-
Hey Guest!
British Car Forum has been supporting enthusiasts for over 25 years by providing a great place to share our love for British cars. You can support our efforts by upgrading your membership for less than the dues of most car clubs. There are some perks with a member upgrade!**Upgrade Now**
(PS: Upgraded members don't see this banner, nor will you see the Google ads that appear on the site.)
Hey - did you know if you click on the title of a thread it will take you to the first unread post since you last visited that thread?
but were afraid to ask: 
STOP!! Never post your email address in open forums. Bots can "harvest" your email! If you must share your email use a Private Message or use the 
smilie in place of the real @
Pretty Please - add it to our Events forum(s) and add to the calendar! >> 
Safety of a TR
- Thread starter Webb Sledge
- Start date
Share this page
t8nwa
Jedi Hopeful
Offline
I had a 68 GT6 as my first car. I think you should look beyond just safety because any 1 ton car is not going to fair well against a 4ton Excursion, just physics. And I bet the M3 will not either. Drive defensively with what ever you drive. And look for people with cell phones. They are usually doing 20 MPH above or below the speed limit. Both are VERY dangerous.
Now for the other points, the M3 has WAY more power than a TR6. This will get you (a young 16 year old) into trouble eventually. The TR6 is a blast to drive, not real quick as far as today's cars go, but does handle nicely. So less potential for trouble when the muscle between the ears cramps up and you do something stupid. You will. Everyone's been there.
Next parts and fixing the problems. The TR6 parts will be a LOT cheaper than anything with the BMW name on it. You turn a nut on that M3 and that German trained technician with computer in hand will charge $300. With the TR6, you will learn to work on it or have the local mechanic do the work. Lots of parts are available and the work is fairly straight forward.
The M3 will be nicer and more refined. The TR6 with the top down on sunny spring day cannot be beat.
If you want to make the TR6 safer, replace the seat belts and upgrade the brakes. Also, NEVER use the Michelin Red Line tires except for shows. Lots of TR6 noses are bent due to the hard rubber in their tires and their lack of ability to stop. Get a sticker compound that does not hydroplane so bad.
2 cents from me.
Now for the other points, the M3 has WAY more power than a TR6. This will get you (a young 16 year old) into trouble eventually. The TR6 is a blast to drive, not real quick as far as today's cars go, but does handle nicely. So less potential for trouble when the muscle between the ears cramps up and you do something stupid. You will. Everyone's been there.
Next parts and fixing the problems. The TR6 parts will be a LOT cheaper than anything with the BMW name on it. You turn a nut on that M3 and that German trained technician with computer in hand will charge $300. With the TR6, you will learn to work on it or have the local mechanic do the work. Lots of parts are available and the work is fairly straight forward.
The M3 will be nicer and more refined. The TR6 with the top down on sunny spring day cannot be beat.
If you want to make the TR6 safer, replace the seat belts and upgrade the brakes. Also, NEVER use the Michelin Red Line tires except for shows. Lots of TR6 noses are bent due to the hard rubber in their tires and their lack of ability to stop. Get a sticker compound that does not hydroplane so bad.
2 cents from me.
t8nwa
Jedi Hopeful
Offline
yoour right Dave. Bad typing on my part. Should have said "and one that".
Tires have come a long way since in thirty years. No reason now to put on old technology on the cars. Wonder if can get Brembo's on a TR. Now that would be nice!
I saw a TR6 at a show with what looked to be 16" mini-lite like rims and a lower profile tire that looked great.
Tires have come a long way since in thirty years. No reason now to put on old technology on the cars. Wonder if can get Brembo's on a TR. Now that would be nice!
I saw a TR6 at a show with what looked to be 16" mini-lite like rims and a lower profile tire that looked great.
OP
Webb Sledge
Jedi Warrior
Offline
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by t8nwa:
I had a 68 GT6 as my first car. I think you should look beyond just safety because any 1 ton car is not going to fair well against a 4ton Excursion, just physics. And I bet the M3 will not either. Drive defensively with what ever you drive. And look for people with cell phones. They are usually doing 20 MPH above or below the speed limit. Both are VERY dangerous.
<hr></blockquote>
Well, and M3 would fair better against a modern CAR, since it has a stiffer frame and modern safety features, whereas a TR6 would be squished by a modern CAR. Noticed I said car, bot truck, van or SUV. They probably both by totalled by a hit from a truck, van, or SUV.
