Hello all. My dilemma is this. I am seriously considering a '11 new MCS with options and the exact color I want. My question is, I am a driver. I just love it. If you have to ask if the MCS I'm looking at is MT or AT, then you do not believe me.
Anyways, the car does not have DTC. I will be spiritly motoring in the Colorado mountains/canyons and I would normally just turn all electrical systems off; but since the DTC is a "Sport Package" option, I am wondering if it can actually make the MCS perform/handle better utilizing the DTC's E-Diff? Secondly, is there a tune that has control over the E-Diff and provide performance gains >= factory DTC?
All opinions are graciously appreciated.
aaron

 

In really spirited driving, especially on a track, we typically turn off DTC as it tends to be intrusive and e-diff is not viewed as a good option for the same reasons.

That said, however, for street driving, perhaps DTC can save you from poor decisions, so it is a preferred option. DTC and e-diff generally stops you from over driving the car and keeps it within "control". But it defines "control" rather conservatively so it will start "braking" and controlling the car for you quite early, not really near the "edge".

Is there performance gains from DTC and e-diff? In pure "speed", perhaps not, because it stops you from driving at the edge (which can be rather dangerous). In keeping the car in control, for most people, perhaps the answer is yes, because most people would find it hard to correctly control under and over steer.

 

Good answer.
Additionally, with the car's standard DSC, it will keep my wife and I controlled in day to day driving. Thanks.
aaron

 

I tend to find it to be a bit on the intrusive side and often end up shutting it off. Also, the sport button will raise the threshold for DTC intervention, which helps a bit.

As I'm not the only driver though, I'm glad its there for my peace of mind. Also can give you an insurance discount.

 

NJ Mini,

As to your insurance discount, doesn't that apply to the car's standard DSC as opposed to the optional DTC?
aaron

 

You're absolutely right. I completely forgot that dsc was standard, regardless of whether or not you had dtc.

 

I just took advantage of going to my local BMW CCA chapter's autocross school. After you turn off the e nannies, you find boy, does this thing need a limited slip...

I've never autocrossed before, but used to roadrace, (held a SCCA National Comp license)

Can you say one wheel peel?

Seriously looking at an OS Gilken lsd...

My instructor really didn't say too much, but good, good, good... At the end of the day, he said, Well you don't autocross like a roadracer!...


Ok that said, autocrossing is nothing like driving on a public road. Where the e nannies will hold you back in autocross, I've never had them be intrusive when driving on the street. Seriously, if you are driving that hard on the road, you're going to get arrested or kill someone... Take it to a track.

 

DTC is a good idea for anything-but-dry road conditions, IMO. It can make a difference in negotiating a snowy / slushy incline, or one of the front wheels being lifted by water that has accumulated in a worn-in pavement rut.

On dry pavement, i find it counter-intuitive (basically, i haven't pushed it hard enough to completely figure out how it reacts).

 

I'm just wondering, did the car you autocrossed in have the eLSD and you found it lacking vs a mechanical diff, or no LSD at all? I've just heard stories of the e-diff being useless in autox, and still spinning the inside wheel with it. Thanks!

 

dtc in snow is a great tool!

 

DSC and DTC on when the car is moving in snow. Off to get out of deep snow or when you are stuck. Stock LSDs (pre e-diff) are not great either due to limited locking.

The e-nannies on the Mini are particularly troublesome on the wet track, turning on even on smooth turns slows down the car and can cause instability. It is a little counter-intuitive but I turn mine off in the wet track and sometimes leave in on in the dry track.

 

No lsd at all. I should have checked the lsd box ($500 at the time), when I ordered the car...lol But everyone said, nahhh you won't need it...

Oh well $2000 OSG lsd here we come... I wonder how much Helix would charge to install it? Maybe I don't really want to know.

 

Hey I was there too saturday - I had 2007 MCS with mechanical limited slip... what was you best time with the ELS out of curiosity?

Dan

 

I understand people finding DTC to be intrusive, but if the ediff only engages when you're spinning the inside tire, how is that worse than, say, a mechanical LSD which engages with differential wheel rotation or just allowing the inside tire to go up in smoke?

I'm not trying to be argumentative, I'm just trying to understand more clearly the complaints about the ediff relative to the other options.

 

I think the e-diff uses brakes and can cut power to slow down the spinning wheel(s).

 

The ediff does use the brakes to slow a spinning wheel and, therefore, transfer power to the wheel with traction, but with everything else off but the ediff, it does not cut power, as that would affect the wheel with traction as well.

I see the possible problem of increased brake usage, but as far as being intrusive, I don't see how it is significantly different than a mechanical diff. When one wheel starts spinning, the power is transferred to the wheel with traction whether it's the mechanical diff or the ediff. In fact, IIRC, the ediff can transfer a higher percentage of power to the traction wheel than the mechanical diff can.

Again, I understand the potential brake usage problem, but I feel like a lot of the complaints about the ediff function/intrusion are based on a general dislike for enannies (which I share) and confusion about the way it works compared to DTC/DSC regarding cutting power, etc. There are problems with the ediff, but I've yet to hear a good explanation of why the mechanical LSD or open diff are 'better' from a functionality/intrusion standpoint. I'm not saying there isn't a good argument, just that I havent heard it.