nice and teaches you all the right things, the continual analysis of the road surface and contours is what will save your life and car if you try to push the limit on the street. That is why most guys only push it that hard at the track. Good luck.

 

[BigCarrot]

It happens to the best of us, and it sure is scary when it does! Glad you're OK! Consider that one of your nine lives used!

 

[ViperGTS]

JEFF! Good to hear you and the car are OK.

 

[Jeff Torrey]

Those tires are really touchy. Agreed, tires for show only on dry days. Paolo, I am real curious about your cold tire pressure for Michelin Pilot Sports. I have heard 29 pounds. But my fronts were all worn on the inside @ 29 cold (but thats after 20,000 miles). Aligned by Chuck Tator when installed. I had thought about putting Kumho's on to save some money but worried about wet road traction. I do also agree that a 2 day course @ Skip Barber would be a positive experience, but Like Ron said "I may need a higher calling"...and $1400.00 for a new set of 17" Pilot Sports. Thanks

 

[Bonkers]

Jeff, now you know why the term "Snake Bite" is so popular here... it'll get you when you least expect it.

Got me on an intercetion crown. Light turned green, didn't notice the lump in the road, took off. Didn't realize that it can get you at 2000rpm but luckliy there was no traffic the other direction.

Its a mightly blow to the ego, but I'm gald you managed to hold it. I've got a 200-car list of those who weren't as fortunate...

 

[garolittle]

Wow! Go buy a lottery ticket while your luck is still good. I am glad everything worked out ok.

 

[Paolo Castellano]

Jeff, now you know why the term "Snake Bite" is so popular here... it'll get you when you least expect it.

Got me on an intercetion crown. Light turned green, didn't notice the lump in the road, took off. Didn't realize that it can get you at 2000rpm but luckliy there was no traffic the other direction.

Its a mightly blow to the ego, but I'm gald you managed to hold it. I've got a 200-car list of those who weren't as fortunate...

Bonkers, those crowns are a killer literally and figururatively. With the Viper, you really have to pay attention to the crowns. The wide tires just go where the contours are. That is why you should never do crazy speeds where you are not familiar with the road.