A Safer VL

[Stewart1000]

Im new to the VL and im only on my Ls and i hear they dont have very good handling at all especially in the wet.
my vl has 17x7.5s on the back and front. and i dont have enough money so lower it so anything i can do to make it handle better. eg cheap suspension improvements.
my budget would be around $400 i supose.
any advise would be great thanks...

[Dead Head]

You are better off sticking to the speed limit and save your 400 untill you learn to drive.

[ucwepn]

king springs and nolathane bushes will give it better road holding, If you want better wet weather handling get some yokohamas or michelin pilots, it wont be perfect but it'll be an improvement over cheaper tyres (i don't like my maxis tyres they are 18 inch) The michelin pilot sport's that I want are $580 each.

[vlct400]

why do u want a safe vl for? work the backside of it and make it a turbo that way the dry feels like the wet and the wet gets more fun

[Stewart1000]

yeah that sounds good but only if i had good suspension first.
how much would it be for king springs and better bushes?

[walesy]

ive had no trouble with my VL in the wet, plenty of control, control became 20times better with the spool, lot of sideways control anyway, better tyres are definately a good start for good traction in the wet then start on your suspension

[Stewart1000]

really? what tyres do you use?
a lot of people here say its pretty bad, i think my tyres are 235 and 245 on the back. i have no idea what that means tho. can anyone help me out with that issue?

[michaelw]

At the risk of sounding like an old fart. Spend some of the dosh on an advanced driving course. That will make the car a lot safer.

Mike

[walesy]

235 and 245?!!! theyre huge i run 205 on front and cheap 215's on the rear, with 245 on rear you should have no troubles with traction with an N/A vl

[walesy]

At the risk of sounding like an old fart. Spend some of the dosh on an advanced driving course. That will make the car a lot safer.

Mike

also what he said advanced driving corse would be a good idea i have always wanted to do one but have trouble with either time or money

[bangers]

i have a semi license but i'd still do a driving course. A: it would be fun B: learn some useful emergency procedures. there's a lot of wildlife to dodge out my way. being over confident of your driving skills is foolish. i've jack knifed a semi before and pulled it straight but i'm still willing to admit i can learn more.

[Stewart1000]

yeah im intending on doing a tactics course.
but i also want to make my ride safer. but yeah being an over confident driver is foolish, i know im not a good driver as i have only racked up a few hours...

[Stewart1000]

235 and 245?!!! theyre huge i run 205 on front and cheap 215's on the rear, with 245 on rear you should have no troubles with traction with an N/A vl

can you actually explain what the numbers mean, dimensions or what?
thats what my cuz told me, i brought the car from him. the rims are 7.5" wide

[ucwepn]

Ok the numbers mean mm as in 245mm across the tread (tread width) I run 235 40/18 .......the 40 is the height of the tyre from the edge of the rim to the tread at the top (height of sidewall) ( I think its mm as well but not sure) and the 18 is the size of the wheel. I heard the Dunlop sp 300's are good they are $370 each (prolly what im getting next).

When you get used to your car it will feel safer because you will know what it can and can't do and you're instinct will kick in.

[Stewart1000]

thanks for the explaination, i get it now.
yeah i supose the more you drive the better you become. ill start in the dry

[vlv8vic]

just be careful in it. dont listen to the shit about the spool - thats the dumb sort of comment youll get from some idiots.

bottom line is many people have driven VLs and never had problems through simply being careful. the times where you get into trouble are likely to be the times where no matter what car your in its gonna either hurt the head or the pocket.
at this stage $400 is best spent on a good driving course.

[bangers]

if you need to spend 300 or 400 on each tyre to keep your car under control then you need to do a driving course cos you can't drive for shit. and who'd want to trash tyres that cost so much.

[walesy]

[QUOTE=vlv8vic]just be careful in it. dont listen to the shit about the spool - thats the dumb sort of comment youll get from some idiots.[QUOTE]

well what about all the idiots who drive single spinners and go and get sideways? a single spinner is 10X more dangerous

[ucwepn]

if you need to spend 300 or 400 on each tyre to keep your car under control then you need to do a driving course cos you can't drive for shit. and who'd want to trash tyres that cost so much.

LOL you obviously don't consider tyres an important part of driving. Who says I trash my tyres? coz I didn't, I know what good tyres are capable of because I have had michelin pilots on my old car. My tyres cost $205 each and they are 18 inch's and they are shit lmao.
we got shit roads here in VIC and shit drivers as well it helps to gain any advantage you can

[michaelw]

No I think the point he is trying to make is the MOST important thing to keep the car under control is the skill of the driver. Without that every thing else is irrelvalent.

Mike

[bangers]

i've never driven in vic. to scared with those damn hook turns and all . I don't know the prices of those size tyres retail. a mate of mine gets tyres for near cost for me as he's in the industry. they just seem dear as i'm getting a set of new top range mags 17s or 18s and tyres for 1000. cheaper then buying a set of those tyres retail. i might just get new rims everytime i need tyres. lol.

[ucwepn]

Yeah I understand that is the case for a new driver,but I've been driving for 11 years now and expect some decent handling for the cash outlay, (tired of the plough on understeer and occasionally tail wagging oversteer).


Wow $1000 is amazing for 18's with tyres, I paid $1550, I gonna come see ya when I need tyres LOL

[vlv8vic]

[QUOTE=87rb30devil][QUOTE=vlv8vic]just be careful in it. dont listen to the shit about the spool - thats the dumb sort of comment youll get from some idiots.

well what about all the idiots who drive single spinners and go and get sideways? a single spinner is 10X more dangerous

singles are completely predictable. Lsds are unpredictable. spools are relitively predictable but are going to let the car go alot further than singles.
if only one wheel ends up spinning the car will only go in a straight line, when two wheels spin you lose 100% traction and the whole arse sits out.
Underiding point is the vehicle shouldnt be sideways in the first place. If for whatever reason it does (adn with a driving course the kids will learn not to boot though a roundabout) then i know i would rather see a p-plater lose traction on one wheel and not two.
i guess there is some method in not allowing full-spools and lockers on the road. save it for the track.

[Stewart1000]

yeah thanks guys im gonna do a advanced drivign course soon

[rb26dett]

[QUOTE=87rb30devil][QUOTE=vlv8vic]just be careful in it. dont listen to the shit about the spool - thats the dumb sort of comment youll get from some idiots.

well what about all the idiots who drive single spinners and go and get sideways? a single spinner is 10X more dangerous

If that were true, then spools would come factory fitted.