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ESP.........Who drives with it on or off?


JEMAN

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Well im not sure if its just me, but i drive with it on. Ive owned the car for 4 weeks and the only time i turned it off was to see why........and the back went (it was slightly wet) so back on the ESP went. Do you guys drive with it "OFF" or "ON" ?

 

Cheers

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I've not had mine long, I've not turned it off yet.

 

The previous owner has fitted the cheapest possible budget tyres available on camskill (£55 a corner!!) and I have no grip as it is with ESP on. I think I'd die if I dared to turn it off, lol.

 

Don't get me wrong I've thought about it, just to be curious.

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The previous owner has fitted the cheapest possible budget tyres available on camskill (£55 a corner!!) and I have no grip as it is with ESP on. I think I'd die if I dared to turn it off, lol.

 

You want to get them tyres sorted out regardless of whether you have the esp on or off! It'll be a lot more 'on' with cheapo tyres.

 

Had my zed 9 months now, and always had the ESP on. The road is no place to be testing the limits of grip and speed in my view - however, if i ever take my zed on a track, i'll have no problem turning it off.

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Always left mine on except when going on 2 activity days on an airfield where it was compulsory to turn it off and play with the car. getting the back end out on the high speed bend was a lot of fun.

 

Its amazing how much fun the zed can be with it off but i wouldnt turn it off on normal roads, i'd be too afraid of the back end stepping out.

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Having never had a front-engine rear wheel drive sports car prior to my first ZED 7 years ago, it was a little while before I started exploring the TC options and found the confidence to turn it off within my skill level. Nowadays it is:

 

Normal road driving I don't bother turning it off.

 

Spirited driving it gets turned off - nothing worse on tight corners or at junctions having the TC kicking in but if there is heavy rain or standing water it will get switched on - no point in pushing the limits in that sort of weather.

 

When I really have no choice and have to use the car on snow it will get switched off as it will help the traction. (Brakes more or less get 'switched off' and I just use the gears/handbrake for slowing - that comes from early off-road motorsport experience.)

 

On sheet ice I pray.

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Put it this way, I put my foot half way down on the pedal ... in 3rd gear, greasy road... with the intention to see what it does...with the ESP on... and christ it showed me :ohmy: , kicked out no problem at all. God only knows what it could do if you turned it off, haven't been brave enough yet.... lol :lol:

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Just shows how beastly the Z can be :) ill keep it "ON" Also can you turn off the ESP while driving or do you have to cut the engine then turn the ESP off ? Sorry for the Questions, but im still finding my way around this great car :)

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Yeah I don't see me 'relying' on it to save my bacon if it goes wrong... more a ..."watch what your doin m8"..kinda ESP lol. dunno if you can switch it off while driving...I would assume so. If you turn it off (the car) it'll come back on when you re-start the engine... or push it back on. :)

Edited by AMT250
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Just shows how beastly the Z can be :) ill keep it "ON" Also can you turn off the ESP while driving or do you have to cut the engine then turn the ESP off ? Sorry for the Questions, but im still finding my way around this great car :)

 

You can turn it off or on when driving - when it is off you get the little warning symbol on the dash. By default it is always on when you start the car.

 

One of the 'attractons' of having an older car or something like a TVR where you don't have TC.

 

While it is no doubt a 'safety' feature that will benefit those who do not like to fully explore the car and/or their abilities, for those who do like the challenge and used correctly, having the TC off brings the car 'alive' and is in a ZED that is very rewarding in my experience.

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Yes, it can be switched off/on whilst driving.

 

Having never had a front-engine rear wheel drive sports car prior to my first ZED 7 years ago, it was a little while before I started exploring the TC options and found the confidence to turn it off within my skill level. Nowadays it is:

 

Normal road driving I don't bother turning it off.

 

Spirited driving it gets turned off - nothing worse on tight corners or at junctions having the TC kicking in but if there is heavy rain or standing water it will get switched on - no point in pushing the limits in that sort of weather.

