Rear wheel drive every day?
- Thread starter Nextcar
- Start date
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Hi there,
When you say 'limit your options' does that refer to what's in the market, price or models? Most models are available in awd apart from the GT's of course....
Whats your current daily? Have you owned a 911 before?
As a used car, there usually isn't much difference between rear and awd, in many cases rwd are more desirable, and expensive.
Saying that, I had a 996 C2 and a 997 C2s as daily drivers in the UK, travelled abroad extensively and tracked in the wet and never really had any significant issues.... You have to make sure yiu have the right tyres on and drive to the conditions.
991s have various traction and stability management systems which help.
I saw a recent video at a test centre of two cars driving in cold weather and snow, a front wheel drive on winter tyres handled better that an awd on summer tyres! Amazing difference.
When you say 'limit your options' does that refer to what's in the market, price or models? Most models are available in awd apart from the GT's of course....
Whats your current daily? Have you owned a 911 before?
As a used car, there usually isn't much difference between rear and awd, in many cases rwd are more desirable, and expensive.
Saying that, I had a 996 C2 and a 997 C2s as daily drivers in the UK, travelled abroad extensively and tracked in the wet and never really had any significant issues.... You have to make sure yiu have the right tyres on and drive to the conditions.
991s have various traction and stability management systems which help.
I saw a recent video at a test centre of two cars driving in cold weather and snow, a front wheel drive on winter tyres handled better that an awd on summer tyres! Amazing difference.
If you drive sensibly in the rain then I would say any 2 WD 911 is going to be good and safe.
The modern 911's have far better wipers and lights and of course ABS and great ventilation systems for a clear view.
In any car, tyres with an A rating for wet conditions will add to the security feel and good braking stability, but deep treads are good too!
The rain A rating is my first consideration over noise or longevity for tyre choice and you get what you pay for.
Quality tyres are everything I feel in the rain.
Agree with the post above!
My 1973 911 is as crude as hell, but is fine in heavy rain except for the poor wipers. I've owned the car since 1988 and have faced some evil conditions at times.
Comments about 911's being dangerous in the rain are false unless the driver is poor imho, just drive to the road conditions.
The modern 911's have far better wipers and lights and of course ABS and great ventilation systems for a clear view.
In any car, tyres with an A rating for wet conditions will add to the security feel and good braking stability, but deep treads are good too!
The rain A rating is my first consideration over noise or longevity for tyre choice and you get what you pay for.
Quality tyres are everything I feel in the rain.
Agree with the post above!
My 1973 911 is as crude as hell, but is fine in heavy rain except for the poor wipers. I've owned the car since 1988 and have faced some evil conditions at times.
Comments about 911's being dangerous in the rain are false unless the driver is poor imho, just drive to the road conditions.
Hi there. I was going to purchase an AWD from new, but the salesman said unless I was intending to do serious work on the track then it wouldn't be necessary, as the RWD comes with traction control which provides the necessary stability in most situations. Hope this provides you with the necessary reassurance. I once had an Audi Quattro and in extreme icy conditions, I once nearly lost that on a hill, so AWD isn't infallible.
Plenty of traction in the wet with engine and gearbox over the rear axle. IMHO the AWD traction advantage is offset by the additional weight penalty and greater tendency for understeer. Unless, of course, you are considering a Turbo S when AWD makes perfect sense due to the abundance of power.
Regards,
Clive
Regards,
Clive
I agree with the advice given. Most of the time no power goes to the front anyway, it makes the steering feel more wooden, I’d avoid.
Beershark, Many thanks for your reply. I have a Macan GTS and Suzuki Ignis. I hardly use the Macan. My budget is probably rebuilt engine 997.1, or 997.2 C2 or C2S. AWD versions of the same are elusive. Is there an all season tyre? I had an M2 Competition but never got round to fitting the winter wheels and tyres I had for it.
Greenman986S
PCGB Member
Some proper driving licences will sort you out
Do you mean advanced driving? I did attend a course and I still remember 'can you stop in the distance you can see?'.
