Lots of wrecked Z's...
 

I constantly see posts on here about it, and now that I am planning on getting one I am done talking crap and am worried.

What happens most often? Back end snaps around suddenly in corners with no warning? People are hitting corners and the car is pushing and they aren't balancing with the brake and are sliding into things? Freak bad luck with wet roads or something? Idiots nailing the throttle in a corner?

:ugh2:

My accident was caused by some one else. Box truck made a left directly in front of me at an intersection and claimed he never even saw me coming. Must have had the cloaking device on and forgot.

Either their mom or their friend turns VDC off.

most guys are hitting stuff with the front end of the car. I imagine it's a lot of understeering and not being able to get enough weight back on the front wheels.

A lot of people also spin them out because they turn VDC off and have no clue how to drive.

Remember, the Z is an inexpensive car and there are a lot of young and inexperienced owners... it's bound to happen.

mine was caused by a guy turning left who failed to yield the right of way and cut me off. Z, ferrari, or minivan, i would have still had an accident regardless of what i was driving. but to answer your question, most of the accidents are caused by idiots turning off vdc (usually during rain) and driving more aggressively without knowing how to handle rwd car or correct oversteers. if you're coming from a z06, then you already know how to handle rwd cars and fishtailing. driving the z won't be a problem for you. of course, there's always the chance that another idiot on the road will cut you off and destroy your car.

:iagree:

also true. The geico numbers that I saw seemed to indicate that something like 75% of single car accidents in the 370z were front end collisions though...they justified the RBA by pointing out increased repair cost for front end damage to jack up rates without demonstrating the actual number of accidents was rising.

my accident was caused by deer... i would have been a little less upset if i hit a unicorn. got it back last thursday and looks good as new, especially since they put all new factory parts on it. i wouldn't have it any other way

Do you promise?

I think your worring to much, And basicaly you answered your own question.

the chances you take in life are just that nothings guaranteed :ugh2:

Now you backed me against a wall talking about promises and all..

All joking aside, I want a 370Z, and Lou has the "nearest" one to me, on a time-line scale, and even that won't happen until mid-feb. I have to post SOMETHING to keep me busy. I was just curious if there was anything "ugly" about the 370 at the limit that bit people in the arse. I have always owned and driven RWD V8 cars, most of the manuals, and understand the principal of it, but I fully admit I am not god's gift to driving. I leave all my nannies on in the Z06. That car can be a hand-full no-matter how good you think you are. So far I don't think the nannies have bailed me out, because I don't do things I am unsure about in it, but it's REALLY nice knowing they are there. Very unobtrusive, as well.

Anyway, forgive me for killing time while I wait on a 370Z like I want to arrive in America. Looks like Lou's is my best bet.

After they crash their Z, they will know how to drive a RWD car in the future :tup:

there's nothing ugly about the 370z at the limit, at least from a control standpoint. anyone with experience driving a RWD car shouldn't have much of an issue driving one, provided they don't do anything overtly moronic.

The Z really does have great table manners, and it is very easy to keep the rear end in control.

never driven a z06, or any other rwd car for that matter. but i'd say the z is better balanced and better handling than the corvette. it comes from the factory with a hint of understeer, and you can cure that on the track with a bit of throttle to push it into neutral. so on the road, unless you do something stupid like hard throttle on a slippery road, you won't get the snap oversteer and fishtailing you can get with corvettes. keep the vdc on when it's raining or snowing and you'll be fine.

And therein lies part of the problem for some of these accidents - the drivers just aren't as good at driving as they think they are!

How can you even make that assessment when you admit you've never driven a Corvette... or any other RWD for that matter? It's not possible.

I am floored right now. All of this time you have been talking about the Z out classing other RWD cars and now you admit you've never even driven any other RWD car but the Z. Oh lawd have mercy. :icon14:

The VDC will definitely keep you out of a ditch if you respect the car. With that said, I have managed to swing the tail out with VDC on (I did this intentionally to learn the limits of the system). The Z is very predictable with VDC off, but not nearly as forgiving to those who panic or are idiots. If you have driven any RWD car, understand the basics, and respect the machine........you will have no problems with it. I cannot vouch for the others out on the road though. They may actually hit you staring in your window or at your car, lol.............

it comes with a little bit of understeer. corvettes have quite a bit of oversteer. for driving on the road, a understeer is more predictable and easier to handle than oversteer. especially when traction is low and the road is slippery.

:iagree:

If you haven't driven any RWD car other than the Z, how can you possibly compare it to anything else? It's one thing to have an opinion on a comparison between two cars if you have experienced both of them, but making a comparison on a non-existent experience just makes no sense.