Also, the hardtop of an M3 would fair better against a rollover than even the bolt on hardtop of a 6.
[ 04-09-2004: Message edited by: Webb Sledge ]</p>
I had a 68 GT6 as my first car. I think you should look beyond just safety because any 1 ton car is not going to fair well against a 4ton Excursion, just physics. And I bet the M3 will not either. Drive defensively with what ever you drive. And look for people with cell phones. They are usually doing 20 MPH above or below the speed limit. Both are VERY dangerous.
<hr></blockquote>
Well, and M3 would fair better against a modern CAR, since it has a stiffer frame and modern safety features, whereas a TR6 would be squished by a modern CAR. Noticed I said car, bot truck, van or SUV. They probably both by totalled by a hit from a truck, van, or SUV.
Also, the hardtop of an M3 would fair better against a rollover than even the bolt on hardtop of a 6.
[ 04-09-2004: Message edited by: Webb Sledge ]</p>
Offline
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by t8nwa:
Get a sticker compound that does not hydroplane so bad.
2 cents from me.<hr></blockquote>
Actually hydroplaning is much more a function of tread groove design & depth that of tread compound. If the tread can't squeegee the water out of the contact patch & have a place for it to go, adhesion has very little affect. Sticky slicks on water are helpless.
D
Get a sticker compound that does not hydroplane so bad.
2 cents from me.<hr></blockquote>
Actually hydroplaning is much more a function of tread groove design & depth that of tread compound. If the tread can't squeegee the water out of the contact patch & have a place for it to go, adhesion has very little affect. Sticky slicks on water are helpless.
D
I drove on Michelin redlines for years when I first purchased my TR6. That would be from 1984-1988. I never had a problem with them, except for the time i drove home from the muffler shop and it snowed 5" and i found out that TR6's are not good in more than a skiff of snow. Other than that towing bill...they always seemed to grip the road quite well. They certainly looked the best on the 6. Modern tires and tread designs are so much better than those of 35 years ago, that there's really no comparison. Outside of good brakes and tires...rests the danger of the other idiot drivers....therein lies the real problem. They do think that those in small cars need to be pushed out of the way, and they pass you so fast that they forget you were there and pull in 2" from your front bumper. It can be a real intimidating experience. Using your horn can sometimes panic the moron to do something unexpected. It's a good thing Tr6's handle so well. I've found that the ability to evade an accident, is probably your biggest safety feature.
There was a fatality near our house several years ago, the driver of the biggest land barge detroit ever built, didnt bother to check traffic and pulled onto the highway in front of..
a fully loaded trashcompacter truck. The land barge was completely crushed to less than 10 inches in height and for years the deep gashes in the pavement from the engine block being crushed into it were very plain to see.Moral?? well, if you dont look it wont matter what you drive cause there is always something bigger and badder than you on the road.
As for my Tr4 I have added the 3rd brake lamp and I think Its great. But you should always drive, as Dave said, like a motor cyclist!!
MD(mad dog)
a fully loaded trashcompacter truck. The land barge was completely crushed to less than 10 inches in height and for years the deep gashes in the pavement from the engine block being crushed into it were very plain to see.Moral?? well, if you dont look it wont matter what you drive cause there is always something bigger and badder than you on the road.
As for my Tr4 I have added the 3rd brake lamp and I think Its great. But you should always drive, as Dave said, like a motor cyclist!!
MD(mad dog)
OP
Webb Sledge
Jedi Warrior
Offline
Hmmm, well then, all this sets me back to my original dilema: M3 or TR6. I was just gonna go for the M3 if I decided the 6 was unsafe, but it appears I've been convinced otherwise.
G
Guest
Guest
Guest
Offline
Webb,
Didn't really read all the above posted notes too closely, but I drive my TR6 with lights on at all times, and play like everyone on the road is out to get me! I do drive her really hard, with no one in sight, but never crazy. Too old for that....
Bill
Didn't really read all the above posted notes too closely, but I drive my TR6 with lights on at all times, and play like everyone on the road is out to get me! I do drive her really hard, with no one in sight, but never crazy. Too old for that....
