VDC not so bad, actually darn good
 

I had the pleasure of partaking in the TrackDaze event (HPDE course) in Joliet this weekend and it was an absolute blast. While I was the only privately owned 370Z there, a local dealer brought a few over for test drives on the track. They had a professional race driver taking people for hot laps throughout the day. Prior to my ride-along, I did three sessions and found that VDC was not overly intrusive at all. The smoother you are with your driving, the less it would butt in. The times it did come on, it really kept the car stable and didn't kill the forward momentum at all.

Then came the hot laps with the pro. He kept VDC activated and drove the living $hit out of the car. I never thought the 370Z could do the things he was doing with it...utterly incredible. Despite being a the outer limits of tire grip and traction, the car really didn't cut power or apply VDC braking. I was truly impressed with the VDC yesterday.

just figured I'd weigh in because most people think it's overly intrusive.

Most who find it intrusive are not a smooth as you and your Demo driver! SMOOTH and Fast wins the race.

That is often true on the track where everything is about being smooth to be quick. There are different driving scenarios that require much more aggressive car control such as auto-cross, the traction control doesn't work at all in that environment.

I am one that finds it overly intrusive. Has it saved me, yes. Has it almost killed me, yes. I find it most intrusive when trying to hit a gap in traffic where a quick burst is required. Too many times the nanny has kicked in right as I was crossing fast moving traffic. So now I have gotten used to turing it off before I need to hit a gap.

Many cars are coming with a sport setting these days and that's what this car really needs. Somewhere between full off and full on.

Ummmmm.....No offense Tin, but you might want to reconsider your personal driving style. "Aggressive driving" will get you tickets in most parts of the country...:tup:

Aggressive driving is why we bought this car! :stirthepot:

Yeah, but........

If you're triggering VDC during your "Normal" street driving in traffic you're a hazard that I'd prefer to stay far away from...
When I come across A$$holes driving aggressively on the street, I get out of the picture as quickly as I can..

Living around 6K rpm?
 

A downshift in traffic to 4th or 5th depending on speed isnt enough to break traction on the 275's with a stock motor. Unless you are above 6K and the road is wet.......or your whipping into a lane at break neck speed which is rediculous on public roads.
I personally drive aggressive, but not overly aggresive on public roads and have not had a problem myself.

I'm just teasing, guys. But in all seriousness, I think you can read Tin's post in at least two different ways. He references hitting gaps in traffic and crossing fast moving traffic. If you read that to mean situations like changing lanes, or maybe merging onto a highway, then yeah, it sounds kinda nuts that he'd be breaking his rears loose. But he might also be referring to pulling into traffic from a stop sign, or maybe scooting across an intersection from a stop sign against cross-traffic. He does say "crossing fast moving traffic" after all. Now, in those circumstances, I can see breaking the rears loose, and I can also see how VDC kicking in could be dangerous. Picture yourself at a stop sign. Cars are zipping across in front of you from both directions. You're going straight through to the other side. You see a gap. It's not huge, but it's a definite gap and you nail it, only for VDC to kick in and bog you down in the middle of the intersection. Not good.

There are more gears than 1st
 

True enough, but there are more gears than 1st. Just because your threading the needle at an intersection means you have to optest your rev limiter.

First off, if I wanted to drive 45mph all the time I would have bought a used Ford Escort. I haven't had a ticket since 1994, so I guess I drive agressively only at appropriate times. :hello:

My commute to work is 15 miles each way along twisty roads with a few nice straight aways. Further there are a few places where you have to come to a complete stop in order to make a turn, and cross that highway traffic moving at 60+mph, add a little gravel that never gets swept up and you get VSC lighting up.

Thank you. That's exactly what happens, and it is dangerous. What ever did we do without the electronic nannies watching over us? :rolleyes:

I prefer my T-Bones in steak form thanks!..:tup:

The scenario Semtex pointed out has happened to me many time and let me tell you it's scary! Also, spearfish you have to realize you're a neophyte when it comes to the track. I know someone took you around the track with it on, but when you're not driving everything seems so fast. I have done laps with it on but it is horrible, it will not let you accelerate hard coming out of a curve, will not accept hard shifts, will not allow you to consistently pull the G's coming out of a lightbulb like curve, and will not let you have any fun!!! THE VDC SUCKS. I bet my if I had timed laps with it on and then off, I'd be at least 3 seconds faster!!

It is the worst traction control system I have ever experienced in any car. I'm sorry It's the truth and I'm being honest not confrontational because I like ya. THE VDC BLOWS. The only time it ever was good was when I was driving in a monsoon a couple weeks ago to pick up a super hot chick, or else I wouldn't of been driving.

