Questions about VDC..
 

I have read so many threads of people turning VDC off and then wrecking their cars (mostly totaling them) that I have to ask... Why turn it off? What do you gain by not leaving this on?

its sometimes annoying IMO. kicks on when not needed. launching from a dig sucks with it on

You gain the ability to let the tail slide out, and you gain full control of the car, where as VDC is cutting throttle and can make it unpredictable. You can't run a decent 1/4 time or 0-60 or with VDC on and you can't peel out with it on. The Z is actually really good when the back brakes loose, its not a car thats out of control you can really get it back in line by letting off the throttle and steering, and I'm not a great driver at all

If you are stanced, you want the VDC the **** on tho when its raining!

Keep it off all the time.
Change your middle name to danger.
???
profit.

I turn it off when I go autocross racing. It slows me down if it's on. If you're drag racing you also want to turn it off so your tires can do what they do. Otherwise, I leave it on. There are some grim reminders in this forum from when people turn it off and merge on highways, etc. Not worth it, IMO.

edit: I just left this thread and the very next one underneath it is from yesterday... a VDC off accident

I turn it off when I am driving sporty, but make sure you don't go hard on the throttle mid turn unless you do want the tail to slide out. The only way to really learn how the Z drives is by having the back swing out a bit to see how it transitions into oversteer, of course only in a safe environment free of any lamp posts and whatnot!

Never had it on, I can't even make it out of my driveway without it kicking on due to my tires

i disagree, i can peel out just fine with VDC on XD

@OP VDC is there to protect you in case you get into a situation you cant handle, for street driving, i dont see why people are turning it off unless they are acting like ricers and are street racing >_>

for the track, i can understand turning it off, but then again the track is a more predictable environment then the streets are, imo leave VDC on when street driving, turn it off when tracking

That is pretty much what I was thinking... thanks for the info.

Shortly after I got my Z, I decided hit that little button to turn it off and see how the car responded without it. I approached the first stop sign, put the auto into manual mode, and took off. Started off spinning through first, and about the same moment I bumped the paddle to shift into second, the back end started coming around. At that point I decided that since this not a track car, it was probably best for me to leave it on to keep me out of trouble.

I only turn it off when it's bone dry and temps are above 50 degrees. It is intrusive, but it's probably saved my butt a few times without me even knowing it.

They wreck their cars because they don't know how to drive but they will never admit to that. It's easier to blame it on "VDC off" rather than take responsibility and admit it was their own stupidity or lack of driving skills. I leave mine off all the time unless it's raining cats ands dogs on the highway. The gain by leaving it off is that you control the car - not the computer.

VDC is a relatively new thing. Its a nice safety net for 90% of regular driving, but if you want to have a spirited drive, you should know how to handle the car without it on.

That said, I really wish that it were two mode. All-on >> stability-on / throttle-off >> All-off. The throttle cut is the most intrusive, it'd be nice to be able to turn that off, while leaving the stability control on. In other words, I feel comfortable controlling the rotation of the car with the throttle, but would still like the stability safety net if I hit a oil patch or wet leaves mid corner.

Those who can't drive, don't know vehicle dynamics or have driven FWD their whole life should leave it on.

Especially those that think they are the best driver in the world... Leave it on. I have been a performance driving instructor and as a result have little faith in the general publics driving ability. I nearly died in a CTS-V with a guy who assured me he could drive because he owns a corvette.

I hope in the near future that stability control systems will help us improve lap times.

Judge all you want, but wrecking a car isn't always for a lack of skill....it's a lack of control and the environment the crash occurs. You can't just apply a blanket statement like that. It's like saying race drivers don't know how do drive either because they crash all time.....and without the help of VDC.

It also has a lot to do with knowing how your car behaves. If VDC is never on, you know the threshold better than someone who turns it off once a year. It has nothing to do with driving skill and noone is "blaming VDC Off" as the cause, it's a contributing factor along with speed, road conditions, driver awareness and weather.

I can't think of too many reasons to turn off VDC on public roads except when you need to make a quick burst e.g. get ahead of the person next to you to make the freeway on ramp or when exiting a driveway and you need to cut across multiple lanes. Having VDC on in these situations can cause it to bog. But then again, you could just be more patient or take the long way.

:iagree:

IMHO, the lack of a "Sport" setting on the traction/stability control system is one of the few legitimate disappointments of the Z.

Why turn off VDC:

Certain turns will always set off my VDC. One on the way home, the other, Turn 2 at Sears Point. it feels like fuel starvation.

Last night coming home I turned it off, down shifted into first (which I do not recommend normally at 10 MPH) did a climbing 180 degree turn and got ready to pass the car ahead. I was ready for anything and I tried a little too much gas thru the turn, and wiggled ever so slightly. No big deal if you know what you are doing. I was all set to make the pass but the CHP officer gave me second thoughts.

