ESP/Traction Control - Opinions please?

adamc260

Bought a new car and it's waiting to be built so the order can be changed as no build date given yet.

Wondering if it's worth adding ESP/Traction Control on for £300 due to the safety aspect. Seen a few mixed reports where it's been a hinderance in the snow and other reports saying it's fantastic

Seen all the videos on youtube but unsure what to do ... I know ESP is a fantastic piece of kit but just don't want to buy it and find I cant switch it off (Skoda) and my car gets stuck due to it ... (really need it to get to work else its 2 busses and a train EACH WAY to get to work during the winter months)

maninthestreet

ESP is definitely worth it. I have it on my AUDI, and you can switch it off - maybe the same for SKODA as they are oart of the VA group.

adamc260

Looks like you can only switch the ASR off (Traction Control) and not the ESP, seems its perma on. Mind you, I don't drive like a boy racer, far from it (even though im 22!)... just don't want it kicking in and getting me stuck etc

cardinalbiggles

adamc260 wrote: »

Looks like you can only switch the ASR off (Traction Control) and not the ESP, seems its perma on. Mind you, I don't drive like a boy racer, far from it (even though im 22!)... just don't want it kicking in and getting me stuck etc

Not a Skoda but I have a Fiat with electronic stability that you cant turn off (for safety reasons) and traction control that you can turn off in the snow, to be honest though its stops the car veering off to the side. You can basically floor it and it will slowly pick up speed in a controlled way, quite impressive.

To be fair your Skoda will have such wide tyres that its going to get stuck in the snow regardless!

All the stability does is detect sideways movement and applies the appropriate individual brake(s) to get you going straight again. 99% of drivers are never going to know its even there, cos if it kicks in your going to be too worried about the colour of your pants.

The traction control works in a number of ways, if one wheel spins the brake is applied to it to stop it spinning. If both wheels spin the power is cut to them both. People often wrongly assume that its power being cut in both situations.

Gloomendoom

adamc260 wrote: »

Looks like you can only switch the ASR off (Traction Control) and not the ESP, seems its perma on. Mind you, I don't drive like a boy racer, far from it (even though im 22!)... just don't want it kicking in and getting me stuck etc

Why would it get you stuck? I drove hundreds of miles on snowy roads both here and abroad last winter with the ESP and traction control permanently on. I never got stuck and I never lost control of the car.

In my opinion the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages... even in snow.

cardinalbiggles

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Why would it get you stuck? I drove hundreds of miles on snowy roads both here and abroad last winter with the ESP and traction control permanently on. I never got stuck and I never lost control of the car.

In my opinion the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages... even in snow.

It makes the car completely useless if your on ice. Wheels slip immediately and the TCS kicks in, car doesnt move. This is when you are stationary, not moving.

I was sceptical as well until I got stuck a few times up here in the snowy north and turning it off helped me to get moving, albeit slowly!

Ebe_Scrooge

Agree with Biggles - my car has TC which can't be turned off, in the bad snow last winter the TC just cuts all power to the wheels and you're snookered. I ended up removing the fuse for the TC, this meant the wheels were spinning, but at least I could crawl along the road ( admittedly at slower than walking pace ! ) I also helped push several cars that were stuck, and several times I asked the driver if they could switch off their TC. This was invariably met with a blank stare, but when I looked at their dashboard and found the "off" switch, the driver was amazed that they were able to move again :-)

I think traction control can be a useful safety addition in "ordinary" slippery conditions ( though it should never be relied on to replace skill and experience ), but you definitely need the option to switch it off in severe snow / ice.

Gloomendoom

I think the way that traction control works must vary from car to car as I've never noticed the power to be cut, just the spinning wheel to be grabbed. Like I said above I have driven my car in some very sever weather conditions and never felt the need to turn it off. Quite the contrary. It is reassuring to see the traction control light come on and forward motion to be maintained. It worked wonders on some nasty snowy hill starts too.

Doesn't half wear out the rear brake pads though.

Lirin

I've TC on the V6- it gets turned off in really bad weather- ice, snow etc. Starts trying to work for me- I'd rather argue with the road than the car.
In better weather, it's pretty good, can def feel the difference. Can be useful, but I've found it does vary from car to car.