[dgs]

My Ody is starting to rival my old pick for sporty driving. When I was looking for fun driving, I'd take the Escort any day, 13" wheels and all. (The T'bird isn't the same kind of fun. That's wind-in-the-hair listen-to-that-V8-burble cruisin' kind of fun) The Caravan just was too soft and top heavy (if you're quiet you can still here the tires howl) for anything remotely resembling fun. The Escort is actually pretty neutral for an economy car and it's lower center of gravity and being closer to the road made it more fun. But with the Ody, it's a real toss up! The handling is really quite good, but it still has to fight the same battle against physics the Caravan did with the high center of gravity. I find myself looking for the fast on/off ramps like I do with my Escort, which I was NEVER tempted to do in the Caravan. I'm begining to understand the desire to lower it and add better tires and stiffer springs ....

I better get out of here, I've become corrupted!

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D Schaefer
99 Odyssey EX (9" TV/VCR w/Steel Horse Tote, soon to be SmartScreen rear delay wiper)
93 Escort LX (basic, no frils, get-to-work-and-back car)
60 Thunderbird Conv. (THIS is the real fun!)

 

[nemogira]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by dgs:
I'm begining to understand the desire to lower it and add better tires and stiffer springs ....

I better get out of here, I've become corrupted!

</font>

MGians, Vspecody...the brainwashing is working. Muhahahaha!!!

But yes I do agree it's fun to drive, even with the stock springs.

-Nestor


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2000 CCS EX-NAVI

 

[Jerry O1]

dgs- I wish you could have tried my Caravan. It is a '94 SWB, with Tokico shocks and struts, rear anti-roll bar, 15X7 wheels and Bridgestone 225/60HR15 RE930 tires. For a van, it is a real good handler. I had an MR2, at the same time and ended up selling it, because the van was just fine for almost all but the most sporty driving. "It's only a van" can mean many things.....One of my daughters has it and I drove it a few days ago and it still "goes where you point it".

Jerry O.

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2001 Odyssey GG LX

 

[dgs]

Jerry,

My Caravan, apart from being 6 years older, was the LWB model. The added length and weight would probably kill a good bit of the sportiness of yours, even with the wheel/tire/suspention mods. It also had 70 series, 14" tires. Those things would start to howl if you even thought about cornering hard.

Instead of mod'ing the Ody, I think what I really need to do is save my pennies to trade that Escort on a new SVT Focus.

------------------
D Schaefer
99 Odyssey EX (9" TV/VCR w/Steel Horse Tote, soon to be SmartScreen rear delay wiper)
93 Escort LX (basic, no frils, get-to-work-and-back car)
60 Thunderbird Conv. (THIS is the real fun!)

[This message has been edited by dgs (edited 02-27-2002).]

 

[Jerry O1]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by dgs:
Jerry,

My Caravan, apart from being 6 years older, was the LWB model. The added length and weight would probably kill a good bit of the sportiness of yours, even with the wheel/tire/suspention mods. It also had 70 series, 14" tires. Those things would start to howl if you even thought about cornering hard.

Instead of mod'ing the Ody, I think what I really need to do is save my pennies to trade that Escort on a new SVT Focus.

</font>

Yes, the longer van would be somewhat harder to get a "handle" on. The wheel and tire package was the most important item in my modifications on that van. I never heard anything from those tires on even the hardest cornering. That said, I failed to mention that there was quite a severe price to be paid for such handling and it was a very harsh ride. You would be smart to stay away from unknown suspension modifications on the Odyssey and save for the Focus. In most situations, the Odyssey does very well, with the 60-series 235 mm tires, but, it still weighs 4200+lbs. For handling, "road-hugging weight" is not the answer, Hee! Hee!

Jerry O.



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2001 Odyssey GG LX

 

[dgs]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Jerry O:
I failed to mention that there was quite a severe price to be paid for such handling and it was a very harsh ride. You would be smart to stay away from unknown suspension modifications on the Odyssey and save for the Focus.</font>

In my opinion, the Ody borders on being hrsh now. Not quite objectionable, but close. It's teh sharp bumps like expansion joints that do it. Seems to travel right through the structure. I even had the CD player skip after going over a set of those 'rumble strips'. You know, the ones that are supposed to tell you "Slow down dummy, there's a curve ahead!"

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Jerry O:
In most situations, the Odyssey does very well, but, it still weighs 4200+lbs. For handling, "road-hugging weight" is not the answer, Hee! Hee!
</font>

I think the only reason my Escort manages to keeping with the Ody (and outran the GC) is that it's about 1,000 pounds lighter and the center of gravity is probaly nearly a foot closer to the ground. It's cetainly no sports car in its own right. (175/70R13 tires!)

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D Schaefer
99 Odyssey EX (9" TV/VCR w/Steel Horse Tote, soon to be SmartScreen rear delay wiper)
93 Escort LX (basic, no frils, get-to-work-and-back car)
60 Thunderbird Conv. (THIS is the real fun!)

 

[Jerry O1]

Yes, the Odyssey is somewhat harsh, at low speeds. At highway speeds, it is fine, but, around town, my teeth are often on edge. My disc brakes rattle over low speed bumps and I hope I can find a cure for the problem. It is a very annoying fault, in an otherwise great vehicle, as is the amount of road rumble from the tires.

Jerry O.

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2001 Odyssey GG LX

 

[HTownOdy]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Jerry O:
Yes, the Odyssey is somewhat harsh, at low speeds. At highway speeds, it is fine, but, around town, my teeth are often on edge. My disc brakes rattle over low speed bumps and I hope I can find a cure for the problem. It is a very annoying fault, in an otherwise great vehicle, as is the amount of road rumble from the tires.

Jerry O.

</font>

I've noticed those same things. Awesome ride on the highway but rough ride on the streets.

I've just realized another problem. The speed limit was just lowered from 70 to 55 on all local highways and freeways to meet EPA pollution requirements. I'm finding it almost impossible to drive my '02 Odyssey at 55 on the open road. The engine is only turning 1500 RPM and that's BARELY pushing the accelerator. These things were built to effortlessly cruise at 70-80!


[This message has been edited by htown (edited 03-06-2002).]