Do you ever drive with the ESP off?

What are the advantages of doing so,if any?

It should keep you out of Fields, Ditches and the middle of rounderbouts.........:eek: ......... Keep it on.....Not that you should drive that fast anyway!

Never mentioned speed, fast or slow,

it was just a simple question about ESP,after all there is an option to turn it off!

Traction control on MK1 was viscious. ESP on MK2 is much more subtle and I've not felt any need to switch it off. Previous car, if you wanted to know for sure that you were gonna be ok getting out of a junction on a greasy road, traction control needed to be off. If it kicked in, it would almost stop you dead in your tracks. Nasty.

:thumbup:

Here you go.4x4 fun with ESP off

Here you go.4x4 fun with ESP off

Pure understeer.

I leave mine on, apart from when on my most favourite twisties, which are quite bumpy, and make the esp apply the rear brakes and stuff. Just spoils the fun. Normally though, it's an advantage, especially on wet roundabouts;)

Pure understeer.

Still thick on the understeer/oversteer thing:O

As for that chap,thought with 4x4 you had to turn ESP off in the snow or you are stoofed and confuse it altogether

Still thick on the understeer/oversteer thing:O

As for that chap,thought with 4x4 you had to turn ESP off in the snow or you are stoofed and confuse it altogether

I think if he wanted to make actual progress, esp would be left ON. The rotten traction control, or ASR would be off, as it is thick, and tries to stop you moving all together, particularly when pulling out of junctions.

Simply put - oversteer - back of car loses grip..... understeer, front of car loses grip. Understeer sucks, oversteer makes you grin, or poo if you really didn't see it coming.

getting ESP on my next car... the ASR sucks as others have said......

that wasn't pure understeer dave as the rear wheels were further out than the fronts

also at times he was going round with the wheels pointing forwards, thats funny old understeer if you ask me :P

Do you ever drive with the ESP off?

What are the advantages of doing so,if any?

None. Unless your tyes have worn to different sizes. The system will then reduce power - and possibly attempt other tricks - that knock the edge off performance.

It's really meant for emergency use - lifting off on a fast, wet bend or emergency braking when cornering. Whilst a very skilled driver might cope with these situations, most of us can't, and ESP is a proven life-saver - especially when fitted to top-heavy 4x4s

saying that turning ESP off has no plus points is wrong mate, ESP can be a little intrusive and hinder your ability to drive hard and fast. now i'm not saying you should be driving like this on the road but on the track you could definitly get round quicker with ESP off.

Pure understeer.

I leave mine on, apart from when on my most favourite twisties, which are quite bumpy, and make the esp apply the rear brakes and stuff. Just spoils the fun. Normally though, it's an advantage, especially on wet roundabouts

OOoo yes much more fun

that wasn't pure understeer dave as the rear wheels were further out than the fronts

also at times he was going round with the wheels pointing forwards, thats funny old understeer if you ask me :P

His back end only kicked out under severe provocation though, it was mainly understeer.

Jagman, have you got teflon tyres? or have you swappeed your suspension, only you say in one thread that your car is back end happy :confused: , and now here you say you get understeer :confused:

I have a MK2 vrs, and it's purely here for my pleasure, ie - it gets used as it was intended to be used, and I have never evere ever ever had the back endd out, despite every attempt at all speeds conditions, to provoke it? And understeer? When? It only understeers if you try to put full power down.

I have a MK2 vrs, and it's purely here for my pleasure, ie - it gets used as it was intended to be used, and I have never evere ever ever had the back endd out,

Tiff Needell reckons it's more tail happy than the Golf GTi as per the infamous head-to-head that had the reverse lap. IIRC it was demonstrated, too.

Jagman didn't say he gets understeer in this thread.

I have not felt quite as comfortable chucking this Mk2 about as the Mk1. But then I'm not yet at 4K miles and it's primarily the family bus...

Hi if you have the eps off back steps out. get some more mile out of it and you will like to paly more my vrs 21,000 and all fun. I had the back end lift a snetterton race ciruit at 100mph not so much fun for a few sec yeeehrrrr

His back end only kicked out under severe provocation though, it was mainly understeer.

Jagman, have you got teflon tyres? or have you swappeed your suspension, only you say in one thread that your car is back end happy , and now here you say you get understeer

I have a MK2 vrs, and it's purely here for my pleasure, ie - it gets used as it was intended to be used, and I have never evere ever ever had the back endd out, despite every attempt at all speeds conditions, to provoke it? And understeer? When? It only understeers if you try to put full power down.

NO same tyre's and suspension but BIG BOYS TOY have ther one and i looking to see howe the new suspension is on thers looking to put team dynamics pro race 18 with the conttys

ESP is a lifesaver here in Sweden especially at winter. Saved me many times from ending up in the ditch because of those pesky studless users who polish the ice and snow to a fine glass surface.

And to Shifty : Maybe i dont know how to drive but i had several accations were the rear end started acting oversteer in dry summer.

And reply to OP: When on gravel the ESP always comes of