[chaz58]

I've been tracking the thing for 15 years, but I still haven't found the DSC button in the Miata. Doesn't even have ABS, but it does have Hawk black pads...

[S4to335]

Originally Posted by chaz58

I've been tracking the thing for 15 years, but I still haven't found the DSC button in the Miata. Doesn't even have ABS, but it does have Hawk black pads...

I have hawk blacks on mine right now ...but had Hawk blues on my old Spec Miata.

[The HACK]

The right answer is, there's no right answer to this.

To be bluntly honest, this question is about as thorny as "should I wear a condom when I'm having sex?" Really, if you're a catholic, married man about to screw the brains out of your wife in attempt to spread your seed? No. If you're a teenager after a binge drink-fest about to hook up with your girlfriend of 2 weeks? Hell yes.

There are varying degrees as to which answer is right for which person, of course. Like for example, if your partner is on the pills, and you like the sensation better without protection, and you're sure you're faithful to each other (and likely not be carrying certain sexually transmitted disease)? Your discretion, but I can tell you that sex without a condom is a lot better than sex WITH. Don't ask me how I know. If you're enjoying your DINK lifestyle and your wife forgot to take her pills this month, you MIGHT want to think about putting on the glove or take your chances with pulling out. Just sayin'.

Obviously there's no right answer for everyone. Heck the answer's even different from car to car. If you have an ///M, or at least last generation ///M, there's no DSC/DTC debate. One press, you're nanny free (unless you have the Competition Package, then you have the intermediate ///M Track mode). If you are a completely noob at this, don't know what "teh understeer" means except for what you read in a magazine? I'd recommend leaving ALL nannies on until I determine you're good enough, smart enough, and gosh darn it, I like you. If you've done a half dozen events, but are driving a brand new car to you, at a brand new track? I dunno. If I'm not sitting in your passenger seat, I'd say what the f**k, go knock yourself out, use your best judgement. If I'm sitting in your passenger seat? You better demonstrate to me that you've got some exceptional car control skills and all the fundamentals of going fast down before I'll let you touch that button. It may take a lap or two, it may take all day, but you've got to demonstrate to me that you know what you're doing before I let loose the reigns. I can tell you that, because frankly MY LIFE is in your hands and I prefer some semblance of control, even if it's the car's computer doing it. If you've been club racing for years, have finished near the top of the running order consistently, and are just paying to get some extra track time because you're bored and I happened to be the idiot volunteer that gets assigned as counterweight to your car so the rest of the instructor corp has a chance to keep up with you? Do whatever you want, just don't get me killed or worse, tossed out of the corp...In the mean time, I could certainly use some excitement in my routine so by all means, turn DSC/DTC all the way off and show me how to recover from a near 45 degree slip.

But anyone, and that includes me, telling you here, on this forum, that you should do ANYTHING with DSC/DTC that you're not comfortable doing, is an absolute tool. Especially if they haven't had the time to actually ride with you and can make that sort of assessment. Frankly, I've sat with students that have had hundreds of laps on a particular track that insist they turn off "all the nannies" that should probably be A) knocked down 2 grades and B) keep the nannies on because, frankly, they're not learning anything one way or another and leaving the nannies on might actually teach them how to be ONLINE and be smooth. And I've sat with students that, despite amazing skills and talent to control the car, like to do the first few set of orientation laps with DSC on just to get a feel of the track and its conditions before they're completely mentally warmed up just to provide a little extra safety margin.

So frankly? Do whatever you're comfortable with. Discuss with your instructors before hand, and if they recommend you turn it off, don't be afraid to turn it off. But don't let DSC/DTC be a hinderance to your learning, but don't be so damn proud that you can't learn from a few laps with it on. That's all I have to say.

