Remap vs ESP on Cupra

[GREY 225]

Ive been glad of esp on a couple occasions now,more so under heavy braking when rear end started to twitch around,it doesnt cut in on mine until last minute and seems to let you have a bit of fun untill it takes over,works well though,id turn it off on a track when theres less risk

 

[Al]

As a general rule, I have it off in the town, and on in the countryside unless I am on a bit of private road I know like the back of my hand and switch it off.

Not had it on the Cupra yet , but on my last car, I had almost been T-boned by another car after trying to get in to a space on a roundabout, the TCS cut in, dropped the power and left me like a sitting duck as an X5 was coming toward me quite quickly. Not ideal, hence why it is off in the town.

 

[chrisboyle999]

As a general rule, I have it off in the town, and on in the countryside unless I am on a bit of private road I know like the back of my hand and switch it off.

i know you guys north of the border have your own parliament nowadays, but didnt realise you all got a slice of scotland with a piece of private road into the bargain???

 

[DIFT]

Im still not sure you can turn it off, only TCS.

I wouldnt provoke ESP on the road, not worth risking it.

Its saved me a few times on the track, and I like it.

 

[m0rk]

I spent the best part of half a day testing on a variety of surfaces & surface conditions ESP on/ESP off

basically it won't throw you into a ditch when it's on, it won't cut all your power & leave you in the path of a truck.

what it will do is prevent you from fishtailling out of control (but you can still get a whole lot of lift off over steer & pull it back in)

you can still get the wheels to chirp, it's not 'bad' TCS that cuts all power

having it on isn't a get out of jail free card, but it certainly raises the bar.

There's a thread on here somewhere where a Mk1 Leon owner was caught out on his "private road" when he went round a corner at about 60, and ESP off slammed into the ditch & field beyond.

even he admitted that he thought he was driving god & didn't need it.... right up until the car went over.

 

[chrisboyle999]

here endeth the lesson!

 

[rpmleon]

I spent the best part of half a day testing on a variety of surfaces & surface conditions ESP on/ESP off

basically it won't throw you into a ditch when it's on, it won't cut all your power & leave you in the path of a truck.

what it will do is prevent you from fishtailling out of control (but you can still get a whole lot of lift off over steer & pull it back in)

you can still get the wheels to chirp, it's not 'bad' TCS that cuts all power

having it on isn't a get out of jail free card, but it certainly raises the bar.

There's a thread on here somewhere where a Mk1 Leon owner was caught out on his "private road" when he went round a corner at about 60, and ESP off slammed into the ditch & field beyond.

even he admitted that he thought he was driving god & didn't need it.... right up until the car went over.

Totally agree with the above

I personally think the free "Track Day" should come as standard with all new FR & Cupra owners. It certainly gives you confidence in the car you are driving and gives you a good idea when turning off the "ESP" is a good idea

RPM

 

[owen lcr]

point taken but i prefer to leave it off... and this wasnt a lesson it was just peoples point of view.

 

[DanGB]

I always leave ESP on. Even on the trackdays i do. it means I can throw it around the track a bit more without worrying about going in the wall. It does cut power a bit, but i'd rather have it on

 

[H8T WP]

all i know is that if i didnt have ESP i would be dead :| ... simple !

 

[flakmunky]

My 350Z import didn't have ESP but it did have TCS... I was quite worried at first about not having it but tbh I never needed it perhaps due to the RWD predictability and low centre of mass? A remapped Cupra with close to 300bhp going through the front wheels would be a different kettle of fish altogether - I imagine it would be more than a little scary with ESP switched off.

I have never felt like switching ESP off in the FR, though... Maybe it is still new and I am getting used to it still.

The Z's TCS would often flash in 4th at 90mph in the wet when giving it some beans - on a private road - which I always thought was a bit insane!

 

[honeyman]

I find it fine left on, as m0rk says you can get the tyres chirping way before the ESP kicks in, I think to be honest i'm not sure i've had the ESP kick in I tends to see the light flash pulling away so would assume it's TCS.

 

[P0LKR]

Try switching ESP off and see if you think it makes any difference. I found it made a significant difference if ESP has been on for quite a while beforehand.

 

[rpmleon]

Try switching ESP off and see if you think it makes any difference. I found it made a significant difference if ESP has been on for quite a while beforehand.

Maybe a bit of advice

On cold and frosty mornings, leave the ESP on

RPM

 

[H8T WP]

only have esp off when there isnt a bend or other car within 50 yards lol.. the seat track day thingy showed me just how much it helps

 

[SpursMadDave]

I am not a slow driver, i have points for speeding and if i didn't do so many miles, and could justify the extra tax/fuel bills i would have stumped up the extra couple of grand for a Cupra in a second... but i also lost a Nephew to a driver in their early 20's who thought he knew everything there was to know about driving with only a few years actual experience.

So forgive me for saying that when someone with a 300bhp small car (25% over standard) says their 'preference' is to drive around all the time with their only safety device apart from their right foot turned off, they are at best foolish and at worst an accident waiting to happen...

All i can say is that i'm glad that myself and my family/friends all live many many miles from Montrose in Scotland....

 

[owen lcr]

well i am sorry to hear that but you know nothing about me and i have raced since the age of 12 at knockhill so i have more experience than you have given me credit for. I am not saying this makes me invincable but i know how to handle my car... all i said was that i have had more scary moments with the ESP switched on than off so in MY opinion, so i prefer it switched off.

i would prefer it if you didnt say i was an accident waiting to happen...

p.s. spurs are pants

 

[GREY 225]

Everyone has a choice,thats why theres a switch to turn esp off.300 hp in a car doesnt mean its a dangerous one.Low hp cars are just as dangerous in the wrong hands,you can still be going too fast for a corner in a car with 50hp,personally i leave esp on when on public roads as i think the esp is better at controlling car than me and reacts quicker.

 

[Al]

well i am sorry to hear that but you know nothing about me and i have raced since the age of 12 at knockhill so i have more experience than you have given me credit for. I am not saying this makes me invincable but i know how to handle my car... all i said was that i have had more scary moments with the ESP switched on than off so in MY opinion, so i prefer it switched off.

i would prefer it if you didnt say i was an accident waiting to happen...

p.s. spurs are pants

I am with Owen here. ESP is not going to stop you hitting a car that pulls out in front of you or make you any better at driving or indeed make your car go round a corner faster. It does however interfere with traction, and I am willing to bet this is why Owen switches it off, same as me.

 

[chrisboyle999]

esp does not interfere with traction.

it applies the brakes to individual wheels once traction is lost.