harris66
Part of things
drive it, break it, fix it and make it quicker!
Posts: 699
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Oct 29, 2009 14:49:54 GMT
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in every day driving, to and from work etc i couldnt care less wether i were being pulled by the front or pushed by the back, on a track day, in my experience id go with rwd every time,
I'm not keen on torque steer and don't like the feeling on quick corners that the rear is just following the front, my buddies had a couple of very quick type r variants, but just wasnt keen.
the feeling of a well set up rwd car (my skyline)! with the ability to balance throttle and steering is just the best feeling ever, not saying its quicker, just my preference
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1.2 corsa daily, 1.8t a4 avante, 6.3ltr austin a40....
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Oct 29, 2009 15:16:19 GMT
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I would never plump for a FWD car over a RWD car. I much prefer the way RWD cars drive, wether I'm driving it normally around town (yes you can notice the difference, the steering doesn't feel like it has a mind of its own when you pull out of a junction in a rear wheel drive car for example) or when I'm giving it beans. And that even goes for when hooning about in a snow covered car park. There are no circumstances in MY book and in MY opinion, when Id rather be behind the wheel of a ST24 Mondeo rather than a 1.6L Cortina. All MY views and opinions by the way, sorry if you like mondeos!!
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Oct 29, 2009 15:16:23 GMT
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Manufacturers love FWD cos they are cheaper to build.... dealers love FWD cos they are more expensive to repair..... they both dislike RWD as folks like us can keep them going for much longer than their intended lifespan and can replace engines, gearboxes, drivelines and axles relatively easily compared to FWD models. Certainly from a modding and maintenance point of view RWD is the only way to go. Plus..... RWD is far better/easier for drifting.  |
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'71 Arrocuda.... '71 Sunbeam Rapier Turbo (The Grim Rapier).... '63 Hymek D7076..... Audi GT5S
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Oct 29, 2009 15:31:18 GMT
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I think the currently fashionable drifting scene has converted a whole new breed of RWD fans.
Fact is, a FWD car can be made to perform just as well as an RWD car - just look at BTCC cars. BMW were (are? I don't follow it any more) the only RWD entrant and they didn't win every single race.
I prefer RWD because I prefer big old saloons. But I've driven some excellent FWD cars too.
I really dislike the blinkered "RWD is best FWD is curse word" view and I don't think it has a place on RR - blinkers are left at the door in this place, always have been ;D. There are good and bad cars using both set-ups.
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Oct 29, 2009 15:44:27 GMT
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I really dislike the blinkered "RWD is best FWD is curse word" view Totally Agree. I really dislike ill-informed views as well. and I don't think it has a place on RR Totally Disagree. Let people speak, even the ill-informed. |
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 Team Blitz Ford Capri parts worldwide: Restoration, Road, or Race. Used, Repro, and NOS, ranging from scabby to perfect. Itching your Capri jones since 1979! Buy, sell, trade. www.teamblitz.com blitz@teamblitz.com |
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Oct 29, 2009 15:45:35 GMT
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As far as I'm aware there are only Mercedes and BMW left making RWD cars in significant quantities so..... in order to get/keep sponsorship a lot of drivers have had no choice but to go FWD. I agree with what you are saying generally though regarding RWD best FWD curse word etc...... but having had both an SD1 and an 827 for example...... I can say without fear of contradiction that any job on the 827 (FWD) was always a much bigger job than it was on the SD1(RWD).
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'71 Arrocuda.... '71 Sunbeam Rapier Turbo (The Grim Rapier).... '63 Hymek D7076..... Audi GT5S
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sumpcracker
Posted a lot
Yes, I’m still here.
Posts: 1,751
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Oct 29, 2009 15:56:18 GMT
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Its often that lads bang on about rwd and have never actualy driven one. They watch a few 200SXs and E30s on youtube and assume you just get in and drive them like that.
I know everyone can do donuts in a car park, but in the real world when you get in a tusle with a good FWD car in a RWD the guy in the RWD needs far more skills then the fwd pilot.
Pi55ing about looks good in a rwd but fwd is easier to drive propper fast.
I like to drive BTC fashion and the best driving car ive had was RWD, a mk1 mx5 with 888 tyres and coilovers. there just seemed no limit to its handleing abilities.
