Question about cornering...
 

I don't know if this is the correct section to post the thread but here it goes. I have a '13 base with the sport package. I'm a complete newbee with this car so please excuse me if I don't describe my situation the way it should be laid down. When I go into a corner at a high rate of speed the back of the car seems to 'slide' a little bit. Is this what they call 'roll' ? Is it the LSD not reacting the way it should ? I thought I read that the car pulls a full g on the skid pad, however, this definitely shakes my confidence in the car's ability to be thrown into a corner. Once again, please excuse me for my inability to describe the situation. :confused:

From your post, I would suggest a driver's training course. You'll learn all kind of things you'll never know by google.

I really hope this is a question about track driving

How fast are we talking? Springs/sways/better tires all enhance your cornering ability

Wow....you're missing the meat of the question I guess, I knew my description would confuse. No, I'm not street racing. No, I don't need driving lessons. When I go into a corner with some speed the rear of the car seems to slip a little bit or slides and then it catches and then rounds the corner like it should. I'm 44 years old and I'm a LEO so street racing or drifting is out of the question for me. I'm trying to figure out if this is normal and if I need to upgrade something.

I'll try to pay more attention to the speed, I usually keep my eyes on the road.

Could be tires are so new that they need to run they coating off them? Could be the way the asphalt is made in FL? If it is made like it was in Okinawa, super slippery. Could be you are use to driving the B&W and now being in a car that is more sport oriented it feels different? Is this the same speed that the B&W can do and not have the same problem? I think that might give some sort of cmoparision, because if the B&W can do it then the Z you have, will do it better hands down. And if it is not then speed for sure is ruled out.

If there is a bump, manhole, or something in the road the rear can jump and get unsettled in a turn. Or it could be over-steer depending on your speed and how much gas you're putting down. Anything else is beyond my knowledge :ugh2:

You don't "throw" a car into a corner. I agree with the poster that recommended a training course.

I have never driven a BMW and really don't have the money for a new one. I have a little over 1K on the car now. It's not something I do every day, I think I've got it to do it 3 times now. I thought it may be the tires but when do they officially break in? First time it happened was after about 400 miles. I drive home from work sometimes and it's still dark (early morning) and I'll go into a corner with some throttle when nobody is around. I keep thinking it may be the LSD not working correctly.

Are you leaving the VDC on? Because it sounds like its kicking in.

OK...I take that term back. No training needed. It's NOT something I'm doing wrong. :shakes head:

Tires should be good to go within 500 miles of normal driving.

Doubt it's LSD. Might be VDC if you're "throwing" the car into the corner. Smooth inputs. :)

No VDC is always off unless it's raining.

If you are "throwing" the car into a corner it could very well be something you're doing wrong... i.e. not being smooth.

Honestly driving a Z is not the same as driving a police car. I've got the experience too and this thing isn't close to my impala. A little humility could go a long way dude.

The short quick answer to your initial question is: yes, when exiting a corner at maximum lateral G's, the rear tires should be slipping, and no, that's not what's called "roll". The slip should be easily controllable with the throttle to keep the car pointed the direction you want it to go. "Roll" is when the suspension on the outer side of the car (not the direction you're turning towards) compresses down more than the inner side, causing the body to lean relative to the road. But really, I don't think answering that question really gives you what you're looking for.

No offense intended at all, but: I understand as an LEO you've probably had some driver training and experience, but you really should hit up an instructed HPDE track event in your Z to learn about cornering properly in it. Just from the language and the question you're asking, it's clear that it would be useful to you.

I'm pretty sure police drivers training is much different from what they'd teach at a HPDE course. Easing into the corner loads your ourside suspension, which is why it's important to be smooth. If you are jerky then the weight doesn't transition and your outside wheels have lower normal force, which makes it easy for them to lose grip. Once the weight does transition though, your outside tires get loaded and as long as you aren't past the limits, this loading/additional normal force will allow them to grip again, which is probably why you feel that happening.
It's different from how VDC feels, since VDC is abrupt and pretty obvious when it activates in our cars.

You would not believe what you can learn about driving one of these by taking a weekend and learning from an instructor. This is not a Chevy or Ford!