Greenman986S
PCGB Member
Yes - I meant lessons (not licence)
Driving Masters or Paul Ripley are two off the top of my head
Or ROSPA
Driving Masters or Paul Ripley are two off the top of my head
Or ROSPA
Greenman986S
PCGB Member
Or IAM
Greenman986S
PCGB Member
At its simplest follow Jackie Stewart's advice
Don't open the throttle in a corner until you know you won t have to lift off
Don't open the throttle in a corner until you know you won t have to lift off
I wouldn't worry about a 2WD 911 in the rain. I've just completed 3K miles around Europe, in a 2010 C2S, with 4 other cars a 991 GT3, 991 GTS, 981 Boxster and a 996 C4S. We had intermittent torrential rain but we still "enjoyed" some time on the Autobhan, crossed the Alps and did some mountainous hairpins routes in heavy, and sometimes, torrential rain with no issues.
Between the 4WD and 2WD cars there wasn't any difference in road holding capabilities, at road speeds. You obviously you need to more careful in the corners, compared to the dry, but the biggest difference we spotted was tyre choice. Some drivers had Cup 2s and some had PS4Ss and the cars with PS4Ss could push on more without loss of traction when it was damp.
My advice is to buy the best car that you can afford regardless of drive system, one that has service history, is in budget, good condition and that has the options you want. Some people like the look of the 4 WD car's wider end. I would simply get PS4Ss as I think they're the best all round tyre, in my experience.
Good luck
Between the 4WD and 2WD cars there wasn't any difference in road holding capabilities, at road speeds. You obviously you need to more careful in the corners, compared to the dry, but the biggest difference we spotted was tyre choice. Some drivers had Cup 2s and some had PS4Ss and the cars with PS4Ss could push on more without loss of traction when it was damp.
My advice is to buy the best car that you can afford regardless of drive system, one that has service history, is in budget, good condition and that has the options you want. Some people like the look of the 4 WD car's wider end. I would simply get PS4Ss as I think they're the best all round tyre, in my experience.
Good luck
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Thanks so much. I'm off to Northway tomorrow.
Would you avoid cross-climate tyres, and stick with Pilot 4 S?
I wouldn't personally put these on a sports car unless it's for a one off trip with extreme conditions.
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The 997 stability/traction control is crude (it effectively just puts the rear brakes on) but very effective, I'd go as far as you say that in the dry it's basically impossible to spin the rear like you might see Chris Harris do on a track, and even in the wet you'd have to be trying quite hard and have achieved enough momentum in a slide that it rendered the electronic safety control ineffective when it operated, and again you'd have to be quite reckless. You're more likely to understeer into a tree than oversteer into one.
I have a 997 sat in my collection that I have rallied on gravel and out in deserts (Middle East) and if you forget to switch off the PSM then it effectively brings you to a dead stop when you try and slide the rear around a bend. I can put the nose on an apex, full lock on a slippery surface, floor the accelerator and all that will happen is that the car will stop. Switch the PSM off and the car will gracefully slide the rear right around, nose still on the apex and off you go with some opposite lock, they're very predictable with a bit of practice.
In normal road conditions you really can be quite clumsy and lean on the PSM to stop the rear from sliding.
Older cars, like my 930 are quite a different kettle of fish, but the 997 and newer are very safe.
For example the new 992.2 it's impossible in almost any conditions to slide the rear, unless you're on a sheet of ice and the electronics cannot stop the wheels. It frustrated me trying to turn everything off just so I could slide it, you have to work hard to disable the electronics to enable you the freedom to slide it around.
In a nutshell, if you slide the rear in a 997 in most normal road conditions, then you were trying very hard to do that, or something has gone horribly wrong. The AWD is a choice, not a necessity.
I have a 997 sat in my collection that I have rallied on gravel and out in deserts (Middle East) and if you forget to switch off the PSM then it effectively brings you to a dead stop when you try and slide the rear around a bend. I can put the nose on an apex, full lock on a slippery surface, floor the accelerator and all that will happen is that the car will stop. Switch the PSM off and the car will gracefully slide the rear right around, nose still on the apex and off you go with some opposite lock, they're very predictable with a bit of practice.
In normal road conditions you really can be quite clumsy and lean on the PSM to stop the rear from sliding.
Older cars, like my 930 are quite a different kettle of fish, but the 997 and newer are very safe.
For example the new 992.2 it's impossible in almost any conditions to slide the rear, unless you're on a sheet of ice and the electronics cannot stop the wheels. It frustrated me trying to turn everything off just so I could slide it, you have to work hard to disable the electronics to enable you the freedom to slide it around.
In a nutshell, if you slide the rear in a 997 in most normal road conditions, then you were trying very hard to do that, or something has gone horribly wrong. The AWD is a choice, not a necessity.
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