tcs traction control ??????

[ray bigblue]

is it me or does the altea drive faster and more precise with the traction control system off ? coming down a slippery hill today i really didnt like the felling it gave me, very unstable i thought , then driving home switching it on and off i much prefered it without , accelaration was much better and didnt seem to get any snappy 1st and 2nd gear changes? is it constantly restricting engine speed all the time? just wondering what some of you guys ideas on this is do you switch it off or leave it alone 2000 miles now since new , love the car,cant stop washing it, love the driving position, dont like reversing speakers are starting to annoy me ! any one tried one of those £30 battery powered rear parking sensors from jml check out the website , they look quite good and no drilling!!!!

 

[loadswine]

Yes it is interesting to experiment with the TCS off. You do get faster gearchanges on wide throttle openings and more seamless acceleration.
You do have to watch it though if you go into a bend too fast, as if you usually rely on it, the understeer might cause a bit of concern.

 

[googies]

i have the toledo and find the same sort fo thing, my finger hovers over the button half the time, on and off when i want it on or think may need it, althoough heavy footed so lots of wheel spin in 1st, and 2nd without it if i gun it! saved my bacan few times with deep puddles and standing water, but leave it off when can. i.e overtaking etc. it good that you can choose to use it! is it on a certain amount whrn you turn it off, say at 10% of normal operatino due to the system, diff's etc?

 

[Fidge]

I'd leave in on all the time if I were you as its saved my bacon a few times! You never know when you're gonna need it and it'll all be all over before you have time to reach for the button! Keep it safe! It is a people carrier you're driving after all!

 

[loadswine]

I only turn mine off very occasionally, to experiment with launch control starts and things like that. When moving along country roads briskly, its a no brainer- it stays ON! Too many hazards that can catch you out. As a bit of a minority function, turning off is fine, but by far the majority of time , I would leave it switched on.
Its not really a people carrier as it only has five seats, but it is a fair sized hatch, albeit one that handles better than a lot of things out there.

 

[PhilOfCas]

i've suspected some kind of power limiter in 1st gear for some time, though i'm not sure even when ESP is switched off there's still some limiting taking place, acceleration seems stunted in 1st, with ESP switched on or off. This theory seems to be confirmed when you're into 3rd when acceleration is much stronger, no doubt someone with technical knowledge of the car could confirm. It would make sense for the engine to be held back in 1st because of the torquey nature of the engine, i.e. fairly sudden increase in power, probably extends the tyres lives a touch !

Having said all that i might be wrong !!

 

[googies]

have no ESP on car, just TCS, thought it pretty good acc for 1st gear,way better than prev car (206 1.9d - crap i know!). i thought there was a certain amount of the tcs still active.came around a corner today to find a clio in the entrance to a field, just 10yards from the side of the road or less, covering the whole width of the road was a deep flood, bout 1ft, it at bottom of a dip around a corner, S**T myself when went into it, no warnings of floods or anything on the side i approached, but was some signs on the end you would clearly see the flodd....typical! TCS does come in handy on the really bad weather, if it raining or road fairly wet, leave it on, unless am on motorway. what sort of mileage everyone typically getting form the tires and price wise for a set?