[Poll]Traction Control

[thescreensavers]

1. If a car comes with ESP does it automatically come with traction control?
1b. How important is Traction Control

2. Would you buy a car without Traction Control and was FWD?

3. Would you buy a car with ESP and no Traction Control FWD?

 

[The Boston Dangler]

what is esp?

 

[thescreensavers]

Originally posted by: The Boston Dangler
what is esp?

Electronic stability control

 

[The Boston Dangler]

if a car is equipped with esc (yaw control) then i think it is safe to assume it is equipped with the simpler and less expensive traction control.

 

[PlasmaBomb]

Originally posted by: The Boston Dangler
if a car is equipped with esc (yaw control) then i think it is safe to assume it is equipped with the simpler and less expensive traction control.

Yup

Many ESC systems also incorporate a traction control system (TCS or ASR).

 

[SparkyJJO]

I am my car's traction control. I can adjust throttle as necessary, I don't need it to do it for me. Also, I prefer RWD over FWD.

 

[bruceb]

I don't mind either one as long as the driver has the choice to turn either off, if they so desire. On my Pontiac the traction control
can be manually enabled or not. ABS on the other hand is always on, but of course, only comes into play under hard braking.

 

[LTC8K6]

Hasn't stability control been mandated by 2012 in the US?

 

[Zorba]

Originally posted by: bruceb
I don't mind either one as long as the driver has the choice to turn either off, if they so desire. On my Pontiac the traction control
can be manually enabled or not. ABS on the other hand is always on, but of course, only comes into play under hard braking.

I wish you could turn ABS off . In a lot of cars it kicks in way too early.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Originally posted by: Zorba

Originally posted by: bruceb
I don't mind either one as long as the driver has the choice to turn either off, if they so desire. On my Pontiac the traction control
can be manually enabled or not. ABS on the other hand is always on, but of course, only comes into play under hard braking.

I wish you could turn ABS off . In a lot of cars it kicks in way too early.

Pull fuse

 

[rdp6]

ESP in my FWD manual 07 passat saved my bacon last winter downhill 20 dry mph left -> uphill 20 dry mph right with a stop on an incline and ditches on the side. Ran out of inertia 3/4 of the way of the hill, ended up in 1st gear, floored, let the car control the brakes and throttle, got me the rest of the way. I was passed by a tow truck who I saw 30 minutes (.5 mile) later rescuing an ODOT salt/plow truck.

Wife will not be on time to work if we get snow like that again.

edit: have only turned off ESP when stuck in the driveway, it lets the wheels spin. I wonder what the difference between esp and TC is? I can break traction by going WOT once into 1st gear (not engaging 1st, just winding it up)

I did manage to survive a spirited drive on OH State Route 26 (dry conditions) without noting any interference from the car. The stock car is capable of more than I wanted to do on that day as I am not familiar with that road. We drove each way in under an hour apiece.

I have made the tires squeal taking non-blind turns on roads I know, and experienced understeer going into the esses at Mid-Ohio with brand-new tires. That was fun!

I just leave ESP on, it is a fun family car, not an M3.

 

[herm0016]

i hate the traction control on my car, the first thing i do when i get in is push the button to turn it off.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Originally posted by: rdp6
I wonder what the difference between esp and TC is?

electronic stability control keeps the back end of the car behind the front end. traction control cuts power to spinning wheels.

 

[RichieZ]

BMW has DTC and DSC.

I usually turn off traction control.

 

[jagec]

The poll assumes that I'd buy a WWD car in the first place.

/edit: And considering that I have never owned a car with an automatic transmission, ABS, or airbags, it's clear that I don't consider electronic "gee-whiz" gadgets to be essential.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Can we get a petition to get companies to stick to a single name/acronym? At this point I just about assume any three letter name is "traction control" since every manufacturer in the world seems to want to show how their system is different by coming up with a new name even though it is the same thing.

I'm surprised they don't call the headlight dimmer switch "Dynamic Headlight Control" or something like that.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
Can we get a petition to get companies to stick to a single name/acronym? At this point I just about assume any three letter name is "traction control" since every manufacturer in the world seems to want to show how their system is different by coming up with a new name even though it is the same thing.

I'm surprised they don't call the headlight dimmer switch "Dynamic Headlight Control" or something like that.

whoa, your headlights are on a dimmer?

 

[StageLeft]

I used it in a ford malibu, 2004 and it (TC) did absolutely nothing. I was testing in snow with it on and off and couldn't convince myself it did anything. On a hemi charger, though (RWD), it was the bee's knees. Turned the car from completely unusable to very tame, making it not completely ridiculous for even a heavy winter.

I would buy a FWD without TC. Neither of mine now have it. If anything I'd prefer to spend money on good winter tires and they'll help braking, too.

 

[LTC8K6]

The cheap version, which just uses the ABS to stop the spinning wheel, doesn't do much.

The good version, which can reduce engine torque and power as well, works nicely.

With the good version, you can tell the computer has backed off the power even though you haven't lifted.

 

[Jahee]

Originally posted by: rdp6
ESP in my FWD manual 07 passat saved my bacon last winter downhill 20 dry mph left -> uphill 20 dry mph right with a stop on an incline and ditches on the side. Ran out of inertia 3/4 of the way of the hill, ended up in 1st gear, floored, let the car control the brakes and throttle, got me the rest of the way. I was passed by a tow truck who I saw 30 minutes (.5 mile) later rescuing an ODOT salt/plow truck.

Wife will not be on time to work if we get snow like that again.

edit: have only turned off ESP when stuck in the driveway, it lets the wheels spin. I wonder what the difference between esp and TC is? I can break traction by going WOT once into 1st gear (not engaging 1st, just winding it up)

I did manage to survive a spirited drive on OH State Route 26 (dry conditions) without noting any interference from the car. The stock car is capable of more than I wanted to do on that day as I am not familiar with that road. We drove each way in under an hour apiece.

I have made the tires squeal taking non-blind turns on roads I know, and experienced understeer going into the esses at Mid-Ohio with brand-new tires. That was fun!

I just leave ESP on, it is a fun family car, not an M3.

I'm reading it again and again and i'm still not quite sure what the problem there was? Lol..

 

[exdeath]

Have traction control disabled by default in my tune. Rather feel the wheels spinning and decide if I need to back off the throttle myself, rather than just have the engine die all of the sudden from cut timing/fuel and have engine speed no longer corresponding to throttle position.

 

[LTC8K6]

I have 3 modes in my Jeep.

Full on - TCS/ESP/Limited Slip
Partial off - ESP/Limited Slip/no TCS
Off - No ESP or TCS but Limited Slip still active

 

[Xyclone]

I chose not to get DSC on my turbo MCS, as I don't need the hill-assist feature (comes with it, for manual cars). Also, I don't need DSC on a 195hp (overboost)/177hp (non-overboost), 2660lb car in So Cal.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Originally posted by: exdeath
Have traction control disabled by default in my tune. Rather feel the wheels spinning and decide if I need to back off the throttle myself, rather than just have the engine die all of the sudden from cut timing/fuel and have engine speed no longer corresponding to throttle position.

I gotta admit when the roads are damp it's fun to feel the LSD working on 2-3 upshifts. Though with the tires I had before these ones it was kinda neat to spin them until I ran out of balls. (usually around 45MPH or so in third)

 

[mooseracing]

I buy RWD, I install a full ratcheting locker.

Best option, besides and Air Locker.

Never once will I buy or own a FWD.