style of driving - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#16 09-10-2002, 03:23 PM

If I wanted an acceleration rush I'd get a bike. I think the personality of my E320 has changed my driving style quite a bit. By previous car was lighter and more tossable. The 320 likes smooth steady pressure on the wheel. I think it has made me a better driver.

As for Jackie Stewart, I remember a video, or article, that I saw years ago comparing the "hot" drivers at the time. They put accelerometers on the cars to measure breaking, acceleration, side force etc. and compared the forces on the car at different places on the track, between the drivers. Jackie was super smooth. He earned my respect after seeing those numbers.

bobbyv · #17 09-10-2002, 10:23 PM

with respect to the use of my brakes, my main consideration is not brake dust, but rotor warpage. When coming to a stop on a stoplight for example, I try to brake early and gradually. After coming to a nearly full stop, I let the car move forward a little so that the rotors can cool evenly.

This is because I've read an article in Car&Driver or Road&Track that the part of the rotor under the pads will remain hotter than the rest of the rotor, and can contribute to rotor warpage.

And I hate the feel of warped rotors. It can even trigger your ABS prematurely. And it will definitely result in uneven tire wear.

As for braking into a corner, I try to practice "trail braking", which is continuing to brake while cornering (although gradually letting it go), to shift more weight onto the front tires to improve cornering traction. Of course, this has to be done very smoothly or it will upset the suspension and your cornering line.

Another smooth driver was/is Alain Prost. His driving was so clinical and deceptively quick that he was called "The Professor".

pmizell · #18 09-10-2002, 11:30 PM

City driving is smooth, like most everyone else it seems. Gear changes are accompanied by acceleration let up, no harsh shifts at all -- except those early morning ones when the CC is warming up. I'd imagine this is good for the tranny as I've had no problems whatsoever in 222k miles so far.

Highway travel driving is a different story.

These cars are meant to eat up freeway pavement at high speeds, and that's exactly how I drive on the open freeway. On a recent trip to Nashville, I was cruising at around 110-115 MPH for about a nice 20 minute stretch through Mississippi. It's amazing that an 11 year old car can hum along at that speed so effortlessly. Amazing cars, these Benz's are.

BAd124 · #19 09-11-2002, 11:34 AM

In reply to the comment that driving a mercedes has changed your driving style,,I fully agree. I try to smooth and all but not only that I try to be courteous to others(letting others go first at stops and all). But for the winter one year I had a Honda Accord 5-speed. It was like Jekyll and Hyde, well not that extreme but it was a marked difference. I drove faster, braked later, passed people when I normally wouldn't. I was really surprised, but I guess it is true that the kind of car does have an influence on your driving. Now I have an Audi 90CS for a winter car,,,,you can guess whats going to happen in a snow covered parking lot in the early morning hours

tvpierce · #20 09-11-2002, 12:24 PM

BAd124

An Audi 90CS is your "winter rat"? Very nice!

Jeff Pierce

pentoman · #21 09-11-2002, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bobbyv

As for braking into a corner, I try to practice "trail braking", which is continuing to brake while cornering (although gradually letting it go), to shift more weight onto the front tires to improve cornering traction. Of course, this has to be done very smoothly or it will upset the suspension and your cornering line.

I'm not so sure this is a good idea. Sure, on a race track you enter the corner a little quicker, but i think you risk the rear end stepping out if you're braking too hard while turning (weight shifts off rear wheels). I think slow in, fast out is the only safe way to drive public roads - if you're going into turns quickly, or even still braking, then you may be near your traction limits. If some nutter is 3-point turning in the road ahead and you have to hit the brakes, the back of the car can skid (not too badly on MBs though). There's not enough room to be doing this on public roads.

Either way, don't try braking while turning in too many European front-drivers (especially any Peugeot hatchback - they prefer to drive backwards down the road than forwards, I confirmed this [intentionally] on an empty wet roundabout at night once, pretty unfriendly behaviour).

#22 09-12-2002, 03:33 PM

Well...I have to. In first to get out of the way you have to race the little diesel a bit...about 3500 RPM...rest of the time it is quick and precise shifting at the shift points with little time staying in between the gears. Usually 4th gear at my normal country crusing speed of 40, 2nd gear into turns, third to slow down when coming to turns and stops, and first to come from a stop. You guys notice you really gotta tromp it to get the 240D to go in first?

#23 09-12-2002, 08:24 PM

On or Off.

BenzOnline · #24 09-12-2002, 11:46 PM

these diesels you really have to push eh?

Mercedes Fred · #25 09-13-2002, 12:32 AM

for some idiotic reason, maybe to avoid brake pad wear, i like to avoid using the brakes, in fact let me be honest - i really hate using brakes, it is totally annoying and useless in a utopian world: in utopia, there are no unplanned dangers to suddenyl stop for and everyone drives to arrive, not to brake for idiots , and im in a mercedes which is utopia time!- so ill coast to a stop or slow down a 1/4 mile from a red light and just be crawling when it turns green, a-ha, i did it whithout braking! the 300e is really weird with this, let the foot off the gas and it just slows to a crawl...i cant understand people who drive fast knowing that they are approaching a red light and then really hit the brakes...whats that all about? they get so mad behind me, but im sorry, the light is red and i am in utopia..

or try to judge just how fast i can take a corner without braking; the 300e seems to corner much better than other cars i have driven, the back end does not break out from under you;

aside from this, i am not a speedster

Ashman · #26 09-13-2002, 05:35 PM

I generally drive very relaxed and smooth, but I love giving my car a good workout, taking it through the gears, letting the engine open up at WOT, and exercising the suspension.

Alon

BenzOnline · #27 09-14-2002, 12:30 AM

I guess it would be good to do that once in a while. But driving smooth all the time would make the car last longer wouldnt it? My dad always said though, that "babying it is not always good!"

#28 09-14-2002, 01:01 PM

Just don't be like my cousin and upshift at less than 2,500 rpms in a small, low-torque 4 cylinder car (1991 VW Fox 5-speed) with a manual transmission.

That car got the snot lugged out of it. Not cool at all. And it was in the name of "not stressing the car out, either". Lugging = bad.

-Sam

BenzOnline · #29 09-15-2002, 11:50 AM

that is true sam of upshifting too early on a manual. I was learned that on my motorbike cause it can do engine damage.

Is there any way to "lug" a automatic like in our Benzes?

bobbyv · #30 09-15-2002, 06:39 PM

"lugging" an engine, or running it at high load and low rpm is bad because the oil pressure is not high enough to provide enough lubrication at that load (the oil pressure being dependent on engine rpm). If you don't have fuel with sufficient octane rating, it can also cause knocking.

with an automatic, the torque converter slips on high loads, preventing this high-load, low-rpm scenario.