Traction Control

White1 · 01-08-2009, 03:58 PM

I live in Canada, and my 128 is my daily driver, at the moment im driving on extremely icy roads, ive been noticing that the car drives way better with the DTC/DSC completely turned off. Anyone else noticing the same thing? So far the only time ive found it to be an asset, is on icy highways, it keeps the car from kicking out when accelerating to pass.

Guildenstern · 01-08-2009, 08:18 PM

I find the car drives fine with the DSC on. I'm running the Blizzak WS-60s.

I find the car drives Funner with the DSC/DTC off. But most of the time I have places to go.

deeb · 01-08-2009, 09:16 PM

I think it works best on the rainy wet roads you can just keep it floored around every little corner and ya don't slide out into cerbs and walls...

White1 · 01-09-2009, 04:23 AM

Yeah, my main issue with it has been when trying to cross an icy intersection, or merge with traffic. With it turned off i can control the wheelspin with the clutch, but with it on i find that i cant get up to speed without other cars comming right up my rear. I dont have any winter rubber on tho, but it handles the snow and ice very nicely with the stock 17" run flats.
BTW i do think its also more fun to have it off.

Guildenstern · 01-09-2009, 09:03 AM

More importantly Stock Runflats! I hope at least you mean the All-season option and not Summer Tires.

▼▼+1 for that▼▼

ZIPNBYE · 01-09-2009, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by White1

Yeah, my main issue with it has been when trying to cross an icy intersection, or merge with traffic. With it turned off i can control the wheelspin with the clutch, but with it on i find that i cant get up to speed without other cars comming right up my rear. I dont have any winter rubber on tho, but it handles the snow and ice very nicely with the stock 17" run flats.
BTW i do think its also more fun to have it off.

Stock run-flats.
DSC off (are you running with DTC on then, or everything totally off?)
Winter.

From one Canadian to another...you, sir, are an idiot. Get some winter rubber and stop mucking (should be an F) in traffic before you kill yourself, or worse, somebody else.

IDBMW · 01-09-2009, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZIPNBYE

Stock run-flats.
DSC off (are you running with DTC on then, or everything totally off?)
Winter.

From one Canadian to another...you, sir, are an idiot. Get some winter rubber and stop mucking (should be an F) in traffic before you kill yourself, or worse, somebody else.

+1 but I would not have been so harsh on the guy.:wink:

You paid about $30k for the car so spend another $1k and get some wheels and snow tires. I would not dive my 135i in the snow but I have a 2006 Tacoma 4x4 with locking Diff, DSC and I put winter wheels/tires on it. I have $1k deductible insurance and I figure the $1k cost of the tire package has saved me several accidents. I just can’t imagine driving a 1 series as a daily driver in the snow without snow tires.

morgie2 · 01-09-2009, 02:27 PM

I'm finding the DSC "kicking in" on DRY roads when I punch it with the snow tires on. This happening to anyone else?

Guildenstern · 01-09-2009, 08:53 PM

Yea Snows grip great in snow. In the dry they arn't exactly the best compound out there. Its one of those engineering compromises.

bones · 01-09-2009, 09:21 PM

yes, snows (mine at least) are like mush in conditions other than snow. If it wasn't for DSC, my ws-60s would be bald.

Bringinthewolf · 01-09-2009, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deeb

I think it works best on the rainy wet roads you can just keep it floored around every little corner and ya don't slide out into cerbs and walls...

Maybe not into curbs and walls but I have witnessed you slide :biggrin:

White1 · 01-10-2009, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZIPNBYE

Stock run-flats.
DSC off (are you running with DTC on then, or everything totally off?)
Winter.

From one Canadian to another...you, sir, are an idiot. Get some winter rubber and stop mucking (should be an F) in traffic before you kill yourself, or worse, somebody else.