But to pick 2 of the best- on a windy sharp road, E30 325 vs mk2 golf gti 16v....i would rather be in the golf.
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Oct 29, 2009 16:01:36 GMT
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FWD car can be made to perform just as well as an RWD car - just look at BTCC cars. BMW were (are? I don't follow it any more) the only RWD entrant and they didn't win every single race. If you believe the internet, this is because BMW agreed to a huge weight penalty so that the huge advantage of being RWD was not made to embarrass the FWD cars. |
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Oct 29, 2009 16:09:15 GMT
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They didn't need a weight penalty, they just needed to keep away from Jason Plato.
***edit***
Sorry, that doesn't actually make any sense at all.
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Last Edit: Oct 29, 2009 16:09:53 GMT by dbizzle
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Oct 29, 2009 16:10:30 GMT
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Manufacturers love FWD cos they are cheaper to build.... dealers love FWD cos they are more expensive to repair..... they both dislike RWD as folks like us can keep them going for much longer than their intended lifespan and can replace engines, gearboxes, drivelines and axles relatively easily compared to FWD models. Certainly from a modding and maintenance point of view RWD is the only way to go. Plus..... RWD is far better/easier for drifting. I disagree. High volume cars are cheaper to build than low volume ones. Cars with higher development costs have to sell for a higher price. Most high volume cars are FWD through consumer prefference as much as anything. I don't see how RWD can be intrinsically harder or more expensive to manufacture. After all, the RWD Panther platform Fords sell for peanuts compared to FWD alternatives... RWD vans and trucks sell for buttons in African markets, and the Hindustan Ambassador etc. are all cheap cars... Development is more expensive than whether a car is FWD or RWD. Dealers like what ever is quick to repair. I've never met a mechanic or a service manager who says "great, a job which will take ages to do!" they like to quickly and easily swap modular assemblies out. This maximises their profit margin and cuts down on the staff they need to have on the payroll... I don't see how a RWD car is by nature easier to keep on the road than a FWD one. Compare my LS400 or a '04 Mercedes S55 AMG with a 1976 Renault 5 or a 1985 Corolla... Some jobs are quicker and easier on a RWD than a FWD but also it goes the other way. You can swap the complete driveline in a FWD car with one set of subframe bolts. Compared to a RWD car... As for modding, nobody would mod a Mk1 or Mk2 Golf, an Austin/Morris Mini, a Renner 5 GT Turbo, Charade GTTi, Peugeot 205 GTi, etc. No way can you modify any of them effectively... I prefer RWD in almost every instance. This is because its my prefference not out of some misguided belief that its always better. |
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Last Edit: Oct 29, 2009 16:12:03 GMT by akku
1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Stu_B
Posted a lot
Investing in rust!
Posts: 1,266
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Oct 29, 2009 16:13:44 GMT
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Well I've had a Mk1 golf & it handled brilliantly, I've also had a mini which handled very well... but I'd rather have a bad handling RWD car (owned a Capri, mk3 Cortina, & 2 Anglia Estates..) for the fun factor.  |
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Hirst
Posted a lot
This avatar is inaccurate, I've never shaved that closely
Posts: 3,930
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Oct 29, 2009 16:15:07 GMT
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Drivetrain is just another characteristic of a car, along with other things. Would the original Mini be as good if it was RWD? It'd be more heavy for a start, it would have less traction on account of less weight over the driven wheels, it'd no doubt be a lot more twitchy - probably not very controllable with such a short wheelbase. Not to mention all the lost interior space on account of the transmission tunnel. Bet it'd be fun to floor around a wet car park in second gear, but I dunno if it would have won all those rallies.
It's all about deciding the right tool for the job - every drivetrain has its strengths and weaknesses.
