Help a new driver! Spirited driving, traction control & sliding for a noob driver

[NotagainV2]

So, then enlighten us as how someone tames a V8 Mustang GT350?

By LEARNING the car which is what the OP is asking. Dont be an idiot.

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[svttim]

Sorry for the obnoxious responses from some. Sad when someone forgets they were once new to this themselves. The best way to understand your car is HPDE. Any seasoned driver will tell you seat time is king.

Remember, this is not a light car. Turning the vehicle in a less then smooth fashion puts forces in motion that will overcome the grip level of even the stickiest tire. Add a measure of horsepower and you find yourself in a direction you never intended to be. In this case its likely the traction control saved you and you may not even realize it.

In street driving. most people are going through the motions. As long as everything within norms, that works. But think about any commute. There can be one of those moments where something out of your control (another driver) wakes you out of that sleep of the daily commute. When you jump in your car and attempt what you did, you had better be 100% engaged. In this case, it sounds like you did not think through possible consequences, No worries, we all have done it. Learn from it.

Find a good HPDE in your area. Not only will you learn the car, you will likely enjoy the crap out of it.

 

[milner_7]

Maybe don't drive "like a maniac" on the streets and respect the power the car has. This kind of behavior is why many people are killed needlessly. Flame away

 

[raiderjatt02]

Avoid 'track mode' which cranks up the throttle sensitivity. It make the car feel tons faster, but its like 2000% harder to drive out of a corner without accidentally sliding.

Track Mode tones down the sensitivity compared to Sport Mode. I believe it's similar to how sensitive it is in Normal, maybe a little more. Most sensitive throttle is Sport Mode.

Track Mode turns off TC which lets you light up the tires in a straight line for however long you want and loosens the intervention for AdvanceTrac stability control the most out of all modes. It'll still bring you in line, but at slower speed, you can still kick out the rear end.

Normal:
Throttle Sensitivity = Normal
TC = ON
SC = MAX

Sport:
Throttle Sensitivity = High
TC = ON
SC = Medium

Track:
Throttle Sensitivity = Normal (maybe slightly higher)
TC = OFF
SC = Low

 

[car crazy]

I'll throw in my 2 cents. The best education I received was regularly attending HDPE events. I did it with the local Audi club (you can have any car brand) for many years. You generally get a 1/2 day of education and exercises in the car followed by 1.5 days of lapping on the track in various groups. It is all in a safe environment and you will want to experience many different tracks. There is no better way to learn the limits of your car.

I assume you learned to trail brake your mini in order to make the back end light and get it around corners. You'll need very little of that with the GT350. Throttle lift oversteer was needed to rotate your mini in a sharp slow turn given the front wheel drive. Again, you will want very little of that with the GT350 compared to the mini (A little will help get the nose into a slow sharp turn but you will want to learn that at the track, not the street). The mini will simply understeer when you give it too much throttle out of a corner while the GT350 will oversteer when you give it too much throttle out of a corner. You need to slowly squeeze the GT350 throttle on from the apex out. I emphasize the word slowly. Don't treat the throttle as an on/off switch or you will have the back end out. squeeze it on little by little. Proper throttle modulation out of a corner is a bit of an art in this car and very satisfying when you get it right. If there were ever polar opposite cars (as far as driving style needed to get the best performance out of them), you found two polar opposites. The good news is that you will have a blast learning the car, especially if you do HDPE events. Personally, I think you will learn a lot more from HDPE vs autocross.

I highly recommend finding the local Audi club chapter near you and sign up for their HDPE. They have a great educational and instructor system and they don't care that you don't have an Audi. At least 50% of the cars at Audi club HDPE evens are not Audis, likely more.

 

[NoXiDe]

I'll throw my 2 cents in without complicating this.

You were in second gear and there is a lot of torque in that gear at least in my own opinion. You have to really have throttle control down or it will slip the rear. You have the best tires available, I think you just underestimated the power of the car and in fact... you found out right away... did you not?

If you want to "throw your car around" do it at a track, autocross event, or an empty parking lot with no poles of any kind. Emphasis on, no poles of any kind.

 

[Hack]

My opinion is to just drive the car. You'll learn over time. Yes HPDE accelerates how quickly you learn, but I don't think there's any substitute for daily driving to gain familiarity with how the car behaves in all different conditions.

For myself, I think my biggest improvements have been when I focused on being very smooth with the driver inputs. At HPDEs be sure to take it easy. I would encourage you to actually stay away from HPDEs until you are very familiar with the car and confident in your abilities with it on the street. You can get into a lot of trouble really quickly in an HPDE. Just be super careful if you go to an HPDE soon. That's my advice.

I agree with others that going to a slightly lower performing tire would be a good idea for the short term. The PS4 or Pilot super sport tires are really great summer tires for a daily driver that also gets tracked. They will be more predictable than the Cup 2s and give more consistent grip on cold or wet surfaces.

