So when i race i should turn off the TCS? Cause i never do. Can I leave it on for the first 2 gears and then turn it off? would that do any good?

 

YES TURN IT OFF!!!!

I notice a slight hesitation when getting the car moving, even when I'm driving "sane" (which is most of the time). I still leave it on for the street, however.

 

Definitely turn it off. There's nothing worse than losing power just because of a little wheel slip.

BTW - where in LA are you? Are you AutoXing?

 

Yeah, TC is a real dog on performance.

 

Unfortunately, it's not TCS as in Formula 1 racing. It's more like safety TCS.

TCS is very intrusive when you're trying to drive fast. I've tested it in a few situations including autocross. Romp on the gas pedal. It slows your start so the tires don't squeal. You're winding it out of first gear, going 6000RPM or so - quick upshift to second. You expect to hear the tires chirp. Bam! The car slows so much, it feels like the brakes are on. You enter second with none of that pesky wheel spin... You see the first cone and you need to throw the rear end, so you attempt to induce some throttle oversteer. TCS says STOP! What are you trying to do? We're losing traction here?!?! You hit the next cone.

I've also attempted to throw the rear end around in the rain with TCS on. So far I've not been able to. I just see that little "SLIP" light blinking at me. Anyway, TCS is good. Keep it on unless you're auotcrossing (or God forbid, drag racing) or screwing around in a place where you can't hurt yourself, your car, or anyone else.

 

Yeah like others have said unless your at the track/racing etc.. keep it off.

but for the street keep it on esp when raining.

 

That is one thing that has always troubled me,

The base model does not have TC at all right? It is the least expensive and the most likley version of the Z that a guy or gal would get as a first car..

With out TC the Car can be a handful in even a little bit of rain or snow.

 

I Bought the base mostly because of price and secondly because of TC
I think that there are definatley people that need it but I do not think that I fall in that category.

 

Keep in mind that without the LSD, you usually only spin one tire so the non-powered side is coasting and not being pushed to slip. That said, enough side load and anything will slip so you still can't drive it like a video game.

It's easy to hang the back out with TCS on (I have no idea about VDC, it has more brains).

I drive up the same empty parking garage every day and it is fairly easy to do if you modulate the accelerator. The trick is to give it just enough gas to induce a slide but not enough to spin the tires any faster than that. As long as the car is moving at a rate that is close enough to the tire slip speed, no light comes on and it is smooth as silk. Once I got good at it, I could do the same thing when the garage was wet and could get it way out with no lights.

All that said and back to the point of this thread, driving with it on or off at the track is educational and interesting in there own ways, I would do both. TCS Off for pure enjoyment and learning how the car drives unassisted, and TCS On to play with TCS at the limits with speed.

Chris

 

ok great that is good to know all that, cause i got the car about 3 weeks ago and never not even once turn the TCS off. If i am already in motion going about 30 or 40 and then turn off the TCS would that have any effect? or i got to turn it off before the car is in motion?

 

Off!

 

Turning it "off" turns it off, even in the middle of an autocross run.

(don't ask... )

 

Yup, I've restarted the car and forgot to turn it off and had to hit the button half way thru the course.

 

I leave TCS & VDC on for my first run in autoX. As I may have missed something during the walk-thru it keeps the cones away from my paint job... rest assured you can throw the car sideways with the VDC on by shifting the weight around and loading/unloading the suspension. It's murder on your time though.

As for street driving I leave it on cuz you never know when there's a new patch of oil or pothole around the next curve.

 

Yeah, but if you have the traction control on in the snow it's almost impossible to move the car. I tried driving it in the snow with it and it's impossible not to have wheel spin so it stops me, . In the rain it's helpful, if you are driving normally.