Safe road testing Options

[VaccaRabite]

How do you folks figure out what your cars can do in a safe surrounding?

Now that my car is driving, I'd like to find out how it corners, where it can be pushed, and where it can not. I guess a big parking lot would work, I know I don't want to do this on the open street. And I'd prefer not to learn my car on an auto-X course.

I'm interested in doing things like Drivers Ed and Auto-X, but I want to get an idea of my limits w/o trees, poles, other cars or babies in prams getting in my way - and preferably in an environment where Johnny Law won't ticket me for it either.

in a factory built and balanced car, I figure they have done the basic handling testing. In my car, none of that has been done yet, and I am driving it like a pussy cause I don't know when the back end will come loose or the front end is going to push, or what will happen when the wheels lock under emergency stop conditions, etc.

Zach

[McMark]

While an AX is a bit hectic, driving fast or at the limits in any public setting has risks both physically and lawfully. An AX is set up to allow people to drive fast and corner hard. So to my brain, it's really the only safe place to test a car. You have to mentally 'write off' the event as a learning session and not worry about time, but it's the only place I'd try to find my limits.

[ConeDodger]

While an AX is a bit hectic, driving fast or at the limits in any public setting has risks both physically and lawfully. An AX is set up to allow people to drive fast and corner hard. So to my brain, it's really the only safe place to test a car. You have to mentally 'write off' the event as a learning session and not worry about time, but it's the only place I'd try to find my limits.

I agree. Autocross seat time is invaluable for learning the car. As far as streets, I have a test course where I stay reasonably close to the real speed limits and laws and get a feel for how well the car is doing. Since I live in an area that is littered with guys like Steve Nieslony I write off every autocross event as a learning experience (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) The problem with using a DE as a set up plan is that it costs a lot of money to enter and what if you discovered there was a problem after you spend $300+ to enter?