I am leaning toward a RS as well. Currently I drive an older civic Si with no ABS. I have become use to threshold braking and with my car being so light lockup is really easy. The only thing I would miss is pwr windows and locks but that is fixable.

 

The power locks are not easy to fix. Trust me, I know. Sorry to get off topic.

 

When I was in college all my cars were beaters, 88 Accord, 86 Corolla and I drove like a maniac. None of those cars had ABS and I never had a problem. I don't think its necessary. If you're hauling your kids in an SUV or minivan, then it's necessary. Not in your RS.

 

i like how this was directed to RS owners yet GSR/MR owners chime in on how its better....plenty of threads about which is better and yada yada.

cant miss what you didnt have. i havent driven a abs equipped evo "hard" to even know how it reacts. i love my RS and how it reacts. if your worried about not having abs then get the RS. my insurance company gives discounts for ABS equipped cars.

im not going to justify not having ABS cause i have an RS, i got EXACTLY what i wanted out of MY EVO.

 

Under optimal conditions, 100% grip in both cases, the same car, one with abs and one without, the abs will take longer to break. If you can break with a non abs car full down on the breaks right to the point of lock, without locking, you'll break faster than the ABS car every time. ABS only helps you break faster if the other car locks it's wheels, which can easily happen. Think about it, a car breaking with constant full force pressure (non ABS), compared to a car that grabs/releases/grabs/releases, even if it's not a huge difference, there will still be one.

 

Not period at all and tons of arguement. I had a car that was 10x worse with abs then w/o. car slide like crazy with over sensitive abs. i ended up pulling the fuse so i could stop when there was snow. i've always hated abs, it is for 70 year olds (viper owners) and bad drivers. some people also react better when the pressure is on. if you don't believe me you have never seen michael jordan play b-ball. it is very easy to pump brakes even under dire circumstances. especially since it is the only thing you need to think about since you cant turn while your sliding and if you could you wouldn't have had to slam on the brakes. now do I miss intermitent window wipers yes. but i would miss the wingless look, the less weight, and the 5k+ i saved buying in RS. i dd btw 24k, don't even notice i don't have power locks and windows anymore.

 

someone forgot to tell david buschur that. and i have no flat spots, but plenty of white smoke. plus adding 100 lbs is worse for braking, cornering, AND accelerating. much more so then no abs, the trade off is equal.

 

No ABS has never been a problem for me in my RS... I like it

I can see how people would argue for ABS though. In panic stops, especially with certain road conditions, etc., it can be advantageous, but for a good driver who knows how to brake, the ABS works quite nicely, especially with the Advans that the car comes with. I have switched to Bridgestone S03s, which are very nice tires, but I've noticed that the car won't brake as well with them (at least in the dry). My Advans have some life left in them, and I'll toss 'em back on in the summer.

 

Ummm, no, if they had the same tires and were both braking at treshold, they would stop at the same rate.

But let me throw this out, you only have one brake pedal to control 4 tires, if one tire locks up you pump the brake pedal but the other three will now let up, on an ABS equipped car each wheel is controlled independently of the others, so if one starts to lock up, ABS will only pump that wheel, the others can keep on braking at 100%. How is this not better than a driver trying pump the brake pedal?

 

abs sucks if you live in a snow state

 

I miss it at the track, autocrossing, or on really good weather days. I understand how
some people don't have a problem, but my brake application technique isn't all
that great. I really am fast with ABS -- no doubt.

That being said, the RS is _awesome_ on snow and gravel, where locking up the
tires can actually be useful (or at least having them spinning much slower than you
are moving). If you have never tried non-ABS emergency braking in the rain,
I definitely suggest you do before taking on the public highways in an RS.

EDIT: for reference I have about 22k on my RS and have had it 18 months.
d

 

My RS is my daily driver, and I have NEVER liked ABS in low traction situations. I would love to have the electronic brake force distribution, but it is packaged with the ABS system so you can't get it alone.

Keith

 

Your sig and "drives" say you have an VIII...

 

Now an VIII RS. Just sold the 03 this month, purchased the RS a couple months ago.

Keith

 

wingless STi's = pure hotness. wing'd sti's = ugly so +5000 to you