I know my very first post shouldn't be a new thread, but I didn't find the answer w/ a search...
My wife ordered her new R56 MCS this past Saturday. I hope to AX it a little bit -but not too much (after all, it's not my car... ). We got the Sport Suspension and the salesman talked her out of getting the LSD, which I wanted. He said it sort of fights the DSC.

I still have time to change the order...
I've heard the Limited Slip is key for AXing Minis- will not having it spoil my fun for the few times I use her car? Does the DSC help at all while AXing?
(I typically drive an overpowered somewhat competitive STi in $treet Mod, so the whole "stock" class thing looks pretty appealing.. )

Thanks for any thoughts/advice!
Russ R

 

Dump the DSC and get the LSD!

People who have DSC turn it off durring auto-xes. (ASC as well)

I don't personally have the DSC but I know w/ the ASC as soon as one front tire starts spinning just a little faster than the other it kicks in and cuts the power WAY down making the car fall flat on it's face mid-corner!

 

Ah! So perhaps they do "fight each other" as the salesman suggested...
Hmmm.
Unfortunately, I don't think my wife will let me dump the DSC, she's sold on the idea -and it is her car, after all. (Although I think I'm more excited about the car than she is! )
Maybe I just need my own Mini to AutoX!

Thanks for the info, Louie -I'll see what I can do.

 

Traction control modulates power to the spinning wheels through the ABS circuitry. The DSC cuts throttle power when the car is in an unstable situation. The limited slip tranfers power to the wheel with the most traction. You want limited slip when autocrossing. All MCS's have traction control, but not DSC, as standard equipment. Leave the traction control and DSC on for when your wife uses the MINI. Turn them off when you autocross.

 

In your position, I would definitely, for sure, get the LSD. If the car was already in your driveway, that's another thing, but since you still have the time to order it....

 

For AutoX you need the LSD and have to turn off the DSC if you have it. Like Louie says, dump the DSC. I have the Ian's Circuit that normally keeps the DSC turned off even on the street. The only time I use it is in rain, ice & snow. But in all fairness to your wife, if she is going to be driving the car much of the time, she will want the DSC rather than the LSD. Come to grips with the fact that when you are buying a car (or anything else) for 2 people, you will need to spend a little more to make certain both are happy. $500 extra is a small price to pay for marital bliss.

 

My Cooper does not have DSC, and I sorta wish I had ordered it. I bought my car specifically for HS autocross, so at the time, I was like, "nah, I don't want that." But then all of these reports came out about how stability control systems reduce single car accidents so dramatically, and I wonder about future resale of cars without DSC.

So my vote would be for you to get both the DSC and LSD. If ordering your car is a democratic process

 

Russ, get the LSD. Period.

 

Hi Keith! (Nice to "see" somebody I know! Sorry I'll miss you at this w/e's NT event ).

Hmmm, I appreciate all the information... and I agree w/ pretty much all of you. Soooo, since I can still add the LSD, I do need a wee bit more clarification though;
Will adding the LSD interfere w/ the normal functioning of the DSC in any way?

Oh- and dumb newbie question; is turning off the DSC for AX easy? (pull a fuse, etc..)

thanks everyone!
Russ R

 

push the button and it's off

 

No, the LSD will not affect the normal operation of DSC.

To turn DSC/ASC off you have to hold the button for a second or two. The button is just in front of the shifter, next to the Sport button. (another important button for autox)

 

LSD doesn't interfere with with DSC. If it did, BMW/MINI wouldn't offer the two systems together on any given vehicle. Get the LSD and don't worry!

 

Russ, one thing about running in stock class... you have to resist the need to tinker. At least in the manner you have with the subie.

 

LSD for autocrossing: Good
DSC for autocrossing: Bad

 

Heh! I know, I know... but hey, a few hundred extra horsepower never hurt anyone, right? j/k
Yes, I need to resist my usual methodology of throwing parts at my car to make it faster and just dedicate time (?) to improving my skills/habits. (and yet, here I am again- bowing out of the Evo School... ugh).

Well, I just called and left a message, to add the LSD. (Salesman doesn't work Wednesdays, apparently). I'll ring him up first thing tomorrow to be sure it's been added.

thank you everyone!
Russ R


PS- hi Steph!

 

NO!

No such thing as a dumb question, just dumb answers (but this isn't one of them): The DSC is turned off by a switch on the center switch panel. Has to be turned off every time you start up the car unless you install Ian's auto-off DSC Circuit from GBmini. With that you have to turn on the DSC whenever you want to use it.

 

Sorry to thread-jack, but can someone provide me w/ a link to this Ian's Circuit thingy?

 

It's only for 1st gen MINI, not the R56.

 

R56 has enough wheel spin issues with LSD I can't imagine autocrossing without it

 

I guess that's what makes it a thread jack, Mine is a 1st gen.

Allready got the info elswhere so NM.

 

Your salesman talked you OUT of the LSD? Huh?

 

I highly recommend that you get the DSC AND LSD. I always use DSC ON for highway use. For autocross, get a yellow post-it note saying DSC OFF and put on the dash to remind you to turn it off for each run.

 

Get it. To borrow from Ali's philosphy, I have it. I don't know what it does, but if I have it, it must be good.

 

Better yet, get the MCAW circuit and install it. When you start your car, DSC defaults to OFF. You can turn it on by choice.

 

Why would you want DSC to default to off if you run mainly (or entirely) on the street?