My thoughts are if you want the Evo and can afford it then by all means GO FOR IT!!!

Maturity and responsability have nothing to do with AGE, but I have to agree with the others who believe that with age comes experience. And experience in my opinion is more meaningful than maturity or responsability.

Anyone can drive fast, just keep the pedal to metal. But what'cha gonna do when faced with the unexpected undesirable circumstance?.....That's where experience comes in handy, because INSTINCTUAL reactions can get you into more trouble than what you started with.

So to all those who want the Evo but lack experience with high HP cars, learn as much as you can about handling cars (driving courses, books, more experienced drivers etc...) before you get an Evo, because the Evo is quite an expensive guinea pig.

 

Hello all "experienced" and not "experienced",

Driving like a dumbass on the street with other people not expecting you to fly by them at twice the speed limit is NOT "experience" . That's just suicidal . I don't care how old you are, THIS is how you get "experience". Obviously I live in NC but these are just a few of the groups around me. Look for ones local to you can start participating. I live for these events...

All cars are accepted at these events and the more expensive ones provide the cars.

High Performance Driving Schools:
http://www.carguysinc.com/
http://www.nasaracing.net/trackday/index.shtml
http://www.bsr-inc.com/
http://www.racenow.com/home.htm
http://vista.pca.org/fst/
http://www.skipbarber.com/
http://www.tarheelbmwcca.org/
http://www.ncrscca.com/
http://www.thscc.com/timetrial/

Autocross:
http://www.thscc.com
http://www.auto-x.com

 

After re-reading my post I can see where I might have been misinterpreted. I totally agree with what you say, I was being sarcastic about anyone being able to drive fast, because anyone can drive fast. But that doesn't make them a GOOD driver, like you said it makes them a DUMBASS.

 

don't forget http://www.bondurant.com/

 

Hey Everyone,

My post wasn't directed at you, 3K, or any one in particular, just the thread as a whole. I just wanted to clear up what "experience" is. People taking their cars to the limit on the street are NOT "experienced" no matter how old you are. "Experience" comes from autocross, High Performance Driving Schools, Rally, and more all under the instruction of somebody with "experience". The number of times you are signed off to drive solo by an instructor and the variety of schools, tracks, weather, FWD, RWD, AWD, Hi-Cam, Turbo, raw displacement all contribute to experience. If you have always autocrossed a FWD civic, then you have very little but some "experience". Try out one of the events that I posted in my earlier post and you'll see what I mean. You'll get to know people and learn a lot. At my last track event my instructor let me drive his NSX w/comptech headers and exhaust. I was hitting 85 in 2nd gear on the back straights and way over 100 on the front straight . That was a thrill and worth the entracnce fee to the event alone.

smanders

 

Bondurant is well worth it if you have the money. I'm 23 and have been fortunate enough to be involved in racing in some form or another since i was 14. The best mod you can get for a car is a driving school. Learning car control is so very important. Ive gotten myself in deep a couple times and because I've had experience I was able to get myself out. I dont know about you guys, but im excited about the evo for the sheer capabilities the car is going to have. Yeah its going to haul in a straight line, but im looking forward to some opposite lock fun! In reference to the younger generation not being able to afford the car, I guess it all depends where you live. Here I dont see kids having any trouble getting the car especially since they drive around in z3's ,330's and C class benzes. In today's world 30 grand isnt going to break the bank for a lot of people.

 

Not true at all, even if you pay for the most expensive school, there will always be those drivers that don't seem to take it all in. There are those that seem to just be boggled on how to react to extreme measures when the time arrives. There is a big difference between driving school and racign school. Both teach us way different aspects of driving, i.e.: when will i need to know I need to use the apex when i want to make a left turn at a light?? ..

 

I think he meant "driving school" as in "racing school," not "Intro to Parallel Parking" or "How Traffic Lights are Your Friends."

 

or maybe this you should read this book.."drifting for dumbies"

 

Jeez. Do you honestly think I would be refering to traffic school as an avenue to learn high performance driving skills?

Driving school = racing school. Like Bondurant the school I was talking about in the beginning of my post? Even if you dont 'take it all in' at least youve had a chance to learn the limits of the cars dynamics in a controlled environment and that will make you a better driver.

 

Well you obviously have never been to one so what can I say...really.

The driving schools and racing schools both teach you the dynamics of the car. Half of the education program is in the classroom teaching you the physics are of the cars and how the levels of adhesion of the tires come into play. They also discuss how a FWD line will be different from a RWD line. They also discuss trail braking, heel and toe, how to handling the steering wheel, where you should be looking, braking dynamics, and more. Ride with an instructor sometime and you�ll understand what you're NOT doing.

P.S. Driving school and racing school are basically the same thing. The only difference is that if you're going to racing school, you will be attaining a professional racing license and learning about how to pass people and drafting which can really change things. Everything else is the same. The reason they call them driving schools if because if it were racing school, your insurance company will not cover you. If any timing is taking place or racing and an accident happens and its your fault, you have to pay for all damages and your insurance company will laugh if you try and make a claim. So driving schools are good!!!!

 

How true. Good post.

 

Interesting Smanders - what you're saying, is that If I go to "driving school" My insurance will cover me if I'm using my own vehicle and I wipe out?!
Might this vary between different Insurance companies?
Sounds like a risky proposition.
I guess we'll have to read the policy / (fine print.)

 

Smanders.. I disagree with the 'PS' part of your post. Of course it varies by policy but most insurance companies will NOT cover any type of race track activity. I have always used the terms driving school and racing school meaning the same thing. On track activity in which there is instruction.

 

I just got a quote for insurance on a street-legal Evo 5. It's $1,600. I don't have the paper in front of me, but when I get back to my office tomorrow morning,�@I'll post the details.