 

[mindo389]

I agree with Hack & the others, take your time & drive your car. Find an empty parking lot, beware of the light poles, shopping carts, etc. to practice. After around 20 years of not having a performance vehicle, I had to re-learn how to cut up in my GT. I was surprised at first of the power it has. It is a lot of fun

 

[Norm Peterson]

Hi all, For the past 8 years I have been driving a 1.6L Mini Cooper JCW, which controls really really well.
I am brand new to RWD, V8, Cup2s, and Mustangs.

I drive like a maniac, and Mini's do not slide easily.

RWD dynamics are significantly different from FWD dynamics. Dial your hooning back from '11' down to something closer to '4' or '5'.

Are the Cup2's typically slippery?

Not if its warm outside, dry, and you've got some heat in them.

What is the best way for me to get practice throwing my car around?

Get involved in autocross. Maximum practice out toward your vehicle's limits at minimum risk. Maximum practice at learning the right ways to enjoy performance driving.

Is traction control trustworthy?

Right now, you're relying on TC way, way, WAY too much. What you need to learn is that the skinny pedal next to the transmission tunnel has lots more positions than 0% throttle and all the way into the carpeting. Use them all, and not just when you're cruising at a relatively constant speed. Squeeze into the throttle, don't stomp on it like you're trying to kill a spider or something.


Norm

 

[Norm Peterson]

No need to shit-talk a new driver.

In this case, the best advice is served with brutal honesty. What's needed is for the point to get across, not on the amount of politeness or avoidance of hurt feelings that it could be packaged with. Driving is that serious of a business, especially with a car as potent as a GT350 in the hands of somebody with little to no RWD experience.

For your benefit as well as OP's, I've been driving for over 55 years at this point and have done a little tracking. So I think I've learned a few things along the way, and even I have to be open to learning what I could or should be doing better.


Norm

 

[brownisland]

i'm really glad i've posted here and love all the advice from all the experienced Mustang drivers. Thank you guy very much.
Yes, I am definitely aware I should not be driving like a maniac in a powerful car. Mini, like someone mentioned, feels much faster than it actually is. In comparison, I think the mustang FEELS slower than it actually is.

For the most part, i drive in sport mode... mostly for the exhaust note and the steering feel. I didn't realize it also changes throttle sensitivity.

LIke many of you suggested, time behind the wheel is probably the best thing and I think i will spend significant amount of time in different setting to learn how the car feels.

I appreciate all the advice, harsh comments. I'm here to learn. Please keep the comments going if you have advice/recommendation as i think this would be very helpful most new Mustang owners.

 

[Norm Peterson]

My opinion is to just drive the car. You'll learn over time. Yes HPDE accelerates how quickly you learn, but I don't think there's any substitute for daily driving to gain familiarity with how the car behaves in all different conditions.

Learn to walk before you try to run - know your car first, but don't let your driving outrun your experience to get there.

For myself, I think my biggest improvements have been when I focused on being very smooth with the driver inputs.

Agreed . . . with the obvious caveat being that you still need to be sufficiently disciplined in order to stick to driving that way. And that's the big thing that needs to be learned here (aka the driver mod).


Norm

 

[Dr. JL]

If your 350 is performing DD duties...purchase another set of rims and install PS4Ss. Best DD "upgrade" for the money, IMHO. If track driving, replace the Cup 2s. I've had a few cold tire "oh sh!t" moments during a hard accel and the back end breaking (slightly) free. The nannies have always prevented an insurance claim.

 

[Lorne34]

So, then enlighten us as how someone tames a V8 Mustang GT350?

That is why I have this license plate...
..

 

[Lorne34]

To the original poster, one of the things that attracted me to the 350 is the lack of low end torque. I feel it give a person better control to gradually move into the rev range and experience the limits of this car vs an on/off switch. Heck, my wife's Toyota Sienna minivan had more low end torque, the throttle was super touchy and felt like that on/off switch. That said, the GT350 really doesn't like being hammered around town, it needs more room to stretch out. There are few situations on the street where you can really push this car like you would a Mini or Focus ST.. The old adage about driving a slow car fast vs a fast car slow applies here to a degree. The movie Baby Driver is a perfect example.
One of the very best books i've read so far is "Speed Secrets, the lost are of high performance driving" by Ross Bentley. He talks a LOT about practicing the principles of HPD whenever you are driving no matter what the circumstance or situation- for most of us it is in the daily commute.
I am far from being a competent driver in a HPD situation. I am still learning how to drive this car and respect it's limits. I will be attending my first Intro Track Day at Road America this year which includes classroom time, in-car instructors, and the goal of getting both myself and my Shelby home safely. I'm taking baby steps and leaving my ego at the door. I feel I need to experience what this car was meant for, at least once if not several times and then make a decision as to whether I want to pursue more track time.
I am excited to hear that you are going to be checking out the HPDE courses. As the other posts have said, get to know the car as much as possible, stay safe and within your limits at all times.

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