How often do you fiddle with ESC settings?

[565]

We car nuts love to moan about not being able to turn off all electronic nannies, but is it all that important?  Under what circumstances do we drive with the ESC switched off?

[ifcar]

If I had a car with stability control, I'd just leave it on. I can think of no point in my commute that I would not want my car to stop me from skidding.

[Cookie Monster]

Where's the "The car I drive has no ESC" option?

[Vinsanity]

I voted for the third option.

I set the TC/Stabilitrack as one of the programmable buttons on the center stack, but I've only turned it off twice: once just to see how easily it would break traction, and once to make a "half-donut" u-turn on a narrow road.

[Soup DeVille]

I aint gots no "ESC."

[Raza]

In the Passat, I turn it off every time I get into the car.  Because of the short periods of time I've had in the Boxster, I've left it on most of the time, since I haven't truly learned the car yet.  I'd say I leave it on about 80% of the time in the Porsche.

[Lazerous]

My car has no ESC.

[sandertheshark]

I disable it when I feel like it.  That's about 20% of the time I think.

[280Z Turbo]

I don't have it.

All I need is grip. When no grip is available, no electronanny can save you.

[93JC]

I ain't gots no esc.

[CJ]

I voted for the 3rd option.

[Eye of the Tiger]

My ESC is always off because I've never owned a car with it. If I had it, I'd pull the damn fuse or something. The last thing I want is some kind of electronic intervention when I'm trying to drive... although, I might turn it on if I was drunk driving through a blizzard.

[SVT666]

My truck doesn't have it and neither does our Freestyle.

[Rupert]

Pft, pansies...

[TheIntrepid]

I have VSC in the Toyota but I don't know how to turn it off. The Trep has traction control but it being a stripper model, has been factory disabled. I could get it enabled but the R/T never came with TCS.

[JYODER240]

I leave it on during normal driving, but will turn it off on back roads that I'm familar with or whenever I want to have some fun.

[CALL_911]

Where?s the bicycle option?

[Byteme]

I can disable it in the 6 by simply pushing a button, but I leave it on all the time.

[CALL_911]

I can disable it in the 6 by simply pushing a button, but I leave it on all the time.

In the Audi, same. Just hit the ESP button and you?re on your own.

In the BMW, you have to hold down the DTC button. DTC shuts off first, and after about 2 seconds or so, DSC shuts off.

[Champ]

0/3 vehicles with ESC or other nannies except ABS.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I have nothing to turn off in the Z and the EVO only has 3 options(Tarmac, Gravel, Snow).

I turn the appropriate setting on when i drive the EVO.

[MrH]

I don't even have ABS.  You guys are weak sauce. 

[MrH]

I have nothing to turn off in the Z and the EVO only has 3 options(Tarmac, Gravel, Snow).

I turn the appropriate setting on when i drive the EVO.

I thought you were going to get rid of the EVO.  Still got it?  Also, there's no seperate traction control system or anything?

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I thought you were going to get rid of the EVO.  Still got it?  Also, there's no seperate traction control system or anything?

It's currently listed for sale, i'm not trying very hard to sell it. I'm torn on the situation. Part of me wants to sell it the other part just wants to keep it. If i do sell it i would just end up buying something equally as expensive(or moreso) since i have little control over myself when it comes to cars. I've been looking at everything from 8-10K used S4's to 35-40K Maserati's(the fantasy car of the group but it's doable and i'm dumb enough to put myself in that situation).

Anyway as for the EVO, it has 3 driver selectable settings for driving surface/conditions. This controls the center diff, exactly how much its doing is up for debate. One could leave the setting alone and probobly see no difference in normaly driving. Other than that it has no traction or dynamic control systems other than ABS.

[The Pirate]

I don't even have ABS.  You guys are weak sauce. 

According to the VIN, my car does have ABS.  I know this because I receive a discount for it on my insurance policy. 

But my car does not have ABS.  It will lock all 4 wheels quite easily.  I even mentioned this to my insurance agent, but he kept it on there, as the VIN showed it as having ABS.  I'm certainly not going to argue with the extra money I'm saving.   

[MX793]

I've never even driven a car with ESC.  In good weather, I don't suspect I'd bother fiddling with it since I don't push a car hard enough on public streets in good weather to exceed the handling limits.  In the rain or snow, it would depend on if I found the system intrusive and felt like it was fighting my own control inputs or if it worked well in conjunction with my driving inputs.  And for play in a snowy parking lot, it would of course be turned off.

[Rich]

I just have traction control, and I turn it off every time i start the car

[Raza]

I've never even driven a car with ESC.  In good weather, I don't suspect I'd bother fiddling with it since I don't push a car hard enough on public streets in good weather to exceed the handling limits.  In the rain or snow, it would depend on if I found the system intrusive and felt like it was fighting my own control inputs or if it worked well in conjunction with my driving inputs.  And for play in a snowy parking lot, it would of course be turned off.

The Mazda doesn't have TCS?

And you'd be surprised how early TCS systems can come into play.  So many times with either the Passat or E320, the ASM/ESP would pop on at inopportune times.

[Raza]

I just have traction control, and I turn it off every time i start the car

[MX793]

The Mazda doesn't have TCS?

And you'd be surprised how early TCS systems can come into play.  So many times with either the Passat or E320, the ASM/ESP would pop on at inopportune times.

Nope.  No stability control or ABS either.  TCS and ESC weren't even offered for '04 (I don't know if they've since been added to the options list) and ABS was part of a pricy package which I didn't care to pay for.