I have a friend who over the summer, purchased a MP3. I drive a 2k1 civic, and as we were leaving his house we passed a turn that each of us had taken thousands of times. I was going prolly 55, he was going 40, his back end stepped out and the car went out of control into a tree totaling the car. Well needles to say my friend has come across some money and is buying another car. I was wondering if anyone knew of an ABS kit available for the car.
ABS
- Thread starter FSRbikr98
- Start date
That's a shame about the car... are you sure that he was only doing 40? I drive the car really hard, and it's really hard to get the rear end to slip out. Anyway, no, as of right now there is no aftermarket ABS system for the MP3, but the 01/02 Protege' has ABS as an option. Maybe one could get it through the dealership at the cost of an arm, leg, left nut, etc.
I autocross it and the only time i could get the back end out was by taking out the sub and the spare tire and really braking hard and turning from about 45mph. Even then it only got a little squirrely. I actually was trying to make the oversteer happen to get the car around a turn a little faster and it was difficult to do. I have been able to get the car to lock up the brakes with no problem and slide for what seems like miles in wet weather! That actually cost me a trip to the body shop. I get it back today!
The only logical explanation for the rear stepping out on a turn like that is that your friend decided (too late in the turn) to let off the gas, and maybe hit the brakes. When this is done in the middle of a hard turn, all of the car's inertia centers around the outside front wheel, the front dips hard, and the rear end becomes light, similar to straight-line hard braking. If there is a slight rise or elevation in the corner, the tendency for the rear end to come loose is even stronger. I've pushed my P5 to this limit before, and I think it is harder to do in the P5 because it is heavier in the back than the MP3, and the suspension is a little softer. I don't have ABS, and I still have my car intact.
Sorry to say, ABS is useless for this situation. The rear broke out because of bad driving, not locked brakes (or so it sounds).
Tell your friend to spend his money on driving lessons - maybe then he won't feel the need for ABS, or that ABS can defy physics.
Sorry to say, ABS is useless for this situation. The rear broke out because of bad driving, not locked brakes (or so it sounds).
Tell your friend to spend his money on driving lessons - maybe then he won't feel the need for ABS, or that ABS can defy physics.
ABS won't do a great deal for a car in corners, well at least in my experiences. ABS is mainly for braking in a straight line. I've only been able to "throw the back out" in my MP3 once and that was when it was very wet out. I had done exaclty what hihoslva explained and damn it was fun. I was in the middle of tryin to find the races so all the other guys were lookin at me like I was crazy for pulling a stunt like that. 
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Yeah, theoretically, it would take alot to MAKE the back end come around. You all explained it pretty well. It is all about shifting the weight from the back to the front, which is done during hard braking. I doubt your friend did that. It could be one of those wierd situations where only the back tires hit a puddle or oil spot and the back tires slipped out when they were at their limit already. Who knows, wierd things happen. I really doubt that it was the car's fault. I have an integra, like your civic, and honestly, it handles NOWHERE CLOSE to the MP3. Something wierd must have happened.
As for a new car, it depends what he is looking for. Just drive a bunch of different cars and choose from that.
As for a new car, it depends what he is looking for. Just drive a bunch of different cars and choose from that.
It has been proven in test after test that ABS generally INCREASES stopping distances, especially in sandy conditions, or even on wet leaves, etc. True, it allows you to continue to turn while applying full brake pressure, but you can do that yourself by braking properly, and not locking 'em up.
ABS doesen't really do anything to keep the rear in line during hard cornering. Nothing can defy physics, and if the rear is gonna swing out, even the most sophisticated stability control systems can't keep it in line. Since 1997, when the C5 came out, Corvettes have had a really solid traction/stability control system. It works excellent under most conditions; even keeps the car very stable in the snow, which was nearly impossible to do in earlier Vettes. Now try telling this to my buddy who's sweet Vette wound up in the middle of a golf course, after crashing through two fences and being launched airborne. This was because he was going WAY too fast and screwed around WAY too much - and the road was bone dry.
I think ABS kinda sucks, if you haven't figured that out already. Gives uneducated and inexperienced drivers an invincibility complex.
ABS doesen't really do anything to keep the rear in line during hard cornering. Nothing can defy physics, and if the rear is gonna swing out, even the most sophisticated stability control systems can't keep it in line. Since 1997, when the C5 came out, Corvettes have had a really solid traction/stability control system. It works excellent under most conditions; even keeps the car very stable in the snow, which was nearly impossible to do in earlier Vettes. Now try telling this to my buddy who's sweet Vette wound up in the middle of a golf course, after crashing through two fences and being launched airborne. This was because he was going WAY too fast and screwed around WAY too much - and the road was bone dry.
I think ABS kinda sucks, if you haven't figured that out already. Gives uneducated and inexperienced drivers an invincibility complex.
