New driver needing help deciding whether ABS is worth it?

bostonianinmo

ABS is worth every penny! So much so that most vehicles come with it standard, and those that don't usually have it installed as an option on all of the dealer's stock vehicles.

Please ignore the d00b that says that 4-wheel disks are better than ABS. He doesn't know what he's talking about. ABS can be on cars with 4-wheel disks or traditional disk/drum brakes.

ABS prevents the wheels from locking up in a panic stop. The wheels will generate maximum braking force just shy of lockup yet allow you to still steer to avoid hazards. ABS also significantly reduces stopping distances on wet or icy roads. It will also help you maintain control of your vehicle on patchy ice and snow, one of the most dangerous driving situations when braking.

Early ABS was an expensive option, often costing well over $1000.00 and as much as $3,500.00. ABS is so prevalent now that even when it's an option, the price is typically less than $500.00.

ABS is so effective that I expect it to be mandatory on all vehicles in a few years. ABS is already mandatory on big trucks and has been since 1999 or earlier.

Most drivers do not know how to use ABS effectively. Many driving schools still teach the old "pump" method of preventing wheel lockup. This defeats the antilock feature. If you have ABS on your car, press hard on the brakes and DO NOT PUMP the pedal! Steer normally to avoid the hazard. You may feel pulsing in the pedal or hear a vigrating or ticking sound. This is NORMAL and means that the ABS is working properly.

Bonus: Most insurance policies offer a discount for ABS. Mine is enough to pay for my ABS in 3 years! Looked at that way, it's free and may even make money for you over the life of the vehicle.

I won't own a vehicle without ABS!

top-down

A new driver? Yes, you want ABS. It does make a difference, particularly for new drivers inexperienced in emergency braking.

rubyrudy

Yes you definitely want ABS breaks. It will keep you insurance low, and when you are a new driver you want to do whatever possible to keep you insurance low, because it will not go down until you have had you license for 18 months

eject911

ABS is almost ALWAYS a good thing, but if youre getting a used older vehicle which, lets assume, has abs, you actually dont know if it still works properly anyway.

my friend bought a car brand new (camaro) and after 3 years of usage he came to the point where he had to brake really hard in order to avoid an accident, but ALL WHEELS LOCKED, so the ABS system was not working properly.

abs should not be your PRIORITY when purchasing a USED vehicle. you should post a question which asks what car you should buy with $xxxx ammount of money you have.

good luck

jackfoo

abs not worth it 4 wheel disk is so much easier to Chang the pads they make your weals look better to most cars wont lock up unless there is wet or ice roads in your future

Jeep Freak 81

By looking at your avatar you appear mad. ABS is a good thing. Not only for your safety but others as well. But just because it is ABS does not mean the brakes will not lock up. All cars will ABS require some getting used to, if you never have used it before. But, having ABS, will give you a discount on your insurance as well. Good Luck!
You could buy a pre 1984 steel made car that is a sure fire way to hurt on injure any car it hits and will totally kill you as well.

ThereIsNoHope

abs is great but annoying, on the ice you should pump the brake pedal when stopping so as not to lock up the brakes (same as the wheels stopping rotation, in which case the tire will slide over the ice). an abs system does the pumping of the brake pedal for you, only much faster then you could do it yourself. whats annoying is you hit the brake and you can feel the pedal pulsating. meanwhile it seems to you that you should already be stopped and if that damm abs would leave the brakes alone and let you do it, you would be. your 1st impulse is to hit the pedal harder but that don't help. i personally don't like them but I suppose they are good. they are definatly good if your a novice driver, tend to drive to fast in bad weather.

Pumper Tech

Don't let abs be a deciding factor. Most cars now are equipped with abs as a standard feature. Some early abs systems in the 80s had some problems that could be costly to repair but most abs systems in the last decade are pretty reliable. ABS is very effective in panic stops and slick pavement and is an asset to safety just as airbags and seatbelts. I would look for the type of car you want rather than whether or not it has abs.

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: