Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Rear Wheel Drive shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Rear Wheel Drive offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Rear Wheel Drive at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Rear Wheel Drive? Wrong! If the Rear Wheel Drive is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about Rear Wheel Drive then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Rear Wheel Drive? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Rear Wheel Drive and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Rear Wheel Drive wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your Rear Wheel Drive then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Rear Wheel Drive site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about Rear Wheel Drive, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your Rear Wheel Drive, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.

Rear-wheel drive (or RWD for short) is the most common Internalcombustion engine/transmission (mechanics)layout used in automobiles. RWD typically places the engine in thefront of the vehicle, but the FMR layout, RMR layout and RR layout layouts are also used.Rear-wheel drive is used almost universally for drivingmotorcycles, whether by driveshaft, Chain drive, orBelt (mechanical).The vast majority of rear wheel drive vehicles use a Longitudinal engine in the front of the vehicle,driving the rear wheels via a driveshaft linked via adifferential (mechanics) between the rear axles. SomeFR layout vehicles place the transmission at the rear, though mostattach it to the engine at the front.Rear wheel drive has fallen out of favor in passenger cars since thelate 1980s The general limit of controllable power for a frontwheel drive car is generally placed between 230 and 300 horsepower. Advantages

• Even weight distribution - The layout of a rear wheel drive car is much closer to an even fore and aft weight distribution than a front wheel drive car, as more of the engine can lie between the front and rear wheels (in the case of a mid engine layout, the entire engine), and the transmission is moved much farther back.
• Weight transfer during acceleration - During heavy acceleration, weight is placed on the rear, or driving wheels, which improves traction.
• No Torque steering--> (unless it's an all wheel steer with an offset differential).
  • Steering radius - As no complicated drive shaft joints are required at the front wheels, it is possible to turn them further than would be possible using front wheel drive, resulting in a smaller steering radius for a given wheelbase.
  • Better Car handling in dry conditions - the more even weight distribution and weight transfer improve the handling of the car. The front and rear tires are placed under more even loads, which allows for more grip while cornering.
  • Better braking - the more even weight distribution helps prevent lockup from wheels becoming unloaded under heavy braking.
  • Towing - Rear wheel drive puts the wheels which are pulling the load closer to the point where a trailer articulates, helping steering, especially for large loads.
  • Serviceability - Drivetrain components on a rear-wheel drive vehicle are modular and do not involve packing as many parts into as small a space as does front wheel drive, thus requiring less disassembly or specialized tools in order perform servicing.
  • Robustness - due to geometry and packaging constraints, the constant-velocity joint attached to the wheel hub have a tendency to wear out much earlier than the universal joints typically used in their rear-wheel drive counterparts. The significantly shorter drive axles on a front-wheel drive car causes the joint to flex through a much wider degree of motion, compounded by additional stress and angles of steering, while the CV joints of a rear wheel drive car regularly see angles and wear of less than half that of front wheel drive vehicles.
  
  
  Disadvantages
  • Oversteer and the related problem of fishtailing.
  • On snow, ice and sand, rear-wheel drive loses its traction advantage to front or all-wheel drive vehicles which have greater weight on the driven wheels. Rear wheel drive cars with rear engine or mid engine configuration do not suffer from this, although fishtailing remains an issue.
  • Some rear engine cars (e.g. Porsche 911) can suffer from reduced steering ability under heavy acceleration, because the engine is outside the wheelbase and at the opposite end of the car from the wheels doing the steering.
  • Decreased interior space - In a passenger car, rear wheel drive means: Less front leg room as the transmission tunnel takes up a space between the driver and front passenger, less leg room for center rear passengers (due to the tunnel needed for the drive shaft), and sometimes less trunk space (since there is also more hardware that must be placed underneath the trunk). There are some exceptions to this as rear engine designs do not take away interior space. (See Porsche 911, and Volkswagen Beetle)
  • Increased weight - The components of a rear wheel drive vehicle's power train are less complex, but they are larger. The driveshaft adds weight. There is extra sheet metal to form the transmission tunnel. There is a rear axle or rear half-shafts, which are typically longer than those in a front-wheel drive car. A rear wheel drive car will weigh slightly more than a comparable front wheel drive car (but less than four wheel drive).
  • Improper weight distribution when loaded - A rear wheel drive car's center of gravity is shifted rearward when heavily loaded with passengers or cargo, which may cause unpredictable handling behavior.
  • Higher initial purchase price - Probably due to more complex assembly (the powertrain is not one compact unit) and added cost of materials, rear wheel drive is typically slightly more expensive to purchase than a comparable front wheel drive vehicle. This might also be explained by economy of scale, or the fact that the majority of rear-wheel cars are in the sports/performance/luxury categories. Few "family" sedans have rear-wheel drive, so a cost comparison is not necessarily possible.
  • The possibility of a slight loss in the mechanical efficiency of the drivetrain (approximately 17% coastdown losses between engine flywheel and road wheels compared to 15% for front wheel drive - these losses are highly dependent on the individual transmission, and the source should be cited). Cars with rear engine or mid engine configuration and a transverse engine layout do not suffer from this.
  • The long driveshaft (on FR cars) adds to drivetrain elasticity.
  
