[ScheerSpeed]

i wsa driving tonight on this on-ramp going about 45mph in the rain. i hit a puddle. the car begins to understeer, which i counterreacted by giving a slight tap to the break pedal, thus resulting in a slide rather than a understeer situation. i had the slide controlled, i would have definetly been able to hold it for the whole ramp. DTC kicks in. my two outside tires near lock up, and i go sliding twoards the guardrail. (there was about 3feet of grass inbetween the road and guardrail.) and i end up with the guardrail going right under my mirror i came so close to hitting it its not even funny. BMW's DTC is the only thing i really dont like about the car apart from the run-flat tires. i have driven audi a4's and g35's, and their traction control is much more "allowing" than that of BMW's. with the DTC on. and not the standard traction control, its not too bad, but i prefer to drive without ANY computer interaction with how i drive. i mean, yea it's good for unexperienced drivers and all, but this it just my 2 cents.

[Driv3r]

Im with you on that one too, if you have a well balanced car, and are a good driver, there is no need for that crap, traction control...only thing thats meant for is for the soccer mom who drives like a maniac, but needs the butt end of the car under control at all times..haha

[ScheerSpeed]

hahahahahahahahahahaha. my baby serioiusly almost died tonight

[Taittinger]

Originally Posted by ScheerSpeed

i wsa driving tonight on this on-ramp going about 45mph in the rain. i hit a puddle. the car begins to oversteer, which i counterreacted by giving a slight tap to the break pedal, thus resulting in a slide rather than a understeer situation. i had the slide controlled, i would have definetly been able to hold it for the whole ramp. DTC kicks in. my two outside tires near lock up, and i go sliding twoards the guardrail. (there was about 3feet of grass inbetween the road and guardrail.) and i end up with the guardrail going right under my mirror i came so close to hitting it its not even funny. BMW's DTC is the only thing i really dont like about the car apart from the run-flat tires. i have driven audi a4's and g35's, and their traction control is much more "allowing" than that of BMW's. with the DTC on. and not the standard traction control, its not too bad, but i prefer to drive without ANY computer interaction with how i drive.

I always thought you should not brake if you want to correct an oversteer as the weight transfer would exacerbate the oversteer.

[ScheerSpeed]

sorry, meant to say it was understeering. so i braked to counteract he understeer and make it oversteer.

[arcrox]

Close call...take it easy out there in inclement weather.

[Carnage]

Originally Posted by arcrox

Close call...take it easy out there in inclement weather.

+1

[DrGP]

Originally Posted by ScheerSpeed

i wsa driving tonight on this on-ramp going about 45mph in the rain. i hit a puddle. the car begins to oversteer, which i counterreacted by giving a slight tap to the break pedal, thus resulting in a slide rather than a understeer situation. i had the slide controlled, i would have definetly been able to hold it for the whole ramp. DTC kicks in. my two outside tires near lock up, and i go sliding twoards the guardrail. (there was about 3feet of grass inbetween the road and guardrail.) and i end up with the guardrail going right under my mirror i came so close to hitting it its not even funny. BMW's DTC is the only thing i really dont like about the car apart from the run-flat tires. i have driven audi a4's and g35's, and their traction control is much more "allowing" than that of BMW's. with the DTC on. and not the standard traction control, its not too bad, but i prefer to drive without ANY computer interaction with how i drive.

This would have Never occurred with the A4 and quattro. RWD and wet road conditions can sometimes surprise even the most accomplished driver. I also believe that the DTC system is designed for dummies. As much as I probably will be ordering the 335i coupe. it is for just the situation that you describe that gives me second thoughts and makes me wonder if I would not be better off with the 335xi sedan that will be available in March. But I really like the styling of the coupe better and I can't wait until 08 for the new car.

