Spin Out...Has anyone had one?
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 718
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From: SF Bay Area
To answer your question, no. After 30,000 miles and 4.5 years I have not ever spun my S2000. I drive pretty aggressively at times, get sideways and drifty occasionally, been on the track at Sears Point and Laguna Seca, autocrossed. Some would say I'm not pushing hard enough because I haven't yet found that limit on the track. But the bottom line is I have never spun.
The kicker: I still have my original front tires (30,000 miles and yes they are balder than a bowling ball).
It has been raining nearly non-stop since November, I have slicks on the front and mediocre rears, how in the world have I NOT spun? Well, it's simple. (Punch line at the end...)
It's a little hard not to roll my eyes when I hear a story like this, and you might notice a little cynicism from other long-timers here. This is because after four years of reading "I spun today, oh by the way my tires are bald and I was driving sixty in the rain" or "I spun today, I was too hot going around a corner so I let up on the gas, oh by the way this was a mile from my house and it was really cold outside do you think that has anything to do with it," you just kind of expect people to know!
We have actually had joke posts almost word for word what you wrote, and the first time I read your post I thought it was a joke. Sorry about that and I'm glad you're okay.
To clear up a few things posted earlier.
1) Do not drive your car with bald tires in the rain, and definitely don't drive 60 mph in the rain
Alternatives if it starts to rain while you are out in your car with bald tires and it starts pouring:
-Take a cab
-Go home with a friend, preferably a hot babe
-Have your car towed to the nearest tire store
-Park and wait, then drive side streets home slowly
-Rent a car for a day or two
1a) You should never have "unexpectedly bald" tires on your car. Check now and then.
2) Most of the weight in the S2000 is NOT in the front, nor in the back. The S2000 has nearly perfect 50/50 weight distribution unless you're hauling feed sacks in the trunk. This does not make it "more difficult" to control, rather it makes it easier to control (although different from, say, a front wheel drive KIA). The car was designed that way and it was designed for controllability.
3) I believe the best thing to do when hydroplaning is NOT to lift throttle (somebody correct me if I am wrong), rather maintain throttle or gently accelerate through the puddle, then slow down and get to the right lane and get home. You want to shift weight to the rear, not shift weight further to the front.
The punch line: I have never spun even with my bald 30,000 mile tires because my S2000 is safely in the garage.
I will not drive it in the rain until I get new tires. Even on dry pavement I have modulated my agressiveness because clearly the car does not handle as if it has new tires!
The kicker: I still have my original front tires (30,000 miles and yes they are balder than a bowling ball).
It has been raining nearly non-stop since November, I have slicks on the front and mediocre rears, how in the world have I NOT spun? Well, it's simple. (Punch line at the end...)
It's a little hard not to roll my eyes when I hear a story like this, and you might notice a little cynicism from other long-timers here. This is because after four years of reading "I spun today, oh by the way my tires are bald and I was driving sixty in the rain" or "I spun today, I was too hot going around a corner so I let up on the gas, oh by the way this was a mile from my house and it was really cold outside do you think that has anything to do with it," you just kind of expect people to know!
We have actually had joke posts almost word for word what you wrote, and the first time I read your post I thought it was a joke. Sorry about that and I'm glad you're okay.
To clear up a few things posted earlier.
1) Do not drive your car with bald tires in the rain, and definitely don't drive 60 mph in the rain
Alternatives if it starts to rain while you are out in your car with bald tires and it starts pouring:
-Take a cab
-Go home with a friend, preferably a hot babe
-Have your car towed to the nearest tire store
-Park and wait, then drive side streets home slowly
-Rent a car for a day or two
1a) You should never have "unexpectedly bald" tires on your car. Check now and then.
2) Most of the weight in the S2000 is NOT in the front, nor in the back. The S2000 has nearly perfect 50/50 weight distribution unless you're hauling feed sacks in the trunk. This does not make it "more difficult" to control, rather it makes it easier to control (although different from, say, a front wheel drive KIA). The car was designed that way and it was designed for controllability.
3) I believe the best thing to do when hydroplaning is NOT to lift throttle (somebody correct me if I am wrong), rather maintain throttle or gently accelerate through the puddle, then slow down and get to the right lane and get home. You want to shift weight to the rear, not shift weight further to the front.
The punch line: I have never spun even with my bald 30,000 mile tires because my S2000 is safely in the garage.
I will not drive it in the rain until I get new tires. Even on dry pavement I have modulated my agressiveness because clearly the car does not handle as if it has new tires!
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 820
Likes: 0
From: SF Bay Area
I've found that weight in the trunk does wonders for improving my confidence in the car in inclement weather. Although if there is any significant standing snow I let the S sit and hitch a ride, with slight dustings I've been able to get by with stock tires by driving carefully and throwing 150lbs in the trunk. The weight makes a huge difference, and driving slowly means less chance of traction loss and much safer recovery. The same applies to rain. If there's significant rain outside, and if it's cold or even cool, I throw some weight in the trunk. The best advice is to drive a safe distance from the edge of your car's adhesion limits, but sometimes you don't know what those limits are in a given weather condition. Weight in the trunk is like a little extra insurance for those situations... an extra 50% reduction in the risk of something going wrong. Well worth it in bad weather.
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 65,827
Likes: 2
From: FCUK
Originally posted by s2k330
My next set will be the S03's as Florida has a lot of wet roads. Any opinions?
My next set will be the S03's as Florida has a lot of wet roads. Any opinions?
My only comment would be to go for 245 rears not 225 .... the 225 S02's are closer in actual size to the 245 S03's than to the 225's .....
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Marion
only experience for me was running it hard after getting the car washed
the tires were still a little wet and when i threw it into 2nd, the ass just slid way out and i nearly lost control of it, half of the car was in the other lane
thankfully, oncoming traffic wasn't close enough
the tires were still a little wet and when i threw it into 2nd, the ass just slid way out and i nearly lost control of it, half of the car was in the other lane
thankfully, oncoming traffic wasn't close enough
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