glad to hear your ok. bonus points for missing the other cars

 

:lol: Are the points worth collecting....because I am not sure I want to go through it again.

 

yea sure they are, point make people happy. + you can redeem them at tescos

 

That's funny, I stopped in Tescos car park to check it over before I carried on.

 

oppertunity missed you see. next time walk in and say "Ive justspun my tf thats worth about 16 points. Can i have a free marsbar or soft drink"

see what they say......

 

You've certainly cheered me up. Thanks Andy.

 

or soft drink"

In John's circumstances, I would probably be wanting to put it towards something stronger to calm down !

 

np's

i also do weddings, birthdays and barn..barni.. other things

 

I wanted to stay sober to start the cooking and have a chat with my wife when she got back. That done, I now have a Remy in my hand.

 

Have had similar experience myself, the rear end stepped out on a greasy surface a couple of days ago but I managed to correct it. Its not a pleasant experience!

 

Me too, Sunday on a country road - fishtale, just eased off the gas and it stopped wiggling from side to side. Scared the crap out of me at the time but it was quite fun when I think back (don't want it to happen again though LOL)

 

yea sure they are, point make people happy. + you can redeem them at tescos

cracking post!!! :rocker:
but seriously, losing your back end is alwasy scary the first time. it si very greasy out and about and my rear is always stepping out.

u will be a bit uneasy for the next few months everytime u enter a corner and u will have phantom feelings of rear end slippage. its natural. i had a major spin last february and still am a bit apprehensive sometimes. i odnt get scared of losing the back end, i ma scared of damaging my car!!!

Best Auto Insurance | Auto Protection Today | FREE Trade-In Quote

 

greasy road + roundabout + road repairs got the better or the mrs in her TF.....

I remember fishtailing it changing from 2nd to 3rd coming off a roundabout onto a sliproad that wasn't all that sharp a corner jus after we got it....was an eye opener.

Are all RWD cars this precarious in greasy conditions?

 

Are all RWD cars this precarious in greasy conditions?

My early MG Bs and a couple of sporty Escort Mexicos were all RWD (as a car should be) and were all considered to be FUN to drive, rather than precarious. Modern BMW 3 & 5 series cars are still RWD and most journos and owners believe them to be among the best handling saloons on the market. Ferarri, Lambo, Zonda, TVR etc etc all RWD. All require a modicom of skill to drive well.

Problem is that most drivers under about 40 have never driven anything other than FWD cars and never on derestricted, lightly trafficed roads.

Personnally, I blame the original MINI and Paddy Hopkirk!

BTW Horico & JohnE, I don't question your skills in any way. I learnt my road skills on a motorbike before graduating to 4 wheels and think I am fanatical about road surfaces. Horico is probably the same (do I remember that you bike as well?).

Maybe it is time to organise a forum trip to Andy Walsh? Or contact local police forces to see if any have (or know about) skid pans with public access?

 

BTW Horico & JohnE, I don't question your skills in any way. I learnt my road skills on a motorbike before graduating to 4 wheels and think I am fanatical about road surfaces. Horico is probably the same (do I remember that you bike as well?). QUOTE]

Yeah, I do have a bike too and yes, it does make you fanatical about road surfaces, at the very least appreciate how quickly it can deteriorate with a bit of water.

I've driven a lot of cars recently and just recently got my hands on more tasty, drivers cars and the difference in grip etc etc is massive.

 

MG Deano & everyone else - hello!

After driving a 133,000 M reg diesel (no turbo!) 306 for just too long, I fulfilled a dream and collected a TF on my birthday a couple of weeks ago. It's X Power Grey, 11 months old, and I spent silly £ on having the bright pack fitted all over... But to the topic:

Since having it, I've had a couple of rear end 'wobbles'. Nothing major - all about learning the car. I agree with one of the posts (either on this discussion or another) about paying more attention to the road; gear; weather, and if you ask me I think it probably makes TF drivers more perceptive of driving conditions.

