Faster with VCD off?

Pushing_Tin · 04-18-2009, 12:13 PM

This car really needs a sport or track setting for the VDC. It's way too intrusive on the normal setting. A few times I have tried to hit a gap in traffic and instead of rapid acceleration I get a bogged down engine.

Now a few times I have had it off during periods of "spirited driving" I have nearly spun the car out. The wheelbase is so short it has been difficult to control the oversteer without it snapping around like a bullwhip. You have to really watch it if you're driving hard with the VDC off imo.

wstar · 04-18-2009, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pushing_Tin

The wheelbase is so short it has been difficult to control the oversteer without it snapping around like a bullwhip. You have to really watch it if you're driving hard with the VDC off imo.

This is just something you have to get used to in a rear-wheel-drive car with a good HP/Weight ratio. Find somewhere (without cars or curbs) to practice, and you'll learn to modulate the throttle to control the oversteer - either avoid it completely, or do a 180 if the situation calls for it (makes for much tigher U-turns

), or anything in between. Once you have a feel for that oversteer, it makes it much easier to ride the edge of it when going through curves, too.

Pushing_Tin · 04-18-2009, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wstar

This is just something you have to get used to in a rear-wheel-drive car with a good HP/Weight ratio. Find somewhere (without cars or curbs) to practice, and you'll learn to modulate the throttle to control the oversteer - either avoid it completely, or do a 180 if the situation calls for it (makes for much tigher U-turns

), or anything in between. Once you have a feel for that oversteer, it makes it much easier to ride the edge of it when going through curves, too.

All of my cars (15-20) except two have been RWD, so I know a lot about oversteer. My impression of this car is due to its very short wheelbase and light weight its difficult to drive it right up to the edge of a spin out like most RWD cars I've had. My other cars had a very large sweet spot that was fairly predictable the Z on the other hand will surprise you due to the sweet spot being very small before loss of control. I have not been to the track in this car yet, and I'm sure that will help.

How a track or sport setting was left off of this car is beyond me.

355890 · 04-18-2009, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pushing_Tin

My other cars had a very large sweet spot that was fairly predictable the Z on the other hand will surprise you due to the sweet spot being very small before loss of control.

However that so called sweet spot will take a lot longer coming than the other vehicles you describe.

cossie1600 · 10-08-2011, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pushing_Tin

This car really needs a sport or track setting for the VDC. It's way too intrusive on the normal setting. A few times I have tried to hit a gap in traffic and instead of rapid acceleration I get a bogged down engine.

Now a few times I have had it off during periods of "spirited driving" I have nearly spun the car out. The wheelbase is so short it has been difficult to control the oversteer without it snapping around like a bullwhip. You have to really watch it if you're driving hard with the VDC off imo.

try driving a corvette or s2000, the Z is nothing. Heck, the 350 was more prone to spins than the 370...

Pharmacist · 10-08-2011, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cossie1600

try driving a corvette or s2000, the Z is nothing. Heck, the 350 was more prone to spins than the 370...

True. Actually the z seems to have too much understeer from the factory. And my aftermarket tires seem to have made it worse. I'd like to modify the suspension and dial out some of that irritating understeer.

cossie1600 · 10-09-2011, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pharmacist

True. Actually the z seems to have too much understeer from the factory. And my aftermarket tires seem to have made it worse. I'd like to modify the suspension and dial out some of that irritating understeer.

you can get a lot of it out by getting the same size front and rear tires, no need for suspension unless you really want to take it to the next level or you just want to spend the money. also the diff most of the time will do a one wheel spin a lot of time instead of getting into drift mode

Mt Tam I am · 10-09-2011, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cossie1600

you can get a lot of it out by getting the same size front and rear tires, no need for suspension unless you really want to take it to the next level or you just want to spend the money. also the diff most of the time will do a one wheel spin a lot of time instead of getting into drift mode

RE: you can get a lot of it out by getting the same size front and rear tires,...

Really! Do I get wider fronts or more narrow rears? I already played with my suspension so maybe it is too late, the understeer is gone already.

Red__Zed · 10-09-2011, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mt Tam I am

RE: you can get a lot of it out by getting the same size front and rear tires,...

Really! Do I get wider fronts or more narrow rears? I already played with my suspension so maybe it is too late, the understeer is gone already.

Wider fronts / narrower rears.

You want to increase the amount of front grip relative to the rear

cossie1600 · 10-09-2011, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mt Tam I am

RE: you can get a lot of it out by getting the same size front and rear tires,...

Really! Do I get wider fronts or more narrow rears? I already played with my suspension so maybe it is too late, the understeer is gone already.

DO NOT RUN WIDER FRONT THAN THE REAR. I tried it on a stock 350 , almost $hit my pants and crashed my car.

Whatever you run in the back, shove the same ones to the front. The car can take 295 in the front if not 305.

I believe I might still have a video of the car with the VDC on and off around the same track, the difference was 5+ sec. I still love the VDC light kicking on at 120mph because a crosswind hit the car.....

04-18-2009, 12:13 PM	#1 (permalink)
Pushing_Tin A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Eugene, OR Posts: 2,875 Drives: E63 AMG Rep Power: 228	This car really needs a sport or track setting for the VDC. It's way too intrusive on the normal setting. A few times I have tried to hit a gap in traffic and instead of rapid acceleration I get a bogged down engine. Now a few times I have had it off during periods of "spirited driving" I have nearly spun the car out. The wheelbase is so short it has been difficult to control the oversteer without it snapping around like a bullwhip. You have to really watch it if you're driving hard with the VDC off imo.