Traction/VSC Setting Preference

[ashtray]

How do you guys plan to have the settings for traction control and VSC on a normal dry day, for casual driving (commuting but not bumper to bumper)?

Since my other car is an NA Miata with neither traction nor VSC (or even a torsen or abs) I don't think I will miss traction control much. (allow me to spin the rears on takeoff a tad). I'm thinking the sport VSC setting would be fine for my driving style.

Does the car default to both systems on at every startup, or remember your last setting?

[Canibuz]

If I recall reading the manual right we have to turn it off everytime we start the car. I will keep it on and see what it does. Once I get used to the limits of the car I am sure it will be off all the time. My MR2 was no thrills either

[Sasquachulator]

My car has neither, so traction/VSC would be new for me

Turning it off would have no effect on me lol.

[Deslock]

My current ride lacks even ABS, though I've driven many cars with traction/stability control.

From Autoblog's review:

The Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) in Normal mode will catch things when the tail strays a bit hard from the slip-angle safety zone, but it's not a violent clamping down on the proceedings. I was still wagging the tail nicely on the route's myriad hairpins, and the brake activation was meted out so as to blend pretty well with my driving style. Switching to VSC Sport and its higher thresholds allowed even smoother, slight drifts through entire hairpins.

If the system is as non-obtrusive as he says, it makes sense to leave TRC/VSC enabled on public roads. I'll probably use sport mode.

A rant about misusing traction control:

It's intended as a safety feature in case you encounter an unexpected situation, so it should be left on. But don't use it to drive faster than you can without it.

I knew two drivers who had 2006 and 2007 Civic Sis (I'll refer to them as 6 and 7). Only the latter had Honda's TCS/VSA. 7 would fly around corners much faster than 6, not realizing that the computer was the only reason he wasn't crashing.

We all went to an autox, and 6 wasn't doing that well while 7 did great. He was talking a lot of smack about crushing 6's times, so before 7's next run I suggested he disable his traction control (he didn't know how, and I had to show him how to override it).

I've never seen anyone hit so many cones.

Hopefully 7 learned a lesson that day, but probably not. I used to warn him that if he ever came around a corner into a patch of leaves/sand/oil, his crash could be even worse than if he didn't have TCS/VSA (because he was traveling at such high speed). He moved away shortly after and I don't know if he ever had any mishaps.

[Dave-ROR]

I don't drive like a punk so it'll stay on for the street. I see no reason to turn it off. On the track/Autocross it'll be completely off.

[Kiwi]

Originally Posted by Deslock

A rant about misusing traction control:

It's intended as a safety feature in case you encounter an unexpected situation, so it should be left on. But don't use it to drive faster than you can without it.

I knew two drivers who had 2006 and 2007 Civic Sis (I'll refer to them as 6 and 7). Only the latter had Honda's TCS/VSA. 7 would fly around corners much faster than 6, not realizing that the computer was the only reason he wasn't crashing.

We all went to an autox, and 6 wasn't doing that well while 7 did great. He was talking a lot of smack about crushing 6's times, so before 7's next run I suggested he disable his traction control (he didn't know how, and I had to show him how to override it).

I've never seen anyone hit so many cones.

Hopefully 7 learned a lesson that day, but probably not. I used to warn him that if he ever came around a corner into a patch of leaves/sand/oil, his crash could be even worse than if he didn't have TCS/VSA (because he was traveling at such high speed). He moved away shortly after and I don't know if he ever had any mishaps.

While I was reading this, the word R35 kept appearing inside my head.

[Draco-REX]

How would I *want* the settings? Off and Off.

How will they likely be set if you were to catch me on a drive to work? On and On.

I tend to forget to turn stuff like that off when I start the car. But I remember to shut them off when I'm about to go hooning.

[BLikeWater]

Unless having it on some how effects mpg, I don't see the point of turning it off until it's time to play. So, just normal daily driving, I'll leave mine on full.

[Turbowned]

Shut that shit off! Unless I have to turn it off every time I turn the car on, then I'll just leave it be until I decide to play around.

In overly-safety-concerned America, car drives you!

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by Turbowned

Shut that shit off! Unless I have to turn it off every time I turn the car on, then I'll just leave it be until I decide to play around.

In overly-safety-concerned America, car drives you!

You do have to turn it off every time.

I really don't understand the point of turning it off to drive to work, or the mall, or to get food, etc. Why bother? I never turned it off on the street in my S2000 and I never once had it engage either.

[86'd]

Everything on full for the street.

[engee]

Full Power Scotty!!

But yea, keeping them on unless hooning about.

[Lighting Red]

Considering my current AWD coffin of a car; I am turning the TC/VSC off ASAP when I get the BRZ! I want to have some fun!

[Jeff_DML]

turn off everything of the track/auto-x

My previous car was a E90 m3 with the tech package and it had a M button. I had it enable MDM which is equivalent to VSC sport and would push it every time I got into the car. Might be lazy with the BRZ but guess it depends how aggressive normal VSC is.