Slippery When Wet...

[davemotion]

Hi

I had a Golf GTi Mk3 8V(254000 miles original engine!) then I got an Audi Cabriolet 2.0 1995. I noticed today as I was going round a corner in the heavy rain that it wandered or should I say slipped round the corner. The GTi was always good in the wet.

My question is whether this is a common thing with the cabriolets? It could be the alloys although they're Audi-ish alloys of the same overall size, Just lower profile tyres.

I'm carefully finding the threshold for the corners in the wet. It does roll a bit in the dry.

I know it's no GTi but it was a bit alarming!

Thanks
D

[clive30v]

What is the tread pattern like om the tyres? some are good dispercing water and some are useless. also take into account the weight of the car aswell.

[davemotion]

Hi clive30v,

Treads seems good, they're Diamond Back something or other. I expect the weight has something to do with it. Just had the tracking done too.
Thanks

Dave

[Dudey Head]

Most Audis can be quite prone to understeer as the engine is mounted quite far forward (certainly the 80/90/Coupe/Cab has the engine quite far forward) which basically means there is inertia ahead of the front wheels and means the car wants to carry on in a straight line when you steer! Don't know about the MK3 Golf, but I used to have MK2 & the engine was definitely not mounted as far forward.You've really got to push them though, my coupe is a V6 so there's quite a bit of weight up front but it's never done what you describe, even at speed. Then again, it's running on quite chunky low profile tyres on 17" alloys which grip pretty damn well. It's also on Koni suspension & handles very tightly, but theoretically the body roll you describe allows some give before it starts to slide, whereas firmer suspension like mine doesn't have that so should be more prone to breaking away in the wet. But mine's never done that to me. (Sorry bout the basic physics lesson! :D)
Now I've gone blithering on without asking, did it actually understeer or oversteer?

[davemotion]

Hi Dudey Head,

Thanks for replying.

I guess it was understeer, I get them muddled up but I think it's understeer coz it kept going straight. I haven't made any modifications since I've had it except the alloys.
The garage told me that the front shocks would probably need replacing for the next MOT, so maybe I'll get some good ones. I might also be going too fast of course, the GTi, I could always throw into any corner without too much worry!

Dave

[jono1324]

I am glad im not the only owner experiencing these problems..i recently got a coupe (2.2L 20V QUATTRO) and even tho its 4 wheel drive it feels like it wouldnt like it if i booted it round a corner - whereas I had a mk3 gti last year and could happily throw it into corners no problems..

oh it has also been lowered on low profiles

[scotty33]

Hi

with the 1.8 quattro I had many moons ago, it seemed more stable in the wet when you booted it into and through corners. The front still breaks away first due to engine positioned so far forward.
I know the 20v is more powerful, maybe try it in the dead zone below 4000rpm first? If it still feels 'wrong' the car may need a 4 wheel alignment? Don't forget the usual suspects - top mounts/wishbone bushes/ balljoints can all have a big effect on the coupe handling...

[Jonnovision]

I have experienced this, glad its not just my car!

I currently have a 2.0E 8v and it too feels poor in the wet. However, I used to have a 2.6E many moons ago which also had the issue. On the 2.6E I fitted decent tyres (michelin) and also dropped it 60mm on standard shocks (but replaced the shocks when I did it) - and it had a very positive improvement. Oh, was on standard alloys still too. I wouldnt lower one of these coupes that low again though, it killed the catalytic converters when going over speed bumps.

[Lee73]

Same here, I've got the 2.0 16v coupe 1993 still as standard, it does the same in the wet when i push it.

[Dudey Head]

I have experienced this, glad its not just my car!

I currently have a 2.0E 8v and it too feels poor in the wet. However, I used to have a 2.6E many moons ago which also had the issue. On the 2.6E I fitted decent tyres (michelin) and also dropped it 60mm on standard shocks (but replaced the shocks when I did it) - and it had a very positive improvement. Oh, was on standard alloys still too. I wouldnt lower one of these coupes that low again though, it killed the catalytic converters when going over speed bumps.

After you lowered it did you have any issues with tyre wear on the inside or the car 'tramlining' or wandering - the car wanting to follow any dips or changes in level in the road like passing parked traffic so that the RHS wheels cross over the camber in the road & the car pulling to the right?
Mine does (it's a 2.6E) & I've been told it's because it's lowered & will have negative camber which can cause this. I'm more inclined to think it needs new subframe bushes & probably top-mounts and there's a bit of play, after all it's 163,000 miles now!
It had new wishbones a while ago but that didn't seem to make any difference!
Anyway, didn't mean to hijack the thread! :p

[boyblunder69]

Hey dudey

I had a lush 2.6e in red. Standard wheels and suspension with Michelin's on and that understeered quite well. So much so that one day with the road a little damp, too much speed started some understeering which turned into a lot of oversteer which turned into me jumping off the road head on into a very big tree.

Discusted with myself. Have nice vr6 now, but do miss the coupe! Girlfriend even misses it!!

[zollaf]

any audi 80, in the right hands will actually out corner an awful lot of cars. believe me, around here there are a lot of bends and i dont get people staying close behind me for long, wet or dry. you just have to know how to handle them. dont go into the bend too fast, then accelerate round it, as hard as you like, keeping the understeer in control. simples. go into any bend too fast in any car and you end up in the ditch, but dont drive an 80 like a golf and expect the same handling. drive it like you should(with good tyres and suspension of course), and be amazed.

[fourringsrus]

Totally agree with Zollaf,the coupe's can plough on a bit but if you practice controlling the understeer you can find cornering as rewarding (almost) as some of the quattro models,now thats just my opinion but it seems that if you nail the beast having given you and everybody else plenty of space and then feather the throttle ,you will get round surprisingly well.
Like I said, plenty of room and plenty of practice,...my 2.6 front drive coupe 80 will light the tyres up on any tight turn even when the road is dry.
I could probably do with better tyres but there you go!
Stuart

[Jonnovision]

In honesty it didnt, it was vastly improved and had no play at all in the steering. Although I was running on standard alloys - sometimes bigger tyres can play a part in that pulling around where the road is worn.

[davemotion]

boyblunder69 - Oh dear, poor Coupé, I mean where you ok?

[Jacky C]

Hi there - this may not be helpful given how long ago you posted this complaint/observation. I recently traded in my beloved Subaru Outback ( cornered as if on rails), for an Audi A4 Cabriolet. One of the first things I noticed after getting it home, was on full lock especially if wet or a bit of gravel underfoot, the front tyres made an annoying skipping and associated crunching sounds when making a turn at low revs - like in a carpark... disconcerting yes, annoying yes! I took it to my trusted local garage and they said it was ' a design feature' on the audis caused by combination of strange wheel linkages and low profile tyres!! So nothing to worry about and nothing to do to fix.... I wish I had kept my subi, although otherwise the car is solid and handles Ok. I would beware any crunching sound going over bumps though as apparently ( my sister in US had one same model) as this was caused by a cracked wheel hub I think she said and garage when diagnosed went a bit white and said - err yes its very dangerous... so get it seen to immediately if anyone experiences this.