7 Tips for Driving a Supercar for the First Time
Supercars are amazing vehicles that many people enjoy and want to experience driving. When it’s your first time in a supercar, you can look forward to a fun time driving a car with incredible performance. However, before you buckle up and push the button to start the car, there are some tips to make your first supercar experience even better.
Get To Know the Brakes
The brakes are essential parts of any car, but in a supercar, they play a vital role in your safety. Supercars are known for their fast speeds and powerful performance, which means there needs to be a way to control them.
Supercar brakes differ from those of a regular Honda or PT Cruiser because they have manufacturing that fits the vehicle’s speed. Get familiar with the brakes before you go out for a full-length drive so you understand how to slow down and come to a stop.
Mind Low-Clearance Obstacles
One of the main reasons some supercars move so quickly is because of their low clearance. Less air travels underneath the vehicle, reducing wind resistance and causing the air to travel over and around the vehicle.
While this low clearance is beneficial to performance and gas mileage, it presents a challenge when driving over bumps or potholes. These low obstacles may cause damage to the bumper if you do not approach them carefully. You need to exercise extreme caution so your first drive with a supercar isn’t ruined.
Speed Bumps
Speed bumps have become more commonplace on roads and residential streets. This traffic-slowing object helps prevent accidents but may spell disaster when driving a supercar for the first time. Your vehicle will likely have a low clearance of five to seven inches, while the speed bump may be as tall as six inches.
Driving faster than a walking pace will more than likely damage the vehicle’s front end, so you’ll need to slow down significantly. Driving at a slight diagonal angle will also help the wheel make contact with the speed bump and prevent the front bumper from hitting it.
Parking Blocks
Parking blocks pose another risk to supercar bumpers. You can hit supercar front and back bumpers on parking blocks, so don’t pull in as far as you would in a regular car. Most modern vehicles will come with a rear camera, especially supercars.
The rear camera will help you determine how close you are to the parking block when backing up so you don’t get too close and scratch the paint. Ensuring the vehicle’s front isn’t too close to the block will involve some estimation while you’re still getting used to the car, but taking the time to learn the vehicle will make it easier to gauge.
Never Use Low-Octane Gas
Many of us are tempted to use cheaper gas when filling up our vehicles to save money. However, you should never use low-octane gas on a supercar and instead always use a higher grade of gas. Gas with a higher octane, such as premium gas, will work well for a supercar engine.
Premium gas gives better fuel efficiency, which is essential for vehicles with higher horsepower that expend energy and fuel. Higher-octane gas will also mitigate engine knock when you accelerate quickly because the gasoline is harder to ignite, making driving at faster speeds more enjoyable.
The Differences Between Gas Octanes in a Supercar
Using gas of a higher octane is good for the supercar and essential to keep the engine intact. As mentioned before, engine knock occurs less with higher-octane gas because it takes more effort to combust. The opposite is true of regular gas; it takes less effort to combust and may cause larger combustion than necessary, which causes engine knock.
The shockwave from the ignition of the regular gasoline will shake the engine hard enough to damage it and potentially cause some parts to come loose. You will need a higher-grade gas to prevent damage to the engine.
Only Drive Fast When It’s Safe
There is a time and place when driving fast is acceptable, but those instances are few. Make sure there is no one around you before you switch to a higher gear or press down further on the accelerator; you don’t want to risk the lives of others so you can have a few moments of pulse-racing fun.
Make sure you are on an open road away from city limits and can move at faster speeds when the speed limit is higher. Driving fast in a luxury vehicle is fun, but safety is important when driving a supercar for the first time.
It’s Perfectly Fine To Drive Quietly
Supercars produce a certain amount of power, and they can be loud when put into ignition. Ferraris and Lamborghinis are known for being loud. That’s because a Ferrari’s flat-plane crank spins faster from the car’s power, and Lamborghinis have a large tailpipe.
It is nice to show off occasionally, but it’s better to drive quietly and let your boasts come from the speed and luxurious appearance of the car. So if you ever drive through Coral Gables in your Lamborghini rental in Miami, FL, go easy on the gas pedal while driving through the neighborhood.
Make Sure You Have the Right Shoes
You’ll need to feel the car beneath your feet to understand the power it produces, and you must have the control to manipulate the pedals, especially in a manual transmission. Wearing boots will make your movements clunky, and you won’t be able to feel the vehicle’s responsiveness. Meanwhile, sandals may not have the best grip to push down on the pedals with control. Regular sneakers or a nice shoe with a rubber sole should serve you well during your first ride and help you feel the engine’s purr.
Drive Around the Block Before Hitting the Road
It’s always a good idea to get familiar with something new, and when you hop in the front seat of a supercar for the first time, it’s best to get a few practice laps in before driving on the road. Driving around the block will help you understand your control over the vehicle and how much power it has, which will help you stay safe on the streets. Being familiar with the controls and handling will make your first time driving an elite car even better because you’ll know what you’re doing.
Many people have not driven supercars, but when they finally get to for the first time, they should follow these tips for the best results. It will make a great memory to drive a supercar for the first time, so make sure you do it with style, knowledge, and safety for the best of your memories.
