Hey All,

I consider myself a fairly compotent driver, although I know sometimes I get ahead of myself for my experience for the most part I've never taken anything I can't handle...

Today I started riding without traction control and turning VSC off, and I must say the experience is totally diffrent and quite comforting in some aspects, but a ***** in others. This may be by coincidence or not, but the first day I drove with VSC and TC off, what happens? I total spinout right in the middle of the road! Thank god I missed any cars and curbs in the area, and just emberassed the hell out of myself in front of 3 gas stations on a mini-mall. But I could live with that.

Although I'm going to say this is because I'm not used to driving with VSC off, I am going to continue driving that way because I feel like I can make the car do the extroidanary now, instead of just the ordinary. I feel like I'm driving, and the traction control isn't driving anymore.

What are your perceptions on driving? Do you leave the TC on or off?

Rich-

 

road!Those two statements seem contradictory to me.

And this one seems irresponsible!

I'll say! Looping it in the middle of the highway on what's presumably a pretty straight road since you state that it's in front of a minimall is pretty..............special.

I suggest that a couple of days at a Bob Bondurant or Skip Barber driving school will be both a humbling and very helpful experience from the standpoint of picking up car control skills, esp at speed. I'd also suggest that you save doing the extraordinary for the track, where curbs and cars normally never come into play and spinning it doesn't jeopardize those unwilling spectators at the gas station.

I'm not really slamming you here and that last paragraph is really a serious suggestion. Both those schools are highly reputable and respected high performance driving schools.

But that's just mho..........

 

O Know, I' get what your saying. I've been to a few Kart schools in the bay area, I know there is a lot to learn.

And these to statements-

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but the first day I drove with VSC and TC off, what happens? I total spinout right in the middle of the road

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but the first day I drove with VSC and TC off, what happens? I total spinout right in the middle of the road

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I know I'm a god driver. I haven't been in anything near an accident ever caused by me. The first day I had VSC and TC off though, I did spinout.

 

I just cruise....Whats the Rush....

 

Hopefully one of the first things you will learn is that a GS does not handle like a Kart

 

I automatically turn it off. And yes I do drift this land yacht frequently. I have two worn out rear tires in 3000 miles to prove it.

 

i always keep it on when i drive the GS300.
it ain't my car (dad's). i don't drive it enough to ever be 100% "used to it." stock suspension isn't the best for all the fun i want to have in it. i don't go crazy in the GS. i had a bad and costly experience when i lost traction once on the road.

 

hell no am i driving on city streets without the VSC. save that '***-out' driving for the autoX or a controlled environment.

i'm sure people would love to honk and point at the guy that spun his lexus out and hit a curb or divider. I know I would. The GS4 is just too precious

 

Sometimes I drove without the VSC On. But I have LSD install to take care of that problem. Without LSD, the GS tent to fish tail to the right. So LSD will keep you straight without using the VSC.

 

LSD would help, i imagine, but one doesn't substitute the other. my scaredy-azz amateur driving self will stick to VSC on.

 

Odd, I spun out to the right.

 

With 300 ponies under the hood and no Bob Bondurant or Skip Barber school training, I leave my VSC on.

 

The only time it is turned on is occasionally when it is raining - in that scenario it is helpful for the driver with little experience driving a RW-Drive car in the rain. I find myself using the snow setting more than VSC even in the rain. I wish there was a cbest setting to default it to the OFF position instead.

There are few things more irritating than turning into an access road while accelerating only to BARELY spin the wheels and activate VSC. In some circumstances it can be dangerous to have it on too!

 

LEAVE VSC ON IN THE WET!!!

Unless you seriously consider yourself an excellent driver (ask your friends, they'll tell you). Considering I've had close to 100,000 miles in the GS, I kinda know what I am talking about. It's not that bad in the dry and sometimes, it is better because I find the VSC to wanting to jump in. For instance when the road is un-even and you make a turn, chances are the VSC will engage no matter how slow you are. IMO, this is not good as there is traffic coming and the VSC kills the throttle in one wheel and the car takes a second to catch on. But it's no biggie. You can do cool things like peel out more often, leave a tire mark or two. And gain utter confidence in manuvers knowing you did somthing exceptional without VSC. But honestly, in the dry, it rarely engages unless you really hit the throttle. For instance, I took it off racing a M-roadster, hit a turn, lost control of the car and ran over the median and bent 2 rims. With VSC on, the power would have cut and I would have spun out initially but the car would have caught itself and not propelled me onto the other side of the road.

In the dry, taking expansion ramps at 100mph and taking corners at twice the posted speed limit, it NEVER has kicked in b/c the car never lost control. Though wider 275 tires in the rear help keep a bigger contact patch.

Now in the wet (and snow), VSC has saved my butt MULTIPLE times. The last time was a thread I made where I hydroplaned going 80mph in heavy rain (totally my fault) and I lost control and VSC saved my **** from hitting the wall (I tend to think GOD too). How?

Cause when I used to drive the SC 400 in near conditions and lost control of it (without VSC) it took a longer period to re-gain control of the car and it was a much scarier experience. Both wheels are spinning out of control whereas VSC cuts the power to the one that does not need it.

WIth VSC, you will hear the BEEP BEEP and feel the power cut from one rear wheel to the next. If you drive a RX 300 or ES 300 loaner, punch it and turn the wheel sharply, you will feel the VSC cut the power (MUCH MORE APPARENT ON A FWD CAR).

VSC only engages when the computer senses wheel slippage. VSC and TC (traction control) are different, BTW.

 

when i drive with VSC on, especially in wet, ill start sliding and countersteer, but VSC will correc tas well, and ill start going the opposite way. it is quite annoying. you know there are cars that dont have traction control. you shouldnt rely on it all the time. you should be able to tell when it's engaging and realize that you're getting close to the limit. you shouldnt throw your car into a corner saying "it's ok, VSC will save me".
i leave it off when im involved and going to do any spirited driving, and turn it on when im not paying attention (long drives, very tired, etc..)