Tiago

I think that you are forgetting something: E46 330d has 184hp/192hp and E46 330cd has 204hp. And the two 330cd with 300hp and 650nm are real. The only thing that you need to care is that without a racing clutch you must not pull hard at low rpms above 3rd gear.

PoleApart

The "wait for a second or so" part is exactly why I'd prefer a manual. Also the fact that I would like it to whoooooosh off in an endless surge of acceleration but it prefers to change down and then go through the gears. I know I can always go to DS and manual mode but I just don't like it that after switching to DS I need to shift up or down to trigger manual mode.

dlevi67

Funny that. The first Steptronic (in 840Ci, IIRC) did exactly what you describe, and went to manual when you pushed (pulled) the lever to the left. The "sport mode" was on a button. BMW changed it "in response to drivers demand" - or so they said...

BetterMakeWay

I was talking more about turbo-lag which is still present even in the 535d. Gearbox works like a charm, and D is just a more relaxed mode and it's normal to have the delay since if you're relaxed then the engine is relaxed right?--->meaning low rpms, if you decide to step on it, it simply changes to a lower gear and that's the same thing when you are in a manual gearbox since i doubt you drive in optimum rev range all the time (above 2500-3000 rpm) and the time to change gears manually is the same or even grater than in the auto. If you want to really drive fast choose DS and there is no lag from the gearbox whatsoever since it will always be in the optimum rev range.

dlevi67

No it don't. Well, mine doesn't. Or at least a different charm. I think I need a recoding/updating, as the car has been running with the same s/w since new (April 05 - V 19.something?), but there's a lot of gearbox lag at low speeds, even in DS.

BetterMakeWay

Odd since my car was built in June or so and we probably have the same software. What do you mean gearbox lag at low speeds? At what rpms or it doesn't matter? Mine does have the lag only in D mode but that's part because of the low rpms at which the car drives most of the time because of the shifting points and D maps but also part the turbo lag. In DS all is cured.
PS: For the record i only had a transmission slam in the brake-in period. I'm glad it didn't reapeat since. Awfull feeling, just like being hit from behind.

Lucky

Yes, I know, and for this reason I don't believe any seriuos tuner will tune a 3.0 L series production engine to deliver 50% MORE power and torque without a lot of mechanical modifications (to say : heavy duty clutch, better cooling, better lubrication of moving parts, possibly heavy duty gear sprockets and possibly more).

All the electronic tuners on the market (well, all the most reputed ones) offer software tuning with, on average, about 15% increase in power and torque. You can squeeze more from your engine, no doubt, but the mechanical reliability will greatly suffer and the driving quality too as well.

Aeroresh

I have a minor beef with mine that it usually tries to start in 2nd gear. If you want to nail it, say turning right out of a side road to fit into a tight gap in the traffic, there's this huge pause while the gearbox "thinks" about a shift into 1st.

Unfortunately, by this time the gap has passed and your left stranded half way accross the junction!

dlevi67

When I'm at a standstill (in D, DS or M1) and trying to move off gently, it seems to take a while before the transmission "takes" - revs get up to 1500/1800 or so, then the car moves and revs go down. Why on earth does it do that when it has more torque available than a tugboat?

If I push on the accelerator, then there's no hesitation, and it's DSC time. But the passengers don't always appreciate banging their heads against the headrests.

Once it gets moving, then everything is fine as long as revs don't drop below 1200 or so. Until I try to stop (gently), when I get noticeable - if minor - slam in D, which is due to the car engaging 1st at the wrong moment when stopping (generally too early, i.e. with the car still moving although you are trying to get to a gentle stop). Less apparent in DS and nothing if I use M mode. Clearly a programming problem, rather than a mechanical one. It seems to correspond to what many others have reported also on V8s (which is not surprising, as the 'box is the same)

BetterMakeWay

Hmmm...i understand. Before you said about the programming problem i was thinking exactly at the opposite, about the construction of the steptronic. I was thinking about the torque converter which untill it locks up or when the acceleration input delivers the torque through it, there might be the 'normal' heistation just like you would partially engage the clutch at low rpms. It's just like when you drive a manual and you travel at low speeds and low rpms, and you just ensure that you won't stall the engine and partially engage the clutch. I dunno if i made myself clear enough. I may be wrong though.
BTW did you notice that when in M1 and you lift off the brake pedal to start moving slowly (like in heavy traffic) the car moves and accelerates way slower than in D or DS?! I didn't get that. I wonder why...