DSC off = Fun

[MRSSIIM3]

Originally Posted by Richbot

My little orange circle is on unless I need the cruise control or I don't feel like paying attention. The DSC in the car is pretty good but I'm still better. I do actually like the cruise control interlock though. Good save-us-from-ourselves feature.

A 414 hp car only safe with stability control? Pfft. The M3 is underpowered for the capabilities of the chassis.

The capability of the driver is another thing, but that's the driver's call, and anybody who says otherwise needs to get a life.

word!!! m3 actually is underpowered

on another note, drifting at night after a few drinks leaving the club in the rain with dsc off is the way to go. ill report back after i total my car later.

[LateBraking]

Originally Posted by kmarei

And I think learning the limits of your car is advantageous as opposed to just gunning it, pressing the DCT shift lever and thinking it's a f@&$ing Ps3 game

Overall, I think we'll just all agree to disagree. Stay safe fellas, that's all I ask.

[spyderco10]

this can be our new dct vs 6mt argument. should keep us busy til we can find something new to argue about with the f30 m3.

[lorinzo]

Be safe.

[Radiation Joe]

I'll offer a different perspective.

At the track, I'm almost always in MDM mode, never DSC off. Reason being that I'm driving at my limit and can typically feel when DSC intervenes. This is usually a wake up call that I did something wrong, usually at corner entry. This is a much better situation than over-rotating a car at corner entrance and ending up pointed the wrong way at corner exit. Only time (other than rain ... Wooo Hooo!) that I turned off DSC was in my old e46 when I could not get through T15 at Thunderhill without intervention.

On the street, however, I turn off DSC fairly often. The speeds are much lower, and I'm typically just screwing around breaking the rear end loose at fairly low speeds. Same thing applies in snow. Speeds are very low and DSC doesn't help most of the time, anyway.

[kmarei]

Originally Posted by LateBraking

Overall, I think we'll just all agree to disagree. Stay safe fellas, that's all I ask.

Would have responded earlier
But my M3 is now wrapped around a tree

[kmarei]

Just kidding

[mshab356]

Originally Posted by gblansten

I like to down several high gravity ales and then hit the public roads on rainy nights with DSC off. It is usually just me and my three year old son as wingman. We have such fun.

I do circles in the snow on the highway with racing slicks on

[OC3]

Don't even think about turning DSC off unless you got skillz like this track buddy of mine.

As for the maniacal laughters, he forgot his medications that day...

.

[Templar]

I think the take-away is that if you are an experienced driver (there's really no such thing as an experienced "street driver" IMO, I mean like you've tracked your car or taken a few classes, etc) then taking DSC off is alright because you know, or should know, your limitations and how to correct when you do make a mistake.

Someone like me, who has yet to track their car or head to an advanced driving school, will keep DSC on and will not drive like an asshat on public roads. I'll wait until summer/fall when I head to the 2 day ///M school to let loose

[Erhan]

So we agree that DSC = Dynamic Sissy Control?

[ksflatlander]

Honestly people, if you are driving normally on the street, DSC on or off should not make a hill of beans worth of difference most of the time. What are you doing on the street that makes the DSC intervene? So why not have it on in case of an emergency? Get all the help you can.

IF you are making it engage with your "normal" driving, then you're either doing something you shouldn't on the street or don't have a clue how to drive. If you do know what you're doing and decide to have some fun with DSC off, just do it off by yourself where the only thing at risk is YOUR car and YOUR hide. Don't come sliding around a blind corner and expect us to have sympathy for you if you spend a couple years in jail for vehicular manslaughter after wiping out a family in a mini-van.

On the track, it's all a matter of skill level and personal preference. On / Off - whatever pops your piston.

But to the OP's original point, there are reasons to hit that button and turn it off (that's why the button is there). Just do it responsibly. I mean, how else are you gonna win that burn out contest?

[dibxna]

Originally Posted by gblansten

I actually don't have any kids.

That u are aware of

[gblansten]

Originally Posted by dibxna

That u are aware of

[tibra1]

Originally Posted by dibxna

That u are aware of

[adc]

It is quite amusing to read some of the threads in here that make it sound as if DSC is major elven magic and that turning it off instantly turns the driver into a psychopathic murderer.

Get a grip, people - pun intended.

There are very good reasons to turn the darn DSC off in regular driving, even when not exceeding the speed limit. One perfect example is last year's surprise snowstorm we had in the DC area, where the car tried shaking itself to pieces with the DSC on, without moving an inch forward. So I turned it off and drove sideways *all* the way home, and much under the speed limit.

For reference, I learned how to drive at 18 in one of my birth country's worst winters. The city was blanketed in snow and ice from December until April, without a break. A timid fart from a passing stray dog could send you off into a snow bank. No traction control, ABS or DSC on any car on the road. What's more, the driving test included lots of intricate maneuvering skills (all in snow and ice of course). 90% of our young American drivers would fail that test even in perfect weather, and multiple times. So I guess all that hard won experience finally paid off one evening in 2011...


Is the woman in the next lane furiously texting at 65mph in an indifferently maintained mid-90s Camry more or less likely to spin and cause an accident? How about the contractor enjoying his sandwich while swerving around cars in his white Econovan on bald tires?

My opinion is that driven normally, the M3 is no more dangerous than any other car on the road. It's not like it will leap off the road when you make a right at the intersection, nor will DSC help you one bit if a pedestrian jumps in front of you.

If you *are* trying to provoke it, to tickle its high limits of adhesion with the electronic aids turned off, then needless to say it has to be at the right time, in the right place and with the right judgement.

[kmarei]

Originally Posted by adc

If you *are* trying to provoke it, to tickle its high limits of adhesion with the electronic aids turned off, then needless to say it has to be at the right time, in the right place and with the right judgement.

i like that
so i like to occaisonally tickle my car

[tibra1]

Originally Posted by adc

Is the woman in the next lane furiously texting at 65mph in an indifferently maintained mid-90s Camry more or less likely to spin and cause an accident? How about the contractor enjoying his sandwich while swerving around cars in his white Econovan on bald tires?

Touche sir..well played

[adc]

Originally Posted by kmarei

i like that.
so i like to occaisonally tickle my car

She's fine with tickling just don't punch her in the face, she may object

[swartzentruber]

Originally Posted by ksflatlander

IF you are making it engage with your "normal" driving, then you're either doing something you shouldn't on the street or don't have a clue how to drive.

In general I agree with much of your post, but as a generalization (which much of this thread really is), this is wrong. It might be true in the summer on dry roads with summer tires, but do you realize how much grip you lose in the rain? I think it's upwards of 50% or more. I certainly didn't see the DSC light much with my 19" staggered summer tires, but with my square winter tires, I can make DSC engage almost at will, even on dry roads, not driving bad (and I run in advanced in HPDE schools). So yes, bottom line, know your limits, know the conditions, if you are comfortable with both, turn it off; otherwise, leave it on.

[Loni5z]

i like to get my 6 month old nephew and turn dsc off and do donuts in the middle of traffic while dangerously drifting on blind turns and passing trucks with no visibility of other cars heading my way whatsoever. lots of fun

[ksflatlander]

Picked up my car night before last. Flew in to the dealership and then drove it home (624 miles). Salesman picked me up at the airport at 10:00 pm and took me to the dealership (closed of course) to get my car. Paperwork already done so just had to get the keys and go!

He was very nice to come get me and work all that out. He only had one request - he wanted to ride in the car and wanted to do a donut in the back empty parking lot. How could I say no?

I knew that DSC off button had a purpose!!