JamieH

Ok, when I put my order in, I was pretty sure I wanted the Enthusiast model. But after reading the account of the VDC system from the Tennessee Z Club, I am rethinking my choice.

What are people's thoughts on this? I originally expected VDC to be a marketing gimmick that I would only want to turn off anyway, and while the 18" tires are nice, I didn't really care to deal with the extra cost and hassle that come along with them. But I'm wondering if I was being short-sighted.

Samurai

The only reason I bought the Performance over the Enthusiast is for the VDC. I wanted andthing I could get to help with winter driving. Of course once I decided on the Performance model I then had to get the nav system

How do I find the VDC info you were talking about ?

JamieH

It was part of VandyZ's thread. I'm not sure it will really help you much on snow and ice--I don't really know. It would just be nice to know that if something happens and you have to make a crazy maneuver in an emergency that the car computer will try to keep you from going completly out of control. Kind of like having the Knight Rider car.

Here is the section I was talking about:

First turn impression, car stuck very well. With harder driving, handling control ON, the car stepped out and right back in when I broke traction. There is no way in hell you can hurt yourself in this car with the handling control turned on. I tried several times to really break it loose - it would not do it.

Upon returning, we were a little nervous about the State Trooper that was hanging around so were going slower. But we found a 90 degree hairpin and slammed it anyway to see what would happen. We got the car almost completely sideways and it fully corrected itself. The engine decelerated automatically. I don't know for sure, but it felt like the shocks were responding to the slide, too.

john0213

i think u should go for the performance, sometime little money can save u big trouble~

tbcz

From my understanding of how VDC works, it won't make much of a difference in snow. That's the traction control's job. Of course, it (VDC) might try and do something, but it's really not designed for that. I think it's main goal is to correct for understeer and/or oversteer when approaching the limits of the cars cornering ability. It measures and compares wheel spin, vehicle speed, steering wheel angle, and vehicle yaw rate (rotation around a vertical axis) and determines if the car is going where you're intending to go. Then by independently braking certain wheels and/or cutting engine power, it keeps the car on line. Anyone please feel free to correct me on this, as I'm not exactly a tech guy.

JamieH...I think your need for it really depends on how much you plan on testing the car's limits. I have BMW's version on my Z3 (DSC) and have only induced it a few times...and I do like to push the car at times (nothing like you would on a track). Mostly off ramps and nice twisty back roads. The cornering limits of the Z3 are pretty much past the point where I start to chicken out, so it hardly ever comes on. I'm sure it will be even more so with the 350Z...but if you are a more experienced driver like, say, Ethan84ae or some others on here, you might spend more time at the limit than most drivers. Then I'd say get it...it will save your *** (or at least the cars) at some point. Just my two cents...