When is ESP not needed?

[harrison]

Why would I ever turn off the ESP?

[gsmps]

In the dry weather its not really needed if you know your car well enough.

When I am out at the track I normally turn it off on my M3. Probably will do the same when I take my R8 out.

[Rob A]

I was out on the track with my R8 a couple of weeks ago and tried both with and without ESP/ASR. I couldn't really feel a gain turning it off and ended up leaving it on when it started raining, which saved me from the numerous spins that other cars were experiencing.

As a sidenote nothing other than a fully race-prepared car could keep up. I ended the day in front of a 450hp M3 and a Porsche Turbo even though a number of the drivers were probably better than me.

[800]

you don't need esp when u've parked ur car?!

o a serious note, when u are not going hit other cars from spinning then u can have it off. (track with lots of run-off)

[gsmps]

I was out on the track with my R8 a couple of weeks ago and tried both with and without ESP/ASR. I couldn't really feel a gain turning it off and ended up leaving it on when it started raining, which saved me from the numerous spins that other cars were experiencing.

As a sidenote nothing other than a fully race-prepared car could keep up. I ended the day in front of a 450hp M3 and a Porsche Turbo even though a number of the drivers were probably better than me.

My M3 performed worlds better with DSC off, but this was on a perfectly dry day.

And the tires still had plently of grip left

[Vincent]

Having owned both I don't think the ESP is not as intrusive as the DSC on the M3 E46. While it's almost impossible to have any fun with the DSC on at the track. The ESP on the R8 is fabulous and hardly noticeable. Maybe this has to do with it's stabilized AWD mid-engine platform.

[MotherTucker]

I have tracked the R8 enough to learn to really trust it and really throw it around. It's predictable and slides in a controlled manner - it's a blast! However, if you do that and don't turn off the ESP, it soon freaks out. The ESP light comes on, the sport mode light on the suspension button goes out, and you get an error on the DIS (driver information display). Apparently it can handle only a certain amount of correction, and if you keep it up it throws an error. All you have to do is turn off the car and then when you restart it, it's all cleared. I was very glad to find that out the first time.

So, you actually need to turn off the ESP if you really track it hard by sliding it through most turns.

[harrison]

So...Sliding through most of the turns produces QUICKER lap times? Having the sport mode switch off at any time means loss of power and slower shifts so thanks for the warning. Why doesn't the ABS prevent the ESP from shutting down I wonder How many seconds per lap are saved having ESP off? Remember...I need R 8 experiences. I also drive a '58 VW bug . A different driving style for sure. ( '58 ,Early 15 " Porsche alloys ,4 wheel discs brakes,FAT sway bars front and rear, raised front spindles, eurethane bushings,rear camber compensator,traction bar,body off restoration,rag top,semiphore door post turn signals, dual master cylinder,stainlss steel brakelines,2016 C.C. ,dual 48 mm Weber I.D.A. carbs, med. rise manifolds, electronic ignition (pointless),dual muffler merged exhaust system, 1/2 roll cage, Honda bucket seats, Phantom black , Polished and painted wheels.(original style Fuchs) ESP...ABS...ASR?...DSC? HMMMMM

[MotherTucker]

Well, in my opinion, sliding on it's own is not faster than not sliding, since the friction is actually slowing you down during the slide. BUT, in order to be sliding you are going a lot faster to begin with - your entrance speed to the turn is much faster and the exit speed is also likely faster. So overall, if you get to the point of sliding it thru turns, you are going notably faster.

I do think that running with ESP turned off is generally faster than running with it turned on, but boy you better know your car and know what you're doing, because it's not going to save your butt if you do something um.. unintentional.

I don't really time myself very often, so I don't really have any numbers of seconds. In general I am moving along pretty quick, usually hanging with the top cars in the instructors group, and usually only passed by high powered fully race prepared cars. That Daytona video I posted shows that, I ran in the instructor's group there.

mt

[harrison]

MotherTucker --Thank-you. How many miles do you have racked up on your R 8 and how many of those miles were on a track? Where do I find the video? Since yours is an '09 are you still on your first set of Pirellis'