Your driving experience

802 Views 12 Replies 8 Participants Last post by 1FASTBOX, Oct 20, 2001

NoahK24

Discussion Starter · Oct 14, 2001

Hey, I was just wondering if you would think all of the Turbo and R models are the worst handling cars of the modern era? I'm 14 and my parents have an 850 Turbo wagon, but I was on Supercars.net and this guy is just totally bashing the 850 on the forums. I was just wondering if you had any agreements with him saying stuff like that, and that they have understeer everywhere.

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JHEIII850Turbo

· #2 · Oct 15, 2001

An 850 Turbo with very nice, slick, tires on it, will not have a hard time out performing a BMW, Audi *non-quattro*, any Mercedes... including CLK 55!!!!

those are from my personal experiences... maybe you should get the opportunity to drive legally, before you start cracking on 850 R & Turbos...

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Evolvo

· #3 · Oct 15, 2001

The downside to the cars is that they are heavy and fwd, which lead them to understeer a bit, and it's easy to cup tires (I speak from experience).

Smaller and lighter cars are inherently more nimble. Although, Volvo factory suspensions are very good, especially the suspensions on the R models. They are surprisingly aggressive for a stock vehicle.

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towerymt

· #4 · Oct 15, 2001

quote:

Originally posted by Evolvo:
...and it's easy to cup tires (I speak from experience).

What exactly is "cupping?" I hear it frequently, but I'm not sure what it is.

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Kai

· #5 · Oct 15, 2001

quote:

Originally posted by JHEIII850Turbo:
...maybe you should get the opportunity to drive legally, before you start cracking on 850 R & Turbos...

Noah, don't mean to add more flame to this already 'interesting' topic. I do agree with him on that comment.

Whoever that was bashing about the 850..I really wonder what he was comparing the 850 to.

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[email protected]

· #6 · Oct 15, 2001

I'm guessing what he means is the heavy wear on the tires if you corner hard. Our R has heavier wear on the outer edges of the tires due to cornering and the car's weight. To others with smaller diameter wheels, a more common effect might be worn sidewalls. Since the R has 17s, the former happens, and that's what I refer to as cupping.

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Evolvo

· #7 · Oct 15, 2001

Yeah, that's kind of what I mean. The tread is uneven, and wears faster on the outer edges. It's largely due to hard cornering, and I had assumed the size and weight of the car makes that worse.

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Simon Linton

· #8 · Oct 16, 2001

While much tyre wear on the R is due to press-on driving, the power steering at parking speeds is responsible for the "feathering" on the edges - not much you can do about it, either.

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NoahK24

Discussion Starter · #9 · Oct 16, 2001

quote:

Originally posted by JHEIII850Turbo:
An 850 Turbo with very nice, slick, tires on it, will not have a hard time out performing a BMW, Audi *non-quattro*, any Mercedes... including CLK 55!!!!

those are from my personal experiences... maybe you should get the opportunity to drive legally, before you start cracking on 850 R & Turbos...

Guys you must be mistaking me. I said thats what the Guy on Supercars.net said. The 850 Turbo is by far one of my favorite cars, and on the forums I'm the only guy thats taking up for it. I deffinitely wasn't cracking on the car, maybe you guys should read my post correctly before you say I'm crackin on the car.

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NoahK24

Discussion Starter · #10 · Oct 16, 2001

This is what he said...

LOL! The 850 T5/T5R/R models are the *worst* handling performance cars of the modern era (possibly excluding the Saab Viggen), and the T4 comes close.

I've killed many Volvo Turbos in the twisties, they have so little grip and they roll quite a bit too. Another problem is that when you try to accelerate out from the corner when the car is still turning, you get horrible wheelspin and massive understeer. Extremely safe, but not very much fun..

But their engines are quite powerful and the straight line performance is good, except when accelerating from standstill where the lack of traction is a great problem. It is just that I enjoy more driving the twisty back roads than doing stoplight duels.
But perhaps you have learned to enjoy more about smokin' the front wheels and "understeer everywhere"-type handling?

I bet ya ten he's never beaten or probably faced a turbo 850.

Quote JHEIII850Turbo:

An 850 Turbo with very nice, slick, tires on it, will not have a hard time out performing a BMW, Audi *non-quattro*, any Mercedes... including CLK 55!!!!

I've been in the car with my dad when he's raced and beaten the BMW 3 series(One older model M3 starting from highway speeds), older Mustang 5.0's, Audi's, even once barely a Porsche Boxster, and those little hopped up Honda cars.

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JHEIII850Turbo

· #11 · Oct 17, 2001

I only took on one 850 Turbo... it was a white 850 Turbo. I didn't take him on off the line it was more from about 30 MPH. The second we left the school zone we hit about 90MPH in no time at all. The car is very engine heavy and Noah has a point, the wheels will squeal in turns when u give it gas. All you have to do is learn to drive the car, and you will eventually no its limits. It does help if your tires warm up and just hope you have control of the car, and it doesn't have control of you. As for Boxsters, I've beaten Boxsters in S off the line, and I've almost kept up with a Carrera from 30 to 80. Of course you can't compare a Volvo with a Porsche, not to mention most Porsche's have 6-speed manuals, and most 850 T-5's and R's are automatics. Good Luck to everyone who's racing Porsche's!! haha

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Simon Linton

· #12 · Oct 18, 2001

I drive a manual 850R saloon and it's not the most nimble of vehicles in twisty back roads, but you can chuck it around within reason.

It's better now I've added a strut brace, with cleaner turn-in.

Its real strength is continuing acceleration, you just keep on getting power well into the 120+ region, which of course amazes people who believe all Volvos come with a caravan welded onto the rear.

If you want a back road racer, get a hot hatch; if you want a cruiser with serious poke, the 850R is definitely the business.

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1FASTBOX

· #13 · Oct 20, 2001

First the car does have limits it is after all a 4 DOOR family car! I have taken alot of cars this summer straight line and in mild corners. I know what the car will and will not do, you have to know your car and be a good driver. And like our friend in the U.K. says the mind set for a Volvo is safe heavy family car loaded for the weekend. Few would say that after I pass them, these turbo's are for the person who wants or needs a car in this class but has the sports car punch, see the look on peoples face when you punch it at highway speed and you are gone. Thats a Volvo?. You know what I am getting at. One of the if not the best all around touring cars. Just my 2 cents!

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