Power steering

[Helz]

This has been discussed recently in the Bravo/a section so I thought I would bring it out here and see what folks think. As a petite girl I find it difficult to turn large cars with traditional steering, yet the butch blokes seem to struggle with lighter power steering systems, which I love and find easy to drive. Which do you like best - and why?

 

[Stu DemonD]

Just reading that thread!!!

Most of my cars have had PAS, the later ones with adaptive PAS as well. I would hate a car with 'traditional' steering.

 

[gaz.d]

i hate really light power steering, luckily so far the sei and the punto havent been too bad, apart from the cissy mode but i dont use that

when i get into the cinq i feel a wimp cause i expect it to be light and it not

 

[custard]

well i have the cinq with manual steering but in a small car it works fine.hate over assisted steering where you feel like the front end is jacked up but nicely weighted PAS is nice to use

 

[GhostWKD]

sei was horrible before got used to it, almost got me crashed driving home on mway, meant to go slow lane to middle lane, instead went slow to fast

 

[Stu DemonD]

I prefer adaptive - light at lower speeds, which gradually gets heavier at speed.

I vote for another option

 

[AppleSei]

The sei is like that stu

altho some seis do not have PAS, mine does and i can turn the wheel with the palm of my hand, very easy to park and steer.

Ive driven a few cars and most have had PAS

Ive only driven small cars which have had no PAS and to be honest it was still light,but ive voted for light PAS as thats what ive got

 

[charlieboy]

my uno had no PS but the punto does have PS but still feels the same as the uno did

but i did prefer the unos steering.

the corsa i had for a while had reeeeeeally light PS but i guess thats a newer new car thing?!

 

[styles]

not sure really it all seems abit vauge.
well if its no power steerin then the nsx feel is good but then if it power steerin then no lighter than my stilo shumi (without girlie button) or the firmer settin of the Alfa 147 GTA.

 

[black_cinq]

Drove my mums fiesta for a while and the steering on that feels like you're not really driving, it scares me.

Steering on the bug is perfect, can still 'feel' where you're going without struggling.

Saying that i never exactly struggled in the cinq with no PAS but it wasnt exactly a big car

 

[Bunny]

I like my Bravo with it's light power steering, makes driving through town easy

 

[HP]

Either a decent setup like the Cinq with no PAS, or one with PAS and some good weight and feel to it.

 

[Jai]

the tubs steering was light as hell with the standard alloys, weighted up nicely with 6.5" wides on, heavy at parking speed, but not too much so. mrs t hates the weight at any speed!

mrs t loves the pandas' city mode for parking, and standard is just right for her at normal driving speeds. me, i find the panda way too light on either

 

[blu73]

I voted heavy power steering coz i'm lazy and can't be arsed driving without PAS anymore but really i love a blast with traditional steering, you just can't beat the feel that comes through them.
Its just a matter of turning round and parking etc is just such a hassle compared to PAS that i wouldn't want to live without it everyday.
I've had 2 beetles (well still got 1) and the first was fine without PAS, it was on 165 tyres but the one i got know is a beast to handle with 195's on but thats also due to the smaller steering wheel.

 

[Kurt]

I prefer power steering, but i do like the fact that it gets 'heavier' at speed.


Although when the "power steering failure" warning light comes on half way round a long right hander, it's not good. Took me by surprise, lost all power steering and hung on for dear life! Pulled over after getting orund the corner, engine off an back on and was fine, no probs since - touch wood.

 

[Morritt]

power steering all the way, but i had a punto courtesy car, and that was too light for comfort, putting it in city mode i used one finger at the top of the wheel and could still turn corners ... scary

 

[BigJohnD]

The PAS on my previous 85ELX was just right, with less assistance at higher speeds.

The MkII I currently have is horrible, and the girlie button removes all resisitance - it's plain dangerous.

 

[The Trooper]

Non PAS feels better in terms of driving experience and fun, I find it easier to find the limit of the car when pushing round corners. My VW camper weighs 2 tonnes + with no PAS. Driving that makes me feel like a real man :slayer: and getting straight into my Punto after driving it just feels weird and overly light. Wouldn't it be good if there was a button on the dashboard to turn off PAS, particularly on small cars like Punto's where it's not really neccessary.

 

[blu73]

Well i am currently working on a way to turn down the pas on my Sei (eps) but i'm not gonna go into details until i know if it'll work or not, but give me a few months to sort out what i need and i'll start a thread I can say though its only gonna work on electronic pas and not with hydraulic, i don't know what is in a punto though

 

[Mercia]

I prefer having the feeling that your car is a heavy presence actually on the road, really don't like the city mode at all other than for parking in tight spaces maybe, even then I can't park with it, always cut it too close!