This is my first rear wheel drive car... I guess I gassed it too much making a right turn... I totally lost control of the car, it was fishtailing, I almost smacked into a pole & another car. HOLY CRAP. I had my TCS off, does that make a huge difference in control as well? Is the Z really that sensitive?







P.S. Does this count as my first drift?

 

Yeah traction control & VDC can make a huge difference. The hardest thing in going to a RWD car from a FWD is actually knowing when your car is breaking loose. Totally different animal.

I am glad you didn't wrap your car around something else.

 

i'll let someone else start this thread off...

 

The TCS would have cut the power and applied the brakes (not sure about this part)... stopped the fishtailing. I guess it does count as drifting.

 

The Z is no more sensitive than any other rear drive car with a lot of torque. I am glad that you learned this without getting into an accident. Unless you have a specific reason to turn off the TCS I would just leave it on. TCS is especially helpful in the rain/snow, when an automatic suddenly downshifts under WOT, and when accelerating into, out of a corner. If you want to have fun, get out on a dirt tract and turn off the TCS. Then learn to turn with the throttle! About the only time I can think of that you should turn off TCS is if you _want_ to spin the wheels a bit. Front wheel drive cars have their own problems with torque steer and inability to get the power to the ground, but they can save your bottom on black ice. All wheel drive is even better than rear wheel drive for safe traction. Bottom line is that TCS makes rear wheel drive a lot safer.

 

+1

 

I do not understand why anyone would want to leave the VDC or TCS off unless they are on a track or on lonely roads racing. The systems are a great safety device. Use them.

 

I know the feeling Biker it happened to me when I first had the Z...Showing off of course did not do me any good. I now always leave the VDC on but it's off at the track ( DRAG ). I'm glad that was the only thing that happened ( the SCARE )....

 

At times, it can be a lose - lose situation. I had to brake and swerve hard out of the way of a truck. Popped it into second to speed up and next thing you know tcs cuts off power(gravel??). Well, I am doing 30 in a zone where people are going 50 -60 mph. I looked back and cars were braking hard. Anyways, if I left it off, I might have slid into a curb. I am lucky. But I would never leave it off in the rain.

 

Ive heard mixed remarks about the TCS. It was raining earlier today but the roads looked dry by the time i got out, perhaps it was a combination of things that made it spin out. All I know is that im leaving TCS on. Wouldve been horrible to total my Z with only 800miles on it.

 

Maybe find a performance driving school where you can use your car. I had moved from a Mazda Protege to this and retook the course to learn the characteristics of this animal. Plus by pushing things beyond the capabilities of the car, you get used to regaining control in day-to-day situations. It's saved my butt a few times.

 

Keep TCS on or go to drifting school and learn to control when slipping.

 

1. Does not count as a drift if you did not have control of the vehicle.
2. you should not depend on electronic devices to save you. i think ive read someone saying it before, and im not trying to be mean, but if you cant control the car without the tc and vdc, you shouldnt be driving it.

btw....did the toyota supras have tc or any kind of vdc like the nissan. just wondering because when modded up to 600hp plus, id imagine its easy to spin those wheels. ha ha

 

TCS ALWAYS stays on here, the only time it's comes off if i want to show off on a straight road and do a good looking burn out or on the track.

i was racing a 745 and up head there's a part of the road that spills water or something well anyways it's in the middle of a winter night and we're coming up to that part of the road and of course it's ice, i didn't want to brake cause people say that usually makes matter worst but i had no choice cause everyone else in front of us was braking so i brake and i feel the back tires going side to side but of course no where near of losing control.

moral: leave your TCS on at all times cause you never know what might encounter.

 

I kinda agree with what you are saying... that electronics should not _replace_ driver skill, but even skilled drivers can benefit from VDC. The average driver can certainly benefit from VDC. Hit a patch of icy snow and start to drift and you will be glad if it has VDC. The extra margin of safety is a good thing. VDC has significantly decreased the mortality rates in Europe where VDC is common. Anti lock brakes have not decreased mortality rates in the US where anti lock brakes are common.

2005 Roadster TCS on No VDC
Nismo CAT Backs, CAI, Sway Bars

 

all i can say, is that if i had vdc, it woulda saved my car. now its been in the shop since like forever, but getting it back soon

 

you guys need to learn how to drive. tcs always off! i can slide her sideways around turns at 45-50. the z is a sliding machine! just practice at slower speeds first! make sure you know the turn, and that the road is perfect! no traffik. then ther speed and drift will come.

 

chix+hp=disaster









































j/k

 

I only use TCS in the rain...I thought I had mastered the sliding with my car as well, course I didn't account for lack of tire tread (BALD TIRES) And hey I crashed...I agree should get use to the car, but TCS can be a lifesaver...would have saved me a concussion and thousands of dollars. Live and uhh well Im sure I'll do it again

Chris (doesn't learn his lesson)

 

Just let that scare be a warning, don't play around with big cars :-P

I recommend, when it snows or ices, to go to an empty parking lot (and I do mean empty... no other cars) and turn TCS off, and learn how to control your car in that. And make extra sure you leave huge space between any obsticles and NEVER drive directly to an obsticle. I recommend aiming to miss obsticles by at least 3 car lengths, but your first time out in the ice in the parking lot, you should try to not get within 4 car lengths of any obsticles.

Although, a better alternative would be a driving school, as previously mentioned.. Not only will it teach you with experts how to drive with limited traction, but it will also reduce your insurance rates! If you goto one of those, I recommend going for one of the multi-day ones... the single day one works well, but the multi-day ones are kind of like a mini-vacation and IMO are well worth the extra money.