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Comments
The subject of traction control did not matter to me when I purchased our 08 M5 GT in April. I thought about it for 2 seconds thinking it would be a cool option to have but realistically it really isn't all that necessary for where I live. So I'm rather thrilled I saved $500 on an option that I really did not need. I equate traction control being an issue about as much as the car scoring a 4.9/5 in crash tests instead of a 5/5. Really not all that significant to me.
Good luck to those who wrote or need it. Maybe 2010 is the year!
Now if I lived in a colder climate or had traction issues then yes I think it would be a great option and open more of the market up to Mazda. But the car is what it is and if traction control is a must have item then maybe something like a Rondo would work better for some people.
I applaud those who have taken the time to write Mazda and express their feelings about traction control. Maybe in the next couple years it will show up as an optional item like the DVD or navigation for those who need such a thing before it is mandated. But if it's not, then it's Mazda's loss if that is a deal breaker for some as I understand the need in some circumstances.
Good luck to those who wrote Mazda and need traction control. Maybe 2010 is the year?
Hardly: DSC is all about vehicle dynamics. The Mazda3 and Mazda5 are quite a bit different, dynamically. I'm not sure what you mean about them being mechanically the same: the rear suspension is different.
For so many reason the Mz5 seemed "just right", and I was really looking forward to putting in an order for an '09 Blue GT... but stability control for me was just something I couldn't compromise on. I will keep an eye on the model and check in on the forum from time to time.
Pleasant (and safe) driving.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stability_control
Electronics in vehicles is a fairy new concept that dates back maybe 20 or so years. Vehicles now-a-days are better built and way safer then all those vehicles that we as kids and young adults for some rode in or drove. What happened to being a proactive and safe driver? Why "must" you have all these electronic controls just to prevent you from getting in an accident? We never had them before and we did just fine, why "must" you have it now. Very simple people...if you live in a region where it snows, either get yourself an AWD vehicle, but if you must go the 2WD venue then get yourself a set of snow tires to help traction and drive slower than normal conditions. If you cant control your own vehicle in dry sunny conditions then either maybe you should slow down and obey the speed laws or don't drive at all.
The additon of all these gizmos to vehicles by automakers to make it a "safer" car all evolves from stupid, irresponsible people (for lack of a better term) that get into a major accident and want to blame someone else for their mistakes. Believe it or not people, most accidents are caused by human error and not vehicle malfunction. So if you "must" have DSC or TC or whatever alse you feel you must have on the vehicle to make you a safer driver, then go ahead and buy that vehicle. Hey guess what...? Mazda does not offer it on the MZ5 so stop whinning about the automaker decisions and profit this and profit that and go find yourself the vehicle with all your electronic gizmos and buy it. As for me ABS and EBD is far more than enough to control my MZ5. I am a car enthusiast and the last thing I need is a computer driving my vehicle or telling me how to drive it.
Just my $0.02
I was driving my DSC equipped vehicle a few weeks ago and made a planned hot entrance to a turn. Thinking I would have a small amount of oversteer, I began to compensate. At the same time the DSC kicked in and all but halted me in my turn. It did its job and "saved" me from myself. Talk about scary... In the end, it was a letdown and I'm still curious how this particular car slides. The real negative will come when I get back in a car w/o DSC: as I'm careening out of control, I'll be relaxing and waiting for the DSC to really save me. Reminds me a little of Wall-e and BNL.
Here is the main sentence of your post. ..."you made a planned hot entrance to a turn" meaning that you intentionally wanted to toss what ever vehicle you were driving that has DSC onto a "hot turn", obviously not a MZ5. It kind of goes back to my statement of being liable for your actions. Yes DSC may be nice to have, but on a vehicle such as our MZ5's where its intentions, target, and design were not directly develop to go rally racing down a slope but rather a sporty, small, comfortable and efficient people mover. Perhaps an alternative to a much bigger, unathelitic and bland (may I say the word) mini-van.
So (not intended directly to you maltb) if you want an awesome handling vehicle that includes just about every electronic gizmo out there to make you the race car driver and still at times be able to carry a few people plus gear, then pay the price and step up to a Subaru STI Wagon.
As far as the MZ5 is concerned, I met a driving instructor who had one and felt, in fact, it was a very capable racer.
It's like seatbelts: once you HAVE a safety feature, you are unwilling to regress. I live in New England and drive an AWD Passat. I was *shocked* that the Mazda5 skipped DSC (heck, I want AWD!), especially since it is available outside the US.
I have wanted a Mazda5 since it came out (it really is a great package), but the wife demands every safety option for the family vehicle; she would CONSIDER foregoing AWD *IF* DSC were available, but it's not, so, so be it: Mazda5 was a non-starter.
Price is not the issue: indeed, we will gladly pay up for Toyota's AWD Sienna, even if that is a bit of overkill. But I, personally, would have LOVED the Mazda (I have long been a fan and sometime owner of their products: RX7, Protege).
Some have noted that Mazda will offer it when a suitable competitor arrives--however, if that competitor is, e.g., the Honda Stream, then they will lose again: whichever reaches our shores first, Honda Stream or DSC Mazda5 (or, heck, Mazdaspeed5 with DSC!) will be that which graces our driveway (unless, of course, we have already filled the opportunity slot with something else).
My feeling -- already articulated by "chiefbongo" and "vq33e power" -- is that there's really no substitute for safe driving, anyway, so it wasn't a necessity. I wasn't going to pay the extra (in purchase price, fuel, etc.) for something larger with ESC, because I simply didn't think it was worth it. I think Mazda should offer ESC as a readily-available option, but I wasn't going to walk away from an otherwise sensible purchase just because of it.
Our 2012 Mazda 5 GT is an incredible car in so many aspects and I am very impressed with it. One area of great satisfaction has been the Traction / Stability Control. The first time driving this car in snow was on a gravel driveway with five inches of snow. To experiment, I floored the gas and tried to spin the tires. They would not spin and the vehicle picked up speed and drove like it was on pavement. This was with the stock all-season tires, before putting on seasonal dedicated alloys and snow tires (it's good to use a narrower width for snow tires). I think the Traction / Stability Control adds a terrific safety measure and drives like an all wheel drive vehicle, but without the reduced gas mileage of an all wheel drive vehicle. Highly recommended vehicle.
But what about instances wherein DSC activates unexpectedly, a bit of black ice just beyond the apex of that same turn...?
But more to your point....
Porsche has a bit of an answer, delay the activation of PSM's stability control just a tad to give the driver time to react in a corrective manner.
But then Porsche's are ALWAYS RWD, "base" RWD. Absent Trac/DSC how would a FWD or a F/awd driver, how COULD a driver react, react constructively even, to "plowing" once on that unseen, unseeable, patch of black ice...??
QUICK application of the rear implemented E-brake, maybe..??
Take your meds and go to your room!