your dealer is an idiot then....dont turn it off unless you are stuck in the snow and need to get free. If you are driving fine, dont turn it off unless you like doing donuts or drifting

If you want a maximum take off, you wanna switch it off. But if you wheel spin too much, then it will do the opposite. Very minimal wheel spin will give you the best acceleration. If you have VDC on, it will restrict the power. But during the normal driving, you wanna keep it on unless you wanna spin everywhere.

My bad..thats exactly what the dealer said..i knew it had something to do with the snow.

I hate it when my wheels spin and screetch when taking off..it usually only happens when im taking off and trying to round a corner. Its not like im trying to bolt from the red light, it just happens... So turning VDC off will help eliminate that effect?

No, if you turn it off, it will be worse. RWD cars with lots of torque tends to spin their wheels especiall on corners. VDC will help reduce that. When you spin, you see the VDC light flashing in your cockpit. That it when it's actually working and reducing the power on the wheel that's spinning. If the power is reduced, the wheel will stop spinning.

im not sure if we are on the same page here.. You said "if you want maximum take off, you want to turn it off"....Now youre saying that having the VDC off will make it worse

Ride comfort and safety is different from maximum acceleration. If you want maximum acceleration, turn the VDC off, you tires will squeak a lil bit but wont reduce the engine output so you get a better acceleration. But for a normal driving, always keep it on to avoid any accident and tire spin. Because if the VDC is on, as soon as a computer senses any wheel spin, it reduces the engine output and stop the wheel from spinning. But if you want to blazea and the VDC is ON, as soon as the computer sense any tire screeching, it will reduce the power, which means you don't get the maximum power to get the best acceleration. Do you get what I'm saying?? It's kinda hard to explain.

Totally understand now..thanks for not getting annoyed..or at least not responding like youre annoyed. haha thanks man

there is just a fine line that you have to learn. It is possible that you will accelerate faster with it on, as most sl65 amg's do. They have so much torque that if you leave it off, you will always come out slower in the quarter than with the traction control on - because they will uncontrollably spin the tires in the first couple gears under wot. unfortunately, the G's dont have this problem, but if you are spinning the tires too much, you are not putting the power down and not accelerateing as fast as you could be. It is possible that the VDC would limit this enough and let you accelerate as fast as conditions allow. For an experienced driver, most of the time though, you will be faster with the VDC off, most people are not experienced drivers though...even though they think they are.

No way, 540 stick is much quicker than 540 auto. I believe it's 5.4 0-60. W/ the Dinan exhaust, etc, they flat out fly!

Im talking about both stock and thats what i kinda said

my experience is the stock 540i is as fast as the g but the auto is a tick(not much) slower...lots of torque! but the auto is at a disadvantage against us... the lexus gs 300 is slower but the gs400 is identical...the gs 430 though, is just like the 540... a tad bit quicker- stock that is.... add exhaust and/or headers its a drivers race!

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Neither of the cars mentioned is intended as a drag racing machine. I have a E39 540iA and intend to purchase an '06 G35. Both have 280 bhp but the E39 has gobs more torque and gets off the line with surprising quickness. Given it's 400# weight penalty, it will best the G35. It also handles marginally better. BMW is still the benchmark for sedans. Infinity acknowleges it as does Lexus.

I will buy a G35 next because BMW has become gizmo crazy, IMO. i-Drive and run-flat tires have no place on performance cars in my judgement. The new BMW 5-Series car has both and the 3-Series (E90) has run-flats.

It would've been close... Had a short sprint with a friend and his 03 540 6mt, pretty darn fast and lots of torque...

I'm not trying to instigate or start anything here...but just thought I'd clear it up that in this case - it was our G-brethren who was doing something he shouldn't be (cleverly snuck in ahead of the patiently waiting folks in line).

I hate it when people do THAT sort of thing. ^-^