[Tires & Wheels] Grip Control - any experience?

[3rensho]

There are several threads on berlingo.org about this and the consensus seems to be that it is a minor firmware tweak and an extra knob designed primarily to lighten your wallet. A member who lives in CH just posted that he bought it thinking that he could get by with it on snow and ice with all-season tires and Grip Control. His advice is to forget it and spend the money on good winter tires.

Does anyone on this forum have experience with this product? I didn't buy it because I'd have had to upgrade to an XTR which has a lot of stuff I don't need.

[jamesf]

No answer, but in a related manner - why is it techincally impossible to have alloy wheels with this option?

Michelin will make M&S tyres in 16" not just 15", so it can't be down to the tyres.

Does the system rely on feedback from the steel wheels? If so, why not have alloy wheels with a fillet of steel in them?

I ask because I would spec this car with this option, but anyone paying getting on for £18k for a new Berlingo will probably be disappointed to have a new car without alloy wheels!

Ideas / solutions welcome

[Chris]

I have had a look at the UK brochure and it describes it like this:

GRIP CONTROL ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAMME (ESP)

Grip Control Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) is a traction control system which improves vehicle traction in specific driving conditions such as snow, mud and sand, via a dashboard-mounted dial with 5 different modes: standard ESP, Snow, All Road, Sand and ESP Off.


It looks like a bit of a waste of money in my opinion over and above standard ESP, especially as two of the five settings are "on and "off". I imagine that the other settings simply allow for a more gentle take off to get moving on snow, or for a bit of slip so that power is not cut completely which could help off road.

In the UK it appears as part of the "Safety Plus Pack" which is an option on the XTR (which seems to have alloy wheels?)

The UK Berlingo brochure

[pch]

I was very disapointed at first not having this on my vtr 90 but on reading many forums/sites it seems to be a bit of a gimmick. I have been told its better not to use it in snow as you cannot feel grip from tyres etc. I would love to try both on same car in snow to really experience if its worth the expense. I have been told and others on here expressed how pleased they are with their berlingo with mud and snow tyres. Indeed my local garage who got my Mcguard locking nuts off said any car with M & S tyres will outperform a 4x4 with road tyres on. And that was from a mechanic who rallies a 4x4.
Cheers
Pete

[3rensho]

About ESP - I'm the curious type and the last time the road up to our house was snowed and iced I drove up it twice. Once with the ESP switched off and once with it on. There was a noticeable improvement with it turned on - actually it runs automatically and the light in the display turns on (when engaged) and off (when not). I am using winter tires though not M&S. Too many negative comments on berlingo.org about performance with M&S as opposed to real winter tires.

[scarab]

Wish I'd not bothered ordering it now having read the posts here, but it came with the added curtain airbags for safety, so I get that benefit if the worst happens.
I wanted the 17" alloys but couldn't even have the standard 16" alloys with Grip. The only explanation is "it's only tested with the tyres on the 15" steels.
Doing my own research there isn't a michelin snow tyre that will fit the 17" but there is one that will fit the 16"
No Joy though from the manufacturer no alloys if you have Grip period.
But you can buy them from the dealer aftermarket ...

[XTR]

I don't have the Grip Control fitted to my car,but do fit winter tyres.
The original fit Michelin's (215/55x16) are absolutely useless in snow and ice but brilliant in wet and dry conditions.
I was going to fit the summer Michelin's on alloys,but opted to get another set of steel rims instead.

[Berlingo Norway]

There are several threads on berlingo.org about this and the consensus seems to be that it is a minor firmware tweak and an extra knob designed primarily to lighten your wallet. A member who lives in CH just posted that he bought it thinking that he could get by with it on snow and ice with all-season tires and Grip Control. His advice is to forget it and spend the money on good winter tires.

Does anyone on this forum have experience with this product? I didn't buy it because I'd have had to upgrade to an XTR which has a lot of stuff I don't need.

I have grip control on my car , i can feel the difference
from the different settings but dont think for a moment that it can be a substitute for real winter tyres . On my car it was included in a campaign so it was no extra mony . i dont think i'd spend to much mony on getting it as an extra option !