Why the IS puts a smile on my face

[Ezzer]

Well, aside from the many reasons we know - build, engine, etc, etc....

Was late one late evening, early morning this week going somewhere some 45min away. I know the road backwards as I commute on it. Went through some typical London roads, then as I was about 100m from a T junction, which I have to turn right at, the traffic light was (still green), saw that there was a patch of water across the road about 40m in front of the junction, probably washing liquid from restaurant or something, braked, heel-toed into second, the surface was getting a bit rough, the car turned in well, came back on the gas very lightly anticipating the tail/just being ready in-case. And then there it was... a little swing round, a twist of lock to catch it, all predicted, all at relative safe speed, huge smile! Oh... and I made it in 30min... oops! :P

[Claire G]

Cool !

I parked up in Windsor in the coach park to meet up with my dad and while I was stood with him chatting, about 1/2 a dozen people kept passing filming my IS200 or taking photos. Did I feel proud or wot!!! :D

[tonb]

Nice one Ezzer .....

On my way home every night I go round a roundabout (for those in Aberdeen - the one at the Beach Ballroom) - and it has a slightly adverse camber on it ..... so I always accelerate up to and into it, little tweak on the steering wheel as I go round (I'm going straight across it - if you know what I mean) - and every time the back gives a little slide (even more so in the damp) .... sigh, puts a big :tumble::tumble::tumble: on my face every time

I am indeed now converted from FWD

[trevorx]

Can I assume from all this play that it is conducted with the Traction controll off. I have yet to test it (only 2 weeks old, that's the car not me!).

How good is it ? during take off's from lights, and also booting it from mid corner. What sort of effect does it have ? As in sudden shutdown of power or gradual.

Sorry for so many questions. Maybe this should have been a new post !

[Jimmy Ten Toes]

The traction control is a safety feature and not a performance enhancement. It will cut the power and can leave you bogged down if you need a quick getaway. Round corners it may not kick in straight away and you can get the back end out to a certain extent. It will not correct bad driving or car control, just aid (I know!). Hope this helps:bounce:

[Ezzer]

I think I got it out with the TC in, I was already hooning it and I didn't even think I would have had the time or the balls to turn in off, not that I suspect would have made such a difference because it was mainly dry and I didn't recall it ever lighting up, even when I booted it out.

The fact remains that TC is not fool-proof and people should not rely on it, though it has helped on more than a few occasions, but on a few, I felt that it was good it wasn't there. For example when I really went into a corner too fast and the tail spun round real quick, had the TC been there, it might have cut the throttle totally instead of my slightly more slow witted foot, thus it would have swung it round more and quicker, so I was glad I took it off.

The fact that it didn't show when I had it sliding is I think down to the fact that it detects the difference in speed/rotation of the driven wheels and in this case, because it happened so quickly and the fact that it did slide (indicating that perhaps both wheels were letting go at the same time), it did not detect it.

I have never had it going off on me when doing the lights. Getting it to come on must be clutch frying territory! I feel.

Power shut off is sometimes quite abrupt, and sometimes it's quite light, depending on how quickly the car regains traction I think.

As for booting it mid-corner - just make sure u have your wits about and don't rely on it.

[Blue Thunder]

Every time I think of the poor fools who bought BMWs and then paid a fortune to try and spec them even close to Lexus!!

Baa:lol: