Resources on learning to drive RWD w/out TCS/ESC?

[niccolo]

Hi!

I was wondering if somebody could point me to some resources on how to drive DeLoreans (or any a RWD car without traction/stability control).

I searched for videos on YouTube, but all I found was tutorials for videogames.

Yesterday I was driving on a?I guess?pretty shitty country road and the car spun out of me. Luckily I was going extremely slowly (40km/h or 25mph) but I shat my pants.

Granted:

- it wasn't raining, but the road was wet because I'm in Poland and Winter is shitty, and I think I hit a puddle with mud around it
- I later found out that I got Summer tires in the back, believe it or not because the site I bought them from said "all season" while after checking on other sites after I miraculously made it home alive other sites say "Summer" (Cobra Radial G/T 235/60 R15 98T RWL, they seem to be Summer tires)
- I have no experience driving older cars

So, previously I had driven my DeLorean in the city a handful of times, at a normal speed and without pushing it that much. I had read that there could be handling issues but I never experienced anything weird and I didn't even know you had to know what you're doing. After the event I researched TSC, ESC, ABS etc. and I now understand that it's a completely different beast compared to newer cars which do everything for you.

So, I guess in the past it was normal to know how to drive without aids or die in a car crash, but can somebody either do a bullet point of things I should know, or point me to some good article/site so that I can make it home alive next time?

Any help appreciated.

Attaching picture of rural Poland with car for your pleasure:

69437

[glockworks21]

The tire you have is considered a all season tire. It is a old design and certainly not the best A/S tire compared to what you can get now for newer cars. But as im sure you are aware we are limited on choices due to size. How cold was it? any chance of black ice? was the tread packed in mud from the pothole when it spun? seems odd that it would spin out at that low of speed without a outside factor. I had a set of 15 year old cooper cobras on car when i got it. Got stuck in rain once for a short period and they hooked up fine. Ive since replaced just due to age..


Dave.

[niccolo]

Thanks, Dave!

Website I bought the tires from say "All season" but pretty much all other ones say Summer, still not sure.

I think there was mud (I wasn't able to stop the car to check, I had someone behind me). Temperature was 3C/37.5F.

Even later though while driving on asphalt the car seemed to skid out while making curves, which I've never experienced before while driving it. I've always had the same tires, but I did changed the alignment and suspensions recently.

I was actually hoping the problem was having Summer tires, so you're saying it's something else, then.

[glockworks21]

Thanks, Dave!

Website I bought the tires from say "All season" but pretty much all other ones say Summer, still not sure.

I think there was mud (I wasn't able to stop the car to check, I had someone behind me). Temperature was 3C/37.5F.

Even later though while driving on asphalt the car seemed to skid out while making curves, which I've never experienced before while driving it. I've always had the same tires, but I did changed the alignment and suspensions recently.

I was actually hoping the problem was having Summer tires, so you're saying it's something else, then.

how old are the tires? do you know how much tread is left? I know they dont make the coopers in the front size anymore.

[David T]

Make sure you have the correct pressures in your tires. Have the alignment checked. If you are easy on the gas and brake and don't make sudden changes, a Delorean is no harder to drive than any other car. The very best advice would be to get some driving instruction on a track and a skid pan. You will learn how to handle spins, brake, and follow the "line". I don't know what resources you have available in Poland.

[niccolo]

Make sure you have the correct pressures in your tires. Have the alignment checked. If you are easy on the gas and brake and don't make sudden changes, a Delorean is no harder to drive than any other car. The very best advice would be to get some driving instruction on a track and a skid pan. You will learn how to handle spins, brake, and follow the "line". I don't know what resources you have available in Poland.

Thanks, man! I agree, this is the only time I experienced anything different compared to a normal car.

Rear wheels are currently 2% tow in