So, I got my 06 Z about 3 weeks ago, out around 1000 miles on it. Im by no means an expert with stick and RWD. My first car was a Toyota Camry, the Z is my second. I had a few mishaps with the Camry in the rain, such as understeer, etc. But about a week ago, it was 6:00AM, foggy and misty out. I take it my tires were very cold and didnt grip as well as they should when warm. I get to a red light, then go once it turns green so i started off from 0 MPH but by the time i switched to second gear (@4K) i had rode over a dip in the road full of water from the previous nights rain. I make the left turn wheil in second, and gradually step on gas and get the car to about 3k in second gear while making a wide left turn, out of nowhere my car just spins out and now im perpendicular with the main street with my nose facing the left side, im about 2 feet from hitting the curb and cut the wheel back the other way and do a complete 180 and now my nose is facing the right side of the curb (still perpendicular) after i got my nerves together i just slammed the brakes and the car stopped. I have an enthusiast so only have TCS and no VDC, and the ground was dry where i was spinning out so slamming on the brakes was the best idea i had at the moment. Thankfully there were no cars around me because they were stopped at the red light. Anyways, what i really need is some tips for driving in the rain since winter is coming up and i dont really wanna dish out a couple hundred bucks for some winter tires or high performance all season tires. Thanks again, and all comments and criticism are welcome.

By the way, for the 626 people, this happened going south on michillinda ave at the michillinda and huntington intersection by the ralphs and bank of the west.

Thanks again, Joey.

 

Just gotta learn to slide around every corner and countersteer. Drifting is the best way to go...lol

 

Ahh, ill be sure to practice that. In a parking lot of course, ive only been driving since sept. of 2004. I dont think im that highly skilled yet. =]

 

take the turn slower.. just a little tip from a pro

 

Well thats a given lol jk, nice color, i have the same, but in the event that this does happen again... whats the best way to get out of it in 1 piece.

 

Rain driving? Some suggestions:

(1) Don't drop your clutch. Don't go WOT if there is any cornering involved.

(2) Sounds like you braked when the rear started to oversteer. Oversteer can be induced with braking. When cornering and the rear slips, give it gas to regain traction in the rear or let-off the throttle to let it continue to slip. Depending on the steering angle, braking while the rear is slipping will give you either massive understeer (too much steering angle) and massive oversteer (enough steering angle.)

(3) Be careful with braking as this effects the weight distribution of the car even more than throttle.

(4) BTW, power-oversteer (180's using the throtttle) is very easy in the Z, in rainy conditions especially.

happy drifting.

 

Why do you need winter driving tips when you live in California? I live in Chicago, Illinois and it's starting to get pretty bad. I used to live in California,hell I still have California license plates on my Z. I think you just need to drive more careful and adapt to rwd.

 

i think u need to go slow...
i go speed limit in the rain and 10-15 mph less than speed limit in the snow
short shift so u dont have too much torque, less throttle, more concentration

 

Another thing might I add is your going way to high in your powerband when driving in the rain. You should stay around 2.5 when shifting in the rain. The car will pull from 1k on the powerband in any gear.

 

you need to remember not to over steer the car. in a rear wheel drive car like
the Z a little goes a long way. probably the most common mistake people make
in the rain is they tend to provide more steering input than needed to negotiate
a turn. your goal should be to accomplish the turn with as little steering input
as possible.

give a little and let the car drive itself. the car will provide you with feedback
and let you know when more is required. if more is required provide the input
gradually in small increments.

as far as throttle you need to adjust accordingly as well. no sudden stops or
acceleration. throttle light from a stop and gradually pull up your rpms as the
car gets going.

finally you are correct about the tires. if you are not running all seasons you
have to account for the fact that tire compounds can harden in the cold. so
you need to give the tires some time to warm up before pushing too hard. but
either way if you aren't on all seasons or winter tires, you shouldn't be pushing
hard in the cold anyway.

just my $0.02.

 

Thanks Halitosis and Rogue, your tips will help me out alot this coming winter, sure our winters arent as bas as they are in chicago (hell i never seen snow in my life), but its better to be safe than sorry, I worked my *** off since I was 15 to get this car by the time I was 18 (18 now lol) and I dont wanna see my baby in pain. =]. Thanks again, and if any of you think something wasnt covered, than by all means let us know.

 

glad to see your hard work paid off. yeah the worse i had it was here in d.c.
area driving a rwd miata in the snow... 20 miles. if you've ever driven a miata
then you know it weighs all of 10 pounds.

was so bad i had to keep the steering wheel turned all the way to the left to
keep the car straight. i even had people pulling up next to me and apologizing
for the hard time i was having keeping the car set on the road. dangerous but
also fun. good way to learn the limits of your car in extreme conditions.

 

if you induce oversteer like this, the best thing to do is to give it a little gas. the car will correct itself. if you try and compensate with steering you will give too much input. once the car pulls itself straigth then brake.

as many others have said the best way to prevent this is to go slower.

i would recommend that you go out and practice this some. find a nice open parking lot after it rains and go all out. you need to learn the limits of the driver and the car so that if this happens again you do the right thing. plus its fun to drive sideways!

 

I use to live and drive a Mustang Cobra in NY. I get a kick out of watching southerners trying to drive in snow / rain while flying pass them.

What I did during slippy snow / rain conditions:

1) Try only accelerating slowing straight head. Almost zero chance of you slipping and doing a doughnut.

2) On turns, slow down before turn and try not to press gas / brake during the turn.

3) If you feel the car slipping, release the gas / brake and ride it out making small adjustments.

 

Slow down!

 

4K in the rain? Getting right to the meat of the power band there. I think that's a bit much unless you're entering the highway. For my rain driving, I don't go over 3k rpm.

Slow down, especially if you don't have VDC.

 

Eh, maybe the car is new to you. I rev it redline frequently in the rain. It's a matter of your comfort level with the car.

 

I suppose, im new to this wonderful car, well its not like I can get worse at driving. Until of course im a senior citizen.

 

Well, I'm sure you get a hell of a lot more rain in Oregon than San Diego does. And from a earlier reply, it sounds like you have more track days than I do.

Personally, I don't want to be anywhere near the limits of my car in wet conditions and traffic (unless it's at the track).

 

just keep ur VDC on!