I am having a test drive a new 500 on Friday. Still strugling what spec to order and wondered if ESP is a good idea. The road to work can be a little slippy at times and my Cinq has span at normal driving speeds before now.

I wanted the standard Pop but now seem to be after a Sport in red with white stripe and possible wheel upgrade.

ESP is not only a good idea its a ****ing bargin for the price you pay compared to the same oiption on other cars.

well worth it

The less driver aids the better.........there's no substitute for driver awareness and skill.

That's plain silly.

Simon Bell said:

The less driver aids the better.........there's no substitute for driver awareness and skill.

Click to expand...

On a track maybe, but in the real world on real roads with real hazards nobody is better than ESP.

Not only is this a good idea (and a bargain on 500 compared to other models) it should be standard on all cars.

For any doubters just watch this....

http://www.whatcar.com/popups/video...News/2006/May/WhatCar_ESP_512kws.wmv&vtype=WM

Simon Bell said:

The less driver aids the better.........there's no substitute for driver awareness and skill.

Click to expand...

Ok for the track but ESP is well proven and not just for people that wouldn't know what opposite lock is. Check out this vid:



I had Alfas equivalent version VDC on my 156 V6 and in 4 years of spirited driving I felt the stability control take over twice. On both occasions I was quite confident I had control of the car but who knows. It felt very odd as the brakes were applied on individual wheels and really not in control but it I came out of the bend nice and tidily. For a track day you would want it off otherwise you would not be able to explore the limits, but for even fast road driving it seems a general consensus amongst all sporting manufacturers it is a great safety feature and needn't be intrusive.

In extreme conditions it can do things a driver simply can't achieve. I think it was Top Gear that did a test with a real "drivers car" without driver aids (a Noble) with a professional driver against an M3 with ESP. Put the two in an emergency situation and the Noble was all over the place whilst the M3 avoided the danger. No matter how skilled a driver there will be times when there are other peoples accidents to avoid.

Of course what we need is better driving skills to be aware of potential hazards and so that other peoples accidents are less frequent but ESP is the safety blanket should that situation arise.

There is a bend near where I live which frequently catches people out as it tightens, they lift or brake and around they go (normally in FWD cars). I was unfortunate to be travelling the other way when one driver span in front of me, fortunate enough that he missed me and drove into the hedge on my side of the road behind me and remarkably carried on as nothing was behind me. I guess in that case ESP is for numpties should understand lift off oversteer better, but if it is good enough for Tiff who can enjoy drifting sideways around a track it is good enough for me.

I think we need to make people aware that ESP is not just for unskilled drivers and like ABS should be a standard fit.

Why are you any less likely to meet a hazard in a 1.2 than a 1.4 500?

Cheers
Baldrick

And one of the best things about this particular esp is that you get hill holder...which is brill! (And yes I do know how to handbrake start....!)

I would have had it but Simostone told me it was not an option on the 1.2:bang:

I have read somewhere that ESP will have to be made standard on all new cars in EU (like they did with ABS a few years ago). Might be better to spec it now

and it should bring your insurance down as ABS does....