FWD Performance

[Silver03MM]

How bad is FWD for performance and driving hard? The only reason I ask is, well this is kind of stupid but my other car is a 2000 Chevy Cavalier and considering doing some things to it or just holding off for lets say a 2006 Mustang. I know the mustang is definitely the way to go but I'm curious how bad a FWD car is?

[MarauderMark]

How bad is FWD for performance and driving hard? The only reason I ask is, well this is kind of stupid but my other car is a 2000 Chevy Cavalier and considering doing some things to it or just holding off for lets say a 2006 Mustang. I know the mustang is definitely the way to go but I'm curious how bad a FWD car is?


I've allways had a rear wheel drive car until i bought a 2000 bonneville SSEI the car was nice but i hated the front wheel drive.it was great in the snow but other than that i did'nt like it i had it for 2 yrs and was going to trade it in until my son crashed it..i guess what i am trying to say is as a rental there ok but i won't buy other one...

[QWK SVT]

How bad is FWD for performance and driving hard? The only reason I ask is, well this is kind of stupid but my other car is a 2000 Chevy Cavalier and considering doing some things to it or just holding off for lets say a 2006 Mustang. I know the mustang is definitely the way to go but I'm curious how bad a FWD car is?
There are upsides to FWD, performance isn't one of them. There's good reason there aren't many true performance vehicles, with FWD...

Traction from a dig just downright sucks. Take your pick - spin, spin, or bog, bog...

Ever blow a transmission in a FWD car? Not just a simple R&R, like RWD. The whole damn engine's gonna have to come out, too.

And, of course there's the ever fun torque steer - the annoying tendency of some front-wheel drive vehicles to pull to one side when the loud pedal is applied.

Do yuo have the 2.2L, or the 2.4L engine? Either way, making it as quick as a stock Marauder would take quite a bit. Take a look at http://www.j-body.org/, to see what's out there... It doesn't look like huge gains come from any mods, even cams don't seem to really gain that much...

[Silver03MM]

Yeah the Cavy is the first front wheel drive car i have driven, but i have driven an 87 oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, 1967 Mustang, and the Marauder of course. For some reason I just seem to be able to recover quicker in a RWD car than I could in a FWD car in the snow or in the rain. RWD just seems to handle better to me too. I don't know if there is anyway i could make my FWD Cavy better.

[CBT]

The best thing I did to improve the performance (and looks) of my 1994 Cavalier...was trade it in on my Marauder. It was a decent little car, sucker could get up and move, but it was just too small.

[04MEMA]

I traded in a 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP on my 04 MM. It had great low end torque and would kill my stock MM in the 1/4 (14.6). But they don't call it wrong wheel drive for nothing. The front tires are for steering, not putting the power down. Try to do both with the fronts and things just don't work as well. Also, when you get on it the weight transfers off the front wheels to the backs, and you lose traction. My MM handles better than that car. And I couldn't continue to live without that lusty V8 rumble - more addictive than crack cocaine (of course, I wouldn't know that first hand...) ;)


Jeff

[Warpath]

Torque steer can be significantly reduced with the proper suspension geometry. I don't know how to do it. I just been told its possible.

You can get FWD V8s (e.g. Caddy's)

Another disadvantage of FWD is weight balance. Typical FWD vehicles have 60%-65% front / 40%-45% rear balance whereas RWD is closer to 50%/50%. FWD advantages include flat interior floor and more driver friendly in harsch conditions.

[TAF]

As far as I'm concerned.....

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