Bill
Langelo DeMysterioso
Member
Offline
Advice from an old TR driver. Never ride NEXT to a semi always pass, and on the left the correct side where he can see you. And never ride in front of one! Once had problem on run to A.C. from N.Y. I pulled on the side of the road to fix it (slight Lucas malfunction) every time a semi passed the wind would shake the TR violently, much to my ex-wife's dismay as she stayed seated in the car.
[ 04-10-2004: Message edited by: Langelo DeMysterioso ]</p>
[ 04-10-2004: Message edited by: Langelo DeMysterioso ]</p>
Izual Angel
Jedi Trainee
Offline
An interesting thing I noticed on my TR7 is the bonnet will crumple in a collision. If you look you'll see small dimples along the 4 ribs on the bottom. That's where it *should* bend so you don't lose your head in a front end collision. I was honestly surprised when I saw that.
The only way to avoid semi trucks in this area is to stay off the interstate. I prefer to stay as far away from them as possible, but sometimes you can get boxed in with no way out. It seems there's an attitude out there that the bigger the vehicle, the more right the driver has to push everyone else out of his/her way. I find that attitude irritating and dangerous.
[ 04-10-2004: Message edited by: Steven ]
[ 04-12-2004: Message edited by: Basil ]</p>
[ 04-10-2004: Message edited by: Steven ]
[ 04-12-2004: Message edited by: Basil ]</p>
Offline
Did you ever consider that shiny, noisy, little cars darting in & out of traffic just plain makes some folks hostile?
D
D
Offline
Most truckers are not jealous, just scared to death of what they might inadvertantly do to you. When people dart in & out without signalling, stay in your blind spots, & other antics it causes a great deal of confusion about what might happen next. Trucks don't stop fast, they don't turn fast & they can cause tremendous damage to little cars. Most truckers only want to prevent damaging YOU. Since they can't read your mind (intentions) they have some anxiety about the situation.
I think they can be forgiven if they once in a while exhibit some hostility toward you. YOU, meaning erratic acting car drivers in general. AND - small sporty car drivers seem to drive erratically more often than the general population. Been there enough to know.
D
I think they can be forgiven if they once in a while exhibit some hostility toward you. YOU, meaning erratic acting car drivers in general. AND - small sporty car drivers seem to drive erratically more often than the general population. Been there enough to know.
D
From my observations....all truck drivers really care about is delivering their load to its destination as fast as they can. If this means barreling down the interstate 10mph higher than the speed limit, or taking 10 paks of No Doze to stay awake...then they'll do it. Most TR drivers are far more careful than the general population, because we have cars we'd like to keep. If big rig drivers were such humanitarians, they would be driving ambulances, not 18 wheelers. We have loads of trucks going through I-90 up here, and I've seen way too many hazardous bozos driving those things to even consider them as humanitarians. Most of the accidents here in winter are truck drivers..going way too fast for road conditions, and many times taking one or 2 civilian vehicles with them. I'll stick by my opinion that these guys are the absolute worst drivers on the road. Sorry Dave..I've seen way too many accidents with truck drivers being at fault. Got to respectfully disagree with you.
[ 04-12-2004: Message edited by: Basil ]</p>
[ 04-12-2004: Message edited by: Basil ]</p>
Offline
Now that we have shown the two extremes - Statistically, the majority must be somewhere in the middle.
D
D
For me it's about keeping it simple.
LBC's, LJC's are hard to see. yeah, enough young kids darting in and out of traffic like an computer game they just played last night.
(alot of discussion there in itself).
Physics prevail....kinetic energy wins.
One thing I have learned is that driving outdoors does not including slaloming with 3 ton SUVs and 25 ton semi's at 80 mph. For me the journey and a few thrills are the passion.
btw - got the old girl running today. she had alot of work-oil to burn off - but she beeeee sweet! Spring is here!
May we all let our passions be our paths
Jeff
LBC's, LJC's are hard to see. yeah, enough young kids darting in and out of traffic like an computer game they just played last night.
(alot of discussion there in itself).
Physics prevail....kinetic energy wins.
One thing I have learned is that driving outdoors does not including slaloming with 3 ton SUVs and 25 ton semi's at 80 mph. For me the journey and a few thrills are the passion.
btw - got the old girl running today. she had alot of work-oil to burn off - but she beeeee sweet! Spring is here!
May we all let our passions be our paths
Jeff
