Oi! Who's driving this thing?

So I have had the 996 for a couple of weeks now and am starting to get the feel of it. So much so that I decided today the time had come to push the envelope a little. Joining a virtually empty A11 off a curving access slip I deliberately applied coarse throttle at a point where I knew it should cause the back to try and overtake the front. I was mentally prepared for a very quick application of opposite lock and had also mentally rehearsed leaving the throttle exactly where it was, resisting any temptation to lift off. If it all went to worms the action would have been to reverse the lock and spin it on the carriageway. Sure enough the back lost traction, but before I could do anything the bloody car (Or rather its PSM) sorted it all out. It was a huge anticlimax. The upside is I now know that when you aren't expecting it the car will look after you like a big steel guardian angel. The downside is.. where is all the fun? Simple question. How many of you switch the nanny electronics off? And if so, do you do it just when you are out for fun, or all the time?

Just remember that the laws of physics still apply and if you get it sideways PSM aint gonna help. TB

Indeed. Hence 'Plan B' But you haven't actually answered the question I posed.

Having owned a 213bhp lightweight Lotus Elise S2 track weapon for 5 years and making the jump to a 996 C2 last year i must admit that the traction control button in mine is always off for some steer from the rear fun!! :thumbs: (where conditions apply of course... :grin: )

If you keep pushing sure enough the rear is going let go big time. This will be irretrievable like a 14lb hammer on a skating ring. Find the limits off road.

PSM is widely regarded as one of the best traction control options on the market (at least at the time). It comes in on a slightly wider breakaway than usual TC systems, and is shown to great affect on the Porsche driving experiences - it is extremely difficult, to get the back end out. I guess black ice would be one situation. Here's a great write up on the PSM and how it works in detail. http://www.deter.com/porsche/PSM.txt You can switch it off, but there's a situation where it re-enables itself again (being beyond the limit of PSM and hitting the brakes!). "If you have PSM off, and the levels of slip are exceeded, and you do not touch the brakes, the car will continue to slide. If you have not exceeded the levels of slip allowed, and apply the brakes (no matter how hard), PSM will not active its outputs. However, if you have exceeded the levels, AND apply the brakes (no matter how hard), PSM will activate until the car has regained control or you get off the brakes, at which point PSM stops outputting. PSM assumes that since you hit the brakes that you are not comfortable with the level of sliding and that you want it to help."

Hmm. If you turn PSM off, does that also turn off ABS, or only the TC elements? In other words if you have PSM turned off and then have to brake hard (say someone steps off a kerb without looking) do you have ABS to help? If not I'm not sure I'd want to have it turned off at all.

ABS stays on even if you switch off PSM. PSM is just a spin sensor and applies independent brakes as required. I wouldn't switch my PSM off either.

If I'm pressing on, on the road, I want all the help I can get. I might turn it off on the track, or if I was trying to do donuts in B&Q's car park late at night (not that I do that sort of thing, of course). :wink: I tried a Cayman with PASM on the low friction track at the Porsche Driving Experience at Silverstone, and it was absolutely horrible. No fun whatsoever. Unfortunately they wouldn't switch it off.

On my last (second) go at YouDrive@Porsche, we were lucky enough to get many, many runs on the kick plate. I was doing OK so asked the instructor could I try some with PSM off. "Go ahead", he says, "PSM doesn't help much on the kick plate" - and he's absolutely right - made chuff-all difference. I would guess that makes sense, since you're not either braking or accelerating, just trying to correct the spin via steering?

Psm I have carrera 4 with psm and very secure. Had a play in snow/ice covered car park and at low speed little difference. I have tended to leave it on except at track when playing as I heard psm allows 7 degree of slip before kicking in. Car very secure anyway and lift off oversteer not really an issue in modern 911. Tried a friends carrera 3.2 and you do notice difference. On dry roads don't get psm working unless being totally silly *****. I don't think psm totally switches off as when you apply brakes it turns on temporarily, abs always on. My 996 guide though says that the psm doesn't work above 65mph to avoid uneven pad wear which seems a bit strange. Can anyone confirm this