ESP On Or Off

Lee172 said:
I used to have it off like most of you as it got in the way all the time, but then i did the n249 delete, now it doesnt seem to get so involved so i just leave it on. It used to throw me foward now it seems to just ease off the power slightly and do a whole lot of flashing on my dash.
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the delete should have no effect on the esp, as all the valve does is open the dump valve when esp tells it to, doing the bypass and still having the valve plugged in should just work the valve the same way, only it now doesnt open anything.
 
Maybe there was something wrong with mine but the n249 deleted on my car definately made a very noticeable differance to my esp.
 
I cant believe the stupidity of some people whe have posted in this thread, the cemetarys are full of people who had the same mind set...Im a fast driver, I can handle speed, ESP off i can catch it when it goes!! On a track its fine.

DC
 
DenCar said:
I cant believe the stupidity of some people whe have posted in this thread, the cemetarys are full of people who had the same mind set...Im a fast driver, I can handle speed, ESP off i can catch it when it goes!! On a track its fine.

DC
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I don't turn off the ESP because I think I'm a good driver, I turn it off because it can interfere on a normal drive into work! The drive way into my work place is on a huge hill and just driving into the drive way can set it off. ESP uses the 4 wheel speed sensors and the steering sensors, along with throttle position to work out what's happening. By me turning at a 90 degree turn that goes off a flat road onto a steep hill the car thinks I'm all over the place. Steering wheel turning right, front wheels going up a hill with rears on the flat. The ESP is so simple it can't work that out.

I used to drive a lotus Elise which had no safety devices at all. No ABS, no ESP, not even power steering. By me using my lotus every day on the road does this make me a dangerous driver who thinks I'm an F1 star?
 
ESP should really be left on to be fair. If its actually "kicking in" going round a corner on a public road then somethings wrong or your going way too fast. Ive had it on going round the ring and it makes no difference to performance, shouldnt never be going into corners sideways and coming out tyres smoking anyway. I never crashed but I believe a certain member on here shunted his S3 after a tank slapper if I remember correctly and he had his esp off....the esp is a prettty good safety device so it may...possibly...have prevented his shunt.

My only criticism is that the esp button controlls both the esp and traction control. I'd be happy with traction control off and esp on like you can do with the facelift 8P S3. Not a great deal of need for traction control on an S3 with its level of grip.
 
DC your jumping to conclusions about how us none esp folk drive, based on next to nothing.
I drive with one had on the steering wheel, not 10 and 2 o clock. Am i a wreckless d**k?
 
DenCar said:
I cant believe the stupidity of some people whe have posted in this thread, the cemetarys are full of people who had the same mind set...Im a fast driver, I can handle speed, ESP off i can catch it when it goes!! On a track its fine.

DC
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W3STY said:
I used to drive a lotus Elise which had no safety devices at all. No ABS, no ESP, not even power steering. By me using my lotus every day on the road does this make me a dangerous driver who thinks I'm an F1 star?
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Dah, Obviously;)
 
DenCar said:
I cant believe the stupidity of some people whe have posted in this thread, the cemetarys are full of people who had the same mind set...Im a fast driver, I can handle speed, ESP off i can catch it when it goes!! On a track its fine.

DC
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I drive nowhere near the limit, and am aware I am an everyday driver not Michael Schumacher. And the ESP really annoys me when it cuts power or sends brake pressure to a
Certain wheel, (that's what it feels like anyway I don't know how it works) usually under totally normal driving speeds. Perhaps there is a fault with mine or something but it just seems to interfere so sharply and is a horrid feeling. So I have it off, I wouldn't say I'm stupid for doing so! Also I've done 20,000 miles with out ESP on in ice, snow, rain and normal dry conditions and I'm not dead, nor have I ever had any kind of close shave.

Personally i think if you driving way past the limit on the road, your going to crash with ESP or no ESP.
 
I drive esp off, therefore i must be sideways,backwards and smoking round every corner, I must also Obv exceed my cars mechanical grip allll the time and drive flat out everywhere. OBVIOUSLY.

No.


Do people have no idea what car they drive and the grip it has and how farrr youd have to take it to be dangerous, you cannot do it on a road!
 
I drive esp off, therefore i must be sideways,backwards and smoking round every corner, I must also Obv exceed my cars mechanical grip allll the time and drive flat out everywhere. OBVIOUSLY.

No.


Do people have no idea what car they drive and the grip it has and how farrr youd have to take it to be dangerous, you cannot do it on a road!
 
W3STY said:
I used to drive a lotus Elise which had no safety devices at all. No ABS, no ESP, not even power steering. By me using my lotus every day on the road does this make me a dangerous driver who thinks I'm an F1 star?
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You ****ing liability mate ha ha ha ha.

I'm done with this argument now those who want it on have it on, mine stays off.
 
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W3STY said:
I don't turn off the ESP because I think I'm a good driver, I turn it off because it can interfere on a normal drive into work! The drive way into my work place is on a huge hill and just driving into the drive way can set it off. ESP uses the 4 wheel speed sensors and the steering sensors, along with throttle position to work out what's happening. By me turning at a 90 degree turn that goes off a flat road onto a steep hill the car thinks I'm all over the place. Steering wheel turning right, front wheels going up a hill with rears on the flat. The ESP is so simple it can't work that out.

I used to drive a lotus Elise which had no safety devices at all. No ABS, no ESP, not even power steering. By me using my lotus every day on the road does this make me a dangerous driver who thinks I'm an F1 star?
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ESP was designed, was it not, to correct sudden changes of direction, as in a sudden turn of the stering wheel at speed to avoid something thus preventing loss of control. If you are having problems just driving up a hill into work then, maybe you should have it looked at. My main point is that to turn it of so that one can have more fun on public roads is dangerous.

