What is the best handing car that you ever owned?

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EWT
Posts: 226
Joined: Wed Jul 31, 2002 4:55 am

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My 95 Supra Twin Turbo.

I've got >2,000 racetrack miles on it, and love driving it. With a good alignment, it is very neutral, and is the easiest high HP RWD cars to drive I've ever driven. Very predictable, it gives you lots of warning before bad things happen, and it's very easy to recover when something does go wrong. You really have to try hard to put one off track.

WRT to the RX7, I've driven several, and while they are lighter and more tossable than a Supra, they don't handle better IMO. They are much harder to drive at 10/10ths and unless you possess driving skills that 99.9% of us don't possess, you probably can't drive it as close to it's limits as many other cars. Add to that utter and complete lack of reliability (I've lost count of how many I've seen go home from the racetrack on the back of a tow truck), and there's no comparision for a track car. By comparision, after 25-30 track events, the only repair I've had to make to my Supra is to replace a wheel bearing. Plus, I've got video of me passing the Sport Compact Car Project RX7 at Buttonwillow like it's standing still. :)


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Highway Q45
Posts: 219
Joined: Thu Sep 19, 2002 8:29 am
Car: Auto-X, Porsche 944's, woodworking, GreaseSlinger

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Alan wrote:1963 Morris Mini Pickup

1973 Alfa Spider

1968 TR 250

HiWay Q where are you in N CA911/Q aren't you glad you didn't have to pay to maintain that Ferrari?

Looking at the cars on this list, at 49 I feel like I must be the oldest coot around here.


Sorry Alan, I have you beat easy on the Ol Coot score. I actually found myself getting back into wrenching on cars when my two sons began driving over the last 4 years and breaking everything in sight. After showing them how much work and $$$ it is to repair things they are now respecting their cars very well. I'm in the Sacramento area.

louiegz: I've followed that article since September, so far sounds like their wishes are being answered on the dyno. The 944 Turbo's are great cars if given diligent maintenance; unfortunately there are many of them that suffer from years of neglect. When you know the weak points of any car model it helps greatly in the search for a good runner for purchase. I've bought 3 so far and never fall for the new wax job and Armoralled engine compartment. A thorough PPI is the way to go for any purchase of a used performance car; unfortunately too many guys let their hormones do the buying.

EWT: I'd love to drive a TT Supra someday; nothing feels better than that well planted feeling you describe. The TT RX-7 I drove was well prepped and didn't have that Miata on steroids feel of some cars; but God, the 3rd Gen failure rate is just plain criminal without major machine shop mods.

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downtempo
Posts: 114
Joined: Fri Oct 31, 2003 6:14 pm
Car: see biography

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1988 Porsche 924S My ex used to say that when I saw twisties coming up, my tounge would come out of my mouth like Michael Jordan!

AZ94Q
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Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 1:51 pm

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I concur with the supra twin turbo comments..

My 96 Supra TT, handled like a dream... For the average driver, a supra probably does have more capability... However an rx7 is a better handling car... Aruond a real tight course, an rx7 will leave a supra far behind.. if the track has enough straights, the supra will catch up...

The supra was so forgiving...

AZ94Q
Posts: 1108
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 1:51 pm

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I love porsche...

What do you guys think of the 928s?

Accept no substitute

For the pure sport of driving

:)

EWT
Posts: 226
Joined: Wed Jul 31, 2002 4:55 am

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AZ94Q wrote:I concur with the supra twin turbo comments..

My 96 Supra TT, handled like a dream... For the average driver, a supra probably does have more capability... However an rx7 is a better handling car... Aruond a real tight course, an rx7 will leave a supra far behind.. if the track has enough straights, the supra will catch up...

The supra was so forgiving...


I agree that the RX7 is a better (and faster) autox car due to lighter curb weight and the superior ability to change direction quickly that comes with it, but speaking from experience, a Supra gives up nothing to an RX7 of similar modification level on a racetrack corners. RX7 guys love to paint the Supra as a poor handling luxo-boat, but it's not true.

EWT
Posts: 226
Joined: Wed Jul 31, 2002 4:55 am

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AZ94Q wrote:I love porsche...

What do you guys think of the 928s?

Accept no substitute

For the pure sport of driving

:)


I've always like them for some reason, and have driven one, but never driven one at speed. I played around on track with a guy who had one at Thunderhill about a year ago. I'm not sure how modified it was, but it was pretty much gutted and sounded very healthy. It was running ~2:10s-11s, which is very respectable. I've heard maintenance costs on them are staggering though from multiple sources.

tomnam
Posts: 18
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2004 3:56 am

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Here's a list of all the cars I've owned and ranked in order, best to worst, of best handling:

'73 TR7 (When running)'94 J30t (Love it)Volkswagen GTI (Very reliable, fun, predictable)'67 Plymouth GTX (Solid and plenty of power)Jeep Cherokee (Decent)'86 Jeep CJ7 (The worst on-road, best off-road)

P.S. Dream Cars (with all due respect to my J):'94 Porsche Carrera GTMercedes SL55 AMG

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96QQ45
Posts: 75
Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2003 7:25 am
Car: 2007 G35x

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I don't own it-just drive it every chance I get. My dad's Honda S2000.

