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

[CJJon]

Well yes no one would advise any Mustang owner nevertheless one with a GT350 to be flooring it in rain and snow.

You just did though. Did you not read the OP's post? He drives like a maniac and wants the car to be 'tamed' so it drives like a Mini Cooper. Ain't gonna happen. He needs to modify his driving style to match the car, not the other way 'round.

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[Ninpop9]

You just did though. Did you not read the OP's post? He drives like a maniac and wants the car to be 'tamed' so it drives like a Mini Cooper. Ain't gonna happen. He needs to modify his driving style to match the car, not the other way 'round.

Or learn enough about his cars tires and handling to where he can set the car up to take a corner in second gear. Its been done before.

 

[CJJon]

Or learn enough about his cars tires and handling to where he can set the car up to take a corner in second gear. Its been done before.

Back to the driver mod again...

 

[Cruizer]

Learn the car. Adjust your driving to accommodate. It's not a Mini. Even my Ecoboost can whip around in a heart beat. Big empty parking lots are great for learning it's limits. Avoid poles, I've seen enough of those videos.


Good advice. I'd just say consistent throttle as long as you're not coming in hot.

Generally speaking keep constant throttle through the turn and start accelerating post apex.

 

[460Fred]

Play nice guys.
OP....Until you get to know your car, I strongly suggest you take it easy. Coastal conditions mean wet roads in the morning’s regularly. Don’t know what the conditions were when you went Utube cars and coffee Mustang style, assume they were dry conditions.
I drive mine like a little old lady until conditions are good. Engine temp >190F and tires warmed and dry pavement. Even in great conditions, I’m not hammering it on a corner.
So ya, driver mod.

 

[pilotgore]

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.

The other day I drove my Mustang with some spirit. and entering the freeway, (rolling left turn in 2nd gear), I slid... got sideways... NEARLY crashed like a Mustang leaving cars & coffee.

Since then, I don't really trust the traction control.. it was ON.
Are the Cup2's typically slippery?

What is the best way for me to get practice throwing my car around?
Is traction control trustworthy?
What's a better tire for street driving?
TIA

Welcome to the mustang! I’ve had two minis, an R53 and R56. I still own the R56 and I track it regularly. It’s now setup for the track with full suspension and 350HP.... but I digress.

The big differences are, you now have an extra 1,000 lbs of mass that you’re trying to rapidly change directions of, with a longer wheelbase, more HP, and RW drive. Gone are the days of full throttle in the corners like the mini. Start working on throttle control and try to be a little smoother on throttle input.

The cup 2’s are amazing on track when it’s warm, but not the best on colder contaminated streets (especially with small pebbles.). The PS4’s are likely a better tire for you.

Enjoy the new car and added HP! It’s a a totally different animal.

Edit: I’m currently in the middle of something so I didnt have adequate time to go really in depth, but if you have any questions feel free to shoot me a PM.

 

[NightmareMoon]

Get in touch with your local autocross clubs and clear your calendar so you can attend a few events.

Autocross is the only good place I know to practice car control fundamentals in a low risk environment. Second best is HPDE track instruction (and pay for separate track day insurance). Thing is - losing control at a track day can be expensive and dangerous. Losing control at an autox and the worst you're likely to suffer is some cone marks (which come off with some scrubbing).

Both are going to start giving you opportunities to get real seat time driving at the limits of your high-horsepower RWD car.

Unfortunately, the only way to know where the limit is, and what to do when you find yourself uncomfortably over the limit and sliding towards something hard, is to find a safe place to go get first hand experience being over the limit and recovering.

Be careful with the sport cups when they are cold. They're worse than summer tires before the come up to temps.

Also if you're adding throttle in a corner, you also better be straightening the wheel at the same time. Romping on the throttle without also unwinding the steering is a recipe for an instant "power-on oversteer" slide and likely a tank-slapper if not a full spin. Traction control will try to save your butt, bit its not able to turn the steering wheel, only you can do that.

