e46 M3 DSC and Sport Mode

[Trtj]

SO I took my friend out in the m3 the other day, sport button pressed, dsc left on (greasy) and i am still very new to the car. To both of our surprises, the back end stepped out exiting a roundabout. This has never happened with dsc on before, and I thought sport mode only changed the throttle reaction. I was not a lairy slide, but defintely stepped out. Is my dsc faulty?!

[bennyboysvuk]

Sport mode does only change the throttle sensitivity on these (not worth doing IMO). The DSC can certainly occasionally be caught off guard.

I remember the first time my M3 did that and it was third gear, in the wet, cresting a rise on a right hander. The back slid more than I would expect with DSC on, but at least it always gathers up the slide, if a bit abruptly. You get to learn where and when it will hit these limits and then it makes it all very straightforward and predictable.

Oh, and the E46 M3 was built to exit roundabouts with a certain angle of attack. Enjoy.

[mwstewart]

It's supposed to do that, it's a sports car This is exactly why BMW are so good; their driver aid calibration is very driver focussed, and in the ESP for example there's lot more slip angle allowed compared to regular cars.

Learn to enjoy it, the MK60 is a fantastic piece of equipment, and the M3 is oh so easy to control when sliding.

[Trtj]

mwstewart said:

It's supposed to do that, it's a sports car This is exactly why BMW are so good; their driver aid calibration is very driver focussed, and in the ESP for example there's lot more slip angle allowed compared to regular cars.

Learn to enjoy it, the MK60 is a fantastic piece of equipment, and the M3 is oh so easy to control when sliding.

Im glad to hear that then

Another question mwstewart seeing as you know your stuf...When i start the car from cold, I can hear what sounds like an electric fan running. It runs for about a minute then goes off. Its not the fan infront of the rad, do you know what it is and if its normal?

[shibby!]

Its an air pump.

Its being used to warm the car up faster.

[Pip1968]

To further emphasize the point and quote the BMW handbook: "Not even DSC can overcome the law of physics. The driver is always responsible for matching his or her style of driving to the prevailing conditions"

Pip

[MOTK]

Agree to the above, but also what tyres do you have and what state are they in? These cars really should only be run with decent rubber.

[Gibbo205]

mwstewart said:

It's supposed to do that, it's a sports car This is exactly why BMW are so good; their driver aid calibration is very driver focussed, and in the ESP for example there's lot more slip angle allowed compared to regular cars.

Learn to enjoy it, the MK60 is a fantastic piece of equipment, and the M3 is oh so easy to control when sliding.

Can't agree, having driven AMG's, owned a CSL and owning an M3 and a 911 the DSC is as follows:-

Merc AMG - allows zero slip
BMW DSC - allows only marginal slip, way to annoying.
BMW track mode - better but still too interferring when it's stopping wheel spin on 2-3rd shifts on track in the dry, simply no need.
Porsche normal - better than all the above, happy to allow wheel spin and small slip angles.
Porsche Sport - exceptional, allows some rather big slip angles and plenty of wheel spin, on track it pretty much never interferres unless I make a big error.

Porsche system is best and most driver focused, Mercedes is way too nanny state.

[M3CS]

Gibbo205 said:

BMW track mode - better but still too interferring [sic] when it's stopping wheel spin on 2-3rd shifts on track in the dry, simply no need.

Really? I suspect you drove one with poor tyres. I've never had that (using Michelin PSSs on a CS with track mode and S5 selected).

[Gibbo205]

M3CS said:

Really? I suspect you drove one with poor tyres. I've never had that (using Michelin PSSs on a CS with track mode and S5 selected).

Cups.
Anyway in the dry on a track there is no need for DSC, solution is DSC off, S6 and sport on.