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[Peacock]

Right now, I'm trying for a challenge: My goal is a 100 % complete save file without the need to modify any race car - since you can not undo any tune-ups, because you win them once and that's it!

But of course, 100 % completion also means getting the Perfect Driver Bonus at every side job.
And after having done almost all of the 1978 side jobs, I'm afraid that it's almost (almost!) impossible!
Because even with a perfectly tuned sports car: Melizzano or Raven (the fastest ones with best handling of all the standard cars) - some of the Street or Checkpoint Races are impossible to beat within the PDB time!
Luckily, I've discovered that the Antilli VO3 Special is able to beat these times, and therefore I've mastered my bike driving skills.
BUT: You have a really hard time with some of the offroad jobs: countless restarts because of slightly touching any barrels or lamp posts (the DPL veterans surely know what I mean )
Today there was my hardest challenge so far: the Checkpoint Race of Coney Island, beating the +0:45:00! In the end, after several hours and countless restarts, I did it twice, but barely better: 0:45:23 was my best.
And I remember from back then, when using a tuned-up race car, I've never had any problems with any of the side jobs that ask you about picking your fastest car.

So, to cut it short, hoping that someone else did this already: Is it possible at all what I'm trying to accomplish: winning every single PDB without using a race car at all?

It's definitely worth a challenge and always a great feeling, when a PDB is awarded for having planned, memorized and actually driven a race 100% perfectly.
But I don't wanna stop at a specific job where neither a tuned sports car nor the Antilli VO3 Special are alternatives to the race cars...


Little side note: I'm only asking for PS2 players, because the difficulty of the PC version is a joke, at least for the side jobs: either the timer runs much more slowly, or the gameplay is a lot faster than on the PS2 version.

[Peacock]

Tonight I've found the ultimate answer by myself: IT IS POSSIBLE!

You can achieve the PDB at every single side job without using or modifying a race car!

Your secret weapon of choice is the Antilli VO3 Special: At most of the side jobs, it can even outpass any fully tuned-up race car, because you wouldn't have to worry about nitro supply since it can quickly reach that speed of 139 mph, and you would need much less space in many situations (= heavy traffic or narrow passages).
Except for the 1978's Checkpoint Race at Airport (= the bike can't handle the jump onto the roof of the hangar, where a checkpoint is located) and Demolition Survival (= obviously) it's the best choice for every side job you want to beat the PDB time by degrees at.
But, and that's the downside: Even with much practice and good reaction ability, it will take you a lot of patience, good luck and nerves of steel!
Because anything(!) you'd even slightly touch WILL have an effect on your driving direction, and hitting something directly WILL most likely let you fly off from your bike. Also you'd have to memorize the paths: not many options for correcting your steering once off course.
But if you wanna max out your personal best times or have all of the race cars in stock condition: Good Luck with the killing beast on two wheels!

I only struggled with both the Coney Island Checkpoint Races, especially the 1978 one (= only two tenths of seconds faster than the PDB time), but if you should have mastered driving the Antilli VO3 Special and have very quick reactions (and a lot of patience!), you can beat every PDB time easily by 2-30 seconds.

And like I said, this is for the PS2 version only, since the timer runs much more slowly or the gameplay is a lot faster on the PC. And - what makes up for the challenge - the traffic on PS2 is at least thrice as heavy than on PC...
(I don't wanna rant about the PC version, but I ROFLed so hard when I witnessed the empty streets at every single place. There's so much stuff in your way on PS2, that most of the time you're praying either for sidewalks or straight roads, especially when driving with over 120 mph and not having much time to react nor the ability to quickly correct your driving path when there's an obstacle right in front of you!)

ATM I'm thinking about posting all of my best times to show what's possible at each side job (= when aiming for a picture-perfect time by choosing the optimal path and without hitting anything), and - maybe - even writing a FAQ about how to gain that specific times, but that would depend on the interest in such a project.