  
  Current or recent rear wheel drive cars to 2006 While the popularity of rear wheel drive has declined since the early1980s, it is still relatively common, and has been making something ofa resurgence. Here is list of current or recent rear wheel drivevehicles. See also :Category:Rear wheel drive vehicles.
  • Some two-wheel drive trucks and most sport utility vehicles are rear wheel drive.
  • Aston Martin - All models
  • Bentley - Bentley Arnage, Bentley Azure
  • BMW - All models except the MINI (BMW), and four-wheel drive variants
  • Cadillac - All models except Cadillac DTS, Cadillac BLS and four-wheel drive variants
  • Chevrolet - Chevrolet Corvette, Chevrolet Camaro
  • Chrysler - Chrysler 300, Chrysler Crossfire
  • Dodge - Dodge Viper, Dodge Charger (LX), Dodge Magnum, Dodge Challenger
  • Ferrari - All models
  • Ford Motor Company - Ford Crown Victoria, Ford Falcon (Australia) (Australia), Ford Fairlane (Australian) (Australia), Ford Mustang, Ford Thunderbird
  • GMC (General Motors division) - All models except GMC Acadia and four-wheel drive variants
  • Holden - Holden Commodore (all models), Holden Statesman
  • Honda - Honda S2000, Honda NSX
  • Infiniti - All models except four-wheel drive variants and G20
  • Jaguar (car) - All except Jaguar X-Type
  • Jeep - All models except Jeep Compass and four-wheel drive variants
  • Lexus - All cars except Lexus ES, Lexus RX, and four-wheel drive variants
  • Lincoln (automobile) - Lincoln Town Car, Lincoln LS
  • Lotus Cars - All cars except Lotus Elan#1990s Elan
  • Maserati - All models
  • Mazda - Mazda Miata, Mazda RX-7, Mazda RX-8, Mazda 929
  • Mercedes-Benz - All cars except Mercedes-Benz A-Class, Mercedes-Benz B-Class and four-wheel drive models
  • Mercury (automobile) - Mercury Grand Marquis
  • Nissan - Nissan 350Z, Nissan Skyline (except 4WD models),Nissan Silvia, Nissan 240SX, Nissan 300ZX
  • Pontiac - Pontiac GTO, Pontiac Solstice, Pontiac G8, Pontiac Firebird, Pontiac Trans Am
  • Porsche - All cars except the four-wheel drive Porsche 911, Porsche 911 Turbo and Porsche Cayenne
  • Saturn - Saturn Sky
  • Smart - Smart Fortwo, Smart roadster
  • Tofaş - Tofaş Şahin, Doğan, Kartal, Serçe
  • Toyota - Toyota Altezza, Toyota Crown, Toyota Mark X, Toyota MR2, Toyota Supra
  • TVR - All models
  • Vauxhall Omega - known as Opel Omega in continental Europe
  