I'd never look back on getting my TF, so you can expect me posting on here reguarly! Speak to you guys soon...

All the best,
Rob.

 

I had a dramatic off 2 weeks after getting my TF, bent 2 alloys and the front bottom arm, but no body damage. Having driven a variety of RWD cars, RS200, Toyota 1600 Coupe (with LSD!!), Opel Manta GTE ,Nissan 200SX etc, and done a fair bit of rallying on various surfaces, I can say the TF is deffo more prone to swapping ends, but then its mid engined RWD, not front engined, so you get more of a pendulum effect. Still very happy with it tho. Like every one else who has had a 'moment', i'm more respectful of road conditions now.

Oh, and welcome robjburberry, you'll find this a very friendly forum (well, most of the time )

 

I had a minor fishtail yesterday just as I was about to turn onto the forecourt of the MGR dealer who was about to (under-)value my car. Came in off a fast moving 2 lane road and spotted a gap in the traffic to turn right. I may have overshot the entrance as I was only slowing down slightly but as I turned in (15-20mph) I lost the back end for a second. Scared the proverbial out of me I can tell you. Thankfully I don't need to worry about rear wheel drive cars and snow/ice any more!

 

Sorry to see the dents you had horico. I really thought I was going to have a few as I slid along. Haven't been able to look underneath yet and plan to get it to the garage before the end of the week.

I like the idea of getting the card onto a skid pan.

This is my first RWD and I have (or thought I had) treated the car with respect on the corners.

Deano, I know what you mean about the psychy after an incident like this. I had a Astra T bone me at a junction a few years back. Took a while to get over that.

Hopefully it won't be too bad and I am sure it won't put me off. Not having injury or damage (that I can see) should help.

I want to go back to the corner to see what marks I left behind.

 

hi rob, congrats on getting a tf!!!

road watching like a hawk is sometrhing i learned since buying mine. all my other cars have been FWD so was easy to just get in and drive, but since getting my tf i am constantly studying the road and conditions.

Best Auto Insurance | Auto Protection Today | FREE Trade-In Quote

 

Weclome, Rob !

 

I had been noticing how often the back end got a little 'squirrely' under acceleration on damp roads so I decided to check things out when coming off a roundabout the other day. Three lanes out of the roundabout, wide verges, no other cars in sight, so I accelerated a little harder than normal. Caught it as the back end came round to about 45 degrees out of line!

I'm quite surprised at how easily it lost grip: but am now much the wiser and better prepared for the unexpected. Hopefully!

Takes me back to when I first learned to drive. When it snowed I used to find large supermarket car parks to 'play' on. Enjoyable, but also useful in terms of learning how the car might behave.

 

MG Deano, Gram and others - cheers for the welcome! 'Tis clearly a friendly forum. Makes owning a TF even better!

Frank: On my way home from work 2nite, I thought I'd accelerate too... At this stage of ownership I'm still a bit wary as I've had two 'rear end wobbles' so am very much still learning the car... But as you say, with no cars and lots of space, it's good to test it.

Anyone going to the Trackday in February? Bought Total MG and there's a Trackday for £85 in there... A better place to test the rear end wobble - and test it to the max of course...

 

One other piece of advice that I gained whilst rallying (and exscuse me if I'm teaching your Grandma how to suck eggs for some), never, ever brake whlist turning a corner at speed (any speed in the snow), always brake before turning the steering wheel, if the wheels lock you will loose the ability to steer, and possibly finish somewhere off the black stuff.

 

... never, ever brake whlist turning a corner at speed (any speed in the snow), always brake before turning the steering wheel...

Just to add to what Pete says, it's just as bad if you lift off the throttle in a corner too. Don't acclerate until you start to come out of the corner but while in it the the engine speed should be up with the wheel speed (does that make sense?). Lifting off in a corner acts as a brake.