[/thread]

[Richardo]

When I'm driving on the road, I keep everything on; the vehicle stability control saved my bacon late one night when I came across a large item in the middle of my lane a couple of years ago. However, when autocrossing, I've found it's best to turn everything off. I've tried all combinations when racing, and I get consistently better times with everything off (roughly 0.5 to 1 second improvement on a one-minute course). Exactly as they are intended to do, the other modes scrub off speed during hard maneuvers -- great for road driving but costly on race times.

[aus]

Originally Posted by The HACK

The right answer is, there's no right answer to this.

To be bluntly honest, this question is about as thorny as "should I wear a condom when I'm having sex?" Really, if you're a catholic, married man about to screw the brains out of your wife in attempt to spread your seed? No. If you're a teenager after a binge drink-fest about to hook up with your girlfriend of 2 weeks? Hell yes.

There are varying degrees as to which answer is right for which person, of course. Like for example, if your partner is on the pills, and you like the sensation better without protection, and you're sure you're faithful to each other (and likely not be carrying certain sexually transmitted disease)? Your discretion, but I can tell you that sex without a condom is a lot better than sex WITH. Don't ask me how I know. If you're enjoying your DINK lifestyle and your wife forgot to take her pills this month, you MIGHT want to think about putting on the glove or take your chances with pulling out. Just sayin'.

Obviously there's no right answer for everyone. Heck the answer's even different from car to car. If you have an ///M, or at least last generation ///M, there's no DSC/DTC debate. One press, you're nanny free (unless you have the Competition Package, then you have the intermediate ///M Track mode). If you are a completely noob at this, don't know what "teh understeer" means except for what you read in a magazine? I'd recommend leaving ALL nannies on until I determine you're good enough, smart enough, and gosh darn it, I like you. If you've done a half dozen events, but are driving a brand new car to you, at a brand new track? I dunno. If I'm not sitting in your passenger seat, I'd say what the f**k, go knock yourself out, use your best judgement. If I'm sitting in your passenger seat? You better demonstrate to me that you've got some exceptional car control skills and all the fundamentals of going fast down before I'll let you touch that button. It may take a lap or two, it may take all day, but you've got to demonstrate to me that you know what you're doing before I let loose the reigns. I can tell you that, because frankly MY LIFE is in your hands and I prefer some semblance of control, even if it's the car's computer doing it. If you've been club racing for years, have finished near the top of the running order consistently, and are just paying to get some extra track time because you're bored and I happened to be the idiot volunteer that gets assigned as counterweight to your car so the rest of the instructor corp has a chance to keep up with you? Do whatever you want, just don't get me killed or worse, tossed out of the corp...In the mean time, I could certainly use some excitement in my routine so by all means, turn DSC/DTC all the way off and show me how to recover from a near 45 degree slip.

But anyone, and that includes me, telling you here, on this forum, that you should do ANYTHING with DSC/DTC that you're not comfortable doing, is an absolute tool. Especially if they haven't had the time to actually ride with you and can make that sort of assessment. Frankly, I've sat with students that have had hundreds of laps on a particular track that insist they turn off "all the nannies" that should probably be A) knocked down 2 grades and B) keep the nannies on because, frankly, they're not learning anything one way or another and leaving the nannies on might actually teach them how to be ONLINE and be smooth. And I've sat with students that, despite amazing skills and talent to control the car, like to do the first few set of orientation laps with DSC on just to get a feel of the track and its conditions before they're completely mentally warmed up just to provide a little extra safety margin.

So frankly? Do whatever you're comfortable with. Discuss with your instructors before hand, and if they recommend you turn it off, don't be afraid to turn it off. But don't let DSC/DTC be a hinderance to your learning, but don't be so damn proud that you can't learn from a few laps with it on. That's all I have to say.

[/thread]

+1


My first couple times out with the 335, I didn't even notice DSC but on the third day, it was really cutting in. To the point where my instructor asked me to take the car off and drive it around because we weren't sure it was DSC. One push and all was good again on the track. It rarely kicked in, and usually kicked in when I was off line.