I'm afraid I don't think you are going to get anywhere at all. You say they DID offer you the option, but didn't explain it "very well" so you didn't buy it. At the absolute best you might get the dealer to say "sorry we didn't explain it fully". You either need to sell your car and buy a new one with the option, or forget about it. I would recommend the latter. Seriously, it's not that good, and certainly not worth fretting over. Are all E60's prior to SAT rubbish? Nope!

 

Both the Steptronic & SA trannies have 6 speeds, so I agree w/those who say they are the same. Does the steptronic come w/the sport button?

There is definitely a difference in acceleration when the sport button is pressed. Shift points are higher and shifts are quicker. Just a few hundred more miles to go until the break-in mileage is reached and I can really open it up!

 

I still disagree with the people who are saying this. Where is the proof? It might _feel_ quicker due to the higher revs, but that doesn't mean it _is_ quicker. It is "sportier" - i.e., "harsher".

If there was a 0-60/0-100 difference with SAT enabled, then BMW would surely state that on their literature / websites. But they don't - they just show "manual" and "auto". I still maintain that people are totally exagerating the benefits of SAT. In the UK it is a ?100 option. A hundred quid!!! If it was so fantastic it would either be standard, or cost ?2,000.

 

I can't explain why BMW isn't stating any details on the literature, etc. but I maintain that there's clearly a difference and, in my opinion, well worth the relatively small premium in cost...

 

The throttle pedal is without doubt more sensitive with the button pressed and the gear changes are significantly faster than 'normal sport'. Try putting the car into 1st and touching the throttle, the car jumps around all over the place!

If the SAT translates into a faster 0-60 time is irrelevant as the driving experience is improved.

 

Is it?? 0-60 same speed but "jumps around more" = improved? I'm happy with the smooth delivery. Why would jumping around with no performance increase be better? I'm not saying it's not quicker - i have just seen nothing to prove this. I would love to see a Youtube of two standard identical cars both with SAT, one with the sport button pushed and one without out. If all you get is jerkiness/jumpiness but no speed increase, then what's the point?

 

If it made a difference in speed it would be posted in the stats and it wouldn't be a small premium in price it would be a major price option. I've both driven both and believe it is a "sportier feeling shift " but ultimately I really don't think it is any difference in 0-?? . I had quite a discussion with the dealer on this issue and they certainly could not come up with anything other than it's different but no better.I think the paddles are a neat toy but again not one of those must have options. Check out the last issue of Automotive Engineer they had quite a write up on the technical aspects of the the SAT.

Cheers

 

After reading these last few post, I decided to go out & do a little 'real world testing'. The conditions were not ideal, it's wet, the is quite a bit of sat. evening traffic, & there was a cop parked along my test route, he gave me a little stare down after my 5th pass so I thought it would be best to quit & come share what I found before it got expensive.....here is what I found;
1) In regular Drive, I maintained 2000 rpm & allowed the car to shift up the 6th, the speed was ~65mph.
2) At the above speed & rpm, I floored it, the car kicks down once, (I think) rpm jumps to ~4,500 & the car rushes up to 80+ mph, quick but typical.
3) Next pass from a standing start with Sport button on, I repeated step 1 (i.e. maintaining 2,000 rpm) but the car never gets to 65mph....it stayed at about 40-45 mph with a higher engine note, obviously not 6th or even 5th gear. Sounded like she was being held in 4th, maybe even 3rd
4) Now at 2,000 rpm & 65 mph when I pressed the Sport button, the rpm jumped to 2,500 rpm but the speed was relatively unchanged. Sport button off, rpm back to 2,000 rpm. I did this multiple times, always the same result.
5) Next pass, (item 4 with Sport on) I floored it & the car kicks down, the tach winds up to 5,000+ and the car just explodes, to 90+ mph..I know because thats where my speed limit is set, all up shifts were smooth & very quick.
6) I then repeated item 1, but this time I moved the shifter into DS mode (to the left).....same result as item 4.
7) Pressing the Sport button in DS mode does NOT cause a rpm change.
8) When I repeated item 4, then upshifted with the paddle, the car went from 5th to 6th.......when I down shifted with the paddle, the car went from 5th to 4th.

So, what happens when the Sport button is pressed (On);
1) In regular drive mode, it causes the car to kick down a gear, & the shifts are quicker whether auto or manual with the paddles.
2) In DS mode, shifts are quicker still whether auto or manual.
3) In Manual mode (Paddles or gear shifter) gears can be held almost to redline and upshifts result in almost no drop in rpm's.
5) There is NO bliping of the throttle on downshifts in any mode.
6) There is NO quickening of the throttle responce in any mode.
7) All shifts are quicker, Sport On vs. Sport off.

These observasions were made with my US spec LCI 535i Sport.

Took me 2hrs to write this....distracted whatching 3 college football games...... my Canes suck this year but they beat FSU!!!

 

While I agree that it is well worth the cost, even if only for the paddles, I pressed the issue because this had turned into a witch hunt against the salesperson when it is clear that BMW has again dropped the ball. The lack of any information or misinformation is a continuing problem for BMW, and is nothing new. BMW has a long way to go inorder to match Lexus and other luxury car dealers in terms of customer service.

 

When I say 'jumped around' let me explain a little further.

If you are crawling in traffic in D and shuffle in your seat with your foot resting on the throttle pedal no problem.

If you do the same in Sport, because the throttle is now very sensitive to movement the car can 'jump' a bit at the slightest touch.

In normal driving when your foot and brain are working properly the car is still smooth regardless of which mode you have it in, but the above emphasises how much more sensitive it now is, which translates into faster response (?)!