Jaguar XE Forum banner

Driving an XE with the Training Wheels OFF

4K views 9 replies 6 participants last post by  mdem 
#1 ·
I've never driven a car that had electronic stability control before (at least not one I could manually deactivate). Jaguar's is called DSC, and I've only recently felt daring enough to try the car with DSC completely OFF :? .
:| I assume this means that I am now relying on the design and performance of the tyres, and my own handling skills, to keep me from flopping on my back in the woody areas beyond the tight turns and motorway shoulder. The

This is where I have some criticisms about my Continental Pro-Contacts that came with my factory-car. I can feel the rears, and sometimes the fronts just before them, dribble and skip to the left for a moment, when I'm holding a spirited right curve at steady speed.
…Is this the warning you feel in a car just before the tyres lose adhesion? I don't know.

How many of you have logged in substantial hours with your DSC off (not TracDSC mode, but completely OFF)?

What's your opinion of your tyres, once you've driven a lot with DSC helping you and then with it not helping you anymore?
 
#2 ·
Personally I wouldn't drive that spirited on the public roads anyway.
I think to explore the limits properly and without endangering yourself or, more importantly, someone else, a session on a track would be the way to find out.
 
#4 ·
Yep, the public roads are no place for experimenting.
Plus, the traction control isn't very intrusive and it takes an awful lot to get it flashing (that daft starting off in 1st gear experiment did it for me) so normal driving with it off isn't going to suddenly make it behave like a hooligan.
 
#5 ·
:shock: LOL, you've all lost me. Mind you, when I suggest experimenting, I don't mean bedeviling the public arena with aggressive maneuvering and wild dashes.

I am now surmising two things, from your posts so far:

1. My idea of "spirited" driving isn't what you in the UK consider spirited. For me, in the streets or motorways, "sprited" means downshifting two points and swerving into the next lane to quickly pass an erratic truck. For you, things don't qualify as "sprited" if it's less than some Scandinavian Flicking at 145 mph on a rented track, (and my quick shift and swerve only makes you yawn and reach for a biscuit).

2. You haven't chosen to drive your car much in regular daily motorway trips, with the DSC OFF… Why not?

I think, if you've been driving for 15 years or more, you've spent MOST of your driving time in cars that did NOT have any substantial electronic stability control. Hence, it's arguable that driving a car without DSC is more native to your intuitive driving senses than driving WITH any sort of DSC.
Now that we have DSC in our cars, do most of you simply elect to "leave it on and operating"---and not try to see if there is a difference in your personal handling techniques if you turn DSC off?

Am I thinking of DSC the wrong way? Is the accepted perception of owners that 'you only drive with DSC off when you plan to race around wildly"
 
#6 ·
When I did my comparison track day with professional drivers the safety systems remained firmly on. It is amazing the amount of latitude they give, particularly in sport and dynamic.
 
#7 ·
Firstly I've been driving for a LOT more than 15 years! But that's bye the bye. Why turn off DSC on a motorway? It doesn't improve performance in any way. It really only affects handling if you're flinging it about. Dynamic and sports modes are what you need for motorway speed, acceleration etc.
 
#8 ·
Is there a way to test that the DSC is in fact working? I have had a bit of twitching at the rear wheels on more than one occasion when cornering a little aggressively. The car's only travelled around 10,000km and the factory Pirelli P Zero tyres still have plenty of tread.
 
#9 ·
mdem said:
Is there a way to test that the DSC is in fact working? I have had a bit of twitching at the rear wheels on more than one occasion when cornering a little aggressively. The car's only travelled around 10,000km and the factory Pirelli P Zero tyres still have plenty of tread.
The best way to get the traction control/DSC lights flashing is to break away the rear end.
You will feel the system take over so you know it's working and intervening.
It's not too hard with nearly 400 hp through the rear wheels!
Find a quiet area with plenty of space such as an empty car park, get the car rolling at no more than slow walking pace.
Put on a decent amount of steering lock as if you are doing a U turn.
As the car starts to turn give the throttle a big bootfull and it should start to break away and the traction control should flash up on the dash.
It's a low speed test provided you come off the gas as soon as you confirm things are in order.

I wouldn't go as far as this one though.
It just proves that turning the aids off is spectacular but in normal driving conditions it's totally counterproductive.
That's why we drive with the systems on.

 
#10 ·
Thanks! I'll give it a go on the weekend. Definitely not as per the video, I value my tyres too much!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top