On Mullhulond near las virgenes

 

I agree...even faster/more expensive sports cars can't handle EVERYTHING...the car can only handle so much and it should not be tested!

 

Jeebus.

Glad to hear you're okay, but save that sorta driving for a track.

 

They should be tested, just not on a cliff, test the thing on flat ground, and turn down your music while your driving so you can hear the tires squeal b4 they break loose, that has saved me from spinning out at least 3 times.

 

A few things:

1) I'm glad you're OK.

2) You're a dumba$$, thanks for yet another reason to increase insurance rates on the tC.

3) Airbags don't always deploy depending on speed, angle of impact, and whether or not your car got airborne and how it landed. That being said, yeah, something is beginning to look fishy about the lack of airbag deployment in some of these wrecks. I'm not saying it's worthy of a recall, but it is worthy of investigation.

4) Stop wrecking your tCs you f**king idiots! You're making us all look bad. If you are under 21, trade in your tC for an xA or xB RIGHT NOW! These cars are obviously too fast and too powerful ( ) for you to handle.

 

 

That sucks man. Good luck with that.

 

Excellent post. Agree %1000. I still drive my tC like a grandmother 'cause I'm still stuck in louisiana another few months and there's nowhere to actually *drive* in this potholed flatness, so I still have no idea what the limits are. I did however do a few quick brake tests in the rain and learned that on bridgestones, driving slower than grandma is necessary if the road is wet.

When I lived in a real state, the first thing I ever did with a new purchase is replace all the tires and then wring it out, gradually increase in speed and maneuvers in a safe area where even if I spun nothing much would happen. Knowing the limits of a car *exactly* has saved my butt countless countless countless times.


That's what scares me about 99% (99.999%?) of women drivers, and about 50% of male drivers -- they have no clue whatsoever about what the limits of their car is. Or even what the concept means.

Nevertheless, several times I've still been surprised (and almost crashed) several times because as the tires wore, their performance would suddenly degrade.


Something about the tC I've noticed though, when coming quickly into a highway offramp: the car seems to feel as though it can take a curve more quickly than I believe it actually can. But like I said, I'm still not sure, I still need to wring it out somewhere.


I NEED A MOUNTAIN DARN IT!!!

 

I turn down the radio and gradually go faster and faster on the off ramp at my house, it says 25, and I can take it at about 40 peak of 45. At about 45, I was too busy looking at the road to check the speed, I felt the rear end start to slide out a lil, so I let off the gas and just missed hitting the guard rail.

 

From the pics it looks like your tires are shot. Camera phone I know but tires are over-looked by a lot of people. On the dude who says he feels the rear slide out, wtf? My experience has been that the front tires start to spin (my fault I know). Never had a problem with the rear except in snow covered parking lots with the e-brake on. Also, glad to hear you're not dead. Do you think you're gonna get another tC?

 

the rear only started to slide out the one time, increasing speed around a 280degree off ramp going up hill, I dunno what the radius of the turn is but at about 45mph the front tires still have grip and the back ones slide out.




*Posted speed limit on the off ramp is 25 mph and I've been useing the offramp in many diff cars for over 5 years now. Don't be a jack hole and go around a 25 mph turn at 40+ and kill yourself or someone else cause I did it.

 

Oh, you didnt say it was that tight of a turn. I could see that happening. Usually my tires let me know they are quitting before the car starts doing bad things.

 

its ok not as bad as my friend who wrecked his mr2 going around 65 on a 25 mph turn

 

what the hell is a subframe??? Ive heard of the unibody but other than that no compact, or subcompact car has a frame, the support bumper doesnt look like it was hit to bad, the sensors for the airbags are on the support bumper, no recall you just didnt hit it in the right place.

 

Sorry man, I must disagree with your fourth point. I'm 19 and I've been driving just about every day for the past four years and have never gotten into an accident (knock on wood). I'm a responsible driver. xA's and xB's aren't too far behind the tC when speaking of speed and power anyway...

 

Yea 50+ HP isn't much . . . I know there is a weight difference, but that's only a few Horses . . .

 

your sub frame is under your engine and holds various compenents of your suspension together. it also provides a place to bolt on your power steering and other stuff.

 

i went outside and hugged my car

 

There's always exceptions, but a vast majority of 16-21 years olds who own tCs (a) had Mommy and Daddy buy it or large portion of the car for them, (b) is either their first car or a replacement for a wrecked vehicle, and (c) lack the driving experience to handle emergency situations. Between the time it took me to make a down payment and sign the sales paperwork when I picked up my tC from the dealership, no less that three people meeting two or all of those criteria bought a tC at the same time. A simple search here on SL will also show most of the "I wrecked my tC" threads come from that age group. The xA and xB are giving up 60hp to the tC and isn't as shortly geared, so it takes a lot more effort to get those cars moving, and frankly, they're not very sexy to go canyon carving, street racing, or taking freeway on/off ramps and corners at speed in... which is how most wrecks in the tC occur.

And before anyone thinks I don't know what I'm talking about (which would probably be the "I know everything" 16-21 year olds ), remember I was that age not that long ago. It was the same with Mustangs, Camaros, 3000GT, Supras, Celicas, or any marginally sporty car while I was in high school and college, every weekend someone would wipe out and wreck their ride. The ones who didn't drove beaters, station wagons, slow hatchbacks, and bland four-doors. If that still doesn't convince you, I've had four friends die because all thought they could drive sports or entry-level sports cars like a professional road or drag racer and thought they were responsible drivers too; two of whom I had to inform their parents of their deaths. Sometimes a reality check is needed to remind folks they're not as ready as they think they are for a certain type of vehicle, sadly for some, it's too late to receive that message.

thespottedcow, I'm truly glad you are here with us, but it looks like your car is totaled. If you're going to purchase another car, I highly suggest going with an xA/xB or a Yaris. Sorry, I have to call 'em as I see 'em, good luck to you.

 

Very well put. I'm sorry you had to go through all that.

Now on to the fun stuff.
If an xA gains 30-40 hp or loses, I think, 200lb (or a combo. that about equals) it could run with a stock tC, and by that I mean beat it with an equally skilled driver. It would take those changes for the xA to have a better hp/lb ratio. Seems really hard, but (according to mftr. claims) it can be done but swapping a pulley and getting lighter (at least 2.5 lbs) wheel/tire.


Let the Flaming begin.