If you wanna call me an idiot, i guess your'e entitled to your opinion, but ive been driving for 16 years in Regina with no winter tires and ive never had a problem, and some of my previous cars have had hopped up V8s and posi. And actually it hadnt been till the past 3-4 yrs that winter tires have really been pushed in commercials, i doubt youve always run winter rubber all your driving life. BTW right after i bought the car in Sept, i had to incur moving expenses with a doubling of my rent, so after those costs and the costs of utility hook ups, somehow winter tires took a back seat this year, my priority has been my car payments, rent, utilities, and food. My wallet is just now recovering from that. Just thought id explain why im an idiot.
And from one Canadian to another, if YOU truly feel that no winter tires = injury or death, then maybe winter tires are the least of YOUR vehicle handling issues, and YOU shouldnt be "mucking" in traffic period...Just my opinion.

And my run flats are the all seasons not the sports rubber.

IDBMW · 01-10-2009, 07:38 AM

Last week in a snow storm I saw a Corvette trying to get on the freeway via the on ramp. He was all over the place and touched the guard rail as his rear end slid. I and another car stopped to help but any time he touched the gas the rear end just slid and kept touching the guard rail. I took a look at his tires and he had Goodyear Eagle Supercar summer only tires. We both mentioned to the guy what was he thinking? The freeway was a sheet of ice and this guy could not even get traction to get up a very slight incline up the freeway on ramp. He was so insistence that if he got moving he would be ok. He also mentioned he could not afford snow tires. We finally told the fool to call a flatbed tow truck which he did. This guy is driving a $60K car and said he could not afford snow tires? No wonder people are in finical mess! I wonder how much that cracked body panel will cost to fix, way more than snow tires. Plus he now has to rent a car while the corvette gets fixed, another expense approaching the cost of snow tires.:iono:

I fail to understand why someone in a winter climate buys a high performance car as there only car and does not put snow tires on it. I just does not make sense to me. Just for safety sake I would buy a winter vehicle and a used high performance car instead of one car. I think if I could not afford multiple vehicles and had to have a high performance car I would get the Subaru WRX and snow tires.

In another post pil1 could not have said it any better:
“I know it's been beaten to death, but tires are like shoes. Would you try to shovel your driveway in running shoes? Likewise, would you play street hockey in snow boots?”:wink:

1HungryMan · 01-10-2009, 08:14 AM

I wouldn't be as harsh as the other guy, but I agree it's crazy to spend that kind of bread on a car and think that runflats are fine in a Canadian winter. That's just crazy. When I switched from my runflats to winters I sighed with relief: the difference is incredible.

deeb · 01-10-2009, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bringinthewolf

Maybe not into curbs and walls but I have witnessed you slide :biggrin:

Hahaha. Wow, that was funny. BTW New snow tires are AMAZING and they grip like no tomorrow around those wet slippery corners. :w00t:

I even took it around the same bend last night in that pouring rain, I demand a re-match!

On the note of DSC/DTC again, I was driving in 2" of fresh snow last night going up some fairly steep hills in the british properties. With DSC off I just keep the tires spinning a bit and move up those hills quite a bit faster! As long as I can keep it straight... It's just amazing the difference of stock tires to snow tires..... :thumbup:

boxerdog · 01-11-2009, 12:53 AM

Yes, I'm driving with Dunlop 3D's and I do get the DSC on dry as well specially starting after a red light or taking a turn a little fast. . The 3Ds do a great job in snow and ice but I have a feeling that they won't last very long if I drive on dry roads to much.

I got my car a week before the first snow of the winter. Quickly, but I mean very quickly I realized that the snow tires could not wait. Immediately, I order them, unfortunately, it tool about a week before they arrived and I ended up getting rides from friends and family to get to work. The day they arrived, it was sunny but we still had a little snow on the roads. I only had to drive about two miles of residential roads to get to the tire place. It was like being in a horror movie. I felt that everyone around me was going to hit me. I barely made it to the top (at about 5mph) on a very low and small hill. Had to drive with the hazard lights on to let others know that I was being irresponsible ..... My point, it's not worth it, don't do it, just pay the money for the winter tires and be safe.

