[WitchCitySVT]

Ok here is the down low both cars are bone stock except I have cross drilled and slotted rotors with green stuff brake pads. My buddy wants to challenge me to a auto-x race.I was talking smack about his cars handeling because he kept calling me slow. it will be the first time on an auto-x track for both of us. So guys did I just stick my foot in my mouth or should I be able to take him? Will we even be put in the same class? Sometimes I just get tired of having to defend the well roundedness of my SVTF.

 

[Spec3VR6]

there's a good chance you'll lose. They handle pretty well...not as well as a SVT, but good none the less.

apples and oranges..people dont buy an srt for well roundedness, lol...they want the loud, the obvious and the straightline acceleration for a amazing price.

 

[tec-9-7]

The driver is the single biggest factor in auto-cross. I will say though, that I've driven an SRT-4, and it's no slouch in the handling department in stock form.

 

[WitchCitySVT]

The driver is the single biggest factor in auto-cross. I will say though, that I've driven an SRT-4, and it's no slouch in the handling department in stock form.

I've driven his car and then got back in mine and though I felt like my car had no power ,the neon did not compare in handeling. He admits this too, but he say his car handels well enough with the increase of power that it will school me. He is my friend and there is no anamosity between us we just want to find out. We even considerd having a friend of ours who races in scca road events drive both cars through the course. We aren't trying to see who is the better driver we want to see who has the better auto-x car.

 

[tec-9-7]

The SVT is a very well-balanced package overall - the SRT scores very well in that after the 1st year, they all came with a factory LSD, so they do a pretty fair job of putting the power to the ground. If you've got a mutual friend w/ some decent seat time, let him run the cars through an auto-x course 5 times each; toss the fastest and slowest times, then average the other three. That should give you a decent indication. It's worth noting tho that even if the SRT were to prove faster, your friend may well tell you that the SVT was EASIER to achieve fast times with.

 

[zetecfreak]

I think you can take him. Ask Carrera I think he has spanked a lot of SRT-4s in his SVT.

 

[PapoSwing]

^^^ As far as I know Carrera has had a susbstantial amount of experience under his belt, so it's hard to say if you will yield similar results. But nonetheless I'm curious to see how this turns out keep us updated [thumb]

 

[SVT_BMXer]

if hes a good driver, he will probably win. Even though SVTF's do handle better, SRT-4's still handle very well and that combined with the obvious power difference, a good chance he will win.

 

[WitchCitySVT]

I think you can take him. Ask Carrera I think he has spanked a lot of SRT-4s in his SVT.

Yeah. I was hoping he could weigh in on this.

 

[Goat Roper]

Make sure it isn't an autox track he designs. Braking and handling are the SRT-4s achilles.

 

[UB!!]

comeback with results...this is something i have always wondered

 

[zal]

i'd say they're about even, maybe he has the slight advantage, keep in mind if he sucks a a driver, then it won't matter, after all, i beat a porsche at my first auto-x, just hope you're a god driver

 

[MVent]

I think the HP advantage will help the Neon alot in getting form corner to corner. . . as long as he can get it to the ground and doesn't spin tires to much.

 

[Carrera26]

The only time that I have ever been beaten was by a tuned ACR (250+ whp), on slicks, with a driver that had already had 5 years under his belt when I had 1.5. Really hasn't gotten close since, and that same car is usually 2+ seconds behind me, regardless of the track design. (Now a little over 3 years)

I got kicked around by a Buick and a diesel Rabbit when I started though, so the car barely even matters without driving experience.

My experience with driving an SRT was on a test drive when they first came out. I was impressed by the power, but I was expecting that. I came upon a twisty that would hardly even give me trouble in the SVTF, but seemed to seriously confuse the SRT-4. My first thought was honestly, "This thing handles like a milk truck!" Lots of body lean, not much front-end communication. The way it floats around especially would hamper it on course with quick transitions. It simply has a much harder time getting it's balance back before being able to get into the next manouver.

I will use one particular example. Another FFer (Venom713 I believe) came out to our last couple events with an SRT-4 owning buddy who had been saying the same kind of things. 3 days after the second event he told me that same buddy was trading his tuned SRT-4 in on an SVTF. What does that tell you?

The SRT-4 is a good street car, would be a decent open-track car, and is a great car for sport compact drag racing. It simply doesn't compete at the same level as the SVTF on the AutoX course though.

 

[noshownogo]

just hope theres not too many straight aways

 

[old_grendel]

The SRT-4 is a good street car, would be a decent open-track car, and is a great car for sport compact drag racing. It simply doesn't compete at the same level as the SVTF on the AutoX course though.

i dont know the scca rules so i appologize in advance if this is a stupid question...but cant u put some coilovers, front & rear strut bars, bigger front & rear sway bars...maybe some better bushings and stiffer mounts and have the srt be a much better handling car?

 

[SVT_BMXer]

i dont know the scca rules so i appologize in advance if this is a stupid question...but cant u put some coilovers, front & rear strut bars, bigger front & rear sway bars...maybe some better bushings and stiffer mounts and have the srt be a much better handling car?

Yes of course you can but if im not mistaking it will put you in a different class.

 

[zetecfreak]

Yes it will bump you a class or so. Theres not much you can do to a car and stay in the lower class.

 

[WitchCitySVT]

Thanks guys .I'll let everyone know of the outcome.

 

[Carrera26]

Allowable mods in stock class;

Dampers (shocks 'n struts)
Any tires
Wheels of the same dimension
Small wear items (filter elements, brake pads, battery, etc.)
Cat-back exhaust

Yes you can add all those things to an SRT-4 to make it faster, but you could say the same thing about the Focus as well...