Do I need DSC and Limited slip diff?

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Mon 4 Jul 2005 19:39
Do I need DSC and Limited slip diff? - mattay
I'm thinking of buying a Mini Cooper S convertible, but don't know whether to have Dynamic Stability Control (Automatic Stability Control is standard) and limited slip differential. I am going to enjoy the sharp handling, but will not be pushing the car to it's absolute limit. What are these features and do I need them?
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Tue 5 Jul 2005 09:06
Do I need DSC and Limited slip diff? - kenl
I think you get the LSD if you spec the CHILLI pack. Most Cooper S MINIs seem to be bought with CHILLI so it may be wise in terms of resale. You get pretty good value for money as long as you want the features.

On DSC I would say it is probably worth while as it is a lot more sophisticated than just the traction control. All traction control does is cut the power to stop wheel spin whereas DSC can apply different brakes to help haul the car around a corner. I have a similar system on my Golf and it works really well.

If you are really after the sharp handling I'd suggest getting a hardtop and not the convertible though.

Check out www.mini2.com
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Tue 5 Jul 2005 09:26
Do I need DSC and Limited slip diff? - cheddar
If you are really after the sharp handling I'd suggest getting
a hardtop and not the convertible though.


Agreed
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Wed 6 Jul 2005 00:03
Do I need DSC and Limited slip diff? - philipb
I have a MINI Cooper S (hardtop) with the Chilli pack and standard ASC+T traction control.

The traction control is absolutely dreadful: cuts all power at the slightest hint of any loss of traction. So, if you try to pull away quickly on a damp road, instead of going forwards, the car justs comes to a halt. I had a BMW compact with DSC as a loan car and the system didn't seem much better. The ESP fitted to my VW Touran is vastly superior: subtle, progressive and uses electronic differential lock up to divert power to the appropriate front wheel.

However, the difference is that the Touran needs ESP whereas the MINI doesn't really need anything:the chassis and roadholding are so good that the traction control justs gets in the way. The first thing I do when I get in the MINI is turn off the ASC+T. I think . If you lose a little traction, just ease off the accelerator and feel the car sort itself out in no time. The best place to really get the feel for this is on the race track (where they permanently disable the traction control for obvious reasons).

So, whilst I felt upset at first that I didn't upgrade the traction control system, I now think that even DSC would have been a waste of money.
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Wed 6 Jul 2005 00:02
Do I need DSC and Limited slip diff? - Cyd
auto.howstuffworks.com/differential.htm

I wouldn't be without the Torsen in my Rover 820 Vitesse Sport. Tricky conditions that leave ordinary FWD cars floundering, unable to put their power down, are a breeze. It's a bit digital for some, but I love it. Now, a digital, clutch type LSD in a decent power RWD - better than sex!

Never experienced DSC, but it sounds good. Only question in my mind would be how it would react when you're really pressing on. It might just take all the enjoyment out of a otherwise great performing car. After all, it's programmed by feckless humans! Has it passed the acid test - namely, The Stig?
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