CG

My guess is that you were very lucky not to learn more about S2000's and oversteer when you let off the gas.

Lot's of good info here. The early cars are a bit hard to drive at the limit and they can and will bite you in the ass. They are also very rewarding when driven well. I learned quickly to keep my 9 to 10/10's driving on the track.

Standing Room Only

My first track session, I took it beyond the limit in a sweeper and lost it under hard acceleration. This last track session I felt better - my instructor lost it on his first lap after two sharp "S" turns and over-rotated the car. The tires were warmed up since we simply pitted, changed, and went out. I warned him - but he was used to a heavier car and aggresively setup the rotation on exit. After this, he got comfortable and proceeded to scare the sh*t out of me as we went around showing me the right line. I HATE being passenger, but it really helped me get the line right and he was pretty good after that first "oops" - he felt bad, but didn't bother me. I"m there to learn and that comes with the territory.

We did chase a yellow mustang around until pointed by - he was driving a very different line and using his HP to rotate the car. Interesting viewpoint observing the other cars - the 'stang had some serious body roll but was actually quicker around than I would have thought.

S2000spoon

Let the tires warm up before any hard turns. S02's are the worst when the weather is cold or cool. RE050's is a little better, but still requires some heating. Also, for the 00 - 03's get use to the quicker steering.

no_really

sorry, but I just have to say, anyone who has this to say about a Mustang: "However, when the back did give out (usually in my case because of too much power application) it was in NO way gradual. It just went, hardly any warning signs." clearly has problems with right foot coordination. A RWD V8 car like a Mustang GT/Cobra is going to be quite a bit easier to get the rear to step out than any RWD inline 4. If you cannot just kick it out a bit at a time in a Mustang, it sounds like you were using the gas as an on-off switch, and haven't learned any kind of control at all. I'm guessing that's because you've not spent much time driving RWD cars at all. You are going to have problems with an S2000, as well. Since it doesn't have the ability to break the tires loose with the same ease, you'll find yourself in trouble sooner than later, as a result of getting too complacent. You need to learn a little respect for the car before thinking you can go hammer down everywhere. You need to learn to recognize when you are at the limit.

Buy an old Miata or something to learn how to drive RWD in the rain and gravel before getting into an S2000, or you're just going to ball it up the first time you get a bit careless. A Miata will be closer to how an S2000 behaves as far as the rear coming out, but be aware that the Miata won't kick the rear out on corners very easily using the gas, but lifting your foot OFF the throttle on a cloverleaf will bring it out quite easily. Which is exactly the opposite of what a lot of people would think would happen.

I'm not trying to bash here - many people don't know how to drive RWD cars (no shame in that), and it seems like you read about someone putting their S2000 into a wad rather regularly around here. I can only attribute that to people who have owned FWD Honda's over the years getting behind the wheel of a car they hear "handles so well," thinking that means it doesn't ever get out of control.

s2kpdx01

I have spent time pushing both a miata and mustang and found them much easier to control at the limit. I am comparing street tires to street tires on each car.

The amount of FWD converts who wadded up their S2000's on city streets back in 2000-2001 was amazing.

apex2k

Once over the limit of adhesion and into oversteer, does the suspension unload to a certain extent? It feels like there is increasing lateral load up until the rear breaks and then the load falls off rapidly. If this is the case, is their a sudden change from toe-out to the natural toe-in, and if so, is this one of the factors that makes "catching" the S notoriously difficult?

s2kpdx01

I mean the issue created by loading the suspenion just happens in reverse as you unload it. I have found on a race track this bump steer issue ends up being a pretty small issue as long as the track surface is smooth. I would notice the bump steer much worse on city streets. But, if you are driving 8-9/10ths on the street you deserve what you get!! I guess a bumpy track could cause you some serious problems. Most of the tracks I have been on are pretty smooth at least in the corners. This make the dynamic toe changes to be more gradual and easy to deal with.

khuezee

mustangs

dadgumit

I appreciate your comments, but too late I already got one. Not that your advice was really well founded anyways. I have had years and years behind the wheel of rear wheel drive, front engine cars. In fact, far more than I have on FWD cars. It wasn't the fact that I was afraid of a RWD car, it was the homogeneity of my sample that was made me question the handling characteristics of the S.

I was trying to get as much information as possible and not just assume I knew what I was doing.

*ehem*