VDC will stop you from wrecking......

https://www.box.com/shared/static/e7imx91qm7.jpg

VDC is for people who can't handle RWD cars... why buy a RWD car if you cant handle wiggling your butt.

it's like buying a roll of aluminum foil wrap, but you only eat microwavable dinners.

i havent noticed VDC being intrusive when doing a spirited canyon run or something

can you please describe what you are talking about? i know the back end doesnt slide out as much but that isnt much of a problem imo
wrong, wrong, and even more wrong

one day you will crash because the roads are wet due to leaking sprinklers or something and you will think otherwise

for day to day road driving, VDC is there to help you in case you get in a situation where you start to spin out, ect.

even if you know how to control the vehicle, there are more factors that contribute to a crash, what if someone was next to you when you started spinning out and your car hit theirs and now you killed some innocent child all because you thought you knew how to drive your car....

im not saying you dont know how to drive, in fact you are probably a better driver than i am, what i am saying is your mentality needs to change, when someone crashes a car, its not always their fault, but by disabling their vehicle's safety features, it may make the crash worse than it would have been or it would have prevented it at all
i cant agree with this more, i really wish there was a sport mode like there is on the FRS/BRZ

i couldnt agree more

I used to be scared to turn it off after reading stories, after I had my first taste of it off, to be honest it is always off unless its raining.

I really have to "try" to get the back loose enough where I might sweat/be worried.

I would like to think I have mastered control but I'm sure I have a lot to learn, so makes me wonder how much these guys are pushing it when they are wrapping themselves around a pole...maybe I truly drive like a granny lol.

Car hydroplanes bad in heavy rain...so I keep it on for rain or crazy turns I'm not familiar with.

I agree with most of those statements. I believe driving "skills" go far beyond the hands, eyes, and feet. I think the majority of it is knowing your vehicle, and also knowing the conditions that you are driving in, and how that vehicle is going to react to them, given your input, whether it be hard braking, or hard acceleration. Some are more "skilled" at this than others.
Will I ever say that a "skilled" driver will never wreck? Hell no. We are always pushing the limits to see how far we can take things. Its in your nature when you get behind the wheel of that car, that adrenaline rush, the reason you bought it, right?
After all, they do call them "accidents"
That being said, lets try not to get in any out there!:ughdance:

i drove my G35C with LM60's in snow last winter with VDC off the entire time.

unless one's going excessive speed beyond their ability, the car will not suddenly just spin out of control.... unless you got nitto (nishitto)/falken crap or driving in cold wet condition. in that case, driver's tire selection is also the root cause (along with poor driving), not the car or VDC turned off.

Let's all be reminded that the Z is a passenger car designed for the street. It also happens to be a fairly high performance sports car. Unless you are on a closed road and on your second pass of a section of road, you can never know what variables will change in the driving environment. I personally keep VDC on even in spirited driving. High speed blind turns with elevation changes post-apex will make you rethink how good you really are. :eekdance: Sliding tires are never faster than tires that are gripping. If VDC trips then it tells me that I made some sort of mistake. Better to go into slo-mo mode then to hit a pole, tree, or innocent commuter. :tiphat:

:iagree::icon18::icon14:

They do, except it is not on the 370z. I have said this before. The stability control on my Prius is less intrusive than the piece of crap system in my z.

If you are old enough, you grew up without VDC and steered the car with your right foot...

Oversteer makes you feel alive....The VDC in my Z/28 is in my head....

Oh and I am going to need some new 370z tires soon...But man it is worth it...

Again VDC! :shakes head:

IBTL

I really have VDC on always, unless there I am doing spirited driving. Other than that its on.

:iagree: +10,000

And think about it: If turning VDC off made the car inherently dangerous, Nissan wouldn't provide a switch that lets you turn it off.

VDC compensates for less-skilled drivers or, for skilled drivers, allows you to let your guard down a bit.

VDC off = insanity.... And I do it everyday. However, I can easily see how idiots crash and blame vdc

In 15-20 years nobody will be able to drive, we will have autonomous cars because robots are the only way to protect idiots from themselves

Fixed it for 'ya. :)

I have to keep it off.

omg why is there another thread about VDC? Why does everyone think that if you turn your VDC off you are gonna crash the car? After a month of owning my Z i disconnected the damn harness because the system pissed me the hell off. I drove it through the entire canadian winter without any issues. Never once did i lose control of my car. Its a god damn $40k sports car with 279whp, not a viper with 500+hp. If people cant hand a 300whp and crash when they turn the traction control off, i got two options for them. Bus or taxi.

Don't judge me! :icon17:

I find these VDC threads so amusing. My brother-in-law and I were just reminiscing about the old days i.e. muscle car era, a few days ago. He recalled when he walked into a dealership when he was 20 looking for something with some power. He started to look at a Roadrunner. It was a hemi. He passed on it because it had standard steel wheels with hub caps, a bench seat, and auto. Oh, I forgot to mention, it didn't have VDC, abs, launch control, PS, PB, 4 wheel disc brakes, TPMS, etc. However, it would do the 1/4 mile in the 13's with stock tires that were half the width of the front tires on a base Z. He ended up buying a '69 Z-28. It had bucket seats! He drove it year round in Toronto with bias ply tires. Never put a dent in it nor his other cars later on - '67 Z-28 and '72 240Z. Moral of the story? If you know how to drive, you don't need no VDC.