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obLu · 10-03-2006, 05:30 PM

I've always heard, and agree, that the best way to learn car control is an underpowered undertired car. You learn control, without really being able to go fast enough to get into trouble. Think first gen miata.

But I learned to drive in the 80's and things were much different then. The only "SUVs" on the road were Wagoneers, Blazers, Surburbans and the odd Land Cruiser. These were few and far between, and were typically much slower than road cars. And mostly driven by people who really needed them.

There was no such thing as traction control/stability control; you had to learn how to frickin drive. ABS was just coming in on expensive cars ... so you also had to learn to threshold brake. Lost art. 200hp was the realm of near super car, and 0-60 under 8 sec was bigtime quick. No airbags either.

FWD vs RWD. Kind of a toss up, when you really overcook a corner with FWD you're plowing face first into something. But yeah, in today's world I'm not sure I've give my son a RWD car to start off with. He's going to be going to racing schools (if he wants to ... because Dad wants to have fun) before he even has a license. But still. I remember how tempting it was to show off for your friends.

My first car was a 1984 Civic CRX 1.5 with a whopping 105hp. Looking back that was an impossibly small car and it seems like the things I did in it should've killed me. But 80mph was tough to manage, and I'm pretty sure what I thought was cooking along was really only 15 over posted at best.

Tell you truth, I'll probably buy my son something like a few year old smallest engined BMW or Audi. I don't think Volvos really have the safety edge that they used to. It's also my personal opinion that Japanese cars aren't all that safety focused. I have no factual data, that's just from the feel I get when I'm in them.

10-03-2006, 05:30 PM	#15
obLu Major 50 Rep 1,159 Posts Drives: 330i 6MT ZSP Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Kirkland, WA, USA iTrader: (1)	I've always heard, and agree, that the best way to learn car control is an underpowered undertired car. You learn control, without really being able to go fast enough to get into trouble. Think first gen miata. But I learned to drive in the 80's and things were much different then. The only "SUVs" on the road were Wagoneers, Blazers, Surburbans and the odd Land Cruiser. These were few and far between, and were typically much slower than road cars. And mostly driven by people who really needed them. There was no such thing as traction control/stability control; you had to learn how to frickin drive. ABS was just coming in on expensive cars ... so you also had to learn to threshold brake. Lost art. 200hp was the realm of near super car, and 0-60 under 8 sec was bigtime quick. No airbags either. FWD vs RWD. Kind of a toss up, when you really overcook a corner with FWD you're plowing face first into something. But yeah, in today's world I'm not sure I've give my son a RWD car to start off with. He's going to be going to racing schools (if he wants to ... because Dad wants to have fun) before he even has a license. But still. I remember how tempting it was to show off for your friends. My first car was a 1984 Civic CRX 1.5 with a whopping 105hp. Looking back that was an impossibly small car and it seems like the things I did in it should've killed me. But 80mph was tough to manage, and I'm pretty sure what I thought was cooking along was really only 15 over posted at best. Tell you truth, I'll probably buy my son something like a few year old smallest engined BMW or Audi. I don't think Volvos really have the safety edge that they used to. It's also my personal opinion that Japanese cars aren't all that safety focused. I have no factual data, that's just from the feel I get when I'm in them.
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