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pimpmyaudi said:
I think most of us (who are at least quite good drivers, and have pretty good knowledge of handling) can tell the difference between a car that feels good to drive or doesn't.
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I beg to differ...
Firstly, I have grave doubts that the majority of people (including on here) have a true definition of what a 'proper' handling car should do. Without this how are people able to accurately diagnose why the car does not handle well?
To be able to make an honest appraisal of a cars handling. you have to be able to assess the chassis attributes, understand fully what IS happening, what IS NOT happening, and how to make the proper things happen and the incorrect things go away.
You also need to be able to drive...that's not drive fast, or read magazines and agree with what some [censored] has written...but to actually be able to put the car into certain situations and then evaluate it's responses.
Without the knowledge and driving ability, the results are at best hopelessly subjective.
For this reason, I say that the majority of people do NOT have a good knowledge of handling, nor do they posess particularly good driving skills - for this type of argument.
Sure, anyone can jump into a car and say it feels bad...but are they actually able to accurately describe why it feels bad?
In reply to DJ:
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djmotorsport said:
In my experience, those who continually complain about the bad handling of a particular car (Audi or otherwise) are either driving at the car's limit, which is difficult on the public highway, or more commonly, poor drivers.
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Bingo.
A bad workman blames his tools...etc...
A competant driver will make good process in a very poor handling car...it's all about understanding where you can use the attributes the chassis has, and how to avoid the pitfalls of the weaknesses.
In my view, anyone that tells you they drive on the limit on the road is a liar.
Do they even know where the limit is?
I don't on my S3...and I have no intention of finding out...you can understand and re-engineer many things about a car without going anywhere near the limit on the road.
I have found the limit of one of my previous cars on the public highway - 20 seconds later it was £17,000 worth of written off scrap.
The limit, is not a place you play with lightly.
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Driving a car at it's limit is an acquired skill which most of us will never perfect. If it's that bad, buy something else. If it's you, get some tuition (or stop complaining) - A good driver can make an average car go very quickly. So I'm told.
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Wise words indeed...
Until YOU are out driving the car (this doesn't mean at the limit) there's no need to upgrade...sort yourself out first.
Once the car starts to hold you back, then you upgrade.
On the subject of nasty handling cars...you'd be surprised how well you can get them to go point to point given a lot of practice and some lateral thinking!
