I keep my Z06 active handling on all the time-read it's not good to keep it turned off for long. When do people here use the competition mode? Does it hurt the Z to keep it in competition for long?

thx

 

I also keep my active handling on all the time but when I go to the track I use Comp mode.No it will not hurt your car to keep it in Comp mode.All comp mode is.....is your stability control is on but traction control is off.....basically you can spin your tires but if your car decides to get out of line it will bring it back.


[Modified by GaryZ06, 9:55 PM 9/14/2002]

 

Be careful using Competition Mode at the track-it will eat your rear pads quick.

 

I concur with GaryZ06.

At the drag strip, I run in Competitive Driving mode. It limits the worst that can happen and it has not adversely effected my times.

Ranger

 

I meant 1/4 mile track :D

 

I turn all active handling off in any DRY ROAD performance driving situation. I know the car well enough now to feel pretty confident at the limit and don't really trust the active handling too much. I had a friend who owns a ZR1 test drive an 02 vert one time and the active handling kicked off by accident while driving 70 mph on a straight road and almost sent him in to a ditch during the test drive! :crazy: :mad After slowing the car down, the DIC just read 'service active handling now'. I would rather turn it off and have the car in full manual control when driving hard.

Keep in mind that in the dry, if your rear wheels start to loose it, just lift a little and remember you still have ABS active with some of the best binders on the road/track. In wet weather I always leave it to full 'on' mode to limit accidental wheelspin at much slower speeds.

Just my take... :cheers:


[Modified by Bertrand, 1:37 AM 9/15/2002]

 

I use competition model most of the time. Only have TC on when I forget to turn it off. I don't drive the Z06 in the rain intentionally, but if I am caught on wet roads, I'd use TC and AH.

On dry pavement I'm so old school that when TC engages, it scares me. Wheel spin doesn't. Besides, it is just faster. :D

 

thanks guys, just learned a few things more about my Z:)

 

Bertrand,

You are probably an experienced and talented driver. I don't mean to suggest anything to the contrary.

With that said, there are a bunch of guys on this and the other forum who used to say..."i don't need no stinking computer driving my car." But they never say that AFTER the accident.

Performance driving on a road course track where run-off is ample is one thing. Pushing the performance envelope on the street is quite another. Everyone assess the risks according to their judgment and pocketbook, as I'm sure you are doing.

Many of the single car accidents in which Z06s have been totaled have occurred with that "stinking computer" shut off. The list of NOW wiser drivers is longer than you might think and full of prominent forum members.

No sermon intended.

Just an alert to those who may not have seen all those very sad threads that concluded with words to the effect that "I'm NOT shutting AH OFF anymore...(I was so stupid)."

Ranger


[Modified by Ranger, 2:41 PM 9/15/2002]

 

ranger-good comments...I put the post up because of a near-miss accident my girlfriend and I had at Carlisle... thread "Z06 saved my life" I had my AH on, had never entered my mind to turn it off. Although I can't see taking it off now on the highway, there are times I would like to run my vette outside of the main streets to push the limits, didn't know what each mode would give me in handling and what response I should expect fm the vette.

 

Good points, but I have two things to say:

1. Taking a supercar like the Z06 to more than 80% capabilities on public roads is an accident waiting to happen. I don't care how good a driver one is, there are just too many variables (read idiots) on most public roads for this to be safe; AH on or off.

2. My point is simply that the AH CAN malfuction in a big way. My friend's experience proves the point (see earlier post). When I am driving a car I know well, my chances of being in an accident are lower without outside interference. Notice the best drivers in the world's most exotic cars don't turn fast laps or drive at high speeds with these systems on. They are similar to an autopilot for aircraft. They serve a purpose but cannot react with the same intelligence and speed of a skilled driver in a familiar car.

I however am a believer in a GOOD abs system that doesn't kick in prematurely and I do use AH most of the time I am on the road as a safety net in case I get surprised by something. I have tested the car at the limits with the AH on and felt how it kicks in. It is a nice feature that anyone new to the Z06 should keep on for an extra margin of safety.

But there is NO WAY I'm going to run at 100 mph+ with the system on. Not when there is a chance of a glitch sending me in the ditch. If I end up in the ditch, I want to earn it. Not end up because some engineer didn't QA something sufficiently in the AH system. Just my opinion.

 

levettegrl, Thanks. This is always a good topic.

I'm not a risk-averse person. But eating an airbag with "everything turned off" on the street remains a goal I do not have.

Ranger

 

Did AH kick in when you had your close call? Keep in mind your ABS system does not shut off even when AH is off. Just curious if you got the AH message in the DIC.


[Modified by Bertrand, 6:00 PM 9/15/2002]

 

Competition mode is active handling on with traction control turned off. It doesn't hurt a thing to have it for long periods of time.

 

THAT's good to know:)

BERTRAND-a beater truck pulled out in front of us outside of Carlisle (spring rd), I had to stop the Z ON A DIME-car shook, took us 180 facing oncoming traffic but I avoided the collision. My girlfriend was scared as h#@l -I just pulled her out of traffic to the side while we kinda got our breath again! When I looked at the DIC it read "active handling reset" or something like that.

 

Normally I don't even bother with that button. However, when I see some car ahead of me that I MIGHT be involved with (i.e. possible race), I will reach over and hold that button down for 5 seconds. Ya know, just to be ready, in case a red light happens. :D

 

I turn it off when I'm at the light at Bob's Fruit Market. Then I get second gear so lil cutie will turn and smile. What an angel. :yesnod:

 

Competive mode is active handling on with traction control off. I have not read or heard of any problem leaving it in competitvie mode.

However for practical reasons unless your using you car on a track the safest way to drive is normal active handling.

When I go to the track I don't want the car to engage traction control when my only whay out of a problem is acceleration.

Enjoy the car you can't hurt it unless you down shift over rev.

Alan

 

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :) :cheers:

 

I tend to leave AH on all the time and use Competitive Mode on the track (with twisties). Yeah it eats the pads, but I'd rather replace my pads than bodywork because I wiped out into something.

-Alex