How to avoid "hairy" moments in an ///M?
- Thread starter StevenH72
- Start date
Simon_P said:RubyBlueZ4MC said:
No, she keeps those for walking over me
StevenH72 said:
Whao, exactly not what to do indeed. What a muppet, even his driving position is rubbish. Thats the problem with these powerfull RWD cars becoming so affordable, lots of inexperienced drivers geting them and with fewer "mentors" to show you the ropes...
If you ever get in that situation, just put the car's front wheels straight towards the the corner (odd I know) and stand on the brakes, when youo've lost enought speed then turn the Wheel. I'll thank an instructor who's Lambo Gallardo I put on the grass a few years back for teaching me that one, he liotterally snatched the Wheel backto zero whilst I was braking before a corner but coming in 20 mph too fast. I got what he was doing and slamed on the anchors then turned and all was fine. 2 hands on the streering Wheel and a good driving position help quich response imesurably.
bennyboysvuk
Member
Hi Steven, you're just up the road from me (I'm in Farnham). Anyhow, welcome.
How far do you want to go with your driving skills? Are you just looking to drive fairly briskly along a back road or are you looking to get the car a bit sideways on empty roundabout exits from time to time? The reason I ask is that I'd say the difference in skill required between those two is vast.
If you're just looking to blast down a country lane then leaving DSC on and doing what you normally do will probably be fine. I find some drivers have a natural feel for grip and for what a car is doing and some just don't. If you're firmly in the former group then I can't see you having a problem, especially in the dry where the car is hugely capable of going round bends at quite a rate.
Getting the car sideways in the dry on a roundabout exit takes a lot more aggression with the steering and throttle and isn't something that's easy to learn in the Z4M. It's a million times easier to do in the wet though since everything happens much more slowly. With the DSC off and less than average tyres in the wet, I find it's very difficult not to drift off roundabouts. Plus, it's great fun.
How far do you want to go with your driving skills? Are you just looking to drive fairly briskly along a back road or are you looking to get the car a bit sideways on empty roundabout exits from time to time? The reason I ask is that I'd say the difference in skill required between those two is vast.
If you're just looking to blast down a country lane then leaving DSC on and doing what you normally do will probably be fine. I find some drivers have a natural feel for grip and for what a car is doing and some just don't. If you're firmly in the former group then I can't see you having a problem, especially in the dry where the car is hugely capable of going round bends at quite a rate.
Getting the car sideways in the dry on a roundabout exit takes a lot more aggression with the steering and throttle and isn't something that's easy to learn in the Z4M. It's a million times easier to do in the wet though since everything happens much more slowly. With the DSC off and less than average tyres in the wet, I find it's very difficult not to drift off roundabouts. Plus, it's great fun.
bennyboysvuk
Member
Oh and in response to that vid. He just ploughed off the road in a wave of understeer, which could happen in any car. The fact it was RWD had nothing to do with the accident. He just didn't slow down enough for the corner. Just reading the road better would have saved him.
I'm pretty sure that in one of the BMW manuals it says that DSC cannot save you from the laws of physics or something similar. That seems quite apt for that vid.
I'm pretty sure that in one of the BMW manuals it says that DSC cannot save you from the laws of physics or something similar. That seems quite apt for that vid.
I alway drive with sport on not even kidding! Steps: 1get in 2turn key 3press sport button 4seat beltStuart Truman said:original guvnor said:
+1. Keep the sport button off and dsc on until you've got used to the car. Build up your confidence then introduce yourself to the sport button and the transformed throttle response.
Turning off the dsc is for when you're completely confident in the car and how you'll react to it getting frisky (I've not yet played other than one "bloody hell" moment)
It's not a difficult car to drive, but if you've not driven a zed before there's a lot to acclimatise to. Long bonnet, sitting a long way back, RWD etc. Just take it easy and enjoy what has to be one of the best value for money true sporting cars on the road.
but never shall I turn off dsc! It saved me in the rain yesterday!mad4slalom
Senior member
i drive with dsc off 90% of the time unless wet and greasy, but sport off 90% of the time, just as it is hard to modulate the throttle, playing on roundabouts with dsc off is fun but risky with sport on too. still not convinced there is not still a degree of driver aids in force even when dsc off, i know everyone and the book says not but i still think i feel a delay in power coming on, my two thoughts are its the nature of the diff or i am not right on the revs ? :?
bennyboysvuk said:Hi Steven, you're just up the road from me (I'm in Farnham). Anyhow, welcome.
How far do you want to go with your driving skills? Are you just looking to drive fairly briskly along a back road or are you looking to get the car a bit sideways on empty roundabout exits from time to time? The reason I ask is that I'd say the difference in skill required between those two is vast.
If you're just looking to blast down a country lane then leaving DSC on and doing what you normally do will probably be fine. I find some drivers have a natural feel for grip and for what a car is doing and some just don't. If you're firmly in the former group then I can't see you having a problem, especially in the dry where the car is hugely capable of going round bends at quite a rate.
Getting the car sideways in the dry on a roundabout exit takes a lot more aggression with the steering and throttle and isn't something that's easy to learn in the Z4M. It's a million times easier to do in the wet though since everything happens much more slowly. With the DSC off and less than average tyres in the wet, I find it's very difficult not to drift off roundabouts. Plus, it's great fun.
+1 best trackday so far was when it was chucking it down. Turned off DSC on certain "Learning laps" (not many other cars around) because it would make the car vibrate. It was brilliant to experience the car understeering, sliding takiong off lock, applying power progressively etc. all in more confortable slow mo and at lower speeds. Thought the Z4MPC chassis was brilliant TBH and so did the instructor.
bennyboysvuk
Member
mad4slalom said:
I drive with DSC off unless my wife's in the car.
I never drive with Sport on as all it does is open the throttle wider, sooner, which I see no benefit to*, especially if you're using the last 30% of the travel anyway.I'm certain that when the DSC is off, it's really off. There's no nannying stuff going on and it will sit sideways for as long as you want. My wife's SLK was totally different. If the ESP was as off as it could be and I got more than a little drift going, lights would flash on the dash and it would cut power. I hated that car. The M just lets you get on with driving it.
*Except perhaps to use less throttle pedal to get more aggressive throttle blips on heel and toe downchanges.
