Terrifying loss of traction Porsche 718 S

As others have said, looks like driver error and potentially a slippy patch on the road.

As others have asked did you have TC on? If you did I'm surprised it went.

Bit too much throttle at a slippy point in the road, bit of overcorrection in to lift off over steer and the resulting fish tailing. When I had an Elise once it started it was tough to catch, the Z4 and Griffith being Front Engined is much more predictable and easy to catch.
 
Done the same thing 8 years ago - very similar outcome with me overcorrecting one way and then the other and ending up side on to a ditch in a bush and covered in nettle thistles. You were unlucky to have the kerb but at least you managed to keep it from the wall.

Put it down to experience - don't think it was anything wrong with your 718, just one of those things to watch for in the future. Plenty of advice above.

Hope you haven't too much damage to put right and as already said, could have been much worse so well done keeping it to the left and facing forward!

All happens very fast doesn't it :cry:
 
Well I haven't told anyone on here but NY's day I was on the M42 and travelling at about 80 and I hit a massive bank of water and my car veered to the left and then to the right and then spun three times. I was lucky not to hit a truck or the central reservation.

I ended up 90 degrees on the middle lane and a few cars pulled up behind me to make sure I was ok.

The car was ok too.

This was worse than my accident I had two years ago breaking my arms and shoulders and 3 months in hospital.
 
Yeowch, that totally sucks to hear about your tyre and wheels :cry: Hoping the resulting repair doesn't deflate you even further

You got flipping lucky the pedestrian was further away. But then again, he/she was walking towards you, so they would have seen you coming.

Thanks for sharing the footage, it's a good reminder and and easy happens if you get caught on black ice or diesel as others have already noted.

It's a flashback to when I was 18 and was driving my parents' front wheel drive pick up truck with nothing in the back. It fishtailed on an icy overpass with concrete walls either side. Luckily I corrected it without any damage, but I was terrified. Others have ended up going right over the edge onto the carriageway below, but they only recently changed the road!
 
There seems to be some pretty harsh 'driver error' comments here. :o

I see someone driving at 30-something in a 50 zone, on a reasonably good condition road, following other cars who have no problems at all. I suspect technical issues here combined with a bit of overconfidence:
Technical issues - like others I suspect traction control was off. Also I remember 04 Jan was a pretty cold day, if the car has wide summer tyres they will have significantly reduced grip compared to a warm day.
Overconfidence - not treating a high power RWD car with cold tyres with extreme respect. However we have all done this. My memorable incidents are spinning a 3 litre Capri 360 degrees almost into Barry docks, 180 degrees coming out of a wet roundabout in a Spitfire, and a 45 degree slide in a Lexus (which would not be too bad apart from the cop car that I missed by about one inch).

Unwanted advice - check your TC controls. Fit premium winter tyres if Daily Driver. Accept that a high powered sports car will be slower than a Austin Maxi in the cold or wet due to traction issues. And when you do have an incident like this and end up in a safe place, put on your hazards on and wait for a few minutes to de-stress before driving on.
 
Brown trouser moment there OP! :o

Still as you say it could have been so much worse.

Looks a bit like more grunt than grip and as others have said, I wouldn't expect that to happen with the TC on!
 
Get some time on a skid pad or drift day. You did what we all do/did you let off power to quick to suddenly. Nothing wrong in that it's a natural reaction! But you would have been better off keeping your foot in it.

Sorry to hear about this. Hope all is sorted and you learn as I am sure you will.
 
LOL :D :D :D

The music! Wet myself laughing about this. Feel so much better! There's a radio station called Rinse FM that I occasionally listen to but, OK what was playing at that moment wasn't my favourite genre :lol: :) . I am no gangster!

Great advice and comments all round- truly grateful for this. I must take up my complimentary Porsche track day at Silverstone!

I think most of you are correct. Driver error and too heavy on the pedal, but in my defence, traction control was definitely on (drive was set to normal mode). I was a little surprised that this appears to occurred at sub 40 mph but I guess if the surface had ice and or diesel on it then it would have happened at 30 mph. Tyres were probably a little cold as I had only been driving 5 miles to that point.

Well I guess it could have been much worse as many of you have stated. I am hopefully looking at no more than two new tyres and having two rim dents which all in all I think will come in at under £700 hopefully.

My respect for the power of cars of this type with RWD has certainly risen. I would love winter tyres but the funds really cannot stretch that far at the moment.

Once again I am indebted for all the advice which I know is the sum of similar experiences and driving skills far in excess of my own.

Feeling better thanks to you lot.

Cheers Arif :D
 
What tyres do you have on the car? I know for a fact the Michelin Super Sports are shocking when cold
 
flimper said:
What tyres do you have on the car? I know for a fact the Michelin Super Sports are shocking when cold
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Pirelli P Zero N1.There are apparently N1 and N0 tyres. Have no idea what the difference is but of course N1s just happen to be more expensive!!
 