6 speeds of high revvin' fun with all the good stuff... speed, grip and open roof. Hello spring time!

VimyJ
Posts: 1969
Joined: Wed Jul 24, 2002 6:09 pm

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Glad to see someone else mentioned the TR7. I had the pleasure of driving an early 80s RX7 while I was in CA in the mid 80s. Tore up Topanga Canyon but that TR7... WOW! Those Brits wrote the book on handling. Not to say that definitive chapters to that book haven't been contributed by the Germans, Italians and Japanese.

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Highway Q45
Posts: 219
Joined: Thu Sep 19, 2002 8:29 am
Car: Auto-X, Porsche 944's, woodworking, GreaseSlinger

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AZ94Q wrote:I love porsche...

What do you guys think of the 928s?

Accept no substitute

For the pure sport of driving

:)


Better have a big wallet if you plan to use one for an everyday driver. Muy $$$ parts and labor (a clutch job can reach $2K). The later 4-valve versions have a serious chain tensioner problem if not watched closely (1 belt turns cam #1 with a crossover chain for cam#2..when the chain or tensioner fails you've bought the farm and usually a head if the mount breaks).

That being said, they are loved as great open road cruisers that give quarter to no one. Personally I prefer the round fender openings and flares of the 944/951/968 body style. With a good exhaust the sound is true muscle car.

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Jesda
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I drove a 96 Mazda Miata special edition.Man, talk about FLAT. All the twisties and u-turns were like nothing to that car. The speakers in the headrest were a nice idea, especially when the top is down and wind noise really picks up.

Second, I'd say my Q45. It still amazes me.

Third, a couple 1988 Mazda 929s I owned. RWD and sticky Yokohamas helped it lock in around those onramps. I loved it!

And all tied together: A 93 Honda Accord EX, 1995 Mazda 626, and 1988 Nissan Sentra.I'd say the 626 handled a hair better than the Accord and felt more balanced, even if it was a slower and heavier car. The Sentra had low-profile performance tires. :)

-Jesda

motorhead
Posts: 52
Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2004 4:38 pm

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1998 Corvette Coupe, Adj suspension, stock.limits were high enough it was kinda scary to push them on the street1985 MR-2, TRD lowering springs & struts, stripped interioreasy to find and reach the limits without totally losing it.1993 Camaro Z28 6 speedgreat handling until you hit a bump1974 260Z with a v8, motor set back to firewall, JTR conversionlowered, adj suspension, solid bushings, bracesNice handler, but tended to oversteer in 90+ freeway corners, only tried it once, glad to be alive1990 Q45nice ride/handling comprimise1987 Buick Turbo THandled great, as long as it was a straight line with my foot to the floor!

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Q45Viper
Posts: 307
Joined: Fri May 02, 2003 5:40 am

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2000 Dodge Viper GTS. It is both the best handling car I have ever owned and also the scariest. You HAVE to treat it with respect, nail it coming around a corner and you ARE going off the road backwards, miss a shift and catch a lower gear and you ARE going off the road backwards. Drive it in the rain or when the tires are cold during the winter months and you ARE.....Well you get the idea, when you look up sudden breakaway oversteer in the dictionary I think there is a picture of a Viper. Most exciting car I have ever owned. And I have owned a BUNCH of Vettes and muscle cars. If the discussion had been limited to sedans I would have said M5. I had a 2001, but I gotta tell you, the Gen 1 Q is real close to that car. It would not beat it 0-60 but from a 70 roll to about 130 or so I swear I could feel no difference. And believe it or not I prefer the ride of the old Q over the M5 and the handling is 80% there. Only significant difference was steering and BMW has thrown that steering system away in favor of a new system where the feel is not as good.

shadedoc
Posts: 47
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2003 7:29 am

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Wonderful thread.

I don't have the $$$ to own these cars, but my profession has given me the opportunity to drive many in angst. Hell, I couldn't afford the tires I burned thru on this list of cars.

1) 02' Lotus Elise - Low on HP, very stiff chassis, corners like nothing else I've driven

2) Skyline R33 TypeR- Nicely balanced, puts down the power well

3) 03' Carrera S - Well balanced all around, more forgiving than the RX7

4) 02' M5 - Gotta love the steering and neutral balance

5) 96' RX7 R1- Light and easy to toss around Lots of power avail. for throttle oversteer :-), agree with most, you need to be thinking farther ahead with this car as is less forgiving

6) 98' Supra TT - Lots of power, not as nimble as the rest (feels very big & heavy)

Ones I've owned

A) 200SX SER - Lots of cheap fun after a gammet of upgradesB) 1st Gen G20t - Nice balance of ride & handling, needs more power C) The 92Q - Nuff saidD) Supercharged Tacoma Prerunner - A handling dog on asphalt, but a real hoot hanging it out ala rally style on the many desert dirt roadsE) 87' Supra - Lots of understeer :-( , not enough power to get out of it's own way

Clipboard
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Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2004 9:37 am
Car: 05 Titan XE, 2014 Maxima
Location: Greater DC

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Porsche 944 Rothmans CupPorsche 911SC (but wicked if you f$%^&*-up)Morris Mini 850Sebring Sprite67 Camaro Z26 (I'm not telling)john


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