Do you guys think maybe we just need better tires? Because VDC kicks in when our rear tires lose traction, right? So it stands to reason that if we have better grip, VDC would be less of an issue. I had a set of Michelin PS2s on my 350, and I loved those tires. My TC hardly ever came on. I have a sneaking suspicion that if I had those tires on my 370, it'd make a world of difference with the VDC. I've never thought much of Bridgestone, to be honest. Those PS2s are pricey though.

I only get the VDC babysitter to where I can feel it when I'm really on it. What's funny is, it's usually in a straight line of all things! HUH? Maybe it's my 54 extra whp over stock but when I am in WOT in 3rd and jam into 4th, the little wavy lines light starts blinking and it feels as though I hit about 4 inches of water for a second.

^What kind of tires are you running on those Axis Super Hiros, KB?

Musashi,

Yes, I'm new to the track, but the demo driver was a pro and he certainly was not. He was smoking past cars that had at least a 100hp advantage over the Z he was driving...the man knows how to handle a sportscar.

That being said, I think Semtex has hit it on the head. The Z the pro was driving had Hoosiers on it. Comparing my track experience to those I've had with VDC on the street, it seems that VDC is very intolerant of rear wheel spin but extremely tolerant of sideways slip. Thus, the pro could aggressively throw the Z into a corner and rotate the car around without any VDC limitation. I don't think the stock Z had enough power to spin the Hoosiers coming out of a corner in 3rd or 4th gear given that the demo driver was a seasoned veteran and applied the power appropriately as he unwound the wheel.

The times I noticed VDC on the track were when I jumped on the throttle coming out of a corner. I was probably already near the limits of my traction with regard to the turn and didn't have the grip to then be applying heavy throttle. When you complain that VDC is limiting your power coming out of a corner, the alternative would be you spinning your tires. I'm not sure how spinning the rears as you exit a corner is going to make you go any faster.

I do understand the street scenario of jumping across traffic. VDC seems to behave differently depending on how abruptly you engage it. Thus, hammering the throttle from stop on the street, it cuts power severely. Getting on the throttle to hard coming out of a corner on the track, the VDC only adjusts the throttle slightly.

The traction control on the MINI Cooper S was very similar. Trying to cross traffic from a stop sign was very dangerous - as soon as the tires lost a little traction, the power was cut and left you very exposed. I also turned it off going up snow covered hills.

Same as stock..

Bridgestone Potenza's 245 front - 275 rears.

375?!! :eekdance:

I like the VDC a lot of the time (which is not track time). I just wish there was a way to tell it not to over-react. It seems to go into "oh **** cut the throttle" mode when it could've done a better job just backing you off 10% or so.

LOL... I meant 275
I don't think I would have to worry about spin with a 375 haha

No VDC...

To each his own I guess... But "VDC Off" is the second button I hit in my car every day.

I remember as a salesman when I worked for Penske Chevrolet several years back.And I pulled out the Z06 for a customer(the salesman always pulls the car off the lot:driving:) who wanted to test drive it. The Vette has a similar feature called ASR, anti-slip regulator or whatevers.

But dayamm, the Z06 is fast as f&ck. I took it to the freeway onramp, stabbed the pedal, and that thing broke the tires loose in flash...but when ASR kicked in, fun was over. I told the customer while smiling :icon17:, "I don't want to work here for years to pay for this thing." He smiled back and I pulled off the freeway and into a parking lot to let him take over.

spearfish, once I got rid of the bridgestone's traction was dramatically improved.
I am a very experienced driver, wheel spin is not an issue on the track for me.

It's a shame you live so far away, I would invite you to the track and help you continue learning. It's very difficult to discuss these types of things without experiencing them while being in the same car. Some corners I come out of flat footing the throttle, some squeezing as I pull through.

And yes I can pass cars that have a lot more power on me. It's all about getting laps under your belt and the proper instruction. Oh and of course your car not overheating.

Didn't ya'll see he's from Oregon... Have any of you ever driven there?

Just going the speed limit and not ten miles under it, is the equivilant of aggressive driving there!

Hah! Isn't that the truth. Been here 5 years now and it still drives me bonkers. Got to take the Z up to Rainier over the weekend though. Got to enjoy real speed limits.

Of course I may have possibly, just possibly, hit 130 at one point on a desolate straight...maybe. ;)

We are also too dumb to pump our own gas FWIW. That drives me more crazy than anything else.