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.

 

[NightmareMoon]

Generally speaking keep constant throttle through the turn and start accelerating post apex.

Yeah don't add throttle until you can also unwind your steering angle. Apex is where that should start to happen, but I don't really trust y'all to know where the apex actually is, or how many of them there are on any given street corner.

 

[pilotgore]

Yeah don't add throttle until you can also unwind your steering angle. Apex is where that should start to happen, but I don't really trust y'all to know where the apex actually is, or how many of them there are on any given street corner.

.... I thought it’s wherever they setup the cone?!?!?

 

[BierGut]

The OP also was used to pushing a front wheel drive car. He'll learn.

 

[pilotgore]

The OP also was used to pushing a front wheel drive car. He'll learn.

The OP also was used to pushing a front wheel drive go-cart. He'll learn.

There.... I fixed it for ya!

 

[BierGut]

The OP also was used to pushing a front wheel drive go-cart. He'll learn.

There.... I fixed it for ya!

They can be a lot of fun... you always think you're going fast when your not!!!

Sorry - don't want to get off topic.

 

[ShatterPoints]

1) Tires need to be the right temp and pressure to give you good grip. That nearly always doesn't happen while highway driving.

2) This is 100% a driver problem. You can spend 50k on the car and still are not going to fix terrible driving // lots of throttle AND lots of steering angle. You need to come to terms with that. You and your driving is the issue as described in your post and you certainly have not driven past the PSS capability yet.

3) High HP RWD vehicles all do not like lots of throttle AND lots of steering angle, unless your goal is to drift.

4) Drive like a maniac away from people. It is irresponsible to be this inexperienced AND doing what you do around other drivers. You could hurt yourself or someone else...

You want to learn how to drive in a more capable way? Go to an HPDE, watch youtube videos for performance driving, read a book... Something other than nothing, then posting on a forum and then being upset when your bad habits get called out.

Am I perfect? nope, have lots of us on the boards done what you have? You bet... some have learned their lessons the hard way. Others ate their humble pie and moved on. You should enjoy some humble pie before you too learn the hard / expensive way.

 

[brownisland]

1) Tires need to be the right temp and pressure to give you good grip. That nearly always doesn't happen while highway driving.

2) This is 100% a driver problem. You can spend 50k on the car and still are not going to fix terrible driving // lots of throttle AND lots of steering angle. You need to come to terms with that. You and your driving is the issue as described in your post and you certainly have not driven past the PSS capability yet.

3) High HP RWD vehicles all do not like lots of throttle AND lots of steering angle, unless your goal is to drift.

4) Drive like a maniac away from people. It is irresponsible to be this inexperienced AND doing what you do around other drivers. You could hurt yourself or someone else...

You want to learn how to drive in a more capable way? Go to an HPDE, watch youtube videos for performance driving, read a book... Something other than nothing, then posting on a forum and then being upset when your bad habits get called out.

Am I perfect? nope, have lots of us on the boards done what you have? You bet... some have learned their lessons the hard way. Others ate their humble pie and moved on. You should enjoy some humble pie before you too learn the hard / expensive way.

Thank you so much for all the great advice. I am not upset and I also know that I have zero experience with cars like this, which is why this forum is helpful. Thanks for your recommendations, I'm totally going to check out HPDE, i never even knew what that was. And i don't really consider it a bad habit... its how you drive a Mini. Different car, different driving style.

 

[Postal Bob]

Weather in Monterey the last few days has barely hit 60°. Unless the weather is warmer, and the tires have heated up enough, they will not grip like you expect them too. But once they're hot, they stick like glue.
Here in NY I've been driving in temps 50°-60°. Before I do any sprited driving in those temps, I drive for at least 30-45 minutes. When I see that the tires have risen 3-4 psi over cold start, then I know the've heated up enough.
And like others have said, don't accelerate too hard while in a turn. These cars have tremendous power.

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