But that renders what you posted before completely useless because your friend can get around due to the fact that he has both ASR and ESP. The Mercedes ESP system can't really be "shut off" and the switch that makes you think you're shutting it off doesn't actually do that. It disables the engine-torque-reduction capability and thus reduces the computers' intervention capabilities to about 20%. But even at that, when the system detects that it is needed, it will step in and reactivate the engine-torque-reduction control mechanisms and then once it feels that it is no longer needed, it goes back to the 80% mode. With all that in mind, an ESP equipped Mercedes-Benz vehicle never moves without ESP (unless the light is on and the system is malfunctioning or something).

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1999 Mercedes-Benz S600, 103K miles - garage queen
1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL, 89K miles - daily driver
2007 Hyundai Sonata Limited, 31K - daily driver