Got her sideways for the first time tonight. SO easy. SO fun! Dropped into second for a left-hander, hit the apex, hammered the throttle and WHAM! A very nice, controlled slide in which the rears broke loose and proceeded to spin like mad. This is the first time I'd actually turned off the VDC and intentionally induced a loss of traction. It's VERY easy to do. Very suprising to say the least. Feels like a completely different car and my perma-smile is now even bigger than before.

All that being said, I'm glad I have the VDC/TCS for driving in the rain. That much usable torque can get away from you in the wet if you're not always vigilant.

 

Rearwheel drive with lots of power is always fun when you can say "To hell with the tires"...

I agree with you on the benifit of VDC/TCS in rain conditions. HOWEVER, with it a driver might be apt to push the car more in the rain without knowing the consequences, while a more experianced driver, one who has never had the benifit of VDC/TCS would know better. In short, it might contribute to a "false" sense of security.

Be careful and don't trust it blindly.

 

I have mixed feelings about it. It is a lot more fun with it off, and I don't like the way TCS cuts power abruptly, but I still like having the "training wheels" on in a tight twisty road in case the back steps out on me and puts my *** end into oncoming traffic. I guess the good way to look at it, is it's nice to have it, but it's nice to be able to turn it off too.

 

Agreed. I grew up driving pickups (it's a rite of passage here in Texas to have owned at least one truck) and launching in the wet, just merely taking off from a light was an exercise in throttle control. I'm just suprised at how easily I got the car to come loose and start sliding on the very first try.

 

I'm with you. I'll leave it on unless A) I know a stretch of road VERY well; B) I want to intentionally slide around a corner; C) I'm looking to do a full-throttle launch from a dead stop. Experienced drivers know not to lift or brake in the middle of a high-speed turn, but sometimes **** just happens. VDC's greatest benefit will be to save your *** by correcting any resulting oversteer should you get yourself into trouble. I'm glad I've got it, and even more glad that it can be selectively disabled.

 

I think it would have been nice to have the TC and VDC be independent. I mean I'd like to shut of TC most of the time but leave VDC on most of the time.

I don't have my car yet, but do you see my point?

 

I don't believe that the Track, Performance and 6MT Touring actually have the basic TCS (only on Enthusiast), instead employing the more advanced VDC. I only said "turn off your TCS/VDC" because you can do so in all trimlines save for the Base.

If you leave VDC on, the car will not allow you to do ANYTHING like powerslide around a corner. It will immediately cut power when the wheels begin to slip.