Test Drive

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Thu May 11, 2006 10:13 am

Hello all you lovely people. As you all keep giving me gyp about buying my own car, I am getting fed up

. It looks like it may become reality, hopefully in the not too distant future, and as you may know, I quite fancy an S1. I don't need recomendations a la buy this one buy that one when are you gonna get one....etc
Basically i've never driven an S1 and before I buy one I'd like to drive one. Obviously i'll test drive the one I'm buying, but i'd like to have experienced one before that.
So, who'd like to let me drive theirs??(please don't make me grovel) Having driven the S2 exige, which understeers if anything, an S1 is a totally different beast. Much more prone to snap my arms off and chuck me into a hedge

But i'm actually not a very fast driver so I should be OK. I don't know where the best place to try one is but am flexible to meet you wherever. You will be amply rewarded with beer.

Oh, and feel free to say piss off if you don't want me near your pride and joy.

Post by **Shug** » Thu May 11, 2006 10:27 am

You'd be welcome to a shotty in the Shugmobile, but it's hardly standard!

mckeann · Post by **mckeann** » Thu May 11, 2006 10:33 am

again, you could drive mine, but it aint standard, and i dont think you can afford a honda elise.

Post by ed » Thu May 11, 2006 10:34 am

If it helps the person is welcome to have a shot of my car as a means of payment!

Post by **Shug** » Thu May 11, 2006 12:03 pm

No payment necessary (although I'll take a shotty, thankyou

)

Mine isn't standard in the geo, suspension and engine department, but might give an idea. The current engine feels so much more like a standard car at low revs (bar the added torque)

I'm sure a standard car will pop up from somewhere though - be assured, I don't think Tom's a test-pilot and he won't hedge it!!!

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Thu May 11, 2006 12:13 pm

thanks for the big up.

i take it you can set the geo to make it a bit less oversteery??

mckeann · Post by **mckeann** » Thu May 11, 2006 12:34 pm

Post by **Shug** » Thu May 11, 2006 12:39 pm

Tom wrote:thanks for the big up. i take it you can set the geo to make it a bit less oversteery??

Why in the name of christ would you want to?

Nah - oversteer & understeer in an Elise are controlled purely by the driver. If you go into a corner too hot (with the S1 & S2) and chop the throttle, it'll kick it's arse out. But you'll be genuinely surprised how brutal you have to be on the road, in the dry.

The S1 is a little more prone to snap oversteer, more because of the wollowy Konis and wider front tyres than anything else, but it's not going to eat you alive. I's not gonna feel as secure as the Exige on track, but IMHO, I think it's a more lively drive.

You'll be fine - as long as you're not a tw*t on the road and don't try to be a hero before you know the car, you'll be fine

mac · Post by **mac** » Thu May 11, 2006 12:44 pm

Yup,

I'm with Shug on this one. It's a rear wheel drive car - be a knob behind the wheel and you'll be a knob behind the wheel behind the hedge.

IMHO the S1 is easier to drive on the road than the S2, I've found that if I was "pushing" on the road I would back off much earlier on the S2 than I would on the S1.

It's been designed to do that - but if you are able to lap round Kh at a decent time then the S1 won't give you any problem.

Do what Mandy did - treat it with respect until you get on track and learn where the limits are and how the car behaves on the way up to, on, and past the limit. That way you'll know what to expect.

Mac

mckeann · Post by **mckeann** » Thu May 11, 2006 12:52 pm

mac wrote:Yup,

I'm with Shug on this one. It's a rear wheel drive car - be a knob behind the wheel and you'll be a knob behind the wheel behind the hedge.

agreed, you'll be fine if you learn to drive it. this can take months, if not years to REALLY learn to drive it.

mac wrote: IMHO the S1 is easier to drive on the road than the S2, I've found that if I was "pushing" on the road I would back off much earlier on the S2 than I would on the S1.

Mac

thats because your S1 is setup for the road with standard ish geo, road tyres, and supple dampers that can absorb bump, whereas the S2 is running bags of camber, stiff sidewalled tyres, and on reasonably hard springs and dampers. not much to do with the S1 or S2 thing, just what each individual car is setup to do.

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Thu May 11, 2006 2:09 pm

ok im happy. thanks for the tips.

(just making sure i haven't been spoiled by exige faction)

DDtB · Post by **DDtB** » Thu May 11, 2006 3:03 pm

Happy to help.... shame you didnt mention it last night though!!!!!

Rag_It · Post by **Rag_It** » Fri May 12, 2006 12:19 pm

Tom, you test drove an MX5 - dont you have a long way before you persude Gill its an Elise your getting!?

Dave

Andy G · Post by **Andy G** » Fri May 12, 2006 12:27 pm

mac wrote:Yup,

I'm with Shug on this one. It's a rear wheel drive car - be a knob behind the wheel and you'll be a knob behind the wheel behind the hedge.

Mac

Too true!

Get an S1 and enjoy the fact that with practise and training you'll be having some fun oversteery moments!

Me, you and Ed may have to do a Walshy day later in the year

GregR · Post by **GregR** » Fri May 12, 2006 1:30 pm

phew - looks like ddtb has stepped up as otherwise looked like me as the only option! No offence Tom, but my car doesn't like you