 

That. It did remain firmly on for a long time until I was confident enough in both the car and my talent though.

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Just shows how beastly the Z can be :) ill keep it "ON" Also can you turn off the ESP while driving or do you have to cut the engine then turn the ESP off ? Sorry for the Questions, but im still finding my way around this great car :)

 

You can turn it off or on when driving - when it is off you get the little warning symbol on the dash. By default it is always on when you start the car.

 

One of the 'attractons' of having an older car or something like a TVR where you don't have TC.

 

While it is no doubt a 'safety' feature that will benefit those who do not like to fully explore the car and/or their abilities, for those who do like the challenge and used correctly, having the TC off brings the car 'alive' and is in a ZED that is very rewarding in my experience.

 

Its there for a reason Colin - not many of our members have 40+ yrs driving and motorsport experience! :)

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Having never had a front-engine rear wheel drive sports car prior to my first ZED 7 years ago, it was a little while before I started exploring the TC options and found the confidence to turn it off within my skill level. Nowadays it is:

 

Normal road driving I don't bother turning it off.

 

Spirited driving it gets turned off - nothing worse on tight corners or at junctions having the TC kicking in but if there is heavy rain or standing water it will get switched on - no point in pushing the limits in that sort of weather.

 

When I really have no choice and have to use the car on snow it will get switched off as it will help the traction. (Brakes more or less get 'switched off' and I just use the gears/handbrake for slowing - that comes from early off-road motorsport experience.)

 

On sheet ice I pray.

+1 having been brought up on rear wheel drive cars it feels "normal" to me with it off but I can fully understand those who are wary of turning it off. I would certainly advise those to get themselves to an airfield day or similar and get some proper instruction.
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Think mines will stay on until the spring lol... unless I find an big empty space...where I may be persuaded to learn what it does lol Having said that I've had mine out in the freezing weather here and it is (as long as your not stupid) fairly stable even on wet and icy roads.

Edited by AMT250
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It's there because nannying powers consider it necessary despite people driving much more agricultural cars with far more power for years with no issues. You simply don't need it at all.

 

That said, if it's activating frequently then you're not driving the car correctly. In normal use, even spirited(ish) driving, it won't interfere if you're being smooth. That comes with practice though. On track it goes off, on the road it stays on.

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Just shows how beastly the Z can be :) ill keep it "ON" Also can you turn off the ESP while driving or do you have to cut the engine then turn the ESP off ? Sorry for the Questions, but im still finding my way around this great car :)

 

You can turn it off or on when driving - when it is off you get the little warning symbol on the dash. By default it is always on when you start the car.

 

One of the 'attractons' of having an older car or something like a TVR where you don't have TC.

 

While it is no doubt a 'safety' feature that will benefit those who do not like to fully explore the car and/or their abilities, for those who do like the challenge and used correctly, having the TC off brings the car 'alive' and is in a ZED that is very rewarding in my experience.

 

Its there for a reason Colin - not many of our members have 40+ yrs driving and motorsport experience! :)

 

Many of our members aren't even 40+ :lol:

Edited by The Bounty Bar Kid
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I pick my Zed up next week and it'll be my first RWD car. Can it be confirmed that the TC is on by default everytime the car is started?

 

It's not something I want to be unsure of, especially in this weather!

 

Yes it is on by default :thumbs:

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It'll always be on, and a little ESP light will be shown if its off. I agree with Ekona, I've gave it a bit on dry/wet and icy roads and you don't see it. You need to be a bit of a thug to get it to come on. I floored it in 2nd on wet road outside my friends for a second, light goes on... power goes off and you get nothing then it gently lets you back into the power lol

Edited by AMT250
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Yes it will come on every time you switch the car on so no worries.

All of us old dudes were brought up the hard way driving things like the Ford Capri,Escort RS2000 with no ESP, leaf spring

suspension and crap tyres!!

Drifting was an occupational hazard.

The Zed is a old school car with a modern built in safety net!

Enjoy

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