Afternoon all,

Im drinving a 1994 TS Exec at the moment and have come to the point where I have to decide to fix the niggling problems or forget about it and get a new car.

The main thing that bothers me is the way the car handles, in one word it is DANGEROUS!! Its ok in the dry, but has a lot of body roll. As soon as it rains I am scared to drive the thing, it goes straight through roundabouts, it doesnt grip the road when i take off at traffic lights and intersections, it slides to a stop when you break!! I have already spun it around in the hills when it was raining once. According to a few friends who have owned tr/ts magnas they also agreed that a wet road is dangerous for second gens. Is this all normal? is it a simple case of new suspension components? Who has had the problem and rectified it??

Apart from the danger factor i like the car, it gets me from A to B and I was hoping to keep her till I am wealthy enought to not have to get a loan from the parents.

Any advice?

what tyres do you have?

when was your last wheel alignment?& were they able to do it? if joints are worn they can only get it close...

And sounds like the struts are gone... and maybe the driver. lol

Oh get your brakes checked....

it wasnt a problem the first few years i have had the car so I have assumed something must have changed with age haha

I recently had new rear struts put in her, and i got new bearings and an alignment probably a month or two back after the crash. tyres not sure at the moment, nothing super expensive but have noticed after the last 2 tyre changes that there was very minimal improvement.

I just don't want to go ahead with expensive work if nothing is going to be fixed

and maybe the driver. lol

Oh get your brakes checked....

:stoopid:

Here's how you can try to fix the issue; 1) Open door 2) look on seat 3) there's is often a loose nut in this seat especially when the car is moving. Change the nut=fix the problem-.-

The TR/TS's arent as horrible as you're making it out to be. on 14' stockies with crappy tread they do break traction but I dare say not enough to send you spinning even when wet. I have had a set of possibly the worst tyres you can own and not even I managed to screw it up.

Drive normally.

If you insist on driving like a lunatic, get some good susp. mods. sway bar, good shocks, lowered springs. these will all reduce the body roll and lower the centre of gravity so you can take corners fast(er).

keep in mine that stupid driving in rain=nasty accidents and most of the time horrific death. so even if you spend thousands on suspension mods, you WILL break traction if you drive stupidly.

PS; don't try this 'im a good driver' crap. look back at my older posts. thats what I thought too

EDIT; Keep in mind you're driving a 1.5 tonne car with the front wheels both putting power down AND turning. not an evo.

it wasnt a problem the first few years i have had the car so I have assumed something must have changed with age haha

I recently had new rear struts put in her, and i got new bearings and an alignment probably a month or two back after the crash. tyres not sure at the moment, nothing super expensive but have noticed after the last 2 tyre changes that there was very minimal improvement.

I just don't want to go ahead with expensive work if nothing is going to be fixed

CRASH????? was it fixed?

what size rims tyres... i have 17 and i find the magna fine. sure its no race car but i can get the tail happy without the handbrake, no rear swaybar, stock 14yo suspension, its getting a little "skitty" so the shocks will have to be done soon.

I actually drive sensibly!! I have seen way too many crashes in the last year to consider being a lunatic (i did go through this phase a few years back and the car actually had no problems back then!) Because of what i consider to be poor handling performance I actually drive very very carefully in the wet these days.

The crash i talk of happened in the hills whilst raining, the car stepped out at the rear and i unfortunatly over corrected and ended up spinning into a ditch. It through the bearings and alignment out which i had fixed the day after.

perhaps i should take it in for one of those multi-point suspension and steering checks?

It has the standard 15 inch wheels, I believe they are??

1) Make sure tyres are in good nick; If not, upgrade to a wider set of 16"s or 17"s. Cheap 2nd hand.
2) New front struts - $120 for KYB Excel-G's excellent front strut.
3) lowered springs all around (Maybe just lows for a DD) Looking at $250 for a new set.

With new struts and springs ALL around and some wider tyres I dont see how it could still handle bad! although you said its been in a crash, I have a feeling something is bent somewhere and making your alignment poo

;1106289']1) Make sure tyres are in good nick; If not, upgrade to a wider set of 16"s or 17"s. Cheap 2nd hand.
2) New front struts - $120 for KYB Excel-G's excellent front strut.
3) lowered springs all around (Maybe just lows for a DD) Looking at $250 for a new set.

With new struts and springs ALL around and some wider tyres I dont see how it could still handle bad! although you said its been in a crash, I have a feeling something is bent somewhere and making your alignment poo

Yep my thoughts exactly.

oh no, I should have stated the problem existed long before this crash. The thing that really made me take notice of the poor handling was the fact that i crashed. I had noticed before this that it wasn't right so always adjusted my driving to suit. I have had the car for about 5 years, its has been in the last year and a half that things seem to have deteriorated

more than likely some bushes have perished givin like a quirming feeling yeah?

there is always a reason for things. get the linkages checked.

yeah i will take it in for a check up, i guess its the most logical option...

I was actually planning on all the mods suggested by tufftr so will see what happens after the check.

yeah i will take it in for a check up, i guess its the most logical option...

I was actually planning on all the mods suggested by tufftr so will see what happens after the check.

It's pricey, especially on an old car like this, but it will outhandle any new large car no worries. So you'll get years of enjoyment from it...
Umm...
Rear sway $200+ installation
Shocks $250
Springs $250
Strut brace $200 (DIY easy)
Tyres with 17"s 2nd hand $500

Add's up...but thats a quick run down. Keep an eye out on ebay for 5x114.3 PCD 17" wheels about 35+ offset.

got body roll? its swaybars. or the links.

yeah its got more body roll then a boat haha

I just want it to be safe and last me another 2 years

Other than checking for bent/worn suspension components and having good rubber at the right pressure there is little you can do to improve the handling of a FWD car.
Forget using it as a drift car.
You could park it in a garage and wait until you are a grey-haired-cardigan-wearing-pensioner I suppose. . . .

Guys,
We are talking about a car that is pushing 17 years old

The front dampers are prob stuffed, he has replaced rears

The springs will be gone by now as well, they do not last for ever

Bushes, dont even get me started there

If is a standard 4 banger prob has skinny tyres, he has replaced them but what is to say they are of any decent quality

To the OP, if you drove the car in standard set up in a way it was meant to be driven, there is no danger and if fact is once of the better handling cars of its era. If you have crap quality tyres, bad bushes etc then you have a car that is acting as it would be expected to act