does anyone here prefer cars without the anti-locks?

 

I'm located in a moderate climate zone where snow is seldom seen. I read statistics which indicate that dry-road stopping distances may actually be longer with ABS. I shy away from the service complexity of ABS. These three factors, taken together, make me prefer standard brakes.

 

I used to agree with you, based mostly on the climate thing (I live in Florida). That, and the only cars I had driven with ABS had very intrusive systems, meaning the pedal pulsed like an old washing machine. I thought this way until I came around a corner in my mom's Volvo S70 about a year ago, and there was a stuck car in the middle of the lane. The pavement was very slick, as it had just begun to rain, and I don't think I could have stopped without ABS. The system on her Volvo was so much better than the others, I barely knew it was there until it really needed to work. If I have a choice for my next car I will get ABS now... the extra bills are worth it for the safety of ABS. Just as long as I can't tell it's there every time I stop.

 

Here in Texas we sometimes see weeks where their is no rain then all of the sudden a light rain comes along and makes the roads VERY slick. It,s times like this when I wish I had ABS but it,s probably useless if some dm as is following to close and he hits you in the rear. I,d still at least be able to steer the car and slam on the brakes if ever needed.

 

It does lower your insurance payments a little, but on gravel (and other types) roads it can actually take longer to stop with ABS. Although it stops a lot faster during most road conditions. I don't have it now, but I wish I did.

-Nate

 

ABS has saved me on slick roads enough to justify their increased cost. I will not buy a car without ABS. Even in Texas, all it takes is a slight drizzle to wet the road and an emergency stop becomes hazardous without ABS.

 

I don't like ABS systems all that much. I can think of one time that I wished my car had it but there have been two or three times that the ability to lock my wheels and put the car in a slide one way or another, probably saved my life.

 

pull the handbrake up a little drive around the corner and your ABS light will go on then ABS will be off. TTo turn ABS back on you have to restart your car

 

If one understands how it works and how to use it, ABS brakes are better than none under ALL circumstances.

 

I used to be against ABS until a panic stop on the highway a few years ago. My friend was following rather close (30-35 feet) behind me and traffic stopped from ~60 to 0 because of an accident. With my ABS, I jammed on the brake and steered clear. He didn't have ABS and slid into the car that was in front of me. He told me that he jammed on the brakes and tried to steer, but the car wouldn't respond. Since then, I have liked/loved ABS, they work well. To all of you that dislike them, why do you dislike them? The reason about gravel or snow stopping distances sounds valid, but how often do you drive on gravel fast enough to have to make a panic stop? Same thing for snow. If you have to jam on the brakes hard enough to engage ABS, then you are probably driving a little fast for conditions.

 

ABS doesnt increase stopping distances. If you dont have ABS, you have to be the judge of just how much pressure you can apply before a skid. You are not a good judge of this. You may feel like you are about to skid, when you could actually be pushing harder. With ABS, you just push as hard as you can and let the car do the rest. Plus, with ABS you can steer under full braking, that alone, is worth it.

 

I'm glad I don't have ABS on my Max. I had them on my 94 Z28 and I thought the ABS was more dangerous than not having them in the snow. On very slick snow, not even the best ABS systems can keep the wheels from locking up. I don't know how many times I slide down a hill with my brakes locking up for 5 feet, unlocking for a few feet, locking up again, etc. I am far more comfortable pumping the brakes myself on slick surfaces. You're at the mercy of the ABS system otherwise. Before I added springs, struts, RSB, and better tires, my car was prone to a little tire lockup. Now after adding all those goodies plus a good set of brake pads, I've got to try very hard to skid.
On a slick roadway after weeks of no rain requires one to think, "hey, maybe I should slow down". I am a extremely defensive driver and I'm ALWAYS looking out for the other guy. I don't tailgate and I am always checking the road way ahead of me. Honestly, I have yet to lock up my brakes in a panic stop after 2 years of ownership.

Oh and I like the fact that I don't have worry about my ABS screwing up ($200 for a sensor, $300 for this, etc).


Dave

 

I'm with Dave on this one:

"Oh and I like the fact that I don't have worry about my ABS screwing up ($200 for a sensor, $300 for this, etc)."

But having it or not really makes no difference to me. I think I've slid twice where I could have used it. Both times on roads where the plows packed an inch of snow on the less trodden roads.

And I'm ashamed to say this but I didn't even know until a couple months ago that I didn't have it. I assumed a 4 wheel disc set up was automatically ABS. Stupid, I know. Not that it would have changed my decision to buy this car. I knew exactly what I wanted and that's what I bought.

 

is the best I can stop alot faster on dry and wet than my bud with a 1997 without ABS

 

I don't really care about ABS.

If I have a car with it then fine, I just break differently.

However, the two cars that I have owned have not had ABS. Is it a problem? Not really.

I've only locked 'em up once or twice in my max ( without trying ) since putting descent tires on.

I live in Western New York, and I don't find that driving in snow is all that difficult without ABS if you know what you are doing and pay attention. It may actcually be easier ( like Dave said ).

Not that I don't like ABS....I just won't go out of my way to get it.

[Edited by ejj5875 on 02-13-2001 at 07:55 PM]

 

On our previous car, a 90 Lincoln Continental, ABS saved my *** a million times. Jamming the pedal and steering is rediculously easy. The maxima does not have it, and I wish it did. I have locked up a front tire a million times on wet AND dry, both fronts quite a few times on wet, and all four on wet several times (and like 4 times on dry.....)...The oily-slick roads a few minutes after rain starts is awful. That is where I find it easy to lock up a tire in stopping just a bit faster than usual. It's almost kind of rediculous how easy it is to lock a front braking on wet. I should note that after replacing the Goodyears with Michelin Pilots, wet braking has improved dramatically, but I can still lock 'em up without excessively mashing the pedal.

My first car (any others I have driven up to this point were my parents') is going to be a 93 Caprice ex cop car, and it has ABS...I will probably come to like it again.
My dad's car, a 91 olds custom cruiser, has ABS. This caprice probably has the same system - it seems to work well. That big wagon stops better than you may think.

And while we're talking about wet braking....how about wet accelerating??? Sheesh! The maxima can't get out of its own way starting off in 1st gear. Now, second gear is another story...for some reason, if you get them spinning in 2nd, it pulls REALLY hard.
That 91 olds has a 3.23 posi rear, and it can get going pretty well on wet. It would easily outrun the maxima to, say, 30mph on wet.
But, other than wet-acceleration, I'd probably rather not have posi. It's a safety issue. If both fronts spin, that means in a corner, the outside front will get torque. While you're trying to corner, that's a bad thing. I'd rather sit there, smoking the inside front, than plow off the road.

[Edited by kevm14 on 02-14-2001 at 01:57 AM]

 

Nope don't like ABS. It takes away from the race car feel.

 

ABS is great if you know how to use it properly. Everyone has their experiences and preferences. I am not used to "flooring" the brake to get maximum results since I have been a non ABS user for quite some time. My Pathfinder has ABS and I guess it saved me from rear-ending another guy in heavy snow - I was able to steer away with control...but into a ditch!! But hey, I didn't hit the guy and I was able to get out via 4-wheel drive. ABS won't really decrease your stopping distance on slick surfaces - just help you steer clear with relative control.