The magic button

mattbailyuk · Jan 26, 2009

Ive had my 172 for a few months now and have gradually been building up my confidence behind the wheel. Needless to say im enjoying this car far more than any other car ive driven to date the abuse it will take is just beyond reason! I thought it was about as fun as it get untill this weekend, when i pressed what im calling the magic button, labeled ESP. My god the difference is unbeleivable! So much fun to be had on the lanes round where i live. Has anyone else had a play around with this? Whats the general feeling.... on or off?!

Mells · Jan 26, 2009

On. It's psychological.

It takes loads for it to kick in imo. I dont think you can safely push it enough on the roads.

Revs more freely without it though.

realnumber 1 · Jan 26, 2009

Don't see the point in turning it off for road use myself. It hardly ever kicks in unless you don't know how to drive imo.

mattbailyuk · Jan 26, 2009

100% agree with it reving more freely with it off, seems to have the same impact as turning off the A/C... just something different, although it may only be minimal, very much a noticable difference when having a little dig down the back lanes

Pettsi · Jan 26, 2009

On! It flashes enough to let me know it's in use though!

Munson · Jan 26, 2009

It does appear to limit the throttle opening slightly in low gears with lots of steering angle. Without flashing.

Goders172 · Jan 26, 2009

I keep it off generally

fUbAr · Jan 26, 2009

mine only gets turned off when im on track, where it makes a HUGE difference.

1PBY · Jan 26, 2009

I think it makes a huge difference too, plus im sure i can pull away faster with it off, not to mention the pick up is massively improved out of bends, even when the light isnt flashing. only really turn it off on track tho tbh!!

daviebroon · Jan 26, 2009

ESP???

pass

Chris Mac · Jan 26, 2009

Even better, buy one without this magical button

and have fun all the time

172head · Jan 26, 2009

Don't think i have this button :-(

Munson · Jan 26, 2009

1PBY said:
...the pick up is massively improved out of bends, even when the light isnt flashing.

Agreed. This is also my perception. Perhaps those who don't notice that can't drive? :rasp:

jonnyg · Jan 26, 2009

Leave mine on 90% of the time/

Fred@BTM · Jan 26, 2009

off its crap, and dangerous

you c**k and inside rear wheel with it on, its s***s itself and trys to throw you off the road

Yellow Dave · Jan 26, 2009

if I'm going to be giving it stick in the bends, I always switch it of f 1st.

My girlfriend doesn't know what the button does yet, but when she sees me press it coming up towards a nice set of bends or stretch of road she knows to push herself back into the seat and hold on

jonnyg · Jan 26, 2009

Yellow Dave said:
if I'm going to be giving it stick in the bends, I always switch it of f 1st.

My girlfriend doesn't know what the button does yet, but when she sees me press it coming up towards a nice set of bends or stretch of road she knows to push herself back into the seat and hold on

haha i see you have her well trained! all i get is a load of gob off my mrs!:rasp:

Simon_172 · Jan 26, 2009

i dont think i have this on my car? its a 02 172....

Nat8701 · Jan 26, 2009

fink they came on a 52 onwards plate .
i have this tho tbh when is it on ? when u press it and the light comes on is that when it works? when does it flash then when the light is off and its being used? sorry lol sounds irish lol but my last 172 was a 02 and i never had ESP before.

Fletcher · Jan 26, 2009

I only have it on if the roads are very wet.

Whiteley · Jan 26, 2009

Trundle to work and back is generally on, when I'm in the mood it goes off. Definite difference.

Paul. · Jan 26, 2009

Nat8701 said:
fink they came on a 52 onwards plate .
i have this tho tbh when is it on ? when u press it and the light comes on is that when it works? when does it flash then when the light is off and its being used? sorry lol sounds irish lol but my last 172 was a 02 and i never had ESP before.

Always wondered this too lol

Whiteley · Jan 26, 2009

When you start the car it defaults to being turned on, and the light is off. When its interfering it'll flash at you. When you press the button and the light comes on all the time, that's when it's turned off.

Hawkeye · Jan 26, 2009

The first thing i used to do when i started my 172 up was switch it straight off, its bloody dangerous in my eyes.