I was driving cars with twin carbs long before esp, abs, fuel injection, turbo etc was ever heard of. Never had a lotus however.

DC
 
DenCar said:
I was driving cars with twin carbs long before esp, abs, fuel injection, turbo etc was ever heard of.

DC
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exactly! You didn't need ESP back then so why do you need it now? I know it's a safety feature but I think a lot of people tend to think they can drive faster because they have ESP switched on and it will save them!

Anyway like I said above. This debate crops up from time to time and it always ends up like this :)

We all have our opinions and our preferences, which is what makes the world the way it is. On or off, who cares?
 
W3STY said:
exactly! You didn't need ESP back then so why do you need it now? I know it's a safety feature but I think a lot of people tend to think they can drive faster because they have ESP switched on and it will save them!

Anyway like I said above. This debate crops up from time to time and it always ends up like this :)

We all have our opinions and our preferences, which is what makes the world the way it is. On or off, who cares?
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See link: ESP car safety system | Videos | CNET UK
 
Like I said... inflammatory

Most prefer it off, some prefer it on.

I've had an experience where the car, with ESP on, has cut the power through a corner that quickly followed an other, whilst I still had my foot in it because 1. I know this corner 2. it's open I can see nothing coming and 3. the speed limit is 40, it quickly gave me power back and quickly went 'too much power to the front I'll send some to the back' and the car began to oversteer unpredictably, whilst not yet doing 40.

This has lead me to think that it's a good idea to turn the ESP off,

It's a personal desicion that doesn't require disruptive, random comments that group those who prefer their ESP off in some boy racer, careless, dangerous category
 
Dane.....To turn off a safety device in my book is irresponsible and dangerous, what next air bags.

And, to turn it off permanently!!! And, why is my opinion been inflamatory?

DC
 
DenCar said:
Dane.....To turn off a safety device in my book is irresponsible and dangerous, what next air bags.

And, to turn it off permanently!!! And, why is my opinion been inflamatory?

DC
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DC the comment wasn't aimed at you, I said earlier in the thread that the goals comments were inflammatory and look where we are now :)

You are entitled to your own view and if you'd rather leave yours on thats cool, I'm not telling you otherwise :thumbsup:

I was sharing my experience to explain to anybody reading this looking for actual information as to why I, personally, turn my esp off.
 
On as it never interferes with my driving... I must drive like a old granny :ermm:
 
Same here :) it has only ever kicked in once with me and that was when i floored it round a roundabout. my drive to work is mainly motorway and in town driving so i have no need to turn it off to be honest. it's nice to see all the different views though because i had never even thought about ESP being an issue.
 
I dont drive like a granny, far from it but, in this A3 esp has only ever cut in during winter on snow. On my beemer that i had before it would often cut in under hard acceleration and on corners on very wet roads but that was rear wheel drive!!

DC
 
I prefer driving mine quickly with the esp off too. Having said that i dont bother switching it off all the time because i don't see the point if i'm just nipping round the corner or stuck in traffic on the way to work and it's not exactly long winded if i do fancy it off.

What i would say though is that the main thing i find irritating about it when it's on is not as much the cornering interference, it's that on crappy uk roads which are uneven and full of pot holes it cuts in when ever one of the 4 wheels becomes weightless under acceleration. I find this highly annoying because if you turn it off the haldex cuts in and puts power else where and for me the s3 come into it's own on these type of country backroads.

Also, even with it off the s3 understeers on the limit and you can feel it begging to do this as it happens - it wont just suddenly snap oversteer like a badly set up rwd car so i dont see switching it off as a safety issue. If someone is driving a car with 210bhp + (depending on maps ext) like a **** their still gunna have an accident with the esp left on.
 
Rarely had turned it off in the 1.6, no point. In the Quattro I turn it off when I want to have some fun. It has saved me from mishaps once or twice so don't bother turning it off all the time.
 
Right well this morning it came on for the first time....I couldn't really feel it tbh
 
If it wasn't for the forum I would have never known how much fun you guys were having with it turned off. I'm not saying I keep mine off all the time but to me it's blatantly obvious the car performs so much better with it switched off.
 
Maz said:
If it wasn't for the forum I would have never known how much fun you guys were having with it turned off. I'm not saying I keep mine off all the time but to me it's blatantly obvious the car performs so much better with it switched off.
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Yes mate!
 
Maz said:
If it wasn't for the forum I would have never known how much fun you guys were having with it turned off. I'm not saying I keep mine off all the time but to me it's blatantly obvious the car performs so much better with it switched off.
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By "fun" do you mean driving over limit like a boy racer F1 driver, ploughing down inocent people on the pavements and smashing into cars on the road??? :whistle2:
 
W3STY said:
By "fun" do you mean driving over limit like a boy racer F1 driver, ploughing down inocent people on the pavements and smashing into cars on the road??? :whistle2:
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of course, turning ESP off turns all the dials red....including your eyes! Be warned!
 
W3STY said:
By "fun" do you mean driving over limit like a boy racer F1 driver, ploughing down inocent people on the pavements and smashing into cars on the road??? :whistle2:
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big LOL!
 
I gotta say after reading this I now drive with it off :) car feels more responsive when pulling away fast.
 
Take some of these when its off. Makes a BIG difference.

placebo.jpg
 
TheNewt. said:
I gotta say after reading this I now drive with it off :) car feels more responsive when pulling away fast.
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I tried it tonight and it really does make a difference, will have a little blast on a private road at work.
 
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