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Oct 29, 2009 16:30:29 GMT
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I think the currently fashionable drifting scene has converted a whole new breed of RWD fans. Fact is, a FWD car can be made to perform just as well as an RWD car - just look at BTCC cars. BMW were (are? I don't follow it any more) the only RWD entrant and they didn't win every single race. I prefer RWD because I prefer big old saloons. But I've driven some excellent FWD cars too. I really dislike the blinkered "RWD is best FWD is curse word" view and I don't think it has a place on RR - blinkers are left at the door in this place, always have been ;D. There are good and bad cars using both set-ups. Blimey, someone who's read the original post, wow, that's a first!  You are all of course free to do so, but I wasn't asking for a list of "I like RWD/FWD (delete as applicable) so there!" posts, I was merely moaning at the kneejerk Received Opinion. After all, a Thursday afternoon is so boring without a good flamefest! |
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"Jeremy Clarkson, a man we motor enthusiasts need on our side like Lewis Hamilton's F1 car needs a towing ball and a Sprite Musketeer" My motor |
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Oct 29, 2009 16:30:37 GMT
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I have no real opinion of which is "best" in a FWD Vs RWD argument, but I like this photo of a FWD Vs RWD argument....  |
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1986 Panda 4x4.
1990 Metro Sport.
1999 Ford Escort estate.
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luckygti
Posted a lot
I need to try harder!
Posts: 4,912
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Oct 29, 2009 16:32:03 GMT
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I'll drive either Most of the time I'm stuck behind someone going a lot slower than I want to be anyway  I'm building the 205 as a track/fast road car, and I have to say I always felt more comfortable on the limit in that than I did in my Scooby The Merc is the first RWD car I've had in a few years and I'm not quite confident enough yet to hang the  out on every roundabout I go round, nor do I particularly want too! I don't know that one is better than the other, I'm not a test driver/pilot, but I've seen some pretty quick FWD's (Mi16 205's spring to mind) anhihilating supposedly quicker/better RWD stuff, I think most of that will be down to the driver, but it's always going to be difficult to compare isn't it? Like for like my old 7 Series BMW had 211-ish BHP and my Seat Ibiza Cupra had 180. power to weight was probably the same, but the Seat was in every aspect quicker. You could just hang the back end out and make a lot more impressive burnouts in the Beemer Current fleet? 2 RWD and 2 FWD! Guess that says it all really |
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Oct 29, 2009 16:32:13 GMT
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I have no real opinion of which is "best" in a FWD Vs RWD argument, but I like this photo of a FWD Vs RWD argument.... The car in front is a... |
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"Jeremy Clarkson, a man we motor enthusiasts need on our side like Lewis Hamilton's F1 car needs a towing ball and a Sprite Musketeer" My motor |
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Oct 29, 2009 16:38:34 GMT
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I have no real opinion of which is "best" in a FWD Vs RWD argument, but I like this photo of a FWD Vs RWD argument.... The car in front is a... Yeah, but who's got the inside line...? I love that photo, it's superb. |
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Oct 29, 2009 16:40:24 GMT
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I just like doin doughnuts and going sideways on roundabouts, I'm a big child really.  Amen brother! ;D |
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Sierra - here we go again! He has an illness, it's not his fault.
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Oct 29, 2009 16:40:59 GMT
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Yeah, but look at the front wheels... I know which is more fun! RWD is intrinsically more fun... and requires a lot more skill to drive well - I like the test I smile my off when i slide sideways around a roundabout belching rubber smoke from behind me... it IS fun - sticking to the road clinically and predictably is not exciting |
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Your car is not 'epic', this thread is not 'epic'....the OCEAN is epic, the UNIVERSE is epic.... please stop misusing this word!! It would appear Hotrods are the new VWs - aint fashion funny! '69 BUICK LESABRE 350 |
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Oct 29, 2009 16:43:09 GMT
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, it would have less traction on account of less weight over the driven wheels. FWD's only have more traction because of weight distribution (discounting other things such as tyres, weight, gearing etc) compared to RWD's at very low acceleration rates or at a constant speed, neither of which is very helpfull unless its really slippery anyway and then you'd have been better with 4WD. Weight transfer to the rear of the car takes care of where your traction goes if you really need to get going quickly which is why anything that takes off seriously quickly uses the rear end for drive and suspension that allows the car lift at the front. I know some FWD cars can beat some RWD cars off the line, i got beat off the line in my 24v cortina by a lad in a Tomcat rover turbo thingy, RWD cars are not invincible of the line but then he had 18" rims and wide low profile rubber compared to my 7x13's, that'll be what did it not the fact his engine was pushing down on the driving wheels. |
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Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
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I'm building the 205 as a track/fast road car, and I have to say I always felt more comfortable on the limit in that than I did in my Scooby 