I've only once lost control of my Z and that was because the tires were a little wet after driving through some puddles. Also because I turned VDC off and pushed it hard on a sharp turn. I was able to get the car under control, but not before I ran out of road. I would blame my inexperience with RWD cars for that one though.

speed kills. plain and simple. its not the car that pushes the gas pedal and steers. the person behind the wheel has to do it. if you dont speed. it wont get wrecked plain and simple., drive smart:tiphat:

no. they still understeer, just not horrendously.
:ugh2:

Nice theory, but go out and put it into practice before you make assessments like this. A Corvette will not run into a snap oversteer condition like you described unless you give it too much throttle... just like the Z. In fact, the Vettes themselves are fairly neutral with a bit of understeer... unless you overpower the rear tires.

And whether understeer or oversteer is easier to control is 100% up to the driver.

hahah. yea seriously. so, in your opinion, the Z handles better than a car that you've never driven? And you know exactly how to cure the understeer at the track, which based on the fact that the Z is your first RWD Car, i seriously doubt you've taken it to auto X, much less a road course, and even if you did, you probably drove it gingerly (as anyone would if they are an inexperienced driver). but please, continue talking about the handling characteristics of a car you've never driven, and continue talking about how to handle a Z on a track, a place you've probably never been.

:iagree:

well, overpowering the rear tires won't be too hard when you have 500 hp on tap. i definitely would never drive a vette on snow, even with snow tires and all the electronic nannies active.

also, understeer is easier to control in a panic situation. it's a natural reflex to freeze up and slam on the brakes when in panic mode making split second decision. it's counterintuitive and needs a lot of practice to countersteer, and avoid touching the brakes. it takes a much more experienced driver to deal with oversteer in an emergency. that's why most cars, even rwd cars, come from the factory with understeer dialed in.

You're still ignoring the primary point, which is the fact that the 370Z is the ONLY RWD car you have ever driven yet you feel qualified enough to assess it as a better balanced car than something you have never, ever driven.

The only reason I even dare to compare the 370Z to a 5.0, Cayman, Vette, 911, etc. is because I have driven them all!!!

even though i owe you nothing, i did in fact drive the z on the track about a dozen times. and yes, i was pretty fast. not the fastest. but fast enough to lose control a few times and spin off. there are youtube videos of me. but we're not talking about track here. we're talking about driving on the street going to get groceries or going to the movies. that's my point, which is that on the street, on rain, or even snow, a z is an easier and friendlier car to drive than a 500 hp z06 corvette.

so if it's a monsoon out there, with flooded roads and lots of rainfall, and you have the keys to a 370z, and a corvette z06, which one will you take?

It doesn't matter... either one would be fine for me. The Z06 only has 500hp when you want it to have 500hp...

There's a difference between better balance/handling and easier to control.

better balanced/better handling now means: better control in snow?:confused:


if so:
http://lindagodfrey.files.wordpress..../12/dwight.jpg

TRICK QUESTION: take the subaru

That's true. Balance honestly doesn't mean a damn thing in the snow given the availability of traction and the speeds you will be travelling at. Assuming the same drive-type, tires are the only things that really mater in snow.

:|





yewtewb link plox

bad balance is actually great in snow. tons of weight over the front axle means you can turn and stop very easily in poor traction conditions.

19 active users on this thread right now. Lol lots of :stirthepot: goin on.

Yeah, that's actually true... if you have snow tires!

1. You're not a newb to driving a rwd car, you'll be fine.
2. You're not an idiot whose going to be trying to reinact his favorite f&f car chase scene every time he gets a chance.
3. You have common sense and will drive according to traffic and weather conditions etc.
:driving:

oh, and :drama:

:iagree:

If you have the sense to do a full-on Noveske build you probably have enough common sense to handle a high power RWD car safely. :tiphat:

the best way to avoid accidents on the street is defensive driving. Defensive driving has much more of an impact then how well you can throw your car around a corner at a road course. Every time i approach an intersection, i assume some a-hole is going to make a left turn in front of me because they aren't paying attention.

horsepower doesn't matter in snow or inclement weather. Does horsepower matter when you stop? no. A high HP car will only handle worse in the snow/rain than a lower hp car if the driver is doing something they shouldn't be doing anyway, which is getting on the throttle hard during the turn.

most snow accidents aren't the result of accelerating and lost traction. They are when someone tries to stop and the car keeps sliding. or when they try to turn and the car keeps going straight.

Z's just seem like they are more accident prone because they are less expensive than corvettes and more accessible to people will poorer judgement.