Are AntiLock breaks really better then regular?

I'm looking at a Mitsu Lancer OZ Rally, but theres no way to get one with antilock brakes. (yes I know... the car complete faux sport, but its cool looking at least...)

But I'm wondering, is there really a need for antilocks... In your opinion do they work better for when you need to stop?

  Conduce

some might argue otherwise, but ABS stops you better than regular. especially in less than desirable weather.

  Low Impedance

yes. it's better to have them.

  BMWGuru

Yes but for an inexperienced driver should I pass a car I like buy because of its lack of ABS? (yes... me, only 2 years driving)

  Conduce

No, unless you plan on say winter driving it and it freezes wherever you are, that's when it's most useful. Otherwise, you'll probably never notice the difference unless you're about to slam into someone.

  88GrandPrixSE

Yeah that's true. You never know when some clown is going to cut you off. The ABS brakes has been very useful to me, thanks to it i haven't lost control of my car in emegency situations. :wink2:

  speeder

I would say they are better. I can see a difference in my non-ABS Camry than other cars that have it. I like it. :thumbs:

  StiMan

Try going to a parking lot when it has snowed over and slamming the brakes at 40 km/h....its amazing how quickly you can stop. Compare that to my sunbird which will just slide and slide.

I wish I had ABS, I rear ended someone in wet weather....i was only going like 20 km/h, but my brakes locked.

  Mathew

Yeah, without the brakes locking, you are able to steer while you stop, which can help you avoid accidents better than just skidding to a stop.

  moostang104314

Same with my cousin while he was driving his car. The ABS kept him from a full skid and left only small dashes. I guess it saved his car from some ugly stuff.

  ToCkS

In my experience vehicles with ABS are MUCH easier to control while braking, for example, if you were to slam on the brakes travelling at around 40mph at the same time as attempting to swerve to avoid hitting a Deer in a car without ABS, you'd just hit the poor (if a lil' stupid for starin' at you while you hurtle towards it) lil' thing head on. On the other hand, if you do the same in a car with ABS, you'd be able to steer at the same time as brake. This is because ABS works by constantly applying the pads-discs repeatedly, infact this sequence is so fast that the human eye wouldn't notice it happening :thumbs:

So I say go for the safer car if possible!

  Cliffy

Thanks for your helpful advise.

  Conduce

I've only had 2 cars with anti-lock (my '96 Ranger Splash, with rear anti-lock, and my SVT Contour) and frankly, I don't need it. I have no problem threshold braking and feeling what the individual wheels are doing. Plus there are situations I'd rather have the car lock up on (deeper snow and soft dirt/sand).

It's funny how so many people that don't want the transmission to shift for itself want the car to determine the best way to stop. It takes considerably more skill to threshold brake properly, but only moving a clutch pedal is considered being a "skilled driver."

ABS can be nice on an autocross course, however, where you can overcook it into the turn, hammer teh brakes and still make it through somehow.

  ChrisV

In terms of pulling up ..... no contest.
The thing about ABS is that it doesn't rely on any driver skill to pull up fast.

Obviously in non-ABS, the fastest stop is just short of lock-up, but to get to this stage you have to have a great feel for the pedal, or VERY quickly lock and release. ABS locks and releases much faster than humanly possible.

As has been mentioned, you probably won't notice it, but the one situation when you will is when you have to stop in a massive hurry. All of a sudden, brake pedal "feel" goes out the window and you just jump on the anchors. ABS will stop you just as quick as if you weren't so full of adrenalin, non-ABS won't.

  windsonian

I do agree with some of what you say, but recently, I was driving home from work in some bad snow (we've been getting alot recently in the UK), I went to steer a bend at no more than 5mph (it was a lil residential area that the grit lorries obviously forgot lol) and couldn't, I obviously couldnt hit the brakes due to no ABS either, so I had to steer using just the hand-brake and a bit of skill....Now I love driving in snow, rain etc, but had I have had ABS I would have had no need for the hand-brake. It's just aswell there were no other vehicles in my way lol

  Cliffy

I don't have ABS on my 81 Caprice and i think i'll keep it that way cuz i know how to drive in those conditions, but for a daily driver, grocery getter or whatnot i would say yes to ABS but don't ever let them feed you BS about ABS vehicles stopping faster it was never designed for that, it is so you can still have steering control while in those situations.

  BanffAutoSpa_ap

Sorry, Cliffy, but if you were doing it at 5mph, ABS would not have helped, as none of them are active below about 10 mph. (if ABS stayed on you'd never get the brakes to actually stop the wheels or hold the car at a stop...). And even if you had been doing, say, 15, it only would have been on until you got below 10 mph... then your brakes would lock up anyhow.

Here's a page from the NHTSA describing their operation.

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/Equipment/absbrakes.html

A couple relevant quotes:

"Do cars with ABS stop more quickly than cars without? ABS is designed to help the driver maintain control of the vehicle during emergency braking situations, not make the car stop more quickly. ABS may shorten stopping distances on wet or slippery roads and many systems will shorten stopping distances on dry roads. On very soft surfaces, such as loose gravel or unpacked snow, an ABS system may actually lengthen stopping distances."

"The antilock brake system is speed sensitive, and will not activate at very slow speeds. One way to familiarize yourself with the operation of ABS is to test drive the vehicle at a speed above which the ABS activates (usually above 10 mph) in an unobstructed parking lot and apply the brakes firmly. It is easier to activate the ABS on a wet and slippery road surface. "

  ChrisV

I see....I have driven a few cars that have stopped with the aid of ABS at very low speeds on of which was a '95 Vauxhall Cavalier, surely if the ABS doesn't cut in at that sort of speed nobody will have any sort of low speed control on icy roads?.....Or maybe UK spec and European spec vehicles differ slightly?

  Cliffy