Is it just me or do others find the ESP very intrusive when pushing this car hard.

Example: I took the e55 to some canyon roads that I have become very familiar with in my 964 turbo. With the ESP on it was working overtime and really became annoying. Just as a test I turned it off and found that this car is very capable (yet heavy) in the twisties. The power is very linear and easy to control vs my 964 turbo. The tail will step out nicely when you want it to but that damn ESP still kicks in even when off!!! Even from a light the ESP is really working hard.


Does anyone else have the same feelings? Do you drive with or without (use the word lightly) ESP?

THX

 

I agree 100%.. I keep my ESP off most of the time. I've had enough high horsepower cars that I've learned to modulate power with my foot. I find it way too intrusive.

I had a bit of a scare on a rainy day.. was coming out of a Tim Horton's driveway (gotta have my Tim's in the morning ), 90 degree right turn. There was traffic just leaving the light a few hundred feet from me.. Came out with hardly any throttle, right turn, bam.. no power, no acceleration.. ESP light blinking like crazy. The stupid computer wouldnt give me back throttle control. I had to take my foot right off the accelerator, straighten the car out and then re-apply power.

After that, ESP off all the time except really bad weather. I hope the newer E55 dont behave like this... I figured it was just my 2003 that was like that.

 

I think that the consensus (and much criticism) is that the ESP it too intrusive....

 

I believe I read somewhere that even with the ESP button switched off, it doesn't actually fully turn off. Correct me if I am wrong, please.

 

On an E55 (and most other models? all other models?) does NOT completely turn off.

 

I think that's with pretty much any car designed to be driven on the road rather than the track.

If I press the DSC button on my BMW it just extends the threshold.
Same with the trac control on the Lexus, and same on the Mercedes.

 

It can be defeated entirely in at least three cars that I know of -- but none of them are a MBZ....

 

You can put the car into dyno mode to totally turn off ESP.

 

I have heard that...but never have done so myself.

 

I to think its way too aggressive. From a stop light and flooring it, it will blink for about 20-40ft. I havent tried with the esp switched off yet but i bet it will be fun!!!

My other high HP car you got used to when the tq hit and knew which way it would break loose when it did.

 

The Mercedes ESP is really too aggressive in my opinion.

It states in the owner's manual (I don't know if its the same for the AMG W211s) that ESP will kick in and attempt to regulate traction if it detects any wheelspin, even when switched off. My manual states that ESP completely shuts off at around 50 mph, which surprised me as I never knew.

For my car and its lack of power, launching with ESP on or off doesn't make a difference.

 

...........this is exactly correct. I keep reading posts were people say you can totally turn off ESP by going into dyno mode. This has not been my experience so far. ESP is less intrussive when you put your car in dyno mode, but it is not completely turned off.

Ted

 

I am of the opposite view. I always drive with ESP on. And having had DSC on my last two BMW 540's, the ESP in the Mercedes is not intrusive at all. DSC intervened much, much more severely than ESP. After spending 6 years having my 540's shut down with any tire spin, the ESP suits me just fine.

And remember, when that light is flickering, it means your tires would be spinning without ESP. Once you break traction accelerating with the torque that the E has, you are done. ESP lets you keep going.

Even at the AMG Challenge, we were throwing the cars around with ESP on.

I used to drive my Z06 in Competition Mode, which deactivated that traction control, but kept the stability control active. I always want to have that bit of a safety net when playing with this much power and $$.

 

How do we set dyno mode? Also, in case I try it, how do we get out of it??

 

The first thing I do when I get in the car is turn off the ESP. I'll accept a bit of wheel spin to keep the smooth accelleration going. ESP tends to back of the throttle way more than I can. I feel like I can control this car better than a computer but I am used to driving a wooley a$$ed beast that will bite you at any time. The Vette definitely teaches you how to drive.

 

First thing you should do when you enter your car is put your seatbelt on first.

 

You're right! My bad.

With that incessant dinger going off you can't forget that.