Quote:

Originally Posted by morgie2

I'm finding the DSC "kicking in" on DRY roads when I punch it with the snow tires on. This happening to anyone else?

White1 · 01-11-2009, 02:38 AM

Originaly it was my plan to get snows, but things changed up on me very quickly, and there wasnt much i could do about it, they are on the list for next year, but this year they just aint happening. I havent had any problems at all with the all seasons, granted they arent winter tires,but they also aint racing slicks.Once i do use them, im sure i'll never turn back, but for now i dont know what im missing out on, so i guess i wont notice. After all they are just regular tires...like the ones that probably a good 90% of the ppl in this country still happen to drive on.

Guildenstern · 01-11-2009, 08:39 AM

Yea I used to just run All-Season Potenzas on my Golf pretty well. They wern't bad, but I knew there were more times I wasn't getting where I wanted to go. Initialy it seemed like you were running the Summer only tires in the snow, which is asking for a steaming bowl of death.

A bit of advise though (I've been mocking people in traffic about this all week) If the car isn't going fast enough due to the ice, the Gas pedal does not need to be pushed down harder. Spinning the tires more, or having the traction control practicaly bring you to a stop will not help you most of the time. Try instead feathering off the gas so the tires catch, then gently increasing pressure on the pedal. And know that because you are on All-Seasons, you are the slower car.

