ESP vs VSA
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From: Saint Augustine, FL
1999 CLK320 (sold), 2007 C230 SS (gone), 2000 Grand Marquis, 2011 CR-Z, stay tuned...
Not in my experience, but I don't notice any help there normally. The very first weekend I had my car, I almost hit a curb in a roundabout because I went through it at 25 (it was a large roundabout rated for 15 mph). Anytime that I have experienced understeer in this car the warning triangle did not flash.
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2006 C350 Sport 6MT
Are you serious? I honestly think something is wrong with your esp then.
Again I took a turn going 40mph and mashing on the gas too. I lost control and the ESP saved my butt. Keep in mind it's the 3.5 too.
The green is me taking a turn 40mph and mashing on gas and car sliding towards cars stopped (oncomming).
Again I took a turn going 40mph and mashing on the gas too. I lost control and the ESP saved my butt. Keep in mind it's the 3.5 too.
The green is me taking a turn 40mph and mashing on gas and car sliding towards cars stopped (oncomming).
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From: Saint Augustine, FL
1999 CLK320 (sold), 2007 C230 SS (gone), 2000 Grand Marquis, 2011 CR-Z, stay tuned...
The only time my car corrects is with rear wheel spin/slide. Never worried much about it before, I didn't notice this ability on my CLK (but then again it never understeered).
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From: Saint Augustine, FL
1999 CLK320 (sold), 2007 C230 SS (gone), 2000 Grand Marquis, 2011 CR-Z, stay tuned...
For one, it's very easy in a 320. And two, I tend to too. With no low end, you have to put your foot down to pull out, and then the power kicks in as your half way around the corner.
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From: VA
THE C350
and no i am not some crazy driver i actually drive slow compared to 99% of the people in my area.
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2012 C300 4Matic
On my car between 4matic and my puny engine I can rarely kick ESP in on dry roads (mostly because it grips SO well). There are times that I am TRYING to get the car to slip so that ESP will kick in and I cant. I remember once taking a 90 degree turn that was at a slight angle so damn hard that I was on three wheels (with one of the rears OFF THE GROUND) and I didn't slip! No ESP light! 
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From: VA
THE C350
On my car between 4matic and my puny engine I can rarely kick ESP in on dry roads (mostly because it grips SO well). There are times that I am TRYING to get the car to slip so that ESP will kick in and I cant. I remember once taking a 90 degree turn that was at a slight angle so damn hard that I was on three wheels (with one of the rears OFF THE GROUND) and I didn't slip! No ESP light!
actually my car is pretty hard to get the esp to kick on in normal driving but in the rain or snow/ice i can have so much fun 
i had way to much fun when we got snow here i almost called in sick to work so that i could just go drive around in it
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From: NYC
2012 C300 4Matic
I take the fun a little too far, every corner starts to look like a good opportunity for a power slide. I actually pulled a very nice 360 on my old tires in an empty (and freshly paved) parking lot when it snowed last year.
But to really get "insanity" status you've got to achieve the red "ESP overheated" screen on the display. Not something I intend to try.
Last edited by acr2001; Dec 16, 2009 at 09:09 PM.
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From: VA
THE C350
I'm not someone you want to be around when it snows
I take the fun a little too far, every corner starts to look like a good opportunity for a power slide. I actually pulled a very nice 360 on my old tires in an empty (and freshly paved) parking lot when it snowed last year.
But to really get "insanity" status you've got to achieve the red "ESP overheated" screen on the display. Not something I intend to try.
I take the fun a little too far, every corner starts to look like a good opportunity for a power slide. I actually pulled a very nice 360 on my old tires in an empty (and freshly paved) parking lot when it snowed last year.
But to really get "insanity" status you've got to achieve the red "ESP overheated" screen on the display. Not something I intend to try.
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From: Nor Cal
A Car
Another thing i noticed is if you turn the ESP off, and you suddenly hit the brakes while pressing your horn, the ESP will engage again.
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2019 G70 6MT & 2022 Ford Maverick XL
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From: VA
THE C350
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From: NYC
2012 C300 4Matic
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2007 c230
you know it's funny you rarely see a MB or a BMW in a car accident. And if you did that driver must've done something really stupid or aimed toward that wall because honestly I drive my car hard even in the rain and where i steer my wheel the car goes.
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A Car
To everyone having doubts, i actually found out accidently. I was driving with the ESP off cause i was in a hurry mood and out of no where some guy opens his driver's side door toward the street [mind you it was a very narrow street] and i hit the brakes and honked at the same time, all of a sudden the yellow triangle on the HUD was gone [meaning ESP is on again].
This has happend twice this year, if i can recall.
This has happend twice this year, if i can recall.
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From: Saint Augustine, FL
1999 CLK320 (sold), 2007 C230 SS (gone), 2000 Grand Marquis, 2011 CR-Z, stay tuned...
The last two accident I saw that involved Mercs were funny. In the first, a w203 was rear-ended (not their fault). They were hit so hard that the back of the trunk was crushed all the way up to the back seat. It amazed me how much damage was done - the person must have been FLYNG!!! THe second was an older S-class. They were driving in stop-and-go traffic and veered off the road to avoid hitting the person in front of them. They spun out through the grass and ended up facing the road up in the tree line. That was just a dumba$$ driver, though.
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2019 G70 6MT & 2022 Ford Maverick XL
I tested the brake hard and horn thing and it didn't work on my 2005. The car didn't become unstable, but the ESP triangle remained lit.
Also, how about that youtube video from another country where a silver C32 hit a dump truck head on and the driver of the C32 survived but it killed the dump truck driver?.. I mean, not that it's funny.. just weird.
Also, how about that youtube video from another country where a silver C32 hit a dump truck head on and the driver of the C32 survived but it killed the dump truck driver?
.. I mean, not that it's funny.. just weird.
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2006 C350 Sport 6MT
To everyone having doubts, i actually found out accidently. I was driving with the ESP off cause i was in a hurry mood and out of no where some guy opens his driver's side door toward the street [mind you it was a very narrow street] and i hit the brakes and honked at the same time, all of a sudden the yellow triangle on the HUD was gone [meaning ESP is on again].
This has happend twice this year, if i can recall.
This has happend twice this year, if i can recall.
Busting your chops my brother
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From: Saint Augustine, FL
1999 CLK320 (sold), 2007 C230 SS (gone), 2000 Grand Marquis, 2011 CR-Z, stay tuned...
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From: Nor Cal
A Car
btw, sorry to hear about that lil situation you had with cop pulling you over recently. If it was me, id bust his face out.
