vectorwolf

Unless you're on a "closed course", don't turn it off... period: https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-discussion-3/w00t-ice-storms-got-rear-ended-78716/

Xyntax

I think enough stories and pictures have been posted here to convince people not to disable your DSC/TCS. It's a bad idea if you have calibrated your driving skills to a car with "help" systems such as these, and then drive out of your limits without them.

cgseanp, base models do not have these "help" systems. It's different if you have driven the car without it since day one. The 8 is very forgiving even without them, but like I said, don't do it if you are used to driving with them on. I've had my share of accidental drifts, but it was mostly due to bad stock tires. I have RB Rear sways w/stock front sways. And although most people here theorize that it would throw oversteer on the car, it's actually quite manageable. If anything, I still suffer certain understeers. Perhaps it's too fast of entry speeds.

It actually scares me more when I'm driving FWD or other cars, because I tend to drive them like I do in my 8. Last time I drove someone elses FWD car, the owner complained how slow I was driving. I felt like I was driving without gravity. I haven't driven an 8 with DSC yet. I would probably be more sensitive to the system overriding my inputs, since I'm used to driving without them.

cardesigne

nope hahah, aka my 8, but it's cool, i drive conservatively for the most part and even when it does slide, i've been handling it ok.

if you guys are experimenting (in a safe place!) the key is to not touch the brake cuz it'll cause u to spin out, just keep ure foot on the gas a little bit, hold mild to moderate countersteer and adjust both depending on the corner an u'll be fine, if u wanna be smooth at the end, press the gas harder to keep the traction loose before ure car straightens outs (warning: this will extend the horizontal distance u cover on the road so watch out). u probably wanna try it not on a corner first (cones in a parking lot are good) so u know what's happening before hand and you don't panic. but i suppose keep the traction control on if u have it lol, u guys make it sound so good, i kinda wanna see what it's like with it oh yea, the bad side-effect is that u go through tires quite fast if u do too much practising, i went through 3 sets this summer.

anyways, be careful guys!

JRichter

I usually just defeat the DSC most of the time.

On occasions when the I have felt the DSC kick in (harsh braking to the right rear wheel usually) it catches me off guard and almost brings my car to a halt mid-corner. This interupts my flow of driving and I prefer not to feel it during normal driving.

On the other hand with the DSC off (or everything off) in the same corner/situation, once I detect some slippage, I simply ease up on the gas and the car steps right back in line.

The RX-8 is very balanced and does a good job of reading the road and relaying that info to the driver. For the most part when it does start to lose controll, like someone said above it is in a very slow, predictable and easily controllable way.

I do drive in town (under 50 mph) most of the time and winter is not an issue in this area. In highspeed (windy back country road/interstate) or rainy situations I leave everything on and I don't recommend that everybody turn off any or all of these driving aids, but some of us can and do drive w/o them. It depends on your experience with RWD cars and overall driving experience in general (not to mention knowing your car's limits).

BasenjiGuy

Mwuuuuh hah hah hah hah!

If you never learned with a small block muscle car on a country dirt road, or messed around with dirt bikes, or drove lesser-powered RWD cars long before the age of ABS, TCS, DSC, and all that mess, or you haven't been to driver's school, KEEP THOSE AIDS ON!!!

I learned to drive when I was 12 years old, out in the country side in a 4 speed rally prepped Datsun 510, sitting in my dad's lap. Driving tractors and riding dirt bikes didn't hurt either in developing "skills".

I never spun my '84 RX-7 GSL-SE, '85 944, '88 MR2, '88 Mustang 5.0 LX Sedan, '98 F-150, or my beloved Base 8. In fact the only cars I've ever spun were a '78 and '90 Civic. FWD cars will snap spin if you really push them.

I truly believe in all the modern aids, but my analogy is like that of using a calculator: You still need to know the math.

As an aside, my wife just totalled her Audi A4 with Quattro and I somehow talked her into a Mercedes C280 - RWD and 230 HP. I tried to explain about how AWD and FWD kills steering feel - and she got it! The C280 (3 liter 24 valve six with lots of high tech stuff though no direct injection, and, get this, a SEVEN speed automatic) has lots of torque - it's a surprisingly quick car. So there are no AWD or FWD vehicles in our garage - but at least she has DSC! That thing is schweet. We also tested the new 3 series - I am a died in the wool straight six guy - and they have totally screwed up the steering with the new computer assisted b*llsh*t they call steering feel. Yuck. And, the lesser six is pretty weak feeling. D'oh! I used to have an E36 and it was the best car I've ever had. Long live the king, the king is dead.... unless you're talking about a well optioned 330 or an M3, but for that many large you'd be better of buying investment property...or cranking up that Epson down in the basement to print up some more Dead Prezzidents.

OK, back on topic, the 8 will give you some ridiculousy wide yawing Dukes of Hazzard oversteer all day long with out losing the rear end. It will just swing out and stay out forever as long as you maintain the turn and keep your revs up. A very easy car to drive. The Torsen is fantastic and really puts the power down effectively and controllably - and it also works when decellerating/braking.

Yes, the OEM summer tires are truly atrocious in anything less than 80F temps. FORGET about snow, in fact, driving thru tepid cat pee on the stocks is not recommended and can lead to dissappointment. After wearing out the OEM Bridgestones at 30K miles I got the Avon All Seasons and they rock for traction in cold and wet (and hopefully, frozen) weather, but give up some sidewall stiffness and transitional feel.

