TC and sport button.

[buzyg]

I never turn the sport button on. The throttle response is plenty sharp enough for my size 13's. These days, I only switch the TC off for short periods, when I want to go side ways. Otherwise the tyres don't last very long at all. Though I concure, the car is great to drive with it off:wink:

 

[R60BBA]

Tbh, when I first got into BMWs, I bought one brand new from the dealership and the day I went to collect my car the sales person explained to me the different modes and that he never turned TC off nor recommended me to do so.

For a year or so of driving, I had this ‘mental block’ / fear that turning it off would mean the car would become uncontrollable, and I would be ending up in a ditch on every turn.

However after about a year or so a mate of mine explained to me how it worked and so I began to experiment. (Not saying you guys had the same fear as mine but the car can still be perfectly safe without traction control, and also more fun).

You’re right in that you don’t really need it off on public roads, you can still have fun with it on, but having it off means pure driver control (which imho = more fun).

Some of the fellas on here are around twice my age and so I’m sure you guys drove performance cars back in the 80s and 90s which didn’t even know what TC was? I guess having it off for me is the closest I’ll get to driving a 911 SC.

 

[Truth]

TC off you must be one gifted driver :wink: at no point i ever driven any of my Zs & felt the need to turn that off :?
Sport button most definitely always on :evil: as well as countless spirited UK miles Ive covered hundreds of Z///Miles at full chatt through the Normandy countryside with 6-7 other M cars often pushing to the edge of safe speed for car & driver so i know what the car is capable of & pretty sure none of the others drive with it off .
How does it enhance the drive for you ?

Serious question now.
You have never drove your Z4M with TC off ?

Not being a cock but you haven’t really got to know the Z4M........ at all. Now is the Perfect weather to find the minerals to switch it off. Then drive the routes you have previously drove......... with caution.

Leave enough space to let the back slide and keep the power on, don’t panic

No ive honestly never felt any interference from any driver aids whether that be setting off fast or thrashing it through the country lanes which is where i would cover the majority of my miles . I can't comment whether on a track it needs to be off cause ive never driven on one nor have any desire to do so
i'm not being a cock here either but honestly , i'm really not getting this tc off caper at all .
Why would travelling my normal routes & letting the back slide out with power still on make it somehow better ?
I'm not a fanny , i love to crack on when i'm out but on uk roads especially i can't imagine the point or speed where i would think to myself " hahmmm , not really doing it for me anymore , lacking that certain something , lets try it with tc off & see if that improves my connection with the car "
& when guys post " yea tc off in the rain = funtimes" with a 177bhp 2.5 auto that makes me pi55
Each to their own , if it makes you feel like youve got to know a car better with it off fair dos , i think after 13k-14k miles in 3 different ZMs i know them well enough to know that they can flatter & entertain me without turning the tc off :wink:

Mr w knows his m’s Well enough. Followed him down some lovely roads in the past and never felt like he was holding me up in anyway. In fact sometimes didn’t have the skill to follow at the same speed.
Funny comment from Danny to say that mr w wouldn’t know his zeds. you not seen his signature list?? Also don’t think he has blown any up either....

 

[dgm]

The TC on the Z4M can be overly intrusive at times I feel but it’s very good at sorting out these moments when you’ve miscalculated the amount of traction available on difficult road surfaces. I’ve driven the car with TC off but just to experiment and wouldn’t do it on other than dry roads. I had the M track mode coded and that’s a really good half way house, the intrusion from it comes later than the normal mode and for my driving skills, or lack of them, that’s perfect for me. Most of the time I don’t have it on but when I feel like a proper blast that’s when I engage it. My car will never see a track either and I can appreciate it’s entirely different in that scenario when you would like to imagine that the driving abilities on display will be more than simply proficient.

Regarding the sport button, I think it’s a waste of time on the Z4M. The throttle response is nice and sharp on these cars unlike the E46 M3 which felt unresponsive without the sport button on.

 

[ph001]

Yeah man, my M3 is proper jerky under full throttle if the car breaks traction.

..weird. Mine is really smooth like it just cuts ignition timing slightly, then it comes back in progressively. Must be tyre related. I'm running Vredestein Ultrac Sessenta.

I'm not keen on sport mode for road driving though. Much better on track (where you definitely do need DSC off).

 

[ph001]

The throttle response is nice and sharp on these cars unlike the E46 M3 which felt unresponsive without the sport button on.

..don't get this at all, it's the same S54 engine but the exhaust is slightly more optimised on the E46. It's darn near instant, not sure how you could ever get much better without a much lightened flywheel (and the associated stalling when setting off issues).

 

[dgm]

The throttle response is nice and sharp on these cars unlike the E46 M3 which felt unresponsive without the sport button on.

..don't get this at all, it's the same S54 engine but the exhaust is slightly more optimised on the E46. It's darn near instant, not sure how you could ever get much better without a much lightened flywheel (and the associated stalling when setting off issues).

