Went for a drive. DSC off for the first time. WOW!

T

toplad

Member
It was a glorious bank holiday evening, roads were dead, thought I'd treat myself to a drive. :D

Car felt great, but I've never really turned the DSC off, OMG :o , what have I been missing? This car is mental and has much higher levels of grip and composure than I'd realised. Corner entry speeds were up, exit speeds too.
I never really thought how DSC works before, but it feels like it's slowly me down entering corners sometimes (?) and obviously limiting power on the exit. It has an effect even when the DSC light on the dash doesn't flash.
Flew down my local roads faster than ever, it's like having a faster more composed and gripper car all of a sudden, as if the performance has gone up at least one notch.

Does anyone have any links/info regarding the DSC on the Z4M, I’ve looked in the hand book, but it’s fairly vague. I’m interested in the really nerdy stuff of how it actually works; can the DSC break individual wheels and slow me down so much?
:driving:
 
This gives some decent information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_stability_control

http://www.usautoparts.net/bmw/technology/dsc.htm
 
The best place to play without DSC is the track...much safer and most importantly, you will not be breaking the law :poke:
(now obviously turning of DSC isn't against the law, but we all know how far one needs to press the loud pedal to enjoy the car without DSC...that's the bit that plod would be a bit miffed at)
 
It's not a big secret that the DSC massively hampers the performance of the M. Like the OP says it has such control and balance anyway all the DSC is pull back the power when exiting a corner. The difference on track is night and day but I still have it off on pretty much every journey I do on the road as well (motorways or wet conditions excluded). You don't need to be breaking the law to appreciate the effects :thumbsup:
 
It took me a year or so to feel comfortable enough to turn DSC off and go for a quick drive and now having done it i agree with everything toplad said. :driving:
 
jakethecatuk said:
...but we all know how far one needs to press the loud pedal to enjoy the car without DSC...
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Not very far at all, depending on the wear on the tyres and the condition. I remember a junction on a slippery bit of tarmac I had to pull out on most days when I was in London.. sometimes with DSC on it was downright dangerous as it cut the power and left me stranded.

tjlazer said:
..but I still have it off on pretty much every journey I do on the road as well (motorways or wet conditions excluded). You don't need to be breaking the law to appreciate the effects :thumbsup:
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Me too.. It's natural for me for Sport on, DSC off, then if I'm on a motorway or it's mega wet, I put it back on 8)

It does brake individual wheels, but I'm not sure how it would cut the power - presume the diff is all mechanical so it's nothing to do with that.

The most techy thing I can tell you is that there's a very direct link with the DSC and the steering sensor - if you're on any lock at all sometimes it cuts power even if you're not going to break traction.

Have you looked in the /M Supplement manual? I've read something detailed about it somewhere but can't remember where it was (4yrs ago)..
 
I tend to drive mine with the DSC off most of the time. The only reason a vehicle skids is because of a driver input, and relying on DSC rather than using your skills as a driver is likely to get you into more trouble. Avoiding the skid in the first place is better that the electronic system getting you out of it.

This is always an intersting topic for me as I have been an instructor on a skidpan and currently I'm a senior observer for the IAM, and I have a bit of a thing for the over reliance on driver aids to compensate for poor roadcraft :driving:
 
Incitatus said:
I tend to drive mine with the DSC off most of the time. The only reason a vehicle skids is because of a driver input, and relying on DSC rather than using your skills as a driver is likely to get you into more trouble. Avoiding the skid in the first place is better that the electronic system getting you out of it.

This is always an intersting topic for me as I have been an instructor on a skidpan and currently I'm a senior observer for the IAM, and I have a bit of a thing for the over reliance on driver aids to compensate for poor roadcraft :driving:
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+1

I never use it either, both hands on the wheel and follow the road, enjoy the car is the ticket for me :)
 
Incitatus said:
I tend to drive mine with the DSC off most of the time. The only reason a vehicle skids is because of a driver input, and relying on DSC rather than using your skills as a driver is likely to get you into more trouble. Avoiding the skid in the first place is better that the electronic system getting you out of it.

This is always an intersting topic for me as I have been an instructor on a skidpan and currently I'm a senior observer for the IAM, and I have a bit of a thing for the over reliance on driver aids to compensate for poor roadcraft :driving:
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Ever since i got the hang of handling the car with DSC off i tend to also turn it off very often. This of course results in me driving in, shall we say over-exuberant manner which then has the effect of wearing my rear tires alarmingly fast... :roll: I have to learn to control myself... :(
 
ferrelscent wrote
Yep,..I'm fairly sure this IS illegal.
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I take it you mean illegal to brag on the forum?! No laws against turning the DSC off on the M trust me. The Labour government might have been happy to throw in new criminal offences left right and centre but they weren't THAT insane.
 
I`m ashamed to admit this, but having now had my 3.0si Coupe for two weeks, I`ve not yet driven it without DSC on ! :oops:

I WILL, however, be trying this sometime very soon, whilst the roads are still warm and dry enough to enjoy it a bit....... :thumbsup:
 
its been a while since i started this thread and i'm still thinking back fondley to my bank holiday drive even though i'm currently in ibiza, i missing the car a lot. Sad i know, but these m cars do get under your skin some what
Sent via smart phone
 
jakethecatuk said:
The best place to play without DSC is the track...much safer and most importantly, you will not be breaking the law :poke:
(now obviously turning of DSC isn't against the law, but we all know how far one needs to press the loud pedal to enjoy the car without DSC...that's the bit that plod would be a bit miffed at)
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Oh please!

Its about having fun mate!
:thumbsup:
 
There is no question with driver aids present most people will rely on them rather than develop better driver skills/car control.... Personally i think that is a real shame.

Less skilled drivers on the road has to be a very bad thing. :thumbsdown:

So many comment on how easily the Z4M kicks its back end out, or loses traction under power with DSC turned off which tells me they have been relying on DSC to control grip & traction rather than being progressive with their throttle input. Feeling for the grip levels and then metering throttle input accordingly.

When driven properly the Z4M actually has a great balance and superb rear end grip under power (when the power is applied properly).

The Z4M is a great communicator to the driver (without driver aids on) for those who can feel and understand its feedback, then know what to do with the information, it is immense into, through and out of corners, and I say that as a former racing driver and race instructor....
 
Agreed & well put, but let's also remember lots of people drive cars like this without top notch skill - there'd be a lot more of these written off if the DSC wasn't so damn good at it's job. I've certainly learnt a hell of a lot in the 52k I've done, & if I didn't have DSC to rely on when I first got it, I might have had a few more hairy moments.

Sometimes (perhaps when frustrated) I try and catch out the DSC and it's very good at keeping the car on the tarmac.

In my car it's referred to as "Crash Mode" when it's off 8)
 
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