[ScheerSpeed]

Originally Posted by DrGP

This would have Never occurred with the A4 and quattro. RWD and wet road conditions can sometimes surprise even the most accomplished driver. I also believe that the DTC system is designed for dummies. As much as I probably will be ordering the 335i coupe. it is for just the situation that you describe that gives me second thoughts and makes me wonder if I would not be better off with the 335xi sedan that will be available in March. But I really like the styling of the coupe better and I can't wait until 08 for the new car.

in my frind's a4 i have done on-ramps much faster and in much worse rain. and nothing happened without turning the DSC off. but if you take both cars side by side with the traction control all the way off, i think the BMW would definetly outperform the audi, and a lot of other cars out there. i love my car to death. but its just the DTC that i dont like. i always turn it off right when i get in the car, its just today i forgot.

[Fester]

Hold on a second. Don't drive like crazy in the wet weather. I am sure you know how much the car slides with the RFTs; with the water underneath the RFTs the DSC ain't gonna help much. Just take it easy out there

[s4iscool]

i was gona say, just turn it off. I dont find it bad, but it cant be perfect for every variable condition.

[bavarian19]

How about the problem is not with the car... its the driver.


Take it easy when driving conditions are less than perfect.

[JSpira]

A driver has to learn how his car reacts in different circumstances so it would be wise to get to know the car on a nice wet skidpad and see where the DTC kicks in and what else the car does to compensate.

That way you will be more prepared and you will learn more about controlling the car.

[froman]

I was having fun with the DTC in the rain today. I would flick it around 90 degree turns, the DTC would let me have a little fun, sliding the end around just a little before getting it in check again. On one corner I tried to push it a little harder, and I got understeer and then the system clamped on the brakes. That was weird, and less fun.

[whippersnapper]

If I was the computer and the car was understeering and the driver responds by braking I'd think, hey this dude needs some serious help

[E36_325i]

Originally Posted by ScheerSpeed

i wsa driving tonight on this on-ramp going about 45mph in the rain. i hit a puddle

Driver error. Period.

The DTC did exactly as it was supposed to do. The rear wheels broke traction and DTC cut power to the rear wheels. When the car started sliding you were actually hydroplaning. At this point, you were NOT in control of the car. You're actually lucky the DTC kicked in and and cut the throttle or else i'm sure you would have 180'd into the guardrail. My advice is to keep DTC on at all times when on the street. Especially in bad weather conditions.

You should consider yourself lucky DTC did it's job. Be safe out there man. You dodged one this time.

[Driv3r]

guys you apparently dont know him....(lol thats him in his sig)
Driver error= VERY small..
Car with sub-par control? Maybe...

[bsavic]

Nightmares about the first meeting of that guard rail and the beautifully polished sides of a are infiltrating my head. NOOOOO! Get them out!

[SPACEMANRICK]

Quote:
Originally Posted by ScheerSpeed
i wsa driving tonight on this on-ramp going about 45mph in the rain. i hit a puddle

Driver error. Period.

Thank god this guy doesn't own a 4 wheel drive truck, because he would be the guy flying past you in the snow storm and ending up in a ditch 1/2 mile down the road

[s4iscool]

Hey come on, anyone can make a mistake, track.race experience doesnt exclude anyone! learn and move on

[williamf]

I agree, the DSC is way too intrusive. I have had other cars with similar systems and the BMW is unbearable under normal conditions. Now that I have an XEDE, I have to turn off the DSC before I want to play around at all. On the other hand, when it is wet, the system is amazing... much better than my G35. You have to want to lose control, in order to lose control. Its the whole Yin and Yang thing.

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by Driv3r

guys you apparently dont know him....(lol thats him in his sig)
Driver error= VERY small..
Car with sub-par control? Maybe...

How does knowing someone figure into this? It's really VERY EVIDENT by his post that he has no real idea of how his 3er handles and what its limits are.

He wouldn't have gotten himself into the situation he did otherwise.

His post was very illuminating on both the situation and his capabilities.

Doesn't make him a bad driver per se - just not experienced in that situation in that car.