Crashing with VDC off
 

So I was thinking about the various posts we've seen from people who have wiped out after turning their VDC off and . . . well . . . I couldn't resist. :tiphat:

http://www.the370z.com/members/semte...nouncement.jpg

:rofl2: I intend this as light-hearted humor, btw. But I'll put my flame suit on just in case. ;)

I believe this will be used in many more threads to come :stirthepot: :tiphat:

Excellent! :tup:

I drive with vdc off all the time whats the problem...... :stirthepot:

i understand the sentiment held towards those who turn off VDC and have no experience and crash. My question is does everyone who feels this is really dumb also think that any rwd car made before traction control was implemented is somehow a dangerous car that you need to be a professional to drive? or is it just b/c the newer cars like the Z have more power that makes them harder to control without VDC for the inexperienced driver.

It has to do with younger generations seem to posses less skill in driving a car, be it from multitasking (cellphones, videos, etc.) or from general lack of skill (poor drivers eduction).

I don't think newer cars have more HP, although their design probably lets us make better use of that HP.

Engine------------------Advertised----Rated----------True
------------------------HP @ RPM---- Torque@ RPM-- HP @ RPM

Buick 455 Stage 1-------360@5000----510@2800------420@5400
Camaro Z/28 302--------290@5800----290@4200------310@6200
Chevelle 396 L-78-------375@5600----415@3600------400@5600
Corvette 427 L-88-------430@5200----450@4400------480@6400
Mopar 340-4 bbl---------275@5000----340@3200------320@5600
Mopar 440-Magnum------375@4600----480@3200------410@5400
Mopar 440 Six-Pack------390@4700----490@3200------430@5600
Mopar 426 Street Hemi---425@5000----490@4000------470@6000
Mustang Boss 302--------290@5800----290@4300------310@6200
Ford 351-4 bbl Cleveland--300@5400----380@3400------340@5600
Mustang Boss 351--------330@5400----370@4000------360@6000
Mustang 428 Cobra-Jet---335@5200----440@3400------410@5600
Mustang Boss 429--------375@5200----450@3400------420@5600
Oldsmobile 455 W-30-----370@5300----500@3600------440@5600
Oldsmobile 350 W-31-----325@5400----360@3600------350@5800
Pontiac Ram Air 400------366@5100----445@3600------410@5600

I think it's primarily inexperienced drivers that don't know that cars can bite back in the Ass if they're not careful, and also some experienced clowns that simply loose it.

flame on!

Personally, I learned to drive way before traction control, stability control, even ABS, were commonly available on cars. So I don't think it's dumb to turn off VDC. Rather, not learning basic car control and vehicle dynamics is what's dumb. But I think that says more about the sad state of driver education in this country than anything else. Truth be told, it's a bit of a double-edged sword. On one hand, if one is a relatively new driver and doesn't have experience with controlling powerful rwd cars, then one should probably leave VDC on. But on the other hand, if one doesn't turn it off from time to time, how is one to learn from the experience of having to apply opposite lock to tuck the tail back in, etc.? The best way to learn how to do something is by doing it, right?

:iagree:

i see what you mean. That's what i figured. I agree. I think its funny how people would rather be able to text and talk on the phone than be able to drive a stick. I think its ridiculous when people are like 'no way could i ever drive stick, but they can somehow text and drive. its funny also, most of those VDC off crashes are so illogical. 'let me turn off the VDC, and then drive the car harder than i ever have' makes no sense.

yea definitely. If i were to turn off VDC, the first thing i would do would just see how the car handles under normal driving/in a place no one else or any obstacles are, not try and take a corner at 50 mph in a busy street.

I have no reason to turn my VCD off day-to-day, because I'm just commuting, but I have no issues ever turning it off. In fact, in my F-bods and vettes, they sold "reverse modules" that plugged into the system. It made it so that the traction control was OFF when you started the car, and stayed off until YOU turned it on. That was pretty handy.

One important issue: What the car can do, and can not do, needs to be learned! Same goes for the driver.

exactly. driving stick isn't hard. even though I have an AT now :shakes head:

this is my first rwd high hp car, so i leave vdc on. i'll wait til i can get on a big empty parking lot or a high performance driving course before turning it off. i'd rather not end up like so many others that turned off vdc to have a little fun on the roads....

I think the VDC on/off discussions are interesting in that any safety device on any vehicle is only as good as the drivers using them. Some have suggested that turning off the VDC and then flooring the throttle through a turn will teach you a painful lesson.

However VDC will not prevent someone who is determined to push a car to the limit and beyond from doing damage to themselves or others.

it is ironic that the more improvements made to vehicles whether they are cars or motorcycles don't correlate to fewer accidents. It's because some people always think they can handle the limits before they have ever approached them.

For example, go to a motorcycle dealership and watch how many new riders want to grab a handful of throttle to "see what it will do" before they are even familiar with the characteristics of the bike or basic driving.

Then go to a high performance track day for bikes or cars and see how many people who measure performance in wheelies and burnouts get dusted by folks who actually take the time to learn vehicle dynamics, car control in an incremental fashion.

VDC on or off doesn't matter if you have disengaged your brain!!

:shakes head: :shakes head:

Let's not forget VDC is there for more than just saving your *** when you cant keep your foot off the throttle..

