Considering a MC (not S)-- thinking of adding the Premium Package, Cold Weather Package and, possibly, the Sport Package. I'm a little worried that the more high technology I have, the more potential quirks/problems I'll have (My motto for years has been "technology disappoints" because.....it often does!) Maybe I should keep it simpler. DSC sounds like a great thing, a valuable safety feature, but has it been reliable? Is it sufficiently de-bugged? I don't want that to be a reason I have to have the car in the shop. I welcome any and all opinions.

 

DSC is basically an extension of ABS (anti-lock brakes) that most cars have standard. ABS has been a very reliable system in most cars over the years. Where ABS functions during braking to prevent wheel slip and maintain control during braking, DSC works during normal driving and during emergency maneuvers. The same brake controlling pumps from ABS are now called into play to help you keep the car on track when not braking as well as braking. DSC just adds more computing horsepower as well as a couple more sensory inputs (steering wheel direction and throttle position) to determine where you are pointing the car and where the car is currently going. If the DSC system learns that these two facts are not the same, the system will control the throttle as well as the braking to each individual wheel to help bring the car back into control.

You don't have to worry too much about DSC being based on new and unproven technology, since it's made up of the melding of a few, proven systems (ABS, speed-sensitive power steering, drive-by-wire electronic throttle control) with more powerful on-board computing functions. It's what I call 'inevitable technology', where it makes sense to tie existing systems together to make them work synergistically and come up with an entirely new feature, in this case for safety.

 

I can’t really add much about the technology that Greatbear didn’t already say, but I can say that I ordered my MC with DSC and it has been worth it. I feel that it played a role in saving my tail about a month ago during an extreme evasive maneuver on the freeway. I will warn that it feels like the hand of God when it works so I suggest experimenting with it a bit under controlled circumstances. Last winter, soon after picking up my MC, I took it to an empty parking lot and played with the DSC so I would know what to expect when it kicked in. I zipped around with it turned on and with it turned off. I like it on.

If you do a search here for DSC you should find tons of information and opinions on the subject.

Overall, my thoughts on DSC are that it is a remarkable technology…and I like that it can be turned off with the flick of a toggle switch if you don’t want it.

 

I agree with the above comments. I ordered my '04 MC with the Sport Package (a very good deal, with the sport seats, roof spoiler, front fog lights 16' wheels, and DSC). The DSC, along with the ABS, is a real hoot. You can bomb into a tight turn hitting the brakes hard and turning the steering wheel and you can feel through the brake pedal and the seat of your pants all of the modern technology working away. The ABS (and DSC when it pinches off any particular rotor) gives off a very subtle and rapid tap,tap,tap,tap pulsing sensation you can feel, mainly through the brake pedal. When I first got my car I played around with it on a empty and wet parking lot at work. Fun! Then I played around on the parking lot when it was dry. Even more fun! BTW, some people claim that they can do all that DSC can do because of their "great" driving skills; well, take it from me as an active SCCA road racer with years of experience and a National grade license, those people are full of it! Sure, you MIGHT turn off the DSC for the safe and controlled environment of a track day, but for everyday real life on the roads it is a great step forward in safety technology. (Get the Sport Package, you will be glad that you did.)

 

No problems with the DSC on mine, or previous cars I've had-

2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue
2001 VW Passat (Belgium car- rental)
2002 Vette

The Mini DSC does a very good job at medium to high speeds, particularly on wet and dry. It's caught me a few times, for the better! (like taking off-ramps a bit too aggressively ). IMHO, tho, it isn't so great is snow and ice. Under 30MPH in the winter I don't find it too useful... It catches the slide, but waits too long. My 2002 vette was spot on for the DSC control in winter, tho it had to be. With 350HP/385 ft. lbs torque, a spinout was only a moment away

 

For the majority of the time, especially in adverse weather conditions, DSC is a wonderful safety feature. However, depending on how you drive, it can also be extremely annoying. Yesterday I was merging onto a busy street. I was pulling out of a parking lot--there was a little driveway and some water. I accelerated hard to merge--and turning right---into traffic and my engine cut for a moment. I looked down and saw the DSC light flashing.

Also, there are times when accelerating hard from a standstill where you might suffer a bit of tirespin and DSC kicks in by chopping the throttle. Feels a bit like the Stumble or a bad shift.

But all in all, I wouldn't want to drive without DSC.

 

All the technical information is already here...

I was on the fence as well but when I sat down and considered that I've never owned a car like a MINI before...I had to go with it. Even the Mini's can get you into trouble and they have nowhere near the horsepower!

The different handling characteristics are likely to out me into a dicey situation at some point and if DSC helps pull me out then it's well worth it.

 

I have only needed DSC once in two years.......but that was enough to make it worth the investment. Instead of ending up wrapped around a tree, I was
able to drive away with no damage.......my heart in my stomach. Gotta watch it on those twisties!

 

Bradman,

I must agree fully. I'm an ex-SCCA road racer and I would love to have had this tool when I was seriously road racing, in the rain or when the oil flags came out! I have a MCS on order with DSC, and also drive a Boxster which has a similar option (PSM). Here is an interesting article on Porsche's version:
PSM System: A racer’s perspective By Jack Miller
I autocross the Porsche with PSM off, but it is always on when street driving.

Cheers,
Dave

 

Get DSC. It is worth it the first time it helps you avoid a crash.