Mazda RX8 - Dynamic Stability Control
Discussion
mazda said:
Finally the optional Dynamic Stability Control will both enhance your driving and act as an active safety feature. It monitors your wheel speeds, steering angles, braking function and yaw rate and applies brake force accordingly to one or more wheels, helping to reduce engine output and prevent skids.
Is this a good idea?
insider said:
You must try and avoid the kerbs at Knockhill as they are vicious (just like me) This could be the cause for the collapsing of Catylitic Converters, you do, however, all need to look after your `cars. We have decided that you can have the option of using DSC if we are in the dry, however, if we are in the wet it is COMPULSORY to have the traction control ON. Anyone not adhering to this is likely to miss the following round. This means that you are going to have to take it easy and build your speed up accordingly if you opt for DSC off. We are also going to make it clear now, that if you damage your car in the wall on friday due to you losing it with DSC off then we have to inform you that we may not be able to have your car ready for the race on Sunday. same applies in qualifying and race 1 - even more so! We will have a briefing on this behind closed doors in the motor home. I have had long conversations with Mike Gardner and Tim Harvey and we have now all agreed on this. Mazda are not keen and this and they may insist that the DSC stays on permanantly, this is why i want you to prove to me that you can drive with it off and not loose it! Mike and I believe that some of the cars cut in more than others in this area due to a memeory chip in the system. You are all racing drivers now so as far as I am concerned you are capable of driving racing cars without DSC, for those of you who go onto bigger and better cars, they don't have DSC. So treat this learning curve with a LOT of respect.
Here is some insight!
jamesc - nothing wrong with the RX8's DSC.
If you choose you can switch it off in 2 modes (off unless ABS kicks in, and totaly off).
It allows for some slide, and if you get it right you can slide a little for quite some time. Get the back end a foot or two out of line and it cuts in and your straight.
Having been on the pro-drive day skid pan session it makes the car a whole lot more controllable.
It also does things no driver could ever manage. Stopping from speed with the left two wheels on 'ice' and the right two wheels on tarmac - without fuss and in a STRAIGHT line.
Its a safety aid that l;ets you play some but catches things when it needs to - it of course cant change the laws of physics but its better than nothing. And of course you can switch it off - the car handles great without it - very controllable on the skid pan.track (unlike some) but no doubt its easier and safer with it on if things get scary (on roads).
If you own an RX* and have been on the free pro drive session it shows you just where the car, the DCS and you have limits.
If you choose you can switch it off in 2 modes (off unless ABS kicks in, and totaly off).
It allows for some slide, and if you get it right you can slide a little for quite some time. Get the back end a foot or two out of line and it cuts in and your straight.
Having been on the pro-drive day skid pan session it makes the car a whole lot more controllable.
It also does things no driver could ever manage. Stopping from speed with the left two wheels on 'ice' and the right two wheels on tarmac - without fuss and in a STRAIGHT line.
Its a safety aid that l;ets you play some but catches things when it needs to - it of course cant change the laws of physics but its better than nothing. And of course you can switch it off - the car handles great without it - very controllable on the skid pan.track (unlike some) but no doubt its easier and safer with it on if things get scary (on roads).
If you own an RX* and have been on the free pro drive session it shows you just where the car, the DCS and you have limits.
I found the Mazda DSC on the RX8 that I tested to be way too "in your face" for my liking, and constantly interfering - so much so that I couldn't get a good feel for the handling. (At the time I couldn't easily work out how to switch it off - should I get another chance, I would give it a go without, as I now know where the off button lives...)
Gazboy said:
the resident PH RX8 owners could tell you more.
I already have!
As for it being in your face, I dont find it that way. under normal driving in decent conditions the only way I can trigger traction control is with a 6k rpm launch. So I switch it off for those...
In the wet you can provoke it easily enough. But again if you want you can switch it off.
In good conditions you probably dont need it and it probably wont interfere. In poorer conditions it can make a difference beyond driving ability.
And you can switch it off. Did I make that clear? The car handles great with it off. Only pain(if you hate it) is that its on by default every engine start.
If you've been on the prodrive day and seen what it can do and what you can do you'd be convinced about it, at least unless you want it off somewhere specific for fun.
I tried an RX8 at Brunters, it was flashing at me on the warm up lap!
I think its fairly biassed towards those with no idea.
RX8's have extremely competent chasis's so I would'nt worry about it too much, plus it's not a torquey engine so it does'nt want to lose the back end like a TVR might. I would'nt bother with it it does'nt need it.
I think its fairly biassed towards those with no idea.
RX8's have extremely competent chasis's so I would'nt worry about it too much, plus it's not a torquey engine so it does'nt want to lose the back end like a TVR might. I would'nt bother with it it does'nt need it.
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