I am looking in to an Ap1 with Racelogic vs an AP2 with VSA, as my previous threads have stated. My dad has an AP2 with VSA, and he mentioned he didn't really feel like in the rain it kept the car planted; he said it wasn't confidence inspiring. It fishtailed and etc. This is coming from a background of a previously owned Ap1 in the family, and experience with multiple BMWs and there flawless DSC. So to the point: has VSA ever saved your ass? Have you ever expected it to and it didn't? Post your experience.

Mindless "I am my own stability control" people can

 

VSA has stepped in and halted oversteer for me numerous times, both in the dry and the wet. With bald tires and wet pavement, it really helps out. But you should never drive the car with the expectation that the stability control will save you from yourself. It can only do so much and purposely driving past its engagement threshold is one day going to bite you in the ass. It doesn't change the laws of physics. It does nothing to keep the car "planted." It does nothing to increase traction. It only brakes the rear wheels individually to try to steer the car in the direction you meant to go. And the harder you chuck the rear, the less it can do for you, because as the rear wheels point less straight relative to their direction of travel, braking them has less affect on the steering of the car.

I find it doesn't help much for understeer because the car only understeers when you're standing on the brakes (like ABS is on) coming into a tight corner. If you're already at max traction, VSA has nothing to work with and can't brake the rear wheels any more than they already are.

In short, it does what it is designed to do and I'm glad I have it. But no stability control magically creates traction where there was no traction before.

 

will the VSA light start blinking indicating that it is being active at a particular time?

If so, I dont I drove it aggressive enough...

thanks.

 

It's stepped in for me a couple times and I let it engage on purpose more than that.

I was accelerating from an intersection where the road turned left. The grade of the pavement was slightly downhill and a little off camber. There must've been a little bump in the lane and after going over it the back end slid out and the VSA saved it. It was good because I didn't expect the rear to step out. Granted I wouldn't have needed the VSA to save it but I was glad it was there.

Then on chilly mornings when my worn RE050's are hard, sometimes I step on it in 2nd gear when making turns to let the back end step out and let the VSA tuck it back in. I confess I do this most days I drive the S to work.

 

I can never think of a time when VSA on any car has ever screwed me.

 

I have an '05 so no VSA for me !

I had a Mustang GT a few years back... I religiously shut off the traction control until I got a disablement box for it... But the one time I didn't shut it off before then it saved my bacon. Getting on the highway usual speed and the car steps TC kicks in and straightens the car out... WHEW! that was close....

But for that one time there are tons more where TC just was a pain in the arse, driving when it was a bit slick and you can't get any power down because the car is taking it away, several times the car stepped out and in the process of correcting it kicks in and completely screwed the correction to the point you looked and felt like an idiot...

Always ran with it off and always trying to find a way to disable it in my other cars... I think it takes away from the experience both learning and driving. It can create over confident drivers and a false sense of security. But I do see it has it's place and why people like it. I take enjoyment from learning the limits when appropriate, but also driving for the conditions... Raining out? I try not to take the highway (then again I rarely take the highway when in the S) If I have to right lane reasonable speed... I also take good care of my cars and once I touch the wear bars It's new tire time... I don't push them until they are bald...

 

There is plenty to read about VSA here. Just do a search.

It works seamless. Kicks in gradually. Honda wouldn't ruin its pure sports car by putting an inferior system. When I am on the streets, I always leave it on, and it doesn't ruin the experience for me.

 

Like my VSA, it allows me to do some mini drifty in the corners without the fear of hitting the walls . Although the way it shuts down the power for like 2 secondsd is frustrating sometimes.

The VSA led blinks when the VSA kicks in.

 

When I first got the car, I'd traded up from an Integra, and something about the way I'd drive when making turn from a stop at an intersection would anger the VSA.

I'd honked the horn with my face more than once because of the sudden power drop and application of brakes.

Over time, I've somehow managed to simply stop doing whatever I was doing and even get to the point where I manage a little oversteer in the same situations without the dramatic VSA activation.

Other than little corners like that, I've never had VSA interrupt me in a way that screwed me. But I have had numerous occasions where water or ice on the road upset the car and VSA put it right back on track before I'd realized anything had happened.

I've also left VSA on at the track. Little Talladega Grand Prix in the rain was fun because I *did* just throw the car through the corners and expect the VSA to save me. And it did.

 

I've had both and AP1 and currently own an AP2. Can't say it's ever come on (except when I've tried to fishtail it to see how it worked) which tells you I don't drive the car aggressively enough. I'm sure it'll save me someday, or try too