General How to tell if a 100HP has ESP?

[Jon106]

Please can any 100HP owners say how to tell if a 100HP has ESP?

At some point I expect to buying a 2nd hand one and want to avoid ESP at all costs. So I'd really like to know how to be certain if it is fitted because I don't trust salesmen!

Thanks!

 

[Stu DemonD]

I presume it would have a TC button somewhere?! :chin:

Mine doesn't have ESP, and there is a blank button on the dash.

 

[trackdayqueen]

As Stu says if the top right cluster of buttons on the dash has a blanked button then no ESP.

I don't blame you for wanting to avoid it all costs, it really isn't necessary on a car like the 100hp with all the grip it has. I have managed to get mine sideways a few times but it does generally take a wet roundabout and a big lift off or trail brake. Good fun when you get it right, though the 'sweet spot' is small.

With ESP I'm pretty sure you also get traction control, so a smart start would reveal if that's present or not.

 

[pandasam]

i dunno why you would want to avoid it really seeing as it would help if you had to suddenly make a fast direction change to avoid somthing, such as the elk test in icy conditions

but anyway i can think of 2 ways!

the above ways are certain but boring

second way is to try and spin the car around

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Surly if it has it it will be easier to sell on, and can always be turned off anyways can't it?

 

[Stu DemonD]

Surly if it has it it will be easier to sell on, and can always be turned off anyways can't it?

No, it can't be turned off.

I am glad my Panda doesn't have it - although my previous 2 cars did have it :spin:

 

[Trefor]

I have it. There is a button on the centre dash cluster next to the sport button (I assume it is blank on a non-ESP-equipped car). While I may not agree, I can understand the point of view of someone who is not keen on ESP. But why avoid it "at all costs"? If you're planning to drive the car that hard on the road then maybe you should get a race licence or go to trackdays. If you're a regular trackday visitor then I can think of many cars with more power and equivalent handling (but older for the same price).

If it helps I doubt more than 2-3% of the Panda population has EPS fitted.

 

[trackdayqueen]

i dunno why you would want to avoid it really seeing as it would help if you had to suddenly make a fast direction change to avoid somthing, such as the elk test in icy conditions

I find ESP more of a hinderance than a help and you don't see many elks round my way.

And like Stu says you can't turn it off which is the main bugbear with it. Ditto with the Abarth 500 which had my interest until I learnt that.

 

[Pandemonium]

I also cant imagine that the seller would be that impressed by somebody trying to provoke the ESP to kick in.

 

[306maxi]

I find ESP more of a hinderance than a help and you don't see many elks round my way.

And like Stu says you can't turn it off which is the main bugbear with it. Ditto with the Abarth 500 which had my interest until I learnt that.

I feel the same. If the ESP on the 500 was switchable I'd have probably specced it but don't like the idea of it always being on....

 

[Jon106]

Thanks all for your help ... ... though some of the suggestions might not be suitable for a test drive!

My understanding is that you can't turn it off (though you can the traction control).

Why avoid it and at all costs? It is a personal preference thing (I'm not trying to tell anyone else what to do) but for me it would take away the whole point of buying one.

I'm no youngster and have had lots of small fun, light cars similar to the 100HP in character (AX, 205 GTI, 106 Rallye, etc.). That's my kind of car. I'm old enough that I could afford to buy and run a fast GTI if I wanted to but I don't. For me all the pleasure and satisfaction of driving comes from reponsiveness and feeling the car react to my inputs. That doesn't have to be at a silly speed, but it has to be reacting to me and not a computer.

Quite possibly it's slower on the road without ESP if you have to drive to a lower limit. But this isn't about speed, it is about the satisfaction of making the difference myself as the driver.

And also I do occasional small, fun, motorclub events like sprints in my current car. They have a 1400 class so a 100HP should be quite suitable. Any electronic intervention would make it pointless. It has to be my driving that makes the difference for better or worse.

 

[Dan Friel]

The ESP on the Panda is much less intrusive than I've had on other cars (such as the 207 RC I previously had - although that may reflect the lack of power). You have to be pushing very hard and beyond what's "reasonable" on a public road. I can't see how it can be a hinderance on the road under any circumstance. My, second hand, Panda has it and it hasn't ruined the experience so far. But given the choice, I would have taken side airbags (I trust my own driving more than others!). Track day and sprints / hillclimbs may well be different. The 207 was definitely quicker with the ESP off.

Whereabouts are you thinking of running the car?? I was thinking of entering an event at Wiscombe, Gurston or Combe later in the year..

 

[Trefor]

By the way, the button on the dash is to the right of the red hazard light button and is marked ASR.