Of course, I don't want to suggest that the unknowing go out and wrap their 8's around telephone poles thinking that they're Luke Duke when they're not even Roscoe P Coltrain, but the 8, like any fundamentally well designed car, is not going to roll into a flaming ball of death when you turn off or otherwise drive with out computer stability aids. Just don't be a dumb@ss, dumb@ss.

OK I'll shut up now. I'm all alone in Key Largo FL at the Sheraton (for work....) drinking house pour red wine and looking forward to getting home to see my wife and friends and celebrate XMas...

Cheers.

SilverEIGHT

^^ That was a great post!

cleoent

Learning to drive at the limits is not something you do on public roads.

800Degrees

Thanks Mom. Damn. Some of you guys are *@#&ing amazing. How many times have I got to say - I don't drive around town "at the limits". On ocassion, on an onramp, I'll get in it 'till I can feel the rear tires start to slip (not slide). Damn. Quit being such a whiny *****.

PIGBAIT

When I turned 16 my father enrolled me into the 3 day Skip Barber racing school. I knew how to drive a stick before getting there but I really fine tuned my shifting and heel-toe shifting there. Absolutely amazing. So in my teenage years my father had 3 '96 mustangs, two Cobras and one GT and unfortunately I had to take one of those to school everyday (poor me right?). So of course I played with those things and whipped the tail end around, extemely easy in those cars....but today my 8 really surprised me. I was in the city and I was turning right onto a one way, no one was around so I punched it in second and the rear end went out with the DSC on. It really caught me off guard. I didn't think it would break loose.

So after that i turned the DSC and Traction Control off and did it again. The rear end on this car is extremely easy to whip around. Easier than the Mustangs. So I'm wondering, is the car really that powerful or are the tires just that bad?! Or is it a combination of both?

Also, I just bought the car two weeks ago so please don't flame me, but when you turn off the DSC and TC, how do you turn the systems back on? I tried holding the DSC button down but that didn't do anything. I guess I should go read the manual.....

SilverEIGHT

After restarting the car you will have it back, that's the only way unless you just turned off the DSC. That is just a button push back.

cardesigne

the stock tires are really bad on wet ground, avon tech m550 tires are a great relatively cheap switch, it's a completely different machine after you loose the bridgestones. Much more durable too, one set of bridgestones wore out in only 2000 miles, i'm still rolling on the avons.

GULAMAN

Sorry to jump in so late on this thread, but this is my 2nd post only since I just got my RX8. Can the OP or someone else clarify the button sequence to turn the DSC/TC off?? The manual says just push the button, but the OP says push it for several seconds...does this trigger a 'secret' secondary switching?? e.g. does the first press only turn off DSC, while the extended press turns off TC as well...or something along those lines?
TIA

expo1

You got it

GULAMAN

Thanks...good to know. so then, you can turn DSC off but leave TC on, and then have the add'l option to turn the TC off (DSC off too).
So assuming *dry* conditions, what does this last option do to the driving experience?? seems like TC only will make itself known in extremely low-speed/launch situations? is there any benefit to AutoXing with the TC-on/DSC-off??
Sorry for all the noob questions; the weather's horrible in NorCal and my brand new car is sitting in the garage!

Rupes

Did you just make that up? ABS are probably still, to this day, one of the best safety items on a modern day car to help you avoid hitting another object…

BunnyGirl

Were you by the MAX tracks or the street car tracks, because that will definitely do it, especially if the ground was wet.

BunnyGirl

I read that somewhere, too, about the traction control.

BunnyGirl

not the ABS part, though

Eastcoastmod

Resurrecting an oldie....because I can't post new threads for some reason


Is there some way to reprogram or ease up on the sensitivity of the DSC?


I'm new to the RX8...
I own a dealership so I drive all the fun/fast cars...
I like to do the odd spirited driving on the way home i.e. hard cornering and occasional drifting around the rotary when no one is around.


This car scares the crap out of me when it kicks in for no apparent reason.
When the car is no where the limit of the sticky tires i have on it, ii will get the rear abs chatter when I least expect it.
I've seen it happen just taking an off ramp faster than the speed limit.
I am no where near any kind or skid or slide in these situations.
I'm not a fan of turning it off....I've experience what can happen when you exceed your limits...it's not fun.

Razz1

Nope!
DSC is either on or off for all cars period!

jasonrxeight

From what I experienced the DSC is pretty sporty set up on the RX-8. It does not kick in until you are going sideways a little bit unlike the Toyota I have which kicks in when there is some gravel on the road.
You can turn it off but make sure you are a decent driver and has done some track days.

Eastcoastmod

It happened this morning turning right at the lights. I was taking the turn pretty easy and it kicked in.....maibe I have an issue...

New Yorker

Yes, could well be an issue. As I recall, many reviews remarked about how well tuned those controls were, letting you get away with a lot before they kick in.

ei8ht

130K miles, all is good.
At about 100k I started turning it off, not sure why.
I crashed soon enough.
$1800 later, the thing stays on now.
Nuff Said.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Re-check the tires sizes and pressures. I can have all 4 tires (Michelin Pilot Sport Cups) squealing without it intervening at all. If you have a sensor issue or a tire diameter issue, you could easily cause it to start triggering WAY early.