Eh? Pretty sure you could learn just as much in a Chevy or Ford at an HPDE. :)

Agree! Just meant the car handles differently.

Gotcha. :tup:

Being a newbie, I actually know what you're feeling. I get the same behavior as well on a few corners I take, usually from a stop into a sudden left-hand right turn with some power, and I'll feel the back-end "slide" a little bit before the VCD neuters me (it's on, of course). The slight slip never becomes anything more than just that.

It's normal, and I have 4 reasons I feel it now and then:
- it's still cool here in the mornings, even below 40 degrees, which is the low limit rating for my tires.
- My tires are still new. :)
- The car is rear wheel drive; my first. It just feels a bit different than my previous cars, even when things are completely normal and safe.
- Lastly, I'm probably just surprising the VCD a bit; in most other cases, it takes over pretty much behind the scenes, though on some right turns that I roll into, it'll clearly neuter me pretty dramatically.


I echo the suggestion of a driver's course/training (which I also need to do this summer), but not because of an implication that you suck. Rather, because you can safely explore the limits of your car. That or take it to a place you can legally screw around on, like a large parking lot, and throw your car around. Try to feel that slipping and see what happens when you don't back off, and whatnot. :) Just be legal and responsible!


Oh, and usually I hear of "roll" in terms of body roll or body lean when doing a turn. Our car doesn't roll or lean (tip, tilt...) much during a big turn. An SUV, on the other hand, will roll (lean, tilt, even tip!) when in a tight turn at high speed. A nice example of a sporty car with lots of lean would be youtube vids of Mazda RX-5 Miatas going around a track. :)

I think this is pretty normal for a sports car. The back end will shift a little to the outside when cornering hard. If you go into the corner real gentle you won't even notice it. If you jerk the wheel, you might take it so far as a spin out. Late braking can make the feel much more pronounced as the back end will lift up and shift if you haven't taken your foot off the brake fully when initiating the corner. Putting your foot back on the throttle will put the weight back on the rear. Try baking a little sooner and changing over from brake to gas a little earlier. Do it a little smoother and you may find the feel much more comforatable. Also, pushing the car to this point with the VDC on is just asking for trouble in my opinion. Just don't mash the throttle.

:tup: Newb here too (or I was last year)...I know what you are talking about and I think it is like Waizz said, sway and roll on the back end. Feels like the car is sliding...I thought mine was "sliding" too but hubby said it was just "roll"...hope this helps.

If you're not talking about the rear tires actually losing traction, it is most likely you are experiencing roll (sway bars are probably the best bang for the buck here).

If you are losing the rear end and that's not your goal, it sounds to me like you are entering the corner incorrectly (driving course is probably best bang for the buck here). When I want to loosen the rear end, I would describe it as "throwing" the car into the turn - jerk the wheel and get on the throttle. Racing through a turn is completely different and all about the apex of the turn. As many have said, "smoothness" is key; you would never jerk the wheel at any point during the turn.

But it is, you have not learned your car yet.

Edit to not come across like an a**:

A Z is not like most cars, it will slide out on the rear if you are pushing too hard and not hitting corners correctly......for a Z. My G handles totally different and probably because of the longer wheel base. I am 48 and it has taken a while to learn this little hot rod but once you learn it you will understand how to get it to corner. Also if you have the stock tires on still, they suck for the Z. My Cayman handles totally different as well. Different cars will handle different ways. learn you car.

I figured I would mention that I also experience this problem and drive a 2013. Not sure if they changed anything since I know very little about these cars. I've driven a range of different cars and have never experienced the amount of slip in the rear as I do with this one. I'm sure I am pushing it to hard on the corners but figured this car could handle it. I know that when it rains I have to nearly let off the gas when turning haha.

I'll also admit that I'm sure I would benefit a ton from a driving class. :) Maybe I can find one in Dallas this summer.

:iagree: with Jar.

buy some real tires over the plastic re050, the car will grip a lot nicer. I sold mine at 800 miles or something, one of the best decision i made

maybe the rear tires have too much air on them, making the car oversteer which sounds like what you are experiencing. Lsd should be fine on a new car.

Getting those off the Z was the best thing I did for it, but I have those on my Porsche and it handles like it is on rails. They are pretty worn as well. A lot has to do with car characteristics.