|
|
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,194
Hard-core CEG\'er
|
OP
Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,194 |
I've always wondered why the Contour handled better than the cars of its era such as the Pontiac Grand Am, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry,Dodge Stratus,etc.
Is it the suspension design? Chassis refinement? Or was it because of its European heritage?
Thanks.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,570
Hard-core CEG\'er
|
|
Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,570 |
Because it is the chariot of the gods.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 3,867
Hard-core CEG'er
|
|
Hard-core CEG'er
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 3,867 |
Originally posted by JCSVT:
I've always wondered why the Contour handled better than the cars of its era such as the Pontiac Grand Am, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry,Dodge Stratus,etc.
Is it the suspension design? Chassis refinement? Or was it because of its European heritage?
Thanks.
Hmmm.
While the Honda suspensions had more "sophisticated" designs, the Contour/Mystique/Mondeo were designed first for "European Drivers," who seem to be quite picky about how their cars handle on the road. You also had a bunch of European engineers working on the design, including people like Jackie Stewart who was in charge of the steering. Ford picked the best-handling benchmark of the time and went for it (Infiniti G20, IIRC).
The MacPherson/Chapman struts of our cars are "primitive" by today's standards, but the devil is in the details of suspension angles, steering behavior, etc. and I really can't begin to say why one car would be that much better than another. I just think the other cars you mention were set up for the American market, which is seen as a bunch of wide, straight roads and long highway cruises, and also as a consumer base that values a soft, numbing driving experience.
FWIW, I think Hondas handle very well. The Camrys I drove during that period were incredibly soft and uncommunicative, but might have been fixed by a firmer suspension. (I can't really tell.)
Function before fashion.
'96 Contour SE
"Toss the Contour into a corner, and it's as easy to catch as a softball thrown by a preschooler." -Edmunds, 1998
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,194
Hard-core CEG\'er
|
|
OP
Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,194 |
Originally posted by RogerB:
While the Honda suspensions had more "sophisticated" designs,
I forgot about Honda using double wishbones. Haven't they moved away from that recently?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 3,709
Hard-core CEG\'er
|
|
Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 3,709 |
I believe the double wishbones in hondas are out, at least on the civics they are.
Originally posted by Chickens:
Religion can't do much for ashholes (unless you are an alterboy)
98.5 Se w/SVT mods
98 E0 SVT~ sold
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,760
Hard-core CEG'er
|
|
Hard-core CEG'er
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,760 |
european roots, there is a reason it was compared to the Audi A4, BMW 3 series and not the accord, camry, etc...
Ryan
Trollin!
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 5,882
Addicted CEG\'er
|
|
Addicted CEG\'er
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 5,882 |
i think both my 90 and 98 accords handled better than my csvt. especially the 90, especially after intrax w/ tokicos.
you just cant beat double wishbone suspension. you dont see any really fast cars with Macpherson do you?  Mac offers a softer ride which is why Honda put them in the civic. also allows more room in the cabin. its also a reason why hondas can go so much lower than MacP cars. MacP cars suck for slamming. that's also one reason why integras were so popular. good power plus killer handling.
Last edited by svt4stv; 08/18/05 01:48 AM.
Originally posted by Tourgasm:
Sometimes you can mess up a word so bad that spell check doens't know what the hell you're talking about.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 7,117
Hard-core CEG'er
|
|
Hard-core CEG'er
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 7,117 |
Originally posted by svt4stv:
i think both my 90 and 98 accords handled better than my csvt. especially the 90, especially after intrax w/ tokicos.
you just cant beat double wishbone suspension. you dont see any really fast cars with Macpherson do you? Mac offers a softer ride which is why Honda put them in the civic. also allows more room in the cabin. its also a reason why hondas can go so much lower than MacP cars. MacP cars suck for slamming. that's also one reason why integras were so popular. good power plus killer handling.
I own a Honda Accord EX coupe with the 3.0 V-6. I think the handling is plodding & slow compared to my SE - on stock components for both. Adding a fresh set of good tires helped the Honda a lot as the stock Michelins were garbage, but it still has rather more roll than I would like, definately more than the Contour.
Aftermarket parts would definately bring the Honda up to snuff & perhaps beyond, but stock for stock, I don't agree with your assessment at all.
Must be that jumbly-wumbly thing happening again.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 807
Veteran CEG\'er
|
|
Veteran CEG\'er
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 807 |
Originally posted by svt4stv:
i think both my 90 and 98 accords handled better than my csvt. especially the 90, especially after intrax w/ tokicos.
My mom had a '90 Accord LX 4-door 5spd for over 12 years, and while it handled a hell of a lot better than the Plymouth Sundance we had in Drivers' Ed  , it was nowhere near my SVT Contour.
--T.J. "We didn't have no newfangled Neons when I was in high school; it was still the lousy Sundance! But we liked it, we loved it... Er, wait a minute..." Swoboda
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 5,882
Addicted CEG\'er
|
|
Addicted CEG\'er
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 5,882 |
Originally posted by TourDeForce:
but stock for stock, I don't agree with your assessment at all.
yeah i was thinking about it afterwards and i dont think stock for stock it matches to the csvt but with aftermarket components i think it definitely does.
your 3.0 v6 is obviously a 98 or newer. i had a 98 and they definitely had much more body roll than the 90-97. more plush. suspension helped but not like the old ones so maybe even i must change my assessment on that. but definitely not the older ones. and i still stand by the integra, possibly moreseo with aftermarket suspension.
Originally posted by Tourgasm:
Sometimes you can mess up a word so bad that spell check doens't know what the hell you're talking about.
|
|
|
|
|