I had a run in with an icy overpass and it saved my *** via fishtailing mid-interstate, versus whatever would've happened should my VDC have been off. Probably the same outcome, honestly.

I was at a light next to a friend of mine who was driving his beat up Dodge Shadow, I figured it would be a good time to drive off the light with some spirt, not to race him or anything but get off with some grunt. VDC was on and it felt some wheel spin and I bogged down in the middle of the intersection while this Dodge puttered away. VDC also didn't allow me to get up my driveway with some light snow on the ground. Though I drive with it on all the time for that one 'Oh ****' moment that might pop up. Better safe then sorry

With great power, ________________ fill in the blank.

Power to weight is the "issue". What did those cars post for 1/4 mile times?

I think the issue is that this car has some serious grip for a stock car combined w/ relatively low hp/torque. Therefore w/ that combo it takes a lot more to break the car loose. So I'm thinking inexperienced dudes are turning the VDC off to get some wheel spin and are pushing the car beyond their limits.

For example, my previous car was a 420 rwhp Supra. It was so easy to get the wheels to spin at low RPM and once the tires broke loose they would continue to spin until I changed something (throttle input, shifting, etc). That made it extremely predictable. With the Z, I have to really try to get the wheels to spin and that's usually at high RPM w/ the car pretty unsettled.

I dunno I could be full of complete ****, but it's just a theory.

So I'm driving back from dinner with this chick Friday, and it had just started raining. I had the VDC off because I've been havin a little more fun than usual driving around lately.. I'm at a light turning left where I go really slow because of a bump in the road.

All of a sudden (while turning) I look to her and say "this could be interesting"... Shift into 2nd and give it just a little gas and UH OH, I'm facing left, 90° off-axis in my lane.

Kinda funny because I saw it coming and gave her the heads up, and because there were no cars short of 1 I had already passed by sitting at the light. Put it in reverse, turned the VDC back on, and went on my merry way.

It's easy to see how people that aren't 100% on the ball can lose their ass (and their car) with the VDC off.

Yeah, driving around Saturday in the rain, I was thinking of finding a local empty parking lot to have a little time on a wet skidpad. Then I thought about all the what-ifs, and decided I won't :(

I don't know about anyone else, but the z as a heavy rain car sucks.... those wide *** tires love to hydroplane. I know for sure, that the VDC has saved that car in the rainy days...

but people should really stop multi tasking.

Take a performance driving class. Know what your limits are.

Good advice, and I definitely LOVED my HPDE. Going back soon I hope.

On the nice black asphault roads covered in oil that we drive on though it's hard to know what to expect.

:iagree:

VDC on or off, if you're eating, shaving, talking on the phone, txting or any other multitasking while driving, you should be arrested and penalized the same as drunk driving or worse. Blaming VDC instead of ones own incompetence is the same as blaming video games for violence.

comes great responsibility.....or is it respect....i believe "With great power, comes great responsibility" -Spidermans Uncle in Spiderman...before he gets his *** shot

i would tend to think that most people don't multitask as much with VDC off. i think its more of a 'lets have some fun' type of moment, in which the driver is thinking about driving 100%. the problem is that they lose control of the car. I dont think anyone is turning their vdc off to drift around a corner while text messaging.

"This warranty does not cover damage, failures, or corrosion resulting from... Operating the vehicle with the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC off), except when rocking the vehicle when stuck in mud or snow..."

Read more: We Get the Scoop on Nissan's GT-R Warranty, Will it Be Too Late for Some Buyers? - Wide Open Throttle - Motor Trend Magazine

This is what they told GTR and Titan owners when the trannies started to grenade.Gotta luv the black box.

Nissan will get themselves in a load of crap if they are as jacked up as what these warranty claims are made out to be.

Frontier forums have people scared because Nissan decided to inegrate 1 of 2 transmission coolers into the radiator - and guess what fails...the radiator, which dumps coolant into the transmission, causing it to fail.

Nissan's response - transmission not covered due to failure of a non-warranty part.

Vehicles having more than 3yr/36K, but less than end of warranty on drivetrain.

I come form a FWD car and turning off the VDC for the first time was scary as hell.. Almost went off the road, but now I drive with it off most of the times. It's fun to drift in the deserted streets!

mmm id equate vdc to a guardrail type concept. if you INTEND to crash or overstep the bounds by a lot then no the guardrails will not protect you, but if you make a mistake then yes it can save ur life.

turning off vdc would make the drive a whole lot more dangerous and exciting and you can get closer to the limits of the car but one mishap and ur gone so u need actual practice with the vdc to learn some skills before actually turning it off and going pro first time in =].

A few were breaking into the 13's with stock tires. Put some slicks on and some more were into the 12's.
I've seen other 'actual' HP numbers that were considerably higher than the OP's source.

My VDC light comes on maybe 0.001% of the time I'm driving, so I don't get the whole "It's choking my performance!" idea. This is going to get me flamed, but I think this is mostly outdated, "Real drivers would never use an automatic" type thinking. Having owned a car that did little but spin its wheels while going nowhere (Z28), I can't understand why traction is a bad thing unless you're drifting.

haha. great post!

Dude, you can't correct me when I said in the damn post "although their design probably lets us make better use of that HP."