Snow drifting?

Hey guys, I have an '11 335i coupe auto and I was hoping to have some fun in an empty parking lot when it snows. I was wondering about what mode to have my traction control on. I know there's 3. Regular which allows no wheel spin or side to side movement, DTC which lets wheel spin happen, but no side to side, and then holding down DTC which shuts everything off. What should I use for the drifting/ I figure the either have DTC on or shut everything off. I will be in an empty parking lot so I don't have to worry about hitting anything. Also, I'm guessing I should have it in shift mode as well? Suggestions?

Thanks, D

We did this on the wet skid pan at BMW's PDC in South Carolina (using 335i sedans).

With the nannies on it was nearly impossible to spin the car out even with the throttle floored.

DSC and DTC off and the car would spin out immediately when the pedal hit the floorboard!

It really shows how good the DSC is for everyday slick street driving.

So would you suggest DTC on or all of them off if I wanna have some fun?

Originally Posted by DemoD

Hey guys, I have an '11 335i coupe auto and I was hoping to have some fun in an empty parking lot when it snows. I was wondering about what mode to have my traction control on. I know there's 3. Regular which allows no wheel spin or side to side movement, DTC which lets wheel spin happen, but no side to side, and then holding down DTC which shuts everything off. What should I use for the drifting/ I figure the either have DTC on or shut everything off. I will be in an empty parking lot so I don't have to worry about hitting anything. Also, I'm guessing I should have it in shift mode as well? Suggestions?

Thanks, D

Turn it off -- you'll find an unstable ride and more power than you thought.

Try the other modes to see which you like.

There.

Thanks

Originally Posted by DemoD

So would you suggest DTC on or all of them off if I wanna have some fun?

You *could* just TRY out the different settings in the snow and get a feel for all the systems.

Just sayin, unless you're risking life or limb, when it's as easy to switch modes as this why not just give it a go?

BTW - careful of those pesky light poles that seem to grow in parking lots.

Yeah you're right. I just wanted to make sure I wouldn't kill myself loll. and thankfully there are no light poles in the middle of this lot

Originally Posted by DemoD

Yeah you're right. I just wanted to make sure I wouldn't kill myself loll. and thankfully there are no light poles in the middle of this lot

It was to the outside ... not the infield I spun into.

Just wondering about your user name .... that's not "Demolition Derby" is it

Nope it's my first name pronounced "d-mo" and first intial

DTC which lets wheel spin happen, but no side to side,

That is incorrect.

DTC mode allows some drifting. Very useful in tight urban area and I use it a lot.

oh I didn't know that. thanks for the info.

For educational purposes, try them all. For fun, turn everything off.

Originally Posted by R608

For educational purposes, try them all. For fun, turn everything off.

Back when I lived in the snowy climes of the Detroit area, long before traction control or any kind of drivers aids, I would seek out a vacant parking lot whenever we had our first snow and practice how the car reacted when I accelerated, braked, and turned. It was a great refresher every year and served as a reminder that a car on ice and/or snow doesn't always behave as we would like.

However, I'm not denying that there was some entertainment involved, particularly after the education portion of the test! Have fun, but don't forget to make it an educational experience!

In before new thread about curb or light pole collision damage.

Not saying the OP would do it, just that someone might get an idea from this conversation and . . .

No worries, Chicago missed any big snow fall.

Did it last year on giant parking lot. It was a nice way to show to my wife the difference between all modes.

With all stuff enabled my wife could drive like a pro on snow (rwd model, non-x). With all stuff off she could not last more than 10-15 seconds with aggressive driving style.

Car is pretty low to ground, so be careful with large pieces of snow and ice. You never know what's under the snow either.