Jason Chen

This is the first time in a awd car for me. The others been either rwd or fwd. This is also the first time I had ESP.

Does ESP replace driver skill? Can you trust the ESP system completely?

jedinite

ESP cannot replace driver skill.

Your TT (even with Quattro and ESP and ABS) still can very easily kill you. Any driving school instructor will tell you so. ESP and Quattro cannot overcome the simple forces of physics, for one. You loose traction in a corner, and spin, and you're in trouble. ESP might help to keep you from spinning if you're close, but it is still very possible to spin a quattro with ESP, etc.

You really should attend a driving school. If you're not a member of the Quattro Club, you should join - there are so many benefits to Quattro Club membership, but the prevelance of driving schools is my favorite. Get to a driving school, learn what your car can and cannot do. And more importantly, learn what you (as a driver) can and cannot do.

If you're interested in joining the Quattro Club,
you can print an application <A HREF="http://www.quattroclubusa.org/join/printable/printable.html">here</A>. I'm member # 12820 - please put me down as a referral (write "referred by Eric Foster, member #12820" in the "other comments" section). Benefits of the club are listed <A HREF="http://www.quattroclubusa.org/club_info/club_info.html">here</A>.

Feel free to post or email me with ?s on the Quattro Club.

Jason Chen

Since its the first time I have ever own a ESP car, i thought I ask. But when does the skill come in and the ESP becomes useless? Might it overcorrect something for you that you didn't want?

Lets say.... You take a corner at 50mph and take it too hot and start fishtailing. ESP correcting for you while your correcting yourself. Wouldn't you over correct?

What I ment in my post is do you drive it with/o correcting the car's pull or with? Since I haven't done low speed corning yet with the ESP, I like to know what it can or can't do.

IslOMan

I think that it may help lack thereof but not replace.

Gnowknayme

I am by no means a great driver. I've never been to driving school, but I don't try to drive like I have. I wouldn't completely trust ESP, but it definitely helps out when needed. It does some things that no driver can do such as single wheel braking, but it's not going to keep you from going into a corner way too fast. Use good judgement, and don't rely on ESP being there to save you.

I don't think that ESP is going to overcorrect in a situation where you start to fishtail, and if it did, I'd bet it would do a good job of correcting the overcorrection pretty quick.

smallTTs

as soon as it detects a "situation" which it did before you did in your 120 mph turn. Unless your steering inputs are abrupt and excessive, ESP should pretty much save you, if saving is possible in the situation.
Sure you can defeat it by being really dumb, but why try?

I don't think you quite understand ESP.

BTW: If you are "fishtailing"--sliding one way then overcorrecting and sliding the otherway--you weren't taught "CPR" or you didn't do enough wet skidpad car control exercises in those driving schools. Completing the day doesn't mean you 'passed'.

Go back and read the replies to your multiple threads on this topic in the last day or so.
There is some good advice there.

gtt

Even riding the escalator, it does the driving but you can still fall down. ESP is your last chance to live when you are not being wise at speed. At PIR turn it off and slide the car through the turns, it's great fun and the TT understeers nicely allowing pretty easy driving. On the open road though with oil, gravel, dirt, ice, drunks etc.. leave it on. Nothing to prove on the street if you have been on the track. Just an easy way to get tickets, increase insurance premiums etc..

smallTTs

Some have natural talent, and make their living racing. Most of us are not a skilled as we think we are.

I'd strongly advise JC to sneak up on the sliding thru corners stuff.

Have you "lost" your TT yet? Hurt it much?

My $.02

gtt

Have not lost the TT. I practice and respect all armco, cement barriers, tractor trailers, drunks, cell phone users and gypsy cabs. My right hip has slid on the asphalt enough that the rest of my body just chills out and slows down. Down in the rain too after front tire washed out. Bike gives you respect fast. Smacks you right in the face. That's learning a lesson. Hell, if you can afford to wreck your TT go for it, it's got air bags, you should be OK. A few people have already crashed theirs around here. Just do it at the track. And you never learn to drive fast until you ride that fine line and that means a crash or two.

MIB

of your recent and past posts, Jason, the hairs on my neck start to stand up. I see a pattern which scares me. In the accident-investigation business we used to call it an accident looking for a place to happen.

A number of folks are telling you to take it easy. You should, but probably won't, listen to them. If you were my 'student', we would do a lot of dual instruction before I'd sign you off for solo high-performance driving.

Good luck. I fear you may need it.