[UglyBoost91]

Hey Guys!

I became a proud new owner of a 2011 Eco manual, Black/red sport cloth a couple months ago, and have gone through my first oil change, so it's now time for some racin'!

I will be at the SCCA Oscoda event this coming weekend (July 15-17th) if anyone wants to join.

Just wondering if anyone else has raced their car yet? I have been fairly active in auto-x events for the past few years with my other cars, but I would love to be one of the first to auto-x their cruze. My only concerns are the LRR tires, they don't hold on the best under extreme cornering :banghead:
In my pre-lim testing, leaving the stability control on actually seems to help bring the rear end of the car around as the front end starts to under steer.

I would love to go heads up with someone in a Non-eco and the multilink rear suspension, which is supposed to handle better than the Eco's torsion beam. Then again, the Cobalt was the fastest FWD car at Nuremberg, so who knows...

I'll make sure to take lots of pics!

Eric,

 

[shawn672]

I've always wanted to but never knew anyone who auto crosses so i never got into it.

 

[UglyBoost91]

Too bad your not closer to Michigan!

So everyone else on here is just a lowly MPG saver? hehehe

 

[Nightdrv]

At first, I don't think the Eco has any decent handling at all. The ride is sharp, but the understeer and low braking power are dangerous in my opinion. I think if you braced up the car, top and bottom.. and of course changed wheels/tires, and brakes..... maybe then it would be driveable on a TT course.

 

[UglyBoost91]

I have to friendly disagree with you a bit Nightdrv. Besides tires, My buddy (a rabid Volkswagen fan) loves the way the car handles, and I can easily hang with his base GTI on most turns.

And braking, in my eyes, is FANTASTIC. I can rip my eyes out with the car, and it will easily stop as fast as a co-workers SRT-4. Have you seen the braking distance numbers? More than some performance cars. Rear drums are more than ok for occasional hard stops.

Don't get me wrong I'm not going to race the car on a track, but for an autocross, it seems like it will be ok, given it's an economy car after all. You must have come from a really nice car to think the ECO handles bad and stop Dangerously!?

A good friend of mine has won many SCCA 1st place titles in his stock ford escort...

 

[NBrehm]

I have to friendly disagree with you a bit Nightdrv. Besides tires, My buddy (a rabid Volkswagen fan) loves the way the car handles, and I can easily hang with his base GTI on most turns.

And braking, in my eyes, is FANTASTIC. I can rip my eyes out with the car, and it will easily stop as fast as a co-workers SRT-4. Have you seen the braking distance numbers? More than some performance cars. Rear drums are more than ok for occasional hard stops.

Don't get me wrong I'm not going to race the car on a track, but for an autocross, it seems like it will be ok, given it's an economy car after all. You must have come from a really nice car to think the ECO handles bad and stop Dangerously!?

A good friend of mine has won many SCCA 1st place titles in his stock ford escort...

I agree, while not up to the kind of braking I had in my Trans Am it feels like a very competent chassis that is horribly let down by it's tires. I think with a tire upgrade it would be very respectable within its own ranks.

 

[tommyc]

After reading this thread and looking at the Atlanta SCCA page, I think I'm going to give it a try. Looks like a lot of fun.

 

[Quazar]

I agree, while not up to the kind of braking I had in my Trans Am it feels like a very competent chassis that is horribly let down by it's tires. I think with a tire upgrade it would be very respectable within its own ranks.

You would think people would remember that the ECO has fuel max tires on it before they complained that the tires didn't grip like "other" cars that got 15 mpg.

 

[UglyBoost91]

You would think people would remember that the ECO has fuel max tires on it before they complained that the tires didn't grip like "other" cars that got 15 mpg.

I think NBrehm knows it has the LLR tires on it', he's just stating proof to their poor grip

 

[Nightdrv]

^ Same here... I'm not complaining that it has fuel-saving tires on it. (Other than they are downright dangerous when wet). I was only suggesting that they could not take a turn on a race course to save a life! lol