Handling, 145
 

A mate of mine, an old volvo hand, reckons 145s can let go of the front end on wet bends. Is this a known thing?

I don't know if it's a well known aspect to the 140's handling but my 145 was badly damaged when a previous owner understeered into a ditch on a corner in wet conditions.

It depends how fast you’re going, if your dampers are doing a good job of keeping your tyres on the road, how wet it is and how good your tyres are. I never had a problem with mine.

maybe it's cos you're an eternal. . . . ! cheers

At that time the 140/160 was designed, the people believed in: "A car that will understeer is muuuuch safer"
Yes this cars do understeer heavily.
Easy to compensate by alignment, rear ARB and the right pedal with a heavy foot on.

I prefer them neutral to oversteer...
Good luck, Kay

Well, i'm not sure about that! Was the thinking that. if you know your car is going to veer into oncoming in the wet, you'll go round corners at 10 mph?! An what is "rear ARB?

I don't tend to shriek about in the wet, but i want to know that, if my running gear is in good order an decent tyres on, i can corner in wet at non-hooning speeds, pretty please. I mean, this is a Volvo, yes, renowned for . . . ?

.. . . an why is it referred to as under an oversteer? It's plain skidding an loosing control, due to bald tyres, idiocy an poor judgement, in my book. I like to go fast betimes, an enjoy a twisty road in something with some enthusiastic horses (W123 estate with the S class V8 in, in my case), but one can always tell when to back off a bit?

I can't say I have ever really suffered real understeer with my 140's. I do always run 195 or 205 width tyres and that does improve them a lot.

Even with clapped out springs and dampers they go around the corners just with lots of body roll

What size tyres suits these? I need a full set for mine.

I use 195/65/15 and 205/60/15

The original 165's you can feel them tuck with hard cornering