01-08-2009, 03:58 PM	#1
White1 Private First Class 19 Rep 196 Posts Drives: 08 128i AW/Prem/PremAudio Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Regina/Sk/Ca iTrader: (1)	Traction Control I live in Canada, and my 128 is my daily driver, at the moment im driving on extremely icy roads, ive been noticing that the car drives way better with the DTC/DSC completely turned off. Anyone else noticing the same thing? So far the only time ive found it to be an asset, is on icy highways, it keeps the car from kicking out when accelerating to pass.
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01-08-2009, 08:18 PM	#2
Guildenstern or Rosencrantz 11 Rep 455 Posts Drives: 2008 Montego Blue 128i Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Cleveland, OH iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 128i Coupe [0.00]	I find the car drives fine with the DSC on. I'm running the Blizzak WS-60s. I find the car drives Funner with the DSC/DTC off. But most of the time I have places to go.
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01-08-2009, 09:16 PM	#3
deeb boss. 19 Rep 216 Posts Drives: 135i Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Vancouver, BC iTrader: (0)	I think it works best on the rainy wet roads you can just keep it floored around every little corner and ya don't slide out into cerbs and walls... __________________ .:08::black::135i::6speed::stick:.
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01-09-2009, 04:23 AM	#4
White1 Private First Class 19 Rep 196 Posts Drives: 08 128i AW/Prem/PremAudio Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Regina/Sk/Ca iTrader: (1)	Yeah, my main issue with it has been when trying to cross an icy intersection, or merge with traffic. With it turned off i can control the wheelspin with the clutch, but with it on i find that i cant get up to speed without other cars comming right up my rear. I dont have any winter rubber on tho, but it handles the snow and ice very nicely with the stock 17" run flats. BTW i do think its also more fun to have it off.
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01-09-2009, 09:03 AM	#5
Guildenstern or Rosencrantz 11 Rep 455 Posts Drives: 2008 Montego Blue 128i Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Cleveland, OH iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 128i Coupe [0.00]	More importantly Stock Runflats! I hope at least you mean the All-season option and not Summer Tires. ▼▼+1 for that▼▼
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01-09-2009, 02:27 PM	#8
morgie2 First Lieutenant 16 Rep 377 Posts Drives: 135i convertible Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Boston iTrader: (0)	I'm finding the DSC "kicking in" on DRY roads when I punch it with the snow tires on. This happening to anyone else?
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01-09-2009, 08:53 PM	#9
Guildenstern or Rosencrantz 11 Rep 455 Posts Drives: 2008 Montego Blue 128i Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Cleveland, OH iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 128i Coupe [0.00]	Yea Snows grip great in snow. In the dry they arn't exactly the best compound out there. Its one of those engineering compromises.
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01-09-2009, 09:21 PM	#10
bones Private First Class 123 Rep 180 Posts Drives: 2020 M340 RWD Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Boston iTrader: (0)	dry pavement yes, snows (mine at least) are like mush in conditions other than snow. If it wasn't for DSC, my ws-60s would be bald.
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01-10-2009, 07:38 AM	#13
IDBMW Captain 41 Rep 825 Posts Drives: 2019 X3 M40i Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Boise, ID iTrader: (0)	Last week in a snow storm I saw a Corvette trying to get on the freeway via the on ramp. He was all over the place and touched the guard rail as his rear end slid. I and another car stopped to help but any time he touched the gas the rear end just slid and kept touching the guard rail. I took a look at his tires and he had Goodyear Eagle Supercar summer only tires. We both mentioned to the guy what was he thinking? The freeway was a sheet of ice and this guy could not even get traction to get up a very slight incline up the freeway on ramp. He was so insistence that if he got moving he would be ok. He also mentioned he could not afford snow tires. We finally told the fool to call a flatbed tow truck which he did. This guy is driving a $60K car and said he could not afford snow tires? No wonder people are in finical mess! I wonder how much that cracked body panel will cost to fix, way more than snow tires. Plus he now has to rent a car while the corvette gets fixed, another expense approaching the cost of snow tires.:iono: I fail to understand why someone in a winter climate buys a high performance car as there only car and does not put snow tires on it. I just does not make sense to me. Just for safety sake I would buy a winter vehicle and a used high performance car instead of one car. I think if I could not afford multiple vehicles and had to have a high performance car I would get the Subaru WRX and snow tires. In another post pil1 could not have said it any better: “I know it's been beaten to death, but tires are like shoes. Would you try to shovel your driveway in running shoes? Likewise, would you play street hockey in snow boots?”:wink: __________________ 2019 X3 M40i - Black Sapphire Metallic - Mocha Lather - 21" 718M wheels - Every option except Sun Shade
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01-10-2009, 08:14 AM	#14
1HungryMan Lieutenant 24 Rep 536 Posts Drives: 2008 128i Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Toronto iTrader: (0)	I wouldn't be as harsh as the other guy, but I agree it's crazy to spend that kind of bread on a car and think that runflats are fine in a Canadian winter. That's just crazy. When I switched from my runflats to winters I sighed with relief: the difference is incredible.
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01-11-2009, 02:38 AM	#17
White1 Private First Class 19 Rep 196 Posts Drives: 08 128i AW/Prem/PremAudio Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Regina/Sk/Ca iTrader: (1)	Originaly it was my plan to get snows, but things changed up on me very quickly, and there wasnt much i could do about it, they are on the list for next year, but this year they just aint happening. I havent had any problems at all with the all seasons, granted they arent winter tires,but they also aint racing slicks.Once i do use them, im sure i'll never turn back, but for now i dont know what im missing out on, so i guess i wont notice. After all they are just regular tires...like the ones that probably a good 90% of the ppl in this country still happen to drive on.
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01-11-2009, 08:39 AM	#18
Guildenstern or Rosencrantz 11 Rep 455 Posts Drives: 2008 Montego Blue 128i Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Cleveland, OH iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 128i Coupe [0.00]	Yea I used to just run All-Season Potenzas on my Golf pretty well. They wern't bad, but I knew there were more times I wasn't getting where I wanted to go. Initialy it seemed like you were running the Summer only tires in the snow, which is asking for a steaming bowl of death. A bit of advise though (I've been mocking people in traffic about this all week) If the car isn't going fast enough due to the ice, the Gas pedal does not need to be pushed down harder. Spinning the tires more, or having the traction control practicaly bring you to a stop will not help you most of the time. Try instead feathering off the gas so the tires catch, then gently increasing pressure on the pedal. And know that because you are on All-Seasons, you are the slower car.
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