Slippin' and Slidin'

[nola911]

I just responded to your thread on 6speed, but I will expand on it...

The south louisiana roads are trash. Rain fills the roads like rivers and the conditions sound less than favorable. A heavy LA rain with a strong crosswind is nothing to mess with, and if you got away with 60mph, you are going fast.

Unless you make your boxster 4wd or add 1000 lbs, you will not be able to do much to improve it's handling in those conditions.

[racer_d]

1) I would recommend the "penny" or "quarter" test. Put one into the tread blocks. The penny head, if visible, means you have more than 2/32" tread. The Quarter, about 4/32" of tread. New tires start out with at least 8/32" of tread.

2) I would do what we used to do when i was growing up - drive you car to the level conditions allow. If they only allow for 60mph, go 60.. If they only allow for 40 then go 40. Trying to drive "80" in ALL weather conditions is just plain stupid. Slipin and sliding IS the feedback you want to realize you are exceeding the presented levels of grip.

3) In my limited driving in southern climes, I have found roads ill equipped to handle large volumes of rain. Poor soil near the roads, winds, questionable road surfaces (drainage and crowning, truck ruts etc) all contribute to less than perfect roads.

best thing to do is just drive slow

[jmatta]

When I purchased my '02 S, I decided to drive home rather than pay the big shipping costs. So here I am in Dallas/FW heading north into Oklahoma in a big time rain storm...I was very pleasantly surprised at how well the car handled the adverse weather conditions. Also the last time I drove the car in those conditions!

[texwayne]

hey folks, thanks for your replies.

the rear tires passed the penny test before i left for LA.

i was definitely driving for the conditions, sometimes going less than 50. it was just frustrating having SUVs and pickups blow by me doing 70 or better. i live in texas, i should be used to knuckleheads going too fast.

i always try to avoid taking my car out in the rain. however, it is a daily driver. so, sometimes i can't avoid it. (it is garaged on both ends of the commute though.) the few times i've driven in the rain here at home, i haven't had any trouble maintaining freeway speeds and feeling safe. nostalgia for LA must have made me forget how bad the roads and weather can be.

i think i'll check the ball joints just to be safe. but, the shimmy only happened in those adverse conditions.