Over-steer or Under-steer... that's the question...

[Peer]

Please excuse me if this has been debated here before (or if this is an issue that everyone knows except me), but how would you closest describe the Boxster's handling -- does it under-steer, or over-steer?

Don't smack me for asking this -- as you can see, I intentionally left out 'neutral' -- meaning that I'm curious what you think the Boxster's handling leans to the most.

-- peer

[MNBoxster]

Originally Posted by Peer

Please excuse me if this has been debated here before (or if this is an issue that everyone knows except me), but how would you closest describe the Boxster's handling -- does it under-steer, or over-steer?

Don't smack me for asking this -- as you can see, I intentionally left out 'neutral' -- meaning that I'm curious what you think the Boxster's handling leans to the most.

-- peer

Hi,

The Boxster, like most manufactured Street Cars, has some understeer built in. This is safer for the general public than either a neutral or oversteering setup.

But, this can be a complex set-up. The car can be changed somewhat just by differing tire pressure or tire size. It's one of the reasons the rear tires are larger than the fronts. A Neutral setup on the Boxster will be a handful for the unintiated or inexperienced driver - a lot less forgiving. Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[Sammy]

I would agree that the street set-up leans towards understeer.

At autocrosses I like to play with the pressures and get a slight bit of oversteer (usually means pumping the front up to equal the rear). I find the feedback to be easier to deal with when pushing the car around corners.

[Peer]

Just curious, since I've never driven an Audi TT 4wd, I wonder if the boxster under-steer less or more than the 4wd TT.

-- peer

[pecivil]

2nd that about playing with the suspension setup. When I added the M030 Sway bars that I found really cheap on ebay, the ratio of front to rear stiffness moves the car away from understeering...........after I put em on, I went for a test drive and got rather...uh.....sideways....at the left turn exiting my housing tract......lucky for me I was able to hold it (barely) and not kiss a big ole light pole.

[Perfectlap]

I've yet to experience true honest to goodness oversteer in this car.
My last car on Falken Azenis had PLENTY of tail happy traits.
BoxsterS may be the most boringly predictable car I have ever driven.
Turn wheel 15 degrees car turns 15 degrees.

[John V]

Depends on your driving style. Like most mid-engined cars, if you transfer weight to the front (by braking) before a turn and then trail the brakes off after turn-in, the rear end will rotate very nicely. Get on the power too abruptly and you'll be sideways before you know it. Get it right, and you can acheive a pretty nice slip angle with all four tires.

If you just charge hard into a corner without slowing down, sure, the car will understeer. Through transitions (like a slalom) the back end will stay pretty planted if you are on the power. Start lifting off the throttle and the car can get loose in a hurry.

It really comes down to the driver, but the car does not have what I would describe as a lot of built-in understeer.

[Burg Boxster]

[sigh]

MNBoxster... the poster who at one point probably had more threads locked down on 986forum than anyone else.

Smart idea to have popcorn handy when Jim posted - LOL.

Good times