BMWSTL

Awww, gee! What's more important? Staying out of an accident or jail, or getting the answer to the question?

Lou

cader

I expected more from a gold medalist!

mogsyman

Let the side down and feeling suitably embarrassed...

Obviously not used to coming first (no comments from Mrs. M please )

bardel

Haha, oh Mogsyman!!!

Can you get them papers in the morning and send an update, Im off to the dealers tomorrow for 11am to argue whether Im holding out for another car or not. I am also interested in the items listed in the dynamic drive section of the manual pages which relate to more responsive accelerator response and more responsive steering....

Cheers

mogsyman

OK, papers bought a few miles driven...............here goes

Start the car, drive in normal auto mode, car is smooth and gear changes are normal. Use the paddles and the car automatically goes into manual mode. the gear shifts are a lot quicker than my previous BMW's and you have instant acceleration. If you don't touch the paddles for about 30 seconds the gearbox defaults back to full auto.

Put the gear stick to the left (i.e. manual) the gear box holds gears longer and acts pretty much as any other BMW would which I used to call 'sports mode'. Use the paddles and the gearbox changes as if you hit the paddles when driving normally in full auto, quick and there straight away. Again, if you don't touch the paddles the gearbox defaults back to auto again but holds the gears longer etc.

In normal auto, if you hit the sport button the gearbox clearly changes. It won't go into 6th gear unless you force it to usnig the paddles, the gear changes are a lot faster again and everything has speeded up. Use the paddles and it changes when you want to but in an instant although I couldn't see or hear any blipping because the gear just seemed to be there pretty much as soon as I hit the paddle (a small delay but bloody quick )

With the stick to the left and sports button hit, the gearbox again reacts a whole lot quicker than when you have the stick to the left and 'sports button' off. Using the paddles allows you to change when you want but again if you don't use them the box defaults to full auto sports mode.

In simple terms the sports button makes the gear box change significantly faster than normal right across the rev range and in either full auto or with the stick to the left. It's been raining here and I couldn't do any standing starts as I was spinning the wheels and the traction control light was flashing in 1st and 2nd

Obviously the sport button has a major effect on the gearbox but the paddles don't add anything else other than being by your fingers and allowing you to hold onto the steering wheel. I flicked between 2nd and 3rd on both the paddles and the shift and they both seemed to change gear in the same time.

No doubt we'll have more comprehensive reviews and differing opinions when you guys get your cars, and to be fair I don't want to be too silly during the running in period.

Hope that helps

bardel

Thanks for that Mogsy,

anything to add regarding the change of response to the throttle and the steering?

Cheers

mogsyman

Difficult answer re the steering as I thought I felt some changes but as I hadn't spec'd AS or anything else to my car and just assumed I was imagining it I'll have a 'feel' again later.

The throttle also seemed a lot more responsive, being wet I was concious of not ending up in a ditch, spinning through 180 or knackering my
new car or all three of the above

bardel

Understood, thanks for getting back so quick. I think my dealer is assuming that I'll be upset about not having paddles and is going to try and educate me that the shifter will do exactly the same thing which it does. My concern though is going to be the change the way the animal behaves in sport mode which to me is a bigger loss than just the paddles.

I think in your original response in the other thread you (or someone) said that you'd probably take the car is it is without the sports auto. Would your opinion be different now you've tried the sports button (albeit only once)???

Cheers

mogsyman

I was thinking about that comment I made and I have now changed my mind.

The Sports gear box option is worthwhile and I would wait for it

It is not simply paddles on a steering wheel..............

bardel

I feel that's going to make my conversation at the dealers all the more difficult this morning, but I really appreciate your opinion and speed of response. I'll let you know how I get on.

Cheers

Barry