Rented a RWD Magnum in wintery Montana - Yuk!

Aren't limited slip differentials pretty much standard now? Even in FWD cars, I think.

In this Dodge Magnum, that was not the problem. The problem was a heavy RWD car, with a heavy engine in front, with little weight over the rear wheels. The problem was most noticeable when accelerating from a stopped position. FWD cars are clearly superior in those situations.

Reply to
NowItsWhatever
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I don't believe so. Hasn't traction control replaced it? We have neither, haven't felt the need for it. Tip: When one wheel slips on starting off, simply apply slight brake.

Back to summer weather, I rented a Magnum for two weeks in Hawaii. No traction problem, good cornering on hard curves, but it brought back memories of my past RWD experience on slight highway curves.

I had to continually make slight steering corrections as I changed power. With our FWD cars we just turn into the curve and hold it while we apply the power we need; the car just follows those front wheels. Much nicer and more precise steering.

Reply to
Some O

That's true. I had three Beetles and went every where on summer tires. However there were just a few negatives. >:)

-The front was so light you didn't always go where you turned, I went off the road twice, fortunately into snow banks at low speed. Light to lift back on the road though.

Reply to
Some O

NowItsWhatever wrote in news:12Afh.1288$IO5.704@trnddc01:

Never claimed to be. You might try reading what you're responding to.

Reply to
Joe

NowItsWhatever wrote in news:Z6Afh.1289$IO5.860@trnddc01:

Used to do it all the time but without the chains and back seat weight. Worked great, not to mention I never lost steering the few times I lost traction. Thanks for making my point for me.

Reply to
Joe

Let us know when the effects of those hallucinogens have worn off...

Reply to
NowItsWhatever

Some O wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news.telus.net:

LOL! You are one reason why insurance rates are so high. Who cares about control? Just point and shoot...

Reply to
Joe

It was obvious to this newsgroup. Now it's obvious to you. Good. Acknowledging the problem is the first step towards recovery. You're making progress!

Reply to
NowItsWhatever

I'd expect traction control to work better than limited slip. Regardless, on our new truck (2007 Dakota on order), limited slip was most definitely an option. I don't know what we paid for it (my FIL is retired Freightliner, so we get employee pricing), but it lists for a worth-every-penny $295.

Reply to
Joe Pfeiffer

NowItsWhatever wrote in news:vLJfh.2100$HX4.1375@trnddc03:

Typcial USENET fodder. As the thread progresses, responder makes up stuff as he goes. SSDD.

Reply to
Joe

NowItsWhatever wrote in news:WJJfh.2099$HX4.523@trnddc03:

Great response. lol!

Reply to
Joe

I live in Finland, Europe. Town of Kauhajoki. Coordinates: 622748N 0222328E

And yes, we do have snow and ice here for about 3 - 4 months a year.

And yes, I do drive quite a lot. I own a taxi (Chrysler 300C, but stw. Like Dodge Magnum with Chrysler front clip and interior). And I would never ever buy a fwd car. Maybe I would if we did not have these winters here. When traction is good it does not matter which end of the car is pulling/pushing. But when it gets slippery there is no substitute for RWD.

My car is equipped with ESP and ABS and so on, plus tyres with studs. They are still allowed here.

And I'd rather drive my 1959 Dodge Kingsway STW on icy road than any fwd car.

I guess you could say that I don't like fwd cars ;)

Sorry about the bad english.

Risto Nevala

Reply to
Rockman

One of the problems with the 300 & Magnum cars isn't RWD, it's that they have little ground clearance. My FWD cars (the VW beetle as well) only bog down when deep snow piles up underneath. Even AWD isn't much help when that happens, adequate ground clearance is needed.

I used to use studs when I had RWD cars. They were a great help, but sure tore up the road and stopping distance on pavement was much greater- very dangerous IMO.

That's obvious and also it's obvious you don't have much experience with them.

Reply to
who

Most automibles today are FWD? I think not. Thankfully, "today" isn't

1985 anymore.
Reply to
Steve

ring. Not a good thing.

Heck, you can even "steer" a rear-drive car with the throttle. All you can do with the throttle on a powerful FWD is put yourself in the ditch.

I do concede that FWD is a little better in snow, but not enough to justify putting up with its crap handling the majority of the year.

Reply to
Steve

Eldorado and Toronado. Yes, I remember them. Not fondly.....

But more to the point GM does it TODAY and has for the past 20 years. Cadillacs have had FWD and v8s since the late 80s, and a 300+ horsepower v8 and FWD since about 1993 (you have heard of the Northstar v8, I assume). They handle like crap, but they are powerful FWD cars. Ironically, the big barges are rather potent at the dragstrip where handling doesn't matter, though.

Reply to
Steve

Already covered in another thread.

1) Torque steer has NOTHING to do with unequal halfshaft lengths 2) Even if it did, LH cars have (ta daa!) unequal length halfshafts (get under it and LOOK. The differential is offset to the right side of the transaxle, so the passenger-side halfshaft is much shorter than the driver's side halfshaft.) 3) LH cars with the 3.5L engine have enough torque steer to mess you up REAL good if you're not careful. I have 240,000 miles on an LH myself. Great car, but would be better if it was rear-drive.
Reply to
Steve

Very true. 4WD and FWD may get you moving faster in snow or ice, but

*everyone* has 4-wheel brakes... so getting going faster just makes you more likely to hit something (or someone).
Reply to
Steve

Said by one who obviously has has yet to learn how to drive a FWD car or any car in difficult conditions. I now have about equal years driving each, all years on difficult Canadian winter roads including many years driving up ski hill mountains.

With FWD no chains or winter tires anymore, just good all season tires year round. In good conditions I easily shake off the RWD bumper smelling vehicles on our more curvy roads. I only do it on a left turn else the dummy bumper drivers may hit on coming traffic. If it's a RWD larger SUV I don't take it so fast as one almost went off a cliff. Even with such cornering I've not reached the point of front tire complaint from my LH car.

Reply to
Some O

That's what many AWD people find, too much speed for the road conditions. Unfortunately many of the Camaro personality crowd now drive large 4WD vehicles and cause road hell for those they hit.

Reply to
who

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