328i breaking traction - should it be this easy?

[wiggy001]

Just wondering whether my expectations of the traction control on my 99 328i cab are too high or not...

Haven't really driven much over the last couple of weeks due to work commitments but went out yesterday afternoon for a quick blat down the twisties and the rear of the car seemed extremely eager to overtake the front!

Admittedly it was a little damp on the roads so I'd expect caution to be needed in first, but even accelerating in second turned the traction control light into a strobe at around 3000 rpm.

Just seemed to be a lot more tail-happy than on my last 'spirited' drive a fortnight ago. Tyres are good so no issues there.

Is this what people would expect and do I just have a right foot that's a little too heavy at the moment?

[XM5er]

Salt on the roads?

If you'd ever been a biker you would know that, "slightly" damp roads are far more slippy that fully wet roads (most bikers find this out the first time they fall off).

I wouldn't worry too much, it's probably just the inside rear spinning up, you have to drive like a twat to spin an e36.

[weed]

Slippy diffs work best when one side has traction and the other doesn't so that drive is retained.
when it is all slick and you give it too much welly, well...there you go.
if it is a high mileage car, the diff may be getting tired.
m

[anniesdad]

Before the gearbox went on mine recently, I was having much fun, defeating the TC on mine. My impression of the E36 3 TC is it's a bit like an on/off switch. Try a 120d, the TC is a revelation, very progressive.

[wiggy001]

weed said:

Slippy diffs work best when one side has traction and the other doesn't so that drive is retained. when it is all slick and you give it too much welly, well...there you go. if it is a high mileage car, the diff may be getting tired. m

26,000 in five years, so hardly high mileage! As I say, just a little surprised that losing traction in the summer way pretty difficult (on a private carpark not open to the public, of course!) but it seems to have suddenly become very simple even in 2nd gear.

I'm sure the TC is working as you can tell when accelerating hard. Just wondered if there could be anything I should be looking at (other than my driving style that is )

>> Edited by wiggy001 on Monday 6th December 16:48

[XM5er]

New tyres perhaps?

[agent006]

the roads are extremely slippy at the moment. Comes with lots of grit, a few frosts and not enough rain. One of the guys at work came off his bike at the end of the road today, just lost the front wheel it's so slippy.

[HarryW]

Agree the roads are very slippy at present and are the mopst likely culprit, as opposed to your car gaining 200hp overnight . I went for a healthy blat this weekend and couldn't give it more than 1/3-1/2 throttle in most gears up to 4th , very slippy .

Harry

[wiggy001]

Thanks for the replies chaps. I'm beginning to think I was extremely unfortunate on Sunday and must've been following a diesel tanker with a leak! Went out for a meal last night and after dropping the lady home, had a bit of experimentation on the way back to mine.

Couldn't break traction in a straight line as I could with ease on Sunday (similar conditions) so I guess it's just 'one of those things'.

Did consider a change of tyres. Can't think off the top of my head the make of mine (nothing I've heard of before). The car only had 24k on the close when bought and has been fully maintained and serviced by BMW - I assume they wouldn't be using any cheap n nasty rubber?

Thanks again...

[CrazyDave]

XM5er said:

New tyres perhaps?

Keeping an eye on the tyre pressure is also a good thing. If you're down a few PSI you'll find it's easier to lose traction.

[vixpy1]

The E36 traction control system is Cack!

[wiggy001]

Agreed, if you want the @rse out then the TC can't stop you, but I think it should keep most numpties out of hedges.

Come to the conclusion that grit, when first wet, is the slipperiest thing on the roads! Car has felt fine and not at all twitchy like it was over the last (slightly warmer/no grit) week.

Glad to know there is nothing wrong with the car/tc, and it's just something for me to get used to during my first rear-wheel-drive winter.

Thanks all