For anyone looking for a sweet 987S - Page 12

Sharp11 · 01-14-2010, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terry Kennedy

Unless they just had a burst of stupid when they tested the Atom (video), I'd take their comments with a grain (or bushel) of salt. The C&D test driver had comments like "the thing just does not want to point in a straight line as you can ...whoop... see".

This has been quite a topic of discussion (as you can imagine) over in the Atom forums. Either the car was set up very badly or the driver wasn't used to a car without power anything and no electronic nannies.

I don't put much stock in hot lap comparo's - even if one driver is testing all the cars, it takes time to get to know a particular car, all it shows us is how much more "easily" one car may be to drive faster than another.

It's also possible (and entirely probable) that different examples of the same car will provide different results. Perhaps even a swap of tires could make the difference?

Today's production cars handle pretty well, unless a car has a glaring (and unsafe) characteristic all of these cars far exceed the capabilities of most drivers.

It makes for good fanboi stuff, however - "my car laps the ring one tenth of one second faster than yours..."

The marketing people must love it.

John V · 01-14-2010, 06:00 AM

I think it's a pretty decent comparison from the standpoint that these guys aren't racecar drivers and 99.8% of their readers aren't either. So they're going to have problems with twitchy cars. But no, it's not gospel.

That KTM X-Bow is an interesting beast. I hadn't seen that before.

Terri Kennedy · 01-14-2010, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sharp11

I don't put much stock in hot lap comparo's - even if one driver is testing all the cars, it takes time to get to know a particular car, all it shows us is how much more "easily" one car may be to drive faster than another.

Definitely. In one of the Top Gear episodes this season, Clarkson comments about 2 cars that posted very similar lap times, saying that while any of them could probably get a similar time out of one, it takes someone like the Stig to do it in the other one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by John V

I think it's a pretty decent comparison from the standpoint that these guys aren't racecar drivers and 99.8% of their readers aren't either. So they're going to have problems with twitchy cars. But no, it's not gospel.

True. But I don't find the Atom twitchy at all. Which is kind of odd, given that I was told things like "the first time you know you've lost it is when the rear end passes you going the other way". The factory settings aren't for everyone, though - as witness the new owner who spun his in the front straight.

John V · 01-14-2010, 07:50 AM

GRM tested a Brammo Atom a while back and found that the handling, as delivered from the factory, was pretty miserable. The owner of the car (track-rat kind of guy) basically conceded the point and said that while all the parts are there to make a great handling car, it takes a lot of tweaking to make them all work together properly.

Terri Kennedy · 01-14-2010, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John V

GRM tested a Brammo Atom a while back and found that the handling, as delivered from the factory, was pretty miserable. The owner of the car (track-rat kind of guy) basically conceded the point and said that while all the parts are there to make a great handling car, it takes a lot of tweaking to make them all work together properly.

With the large selection of options that are normally fixed configs on other cars (3 different shock types; 3 different spring ratios with or w/o helper springs; 2 different ratio bellcranks; 5 brake packages) there was a lot to learn about setting up the various combinations.

The stuck Brammo setup was 1mm to 1.5mm toe out on each side, front and rear. That makes for some funky handling if you're not expecting it.

John V · 01-14-2010, 08:31 AM

Right, that's my point. You never know what configuration this particular car was in when it was handed to them for testing.

TD · 01-15-2010, 09:37 AM

So much for that idea.

The '04 is sold.

FC · 01-15-2010, 10:46 AM

I jumped on Sarafil's tip about the silver '07 987S and drove to Providence with a pregnant wife the next day. I had been sold the day before in a matter of hours (to a guy from OH). That night, I searched, found my 987S (in MI) and made an offer 1st thing on Monday.

Sometimes, cars are priced to move and you just have to go for it.

TD · 01-15-2010, 11:13 AM

I kind of assumed that, in a frigid January, the car might be around until Saturday.

Working an hour in the wrong direction from this dealership ruled out making it there any evening this week even if I might have thought it necessary.

According to the salesman, there is a chance the sale might fall through and he'll give me a call. I'm assuming it will be gone.

FC · 01-15-2010, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TD

I kind of assumed that, in a frigid January, the car might be around until Saturday.

Working an hour in the wrong direction from this dealership ruled out making it there any evening this week even if I might have thought it necessary.

According to the salesman, there is a chance the sale might fall through and he'll give me a call. I'm assuming it will be gone.

I don't blame you for assuming it may hang around. Tough break.

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01-14-2010, 06:00 AM	#112
John V No more BMWs Join Date: Apr 2005 Carmudgeonly Ride: Ram, MS3, CX-5, RX-8 Location: Glenwood, MD Posts: 14,753	I think it's a pretty decent comparison from the standpoint that these guys aren't racecar drivers and 99.8% of their readers aren't either. So they're going to have problems with twitchy cars. But no, it's not gospel. That KTM X-Bow is an interesting beast. I hadn't seen that before.

01-14-2010, 07:50 AM	#114
John V No more BMWs Join Date: Apr 2005 Carmudgeonly Ride: Ram, MS3, CX-5, RX-8 Location: Glenwood, MD Posts: 14,753	GRM tested a Brammo Atom a while back and found that the handling, as delivered from the factory, was pretty miserable. The owner of the car (track-rat kind of guy) basically conceded the point and said that while all the parts are there to make a great handling car, it takes a lot of tweaking to make them all work together properly.

01-14-2010, 08:31 AM	#116
John V No more BMWs Join Date: Apr 2005 Carmudgeonly Ride: Ram, MS3, CX-5, RX-8 Location: Glenwood, MD Posts: 14,753	Right, that's my point. You never know what configuration this particular car was in when it was handed to them for testing.

01-15-2010, 09:37 AM	#117
TD Founder emeritus Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Maryland Posts: 21,007	So much for that idea. The '04 is sold.

01-15-2010, 10:46 AM	#118
FC Solving problems Join Date: Oct 2003 Carmudgeonly Ride: M5 / 718 GTS / Cooper S / GTI / LR4 Location: Metro Boston Posts: 25,248	I jumped on Sarafil's tip about the silver '07 987S and drove to Providence with a pregnant wife the next day. I had been sold the day before in a matter of hours (to a guy from OH). That night, I searched, found my 987S (in MI) and made an offer 1st thing on Monday. Sometimes, cars are priced to move and you just have to go for it.

01-15-2010, 11:13 AM	#119
TD Founder emeritus Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Maryland Posts: 21,007	I kind of assumed that, in a frigid January, the car might be around until Saturday. Working an hour in the wrong direction from this dealership ruled out making it there any evening this week even if I might have thought it necessary. According to the salesman, there is a chance the sale might fall through and he'll give me a call. I'm assuming it will be gone.