Had my first unintentional spin yesterday. Let me say it got my attention... and pulse rate up.

It was a cold dry day 35 degrees here in Michigan. I was heading down a long drive that connects a parking lot with the main road. There were no cars on the road... its newer, wider, and a couple hundred yards long. I was accellerating down the drive as I had many times before...nothing out of the ordinary, but when I shifted into 2nd the rear jumped out and sent me into a spin first to the left what felt like nearly 90 degrees, I corrected and went all the way back to the right close to 90 degrees, and then back around to the left.. finally stopping with my passenger wheel on the curb and facing the direction I was coming from. Whew...

I had never driven the S in cold conditions before and even though the road was smooth and dry I was surprised by how easily the tires broke loose. I wondered if my front end got scuffed up as it rolled up on the curb, luckily not a scratch.. and luckily no other cars where coming at me -- I kept it on the road but took up both lanes spinning side to side. Put the car up today for winter

My next closest unintential spin is when somebody leaked oil down the road just before an interesection - ever see one of those shows where a car sprays oil on the raod to evade someone chasing them... tust me, you get into some oil and it feels like driving on ice. Luckily it was only on one side of the lane and even though I could feel the one side slipping the S stayed strait as I brought it to a stop before running into the car stopped at the light.

I've seen some topics where people have crashed.. any more stories where you spun out unintentionally but avioded catastrophe? Stay safe out there...

 

I am happy to report that I have no firsthand S2000 near-miss incidents, street spins, or sideways shenanigans to share. All of my spins and/or tank-slapper adventures in the S2000 have been on track days, at autocrosses, or at driving schools. My mentor for a track day at Laguna Seca probably thought we were gonna die a couple of times, and those are fun stories for sure, but those weren't on the street so I don't know that they meet the OP's criteria.

(The stuff I did in my first car many years ago learning to drive in the snow doesn't count since it wasn't an S2000, although it *was* rwd fun.)

 

Before I owned my s2k I witnessed a guy and his girlfriend going onto a on ramp turning left totaly dry summer day and the s broke loose spinning them 180 turning them the wrong way. They were lucky they missed the wall. I was walking at the time and could hear the s before he hit the turn, I always liked s2000 so I was watching real close he had to be launching out of second gear spun him around real quick. So I have had great respect for this car before I even owned one.

There has been post of folks spinning out and pretty much making a total loss out of their s. Does not take much to total this car imo. Rain, drove in it today like an old lady and for good reason.

As recent news even pro drivers can loose it all in a blink of an eye so yea. Have fun but be careful.

^Tank slapper wait were driving a s2000 not riding a sportsbike. Sometimes I feel the same way about this car. I guess thats why the seats have helmet cut outs at the head rest.

 

below 40, summer tires don't perform as it should.
Be careful out there in the winter.

 

I would also like to add to the list of no accidents/spun out/near miss in my s2000.

I have fishtailed in a Lexus and have been a victim of lift off oversteer in my old Celica. I know the feeling.

Please share so we know how to better avoid these situations.

 

+1

 

Yes, it originated in the motorcycle world, but the expression got adapted to the car world a long time ago. It's when the back end steps out, driver over-corrects and the back end then steps out the other direction. Do this multiple times in rapid succession and you have a tank slapper. Commonly seen at autocross novice practice events.

 

was there any sand on the road ?, it sounds like a bad spin if you weren't travelling overly fast ?.

 

I spun twice on accident. First, time was when it was raining and I thought it was a good idea to try and drift this open turn. The car spun. Next was when New Mexico got one day of snow. There was about half in inch of snow on the road. While I was crossing a bridge at 25mph, my bald summer tires let go. The car went into an 180 degree spin. It was 4 in the morning, and I had a feeling it was going to let loose. Nothing scary, or heart pounding though. After that I went to an empty parking lot to learn/feel how to save the car, than after I went driving like a hooligan in an empty parking lot till the sun rised

 

I spun my clients 2004 Viper once coming out of a parking lot, but in 45,000 miles I have never spun the S. I also never drive the car in crappy weather.

It's the winter, be careful, my insurance premium is high enough.