Munson · Jan 26, 2009

Whiteley said:
When you start the car it defaults to being turned on, and the light is off. When its interfering it'll flash at you. When you press the button and the light comes on all the time, that's when it's turned off.

It also seems to intervene when the light isn't flashing though. A lot of people report improved pull out of tight low speed corners when the ESP is off, even in situations where it would not otherwise 'flash'.

YorkshireDaz · Jan 26, 2009

I dont have this button

Not that i would need it :rasp:

Whiteley · Jan 26, 2009

Roy Munson said:
It also seems to intervene when the light isn't flashing though. A lot of people report improved pull out of tight low speed corners when the ESP is off, even in situations where it would not otherwise 'flash'.

Yep, I agree for sure. Mentioned that it's a noticeable difference a couple of posts above too.

Paul. · Jan 27, 2009

Whiteley said:
Yep, I agree for sure. Mentioned that it's a noticeable difference a couple of posts above too.

how du mean different though? is it not more dangerous?

Naith · Jan 27, 2009

Fred said:
off its crap, and dangerous

you c**k and inside rear wheel with it on, its s**ts itself and trys to throw you off the road

agreed, but then not everyone shares our skills

The Seer · Jan 27, 2009

I've not noticed it work whatsoever.:S

Fred@BTM · Jan 27, 2009

^not trying hard enough sonny jim!!

it really is at the bottom of the pile of "systems" in my eyes

its one major fault is that its been installed on a car that lifts the inside rear wheel quite easily when "pushing on"!! When say the right rear wheel is off the ground and stops spinning, the system reacts by grabbing the front left brake, this is what happened to me at brands, i'm not joking it tried to throw me into the kitty litter

nath - keep practising, one day you will have proper skills young sky walker

The Seer · Jan 27, 2009

^ Seems to be a pretty good reason not to use it then. Locking one the front brakes when a rear wheel is lifted isn't a good idea in the corners.

I'll keep it switched off.

Alan · Jan 27, 2009

daviebroon said:
ESP???

pass

LOL...

In the 182 it wasn't too intrusive but in the 197 it cuts in far too early IMO..

PinkoCommie · Jan 27, 2009

Nat8701 said:
fink they came on a 52 onwards plate .
i have this tho tbh when is it on ? when u press it and the light comes on is that when it works? when does it flash then when the light is off and its being used? sorry lol sounds irish lol but my last 172 was a 02 and i never had ESP before.

When you press the button and the light comes on, that means ESP is off.

I personally thought that when it flashes, thats when it's to much for the system and it gives up.

Fred@BTM · Jan 27, 2009

^ no, that means its working when its flashing its nips off

TooneySonic · Jan 27, 2009

my old 172 was a 52 and didn't have it....

would always be off with me too tbh

Kneel · Jan 27, 2009

Alan said:
LOL...

In the 182 it wasn't too intrusive but in the 197 it cuts in far too early IMO..

agreed, it was flashin at me when the car wasn't even bein pushed. And also, it annoys me because if I leave it on my passengers get scared if it flashes because its 'saving me from crashin' in their opinion

W17GLE · Jan 27, 2009

Tis for girls. All the proper drivers have it turned off as you can tell what the car is doing, esp and traction control just makes the car unpredictable. Man up! even TVRs don't have it and they are running far more power than the little clios

rich_1989 · Jan 27, 2009

Fred said:
off its crap, and dangerous

you c**k and inside rear wheel with it on, its s**ts itself and trys to throw you off the road

agreed, when i give my bro a go in it he floored it in second and thought he was hit by side winds, when really it was the esp trying to drive lol, also iv been driving along at night and for no good reason what so ever, on a str8 road, it slammed on the brakes on front left and tryed to crash me into a tree! if someone had been behind me, id have been wrote off!

Gstar2006 · Jan 27, 2009

Only had mine flashing when hitting greasy patches on roads round this way or pulling away from junctions sharpish. Never had it in a corner although mine seems to understeer more than anything I've ever driven to the point I've zero confidence in the thing through corners or on roundabouts.

I could leave mine for dead on the same round in my fully loaded up with crap focus estate which is a 115bhp diesel with zero torque below 2k and all out of puff at 4k! Seriously it goes through bends way quicker and safer than my 172.

Tires look ok although a bit worn on outer edges but nothing major.

G

The magic button

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