All the sport button is doing is adjusting the throttle map as I’m sure you’re aware. What I mean is that on the M3 the default setting means there is a lot of travel on the pedal before the power kicks in. With the sport button on it brought about an instantaneous response. I don’t find that the case with the Z4M at all where the default setting feels just right to me. With the sport button pressed its almost like an on/off switch which gets wearing quickly.

 

[ph001]

Yep, and agree about it being too sensitive with the sport button pressed making it like an on/off switch. But in terms of revving in neutral for example, the throttle response is darn near as instantaneous as you could ever hope for in a 'modernish' road car. There is no way in the world you would ever describe it as 'unresponsive'. I can only assume there was an issue with your car if you found it that way.

 

[dgm]

Well I changed the car in 2007 for the Z4M and it was very noticeable back to back. I had a facelift manual just like yourself, just my thoughts on it, I reached for the sport button every time I started it.

 

[mr wilks]

All the sport button is doing is adjusting the throttle map as I’m sure you’re aware. I don’t find that the case with the Z4M at all where the default setting feels just right to me. With the sport button pressed its almost like an on/off switch which gets wearing quickly.

Just shows each of us have different views & preferences & possibly each of our cars functions slightly differently ?
In the MR I find the throttle response with sport button on sharper which for me makes for smoother & easier to pull away , i don't ever feel its tiresome unless ive just got used to it , its on before ive left the driveway , it was similar in last Si E86 ( manual ) but with current Si E86 auto i find no need to have sport button on ( unless you want to rip away from the lights :wink: ) 0-30 town driving it completely ruins the drive once out travelling the lanes at speed however it transforms the 262bhp auto into a sharp performer

 

[R60BBA]

The throttle response is nice and sharp on these cars unlike the E46 M3 which felt unresponsive without the sport button on.

..don't get this at all, it's the same S54 engine but the exhaust is slightly more optimised on the E46. It's darn near instant, not sure how you could ever get much better without a much lightened flywheel (and the associated stalling when setting off issues).

All the sport button is doing is adjusting the throttle map as I’m sure you’re aware. What I mean is that on the M3 the default setting means there is a lot of travel on the pedal before the power kicks in. With the sport button on it brought about an instantaneous response. I don’t find that the case with the Z4M at all where the default setting feels just right to me. With the sport button pressed its almost like an on/off switch which gets wearing quickly.

Maybe you had a s**t one

 

[dgm]

..don't get this at all, it's the same S54 engine but the exhaust is slightly more optimised on the E46. It's darn near instant, not sure how you could ever get much better without a much lightened flywheel (and the associated stalling when setting off issues).

All the sport button is doing is adjusting the throttle map as I’m sure you’re aware. What I mean is that on the M3 the default setting means there is a lot of travel on the pedal before the power kicks in. With the sport button on it brought about an instantaneous response. I don’t find that the case with the Z4M at all where the default setting feels just right to me. With the sport button pressed its almost like an on/off switch which gets wearing quickly.

Maybe you had a s**t one

Maybe I did, more likely we all have different perceptions and preferences for the vehicle settings. I seem to have touched some E46 M3 nerves here, don’t be sensitive, I loved my M3 but it lasted 2 years as opposed to 11 years for my Z4MC.

 

[dgm]

All the sport button is doing is adjusting the throttle map as I’m sure you’re aware. I don’t find that the case with the Z4M at all where the default setting feels just right to me. With the sport button pressed its almost like an on/off switch which gets wearing quickly.

Just shows each of us have different views & preferences & possibly each of our cars functions slightly differently ?
In the MR I find the throttle response with sport button on sharper which for me makes for smoother & easier to pull away , i don't ever feel its tiresome unless ive just got used to it , its on before ive left the driveway , it was similar in last Si E86 ( manual ) but with current Si E86 auto i find no need to have sport button on ( unless you want to rip away from the lights :wink: ) 0-30 town driving it completely ruins the drive once out travelling the lanes at speed however it transforms the 262bhp auto into a sharp performer

Absolutely, we all like different set ups on our cars, that’s what it’s all about. Some say removing the CDV transforms the car whereas on the Z4M I found an almost imperceptible difference. Fitting the strut brace brought a big improvement to front end control for me whereas other dismiss it as a cosmetic exercise. 19” CSLs destroy the ride for some but for me are perfect for the car. It’s all about individual opinions. For me the Z4M the sport button should be off, on the M3 it should be on. Differently set up cars after all.

 

[R60BBA]

All the sport button is doing is adjusting the throttle map as I’m sure you’re aware. What I mean is that on the M3 the default setting means there is a lot of travel on the pedal before the power kicks in. With the sport button on it brought about an instantaneous response. I don’t find that the case with the Z4M at all where the default setting feels just right to me. With the sport button pressed its almost like an on/off switch which gets wearing quickly.