  
  References External links
  • RearWheelDrive.org - An organization that is devoted to promote RWD
  • "Why Front-Wheel Drive Sucks - And Why Rear-Wheel Drive is Coming Back" - A personal opinion
  • What's It Like To Drive - Describes a test between two Dodge Daytonas, one FWD and one RWD
  Rear-wheel drive (or RWD for short) is the most common Internalcombustion engine/transmission (mechanics)layout used in automobiles. RWD typically places the engine in thefront of the vehicle, but the FMR layout, RMR layout and RR layout layouts are also used.Rear-wheel drive is used almost universally for drivingmotorcycles, whether by driveshaft, Chain drive, orBelt (mechanical).The vast majority of rear wheel drive vehicles use a Longitudinal engine in the front of the vehicle,driving the rear wheels via a driveshaft linked via adifferential (mechanics) between the rear axles. SomeFR layout vehicles place the transmission at the rear, though mostattach it to the engine at the front.Rear wheel drive has fallen out of favor in passenger cars since thelate 1980s The general limit of controllable power for a frontwheel drive car is generally placed between 230 and 300 horsepower. Advantages
  • Even weight distribution - The layout of a rear wheel drive car is much closer to an even fore and aft weight distribution than a front wheel drive car, as more of the engine can lie between the front and rear wheels (in the case of a mid engine layout, the entire engine), and the transmission is moved much farther back.
  • Weight transfer during acceleration - During heavy acceleration, weight is placed on the rear, or driving wheels, which improves traction.
  • No Torque steering--> (unless it's an all wheel steer with an offset differential).
    • Steering radius - As no complicated drive shaft joints are required at the front wheels, it is possible to turn them further than would be possible using front wheel drive, resulting in a smaller steering radius for a given wheelbase.
    • Better Car handling in dry conditions - the more even weight distribution and weight transfer improve the handling of the car. The front and rear tires are placed under more even loads, which allows for more grip while cornering.
    • Better braking - the more even weight distribution helps prevent lockup from wheels becoming unloaded under heavy braking.
    • Towing - Rear wheel drive puts the wheels which are pulling the load closer to the point where a trailer articulates, helping steering, especially for large loads.
    • Serviceability - Drivetrain components on a rear-wheel drive vehicle are modular and do not involve packing as many parts into as small a space as does front wheel drive, thus requiring less disassembly or specialized tools in order perform servicing.
    • Robustness - due to geometry and packaging constraints, the constant-velocity joint attached to the wheel hub have a tendency to wear out much earlier than the universal joints typically used in their rear-wheel drive counterparts. The significantly shorter drive axles on a front-wheel drive car causes the joint to flex through a much wider degree of motion, compounded by additional stress and angles of steering, while the CV joints of a rear wheel drive car regularly see angles and wear of less than half that of front wheel drive vehicles.
    
    
    Disadvantages
    • Oversteer and the related problem of fishtailing.
    • On snow, ice and sand, rear-wheel drive loses its traction advantage to front or all-wheel drive vehicles which have greater weight on the driven wheels. Rear wheel drive cars with rear engine or mid engine configuration do not suffer from this, although fishtailing remains an issue.
    • Some rear engine cars (e.g. Porsche 911) can suffer from reduced steering ability under heavy acceleration, because the engine is outside the wheelbase and at the opposite end of the car from the wheels doing the steering.
    • Decreased interior space - In a passenger car, rear wheel drive means: Less front leg room as the transmission tunnel takes up a space between the driver and front passenger, less leg room for center rear passengers (due to the tunnel needed for the drive shaft), and sometimes less trunk space (since there is also more hardware that must be placed underneath the trunk). There are some exceptions to this as rear engine designs do not take away interior space. (See Porsche 911, and Volkswagen Beetle)
    • Increased weight - The components of a rear wheel drive vehicle's power train are less complex, but they are larger. The driveshaft adds weight. There is extra sheet metal to form the transmission tunnel. There is a rear axle or rear half-shafts, which are typically longer than those in a front-wheel drive car. A rear wheel drive car will weigh slightly more than a comparable front wheel drive car (but less than four wheel drive).
    • Improper weight distribution when loaded - A rear wheel drive car's center of gravity is shifted rearward when heavily loaded with passengers or cargo, which may cause unpredictable handling behavior.
    • Higher initial purchase price - Probably due to more complex assembly (the powertrain is not one compact unit) and added cost of materials, rear wheel drive is typically slightly more expensive to purchase than a comparable front wheel drive vehicle. This might also be explained by economy of scale, or the fact that the majority of rear-wheel cars are in the sports/performance/luxury categories. Few "family" sedans have rear-wheel drive, so a cost comparison is not necessarily possible.
    • The possibility of a slight loss in the mechanical efficiency of the drivetrain (approximately 17% coastdown losses between engine flywheel and road wheels compared to 15% for front wheel drive - these losses are highly dependent on the individual transmission, and the source should be cited). Cars with rear engine or mid engine configuration and a transverse engine layout do not suffer from this.
    • The long driveshaft (on FR cars) adds to drivetrain elasticity.
    
