Turn off that DSC and Traction Control...
 

Because it works too well! Okay, I realize that sounds stupid. I leave mine on most of the time. But I realized something this week - leaving it on all the time has forced me to, unknowingly, rely on it.

We all know how to turn the systems off right - press the button (turns the DSC off) hold the button for 7 or 8 seconds - turns off the traction control.

This week, I started turning it off as soon as I started the car. Then, I'd drive as I usually do. This pointed something out to me - I drive the car hard. I found that I was routinely accelerating hard enough in turns, to make the back end step out - sometimes a lot. Of course, with the system on, nothing happens - you just go!

I guess my point is that leaving the system on all the time, you won't really "learn" how to drive the car at the limits - in the pure sense. But, if you never turn the system off... the point's moot - the system's got your back. Oh, it later dawned on me that cops kind of frown on little red sports cars drifting around ramps... ;) I may have to go back to letting the systems do their job...
-Mark

Yeah, don't drive like a douche on public streets.

I can back the end out if i wanted to by going down a gear and flooring it...its just that the car will correct it immediately..but you can still step it out. If you want to learn to drive the car to its limits, do it at the track. If you want to drive the car hard and reduce your risk of hurting yourself due to a brain fart, leave it on.

Quick note: I don't need a lecture on safe driving - I haven't had a ticket of any kind in over 10 years. Nor have I damaged a street car (off-road is a different story) in any way in 20 years.

Save your &*$ing holyier than thou crap. We all drive our cars hard. My point was related to learning the car. Of course I don't advocate unsafe driving. The idea is to recognize that point of slip/slide and not go there again - unless you're on a track. Oh, and note the avatar - I do drive on a track.

I think Blue Eyes stated it as succinctly as possible...

Sorry - my intention with the ;) was that I was kidding - I don't "drift" around onramps. Ocassionally, the back end will step out - sometimes a lot. This is that "learning" thing I was referring to. Damn, you guys are some uptight pussies.

I have pictures of my 8 on a track and I have pictures of my 8 totaled on a public road because I turned my DSC off before I knew what the hell I was doing. I agree it is important to learn what the car can do and doing it on a track is the best way (for me). If I turn off my DSC, it is for one reason ONLY, to be aggressive. Why would I do that on public roads? You can be aggressive and leave the DSC on. This is my personal opinion and I respect yours. Since you opened the discussion up I should hope that you will respect mine.

Forms of traction control have been shown in certain studies to reduce single-vehicle accidents by 40%. Compare that to ABS; 0% reduction of any accidents.

Yeh..I think your misinterperted what I said. When I said "if you want to drive the car hard and reduce your risk of hurting yourself due to a brain fart, leave it on.", I meant "you" as in people in general, not specifically you. That being said, maybe you need to calm the $%#@ down. No one here is preaching to you...calling people here uptight Pussies isnt the best way to respond. Ill be the first to apologize if you thought I was attacking you. I wasnt. Oh and my avatar, thats me at the track as well on two wheels.

I've found that this car is really subtle and gentle in the way it loses control and the way it's traction control works.

When it's traction control is at work, it doesn't intrude making it really obvious that's there. Yet when it's off, the car lets you know that it's going to lose it without suddenly just snap the rear end out. I really love this car!

Okay - Sorry. I apologize... really. I did misinterpret the "you". And, you're right... I need to come the *@$! down. Sorry for that too.

My intent was purely constructive. Clearly I need to choose my word more carefully... By the way - love the avatar...

I do respect your opinion... thanks for that comment. My goal in turning the system off is to find that line between slip and slide (not the kids' toy... that technical thing the pros talk about) - feeling the limit of the tires/car (slip) without breaking loose (slide) thus remaining in total control (a relative term I realize). And absolutely, the track is the best place for this. But pushing the car (not drifting) on an onramp now and then is about the extent of my "unsafe" driving...

It is a good feeling when it is on the edge. I'm not experienced enough to feel safe with it presently. The autocross track is great for that. The only problem is that 4 runs at 60 seconds is just not enough time for me to really get the feel and it leaves me wanting more. Next month a group of us are renting a road course for a Saturday. We have a group of instructors and with only 10 people we will probably be tired of driving before the day is over. I will be learning the limits with the stability turned off and I'm excited as a little girl. My goal is to learn the limits without breaking loose as you said.

At times some on this forum tend to make comments about others though its a possibility themselves may have also indulged in a little foot happy horse play, course I may also be wrong of those someones :boring:

If you can see the lights going off, thats a pretty good sign that the car was sliding and the previous action is what caused it. I dont know about you but I can feel the DSC and the car starting to slide so I've got a pretty good idea what actions cause the car to want to move off line.

Driving (very carefully) this wet morning in my 7, I was wishing it had DSC/TC.

Also note my non-track avatar lol

lol, you guys have it good, my 8 doesn't have dsc or tcs, sometimes i wish i had it, one day it was ridiculous, with the stock so4 tires, at like 10 mph, the back swung out while taking a left on the first rain.

How do you turn on the TCS after you turn it off? Pushing or holding the bottom wont do it - turning off the car will, is this the only way?

It's the only one I know of

I was glad my DSC was on the other day. It was a light rain and I went to second gear and went on it hard when it hit the power power band about 5500rpm it tried to kick out, but the DSC kicked in and brought it back under control. :doh:

It still kicked out pretty far and it happened in a split second, if the DSC had been off I may have crashed due to I was coming upon a curve. :spank:

:worship: for DSC !!!!!!

Yeah, you've got to turn the car off and back on...

i hardly ever take mine off unless i'm on a road trip [interstate] which gives me about 5 more mpg's..or unless i take 1 of my friends for a quick ride.

Great contribution to the topic here. Thank you for the obvious. He who does not even have an 8 nor dcs/tcs.

I occasionally switch it off but only for a moment, and only for a specific purpose - like wanting to feel that total rush to 60-70 mph at WOT - the wheelspin on the 1-2 and 2-3 shifts causes the traction control to intervene and kill the fun.

That and when I occasionally take my 10 year old sons out on a snowy evening and we go drift around our cul-de-sac at a whopping 15 mph ... they love the oversteer!

SC

I would highly recommend keeping DSC/TC turned on while on public roads. If you want to learn how to drive close to edge the best is a kart track where you can truely push it and not worrying about damaging anything.

Do the base model 6MT have traction control? I feel bad if they dont. I took my traction control off the other day just to see what would happen and well, I dont think I will be doing that again anytime soon. It was fun though, and there wasn't anyone else around so I was safe about it.