GTS Wake-up call....

[thelovecrumb]

Having only had my GTS for under a week I decided to take the car to work this morning in the rain....It was not long before I received a sharp wake-up call at 7:45 when I pulled onto the A329 and applied about 75-50% throttle in 3rd gear and felt the back wheels light up and the rear end wiggle left/right a few times (both the cars and mine for that matter)!

Can any GTS owners let me know how well the traction control system functions and what level of correction it makes? I had the car in sport (who wouldn't)...Not sure if this makes a difference.

 

[2b1ask1]

The GTS owners will confirm I'm sure but in the 4200 for sure the sport button 'reduces' the interference of the MSP so it will allow the wheels to spin up a bit and it will snake about but it should keep it pointing in more or less the right direction!!!

We all have a similar experience I'm sure... These machines put down so much power you have to respect them = Mine was grabbing 4th at +05 on the M25 in the cold and wet; had me looking at the armco for a few heart stopping moments before it pulled it straight for me....

 

[JPJPJP]

I have said it on this forum before but, now the colder, wetter weather is here, it bears repeating

If you are driving a high performance car and haven't yet taken some sort of appropriate advanced driver training in an environment that enables you to properly understand how your car is going to react to the conditions and your driving inputs, you could do a lot worse than book some training today.

I am pretty sure the sport button does relax the attitude of the 'traction control' on the GT-S

 

[bigbob]

Sport retards the MSP massively. Dont use it below 10 Celsius if it is raining.

 

[rossyl]

Sport retards the MSP massively. Dont use it below 10 Celsius if it is raining.

Quite true. Maserati say the same, to be careful of using Sport in bad consitions. Normal gives the best road grip, Sport reduces this.

What better advice to take than that given by Maserati themselves..

Here is the Maserati Video of how to drive a Maserati CC:
http://www.sportsmaserati.co.uk/showthread.php/8376-Maserati-Cambiocorsa-Promotional-Video

 

[dickygrace]

Drive it in sport to speed up gear changes but just take it steady.

 

[2b1ask1]

As JP says you would do well to get some performance training, the forum (Miles) has put on two wet handling days at Rockingham on their skid pan and I have been to both... Totally invaluable in getting an understanding for the handling of these beasties.

You can get 1 on 1 training if you want or have a day dedicated with your partner etc. Any of these are a small price compared to loosing a wheel on a kerb or worse...!

 

[Blox]

Tyre wear and correct pressures are also really important. Even pulling away with cold tyres in damp conditions is problematic. Even worse if they are worn and not at the right pressures....!!

 

[conaero]

Had my GTS for a year and only lost it once, one Sunday morning in the late summer, accelerating off a roundabout after meeting Dan in his Lambo at MacD's in Hedge End. It turned out to be applying too much tyre black believe it or not!

Have you done the same?

Other than that, the rear end has been rock solid, with the exception of a few occasions on a track

 

[Parisien]

...it does say on the container to keep off the treads Matt.....Tut...Tut.......prefer to put on with a cloth myself....more control over where it goes


P

 

[Parisien]

Yup....cold..wet.....in sports.....planting the foot...will cause problems......esp on roundabout and sharpish bends...........................be careful guys!


P

 

[conaero]

...it does say on the container to keep off the treads...

Read the what......far too impatient for that, I never read instruction. I just had it all over the outer shoulder, so when the car healed over in a tight bend it let go.

 

[Parisien]

.....blokes eh..............



P

 

[bigbob]

Mine has only lost the rear end - rather than just a loss of traction - in sport if I boot it in a slow corner in 2nd gear in true car magazine photo style. Looks great and easy to control but only if you can see the road ahead.

Otherwise if you don't apply the throttle with steering lock on then you should be fine.

 

[TridentTested]

I've had the traction control kick in when leaving a roundabout in the wet even in Normal mode and that was with a gently applied, but progressively applied, throttle. It really doesn't take much to unstick them. The traction control kicked in like the car had hit a brick wall.

I know, as a motorcyclist, that cold roads and cold tyres are actually worse than wet. I've no trouble spinning up the back wheel on the first few corners when I use the bike on a cold morning but it's a lot better once there's a bit of heat through the tyres.

Needless to say cold and wet roads are even worse again.

Be careful out there.

 

[zagatoes30]

As long as your careful with inputs, throttle in particular you can have some fun. I have found the QP remarkably responsive and allows quite a bit of freedom before you have to drag it back into line.

 

[fcz360]

Personally ive only ever lost mine on the track, it did move around a bit on the M54 when i went through standing water but the traction kicked in.

You maybe answered your question anyway - i dont use the sport button in the wet, the mix of water, cold and power will get you slipping with or without traction control, the car has limits and so does the driver.

I dont use the car much in the wet either. I did take it on track in pouring rain at Dunsfold and with traction ON I was drifting (accidentally) and spinning wheels in 3rd.

Take care..

 

[hodroyd]

Slightly off thread, but on my recent trip to Scotland in the 4200 and in the wet, when pushing ******* the motorway losing a tailgater and in sport, every gear change the rear end did a little flick, get's the bum cheeks puckering at well over a ton..!!

 

[thelovecrumb]

Thanks for all your replies - Some really interesting stories out there. Lesson learnt and I shall be easing-off the loud pedal particularly in the wet and winter months.