    
    Current or recent rear wheel drive cars to 2006 While the popularity of rear wheel drive has declined since the early1980s, it is still relatively common, and has been making something ofa resurgence. Here is list of current or recent rear wheel drivevehicles. See also :Category:Rear wheel drive vehicles.
    • Some two-wheel drive trucks and most sport utility vehicles are rear wheel drive.
    • Aston Martin - All models
    • Bentley - Bentley Arnage, Bentley Azure
    • BMW - All models except the MINI (BMW), and four-wheel drive variants
    • Cadillac - All models except Cadillac DTS, Cadillac BLS and four-wheel drive variants
    • Chevrolet - Chevrolet Corvette, Chevrolet Camaro
    • Chrysler - Chrysler 300, Chrysler Crossfire
    • Dodge - Dodge Viper, Dodge Charger (LX), Dodge Magnum, Dodge Challenger
    • Ferrari - All models
    • Ford Motor Company - Ford Crown Victoria, Ford Falcon (Australia) (Australia), Ford Fairlane (Australian) (Australia), Ford Mustang, Ford Thunderbird
    • GMC (General Motors division) - All models except GMC Acadia and four-wheel drive variants
    • Holden - Holden Commodore (all models), Holden Statesman
    • Honda - Honda S2000, Honda NSX
    • Infiniti - All models except four-wheel drive variants and G20
    • Jaguar (car) - All except Jaguar X-Type
    • Jeep - All models except Jeep Compass and four-wheel drive variants
    • Lexus - All cars except Lexus ES, Lexus RX, and four-wheel drive variants
    • Lincoln (automobile) - Lincoln Town Car, Lincoln LS
    • Lotus Cars - All cars except Lotus Elan#1990s Elan
    • Maserati - All models
    • Mazda - Mazda Miata, Mazda RX-7, Mazda RX-8, Mazda 929
    • Mercedes-Benz - All cars except Mercedes-Benz A-Class, Mercedes-Benz B-Class and four-wheel drive models
    • Mercury (automobile) - Mercury Grand Marquis
    • Nissan - Nissan 350Z, Nissan Skyline (except 4WD models),Nissan Silvia, Nissan 240SX, Nissan 300ZX
    • Pontiac - Pontiac GTO, Pontiac Solstice, Pontiac G8, Pontiac Firebird, Pontiac Trans Am
    • Porsche - All cars except the four-wheel drive Porsche 911, Porsche 911 Turbo and Porsche Cayenne
    • Saturn - Saturn Sky
    • Smart - Smart Fortwo, Smart roadster
    • Tofaş - Tofaş Şahin, Doğan, Kartal, Serçe
    • Toyota - Toyota Altezza, Toyota Crown, Toyota Mark X, Toyota MR2, Toyota Supra
    • TVR - All models
    • Vauxhall Omega - known as Opel Omega in continental Europe
    
    
    References External links
    • RearWheelDrive.org - An organization that is devoted to promote RWD
    • "Why Front-Wheel Drive Sucks - And Why Rear-Wheel Drive is Coming Back" - A personal opinion
    • What's It Like To Drive - Describes a test between two Dodge Daytonas, one FWD and one RWD