I have to say you've definitely taken the advice/criticism like a gentleman - some have been a little harsher than others haha!

Just to add my tuppence;
I fully appreciate Porsches of your vintage are a significantly more technically advanced thing compared to the z4, but I've definitely found on slower tighter corners in the wet with the traction control fully on, it can be a little slow to prevent oversteer, and in fact can exacerbate the problem by reducing power abruptly as you're trying to countersteer into the slide to balance the car. Ive not seen the video yet but would suggest it's probably worth bearing in mind in future - it's certainly something I'm very careful with having had a bit of a squeaky-bum moment of my own early on in the coupe ownership :lol:

Definitely echo Flimpers comments above too, supersports are pants when cold! They are jolly entertaining when you're suitably prepared for having a bit of fun though :lol:
 
JustCruzin said:
flimper said:
What tyres do you have on the car? I know for a fact the Michelin Super Sports are shocking when cold
Click to expand...

Pirelli P Zero N1.There are apparently N1 and N0 tyres. Have no idea what the difference is but of course N1s just happen to be more expensive!!
Click to expand...


P zeros are terrible! I'd replace them ASAP before you get bitten harder! Probably hit a greasy patch or diesel.
 
JustCruzin said:
LOL :D :D :D

The music! Wet myself laughing about this. Feel so much better! There's a radio station called Rinse FM that I occasionally listen to but, OK what was playing at that moment wasn't my favourite genre :lol: :) . I am no gangster!

Great advice and comments all round- truly grateful for this. I must take up my complimentary Porsche track day at Silverstone!

I think most of you are correct. Driver error and too heavy on the pedal, but in my defence, traction control was definitely on (drive was set to normal mode). I was a little surprised that this appears to occurred at sub 40 mph but I guess if the surface had ice and or diesel on it then it would have happened at 30 mph. Tyres were probably a little cold as I had only been driving 5 miles to that point.

Well I guess it could have been much worse as many of you have stated. I am hopefully looking at no more than two new tyres and having two rim dents which all in all I think will come in at under £700 hopefully.

My respect for the power of cars of this type with RWD has certainly risen. I would love winter tyres but the funds really cannot stretch that far at the moment.

Once again I am indebted for all the advice which I know is the sum of similar experiences and driving skills far in excess of my own.

Feeling better thanks to you lot.

Cheers Arif :D
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Well played, sah! :thumbsup:
 
Yes, fair play OP!

Not only did you post your "moment" but you have replied to some fairly harsh views. :thumbsup:

I hope the fix isn't too painful on your wallet, and that you keep enjoying your P & J. :driving:
 
I'd echo all of the common above, i think everyone's done it at some point. Wet, cold, sliproad, acellerate too early in the corner and reaction of lifting off concatenates the issue.

If it makes you feel any better, a guy did this trying to chase my mate in his M3 a few weeks ago, except he was going at 2x your speed, did the same thing in an M5 Comp Pack (66 plate), undertook my mate whilst fully out of control and ploughed over a junction into a hedge. Write off, 2 month old £100k car.

Be careful out there - Z4 and other short wheel base cars with summer rubber are a nightmare in cold/wet temps. On the other hand - my c63 is hilarious fun with V8 torque, 487bhp, LSD and 255 rears :D
 
JustCruzin said:
traction control was definitely on (drive was set to normal mode).
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This really surprised me. I have similar power/torque in my z4 and similar weight, but I cant imagine this happening with traction control. And that is a traction control system based on 12 year old technology.

In the video I can hear you giving some gas when still cornering (but after the apex), but still, you're following a slow driving suv, so speeds are low.
I have no experience with pdk but do you know if the pdk shifted down while still in corner? Every shift will cause a weight transfer in the body or at least a torque change that can upset the balance on the car.

That you couldnt hold the car is normal, mid engined cars are difficult to catch, especially when you're off guard.

Get a wheel alignment after this crash.
 
Maniac said:
IMO it's still in the back, it might not be on the bumper but it's in the last 1/3 of the car which is going to have some effect on this type of control loss.
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When I spun my MR2 which was mid engined I was in affect just a passenger and happened so fast. You get like a pendulum affect even though the engine wasn't right at the back. I think the OP did pretty well to stop a full spin or side slide as it's all in an instant.

Tim.
 
Hats off to the OP, great attitude to the feedback :hattip:

I think Tim and Guido and others rightly focus on the mid-engine characteristics of the car being very different when 'lost'. I'm sure the Porsche day will be a great benefit, I'd attend in a heart-beat :thumbsup:
 
On the Porsche day, you will drive on the low friction road and the skid pans as well. Very useful to feel how the car behaves and you do those a few dozen times, learning to steer the car with the accelerator rather than the steering wheel.

Sorry to hear about the wheel damage though, but I think everyone will do something like that to some extend in their driving life and learn from it.

Now that music ….
 
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