Maybe you had a s**t one

Maybe I did, more likely we all have different perceptions and preferences for the vehicle settings. I seem to have touched some E46 M3 nerves here, don’t be sensitive, I loved my M3 but it lasted 2 years as opposed to 11 years for my Z4MC.

No nerves were touched buddy it was just a joke

My car doesn’t behave like how you described your experience either!

 

[mr wilks]

All the sport button is doing is adjusting the throttle map as I’m sure you’re aware. I don’t find that the case with the Z4M at all where the default setting feels just right to me. With the sport button pressed its almost like an on/off switch which gets wearing quickly.

Just shows each of us have different views & preferences & possibly each of our cars functions slightly differently ?
In the MR I find the throttle response with sport button on sharper which for me makes for smoother & easier to pull away , i don't ever feel its tiresome unless ive just got used to it , its on before ive left the driveway , it was similar in last Si E86 ( manual ) but with current Si E86 auto i find no need to have sport button on ( unless you want to rip away from the lights :wink: ) 0-30 town driving it completely ruins the drive once out travelling the lanes at speed however it transforms the 262bhp auto into a sharp performer

Absolutely, we all like different set ups on our cars, that’s what it’s all about. Some say removing the CDV transforms the car whereas on the Z4M I found an almost imperceptible difference. Fitting the strut brace brought a big improvement to front end control for me whereas other dismiss it as a cosmetic exercise. 19” CSLs destroy the ride for some but for me are perfect for the car. It’s all about individual opinions. For me the Z4M the sport button should be off, on the M3 it should be on. Differently set up cars after all.

Now removing the cdv on current MR totally transformed it 1st & 2nd & removing strutbrace from previous MR i felt zero difference so i get you

 

[dannytheduck1985]

TC off you must be one gifted driver :wink: at no point i ever driven any of my Zs & felt the need to turn that off :?
Sport button most definitely always on :evil: as well as countless spirited UK miles Ive covered hundreds of Z///Miles at full chatt through the Normandy countryside with 6-7 other M cars often pushing to the edge of safe speed for car & driver so i know what the car is capable of & pretty sure none of the others drive with it off .
How does it enhance the drive for you ?

Serious question now.
You have never drove your Z4M with TC off ?

Not being a cock but you haven’t really got to know the Z4M........ at all. Now is the Perfect weather to find the minerals to switch it off. Then drive the routes you have previously drove......... with caution.

Leave enough space to let the back slide and keep the power on, don’t panic

No ive honestly never felt any interference from any driver aids whether that be setting off fast or thrashing it through the country lanes which is where i would cover the majority of my miles . I can't comment whether on a track it needs to be off cause ive never driven on one nor have any desire to do so
i'm not being a cock here either but honestly , i'm really not getting this tc off caper at all .
Why would travelling my normal routes & letting the back slide out with power still on make it somehow better ?
I'm not a fanny , i love to crack on when i'm out but on uk roads especially i can't imagine the point or speed where i would think to myself " hahmmm , not really doing it for me anymore , lacking that certain something , lets try it with tc off & see if that improves my connection with the car "
& when guys post " yea tc off in the rain = funtimes" with a 177bhp 2.5 auto that makes me pi55
Each to their own , if it makes you feel like youve got to know a car better with it off fair dos , i think after 13k-14k miles in 3 different ZMs i know them well enough to know that they can flatter & entertain me without turning the tc off :wink:

If you have never switched off, you will never grasp the concept of what I mean when I say the Z4M becomes a live wire. To me the difference...........it’s like night and day. My Mrs used to crack me up with traction off and sport on, she would say “it’s like the car grew teeth”

 

[dannytheduck1985]

Some years ago i tried having some “extra fun” by turning off the traction control on a previous car, after some spectacularly exciting moments I drove into a tree head on
It saves us from ourselves & mine stays on these days
Rob

sorry I’m a child

 

[dgm]

Little consensus to be found on this topic then. :lol:

 

[Jembo]

Little consensus to be found on this topic then. :lol:

On the ...

My insurance co, in 2014 when some muppet dragged a caravan down the side of my stationary AUDI, asked in one question whether all driver aids were active.

Pretty pointless then, though if they could ever work out were disabled during an accident wonder what you all would think their view would be?

 

[R60BBA]

Little consensus to be found on this topic then. :lol:

On the ...

My insurance co, in 2014 when some muppet dragged a caravan down the side of my stationary AUDI, asked in one question whether all driver aids were active.

Pretty pointless then, though if they could ever work out were disabled during an accident wonder what you all would think their view would be?

Again I wouldn’t worry about this unless it specifically said in your contract something along the lines of “we will not cover any accident in the event of driver aids being turned off”.

And even if that was hypothetically in your contract, how could they prove otherwise