grogan545

I have a 2004 545I for almost 4 years and am considering the new 550I with step.The most anoying trait in my 545 is the step in manual mode.No matter when you select the next higher gear at full throttle it will shift at 6500 rpms.I want to be able to control the shifts at my selected rpm,s.Does any one know if the new step has true manual control?

Rudy

I don't know about the new step specifically but if you use manual mode often, you might want to consider the new sport automatic. It's pretty much made for manual shifting...

grogan545

Thanks Rudy.I really want a 550I without sport package,and I don,t think the sport step is available without the sport package.I guess I,m just an "old dog" and it,s hard to teach me new tricks.I am hoping that without the paddles on the steering wheel the new step would still allow full manual control.I find it very anoying to shift manually at 5000 rpm,s and have the trans completely ignore my request until 6500 rpm,s.I have always suspected that at 6500 rpm,s the electronics have already begun it,s fuel limiting mode thereby causing a big reduction in power during the shift.Part throttle shifts are quicker and firmer with no apparant pull back in power.

BMWSTL

Correct. The Sport Automatic (2T requires ZSP on the 535i and 550i, and is unavailable on the 528i/528xi/535xi sedans or 535xi Sports Wagon.

Lou

EBMCS03

I have a feeling that even the sports auto still wont change gears if you have the pedal mashed to the firewall. Usually that means you want MOST power so changing at 5000rpms wont give you that. And I would be afraid that even in manual mode 6th gear and you mash the pedal it will downshift for you.

In a true manual or even SMG non of this will happen. Reasons why I dont like autos... I like to control the gear box.

SoCalM5Mang

I have the 08 550i steptronic and I found out last night...(much to my chagrin)that it does in deed shift for you at Redline. It's cool but I waited bit too long on the freeway(mountain in SoCal)and it shifted for me. I was like...WTF? Obviously it saves the engine. It also doesn't have Rev Matching ability. If you shift down and you are still at too high an RPM the tranny will keep you where you are. Once it senses the RPM is "right" to go down, you can. Takes a bit to learn IMO. Still a wonderful car and faster than any previous version of the 550. I really would like to see this sucker dynoed. Not enough info yet.

SoCal

EBMCS03

Ya that sounds about right... sounds like a normal automatic with "manual" mode. SMG wont allow you to downshit too if the next lower gear you select will be above redline... BUT you can downshift and get REALLY close to redline like a true manual where as steptronic has a larger buffer built in and wont allow you to downshift.

What I'll be curious is the NEW SPORTS steptronic... if that will behave like SMG?

grogan545

I don,t really want to shift at 5000 rpm,s,but I would like to shift at 6000 or 6200 rpm,s.I think my 0-60 and 1/4 times would be faster if I could shift a little sooner out of 1rst & second gears.Shifting at 6000 would drop my rpm,s in second to about 3500 rpm,s,very close to the torque peak.Also it would keep me several hundred rpm,s from the rev limiter.

znod

Yo bro. You know that I have been on the bandwagon for a long time. I'd still get a Step, but the upshift issue is a problem. I am not averse to the sport package so I'll be waiting to hear how the new tranny shifts. I am not holding my breath for BMW to do the "right thing" by us though.

grogan545

Hi Zman,nice to hear from you.I think you and I are the only owners who think the lack of manual control in the step is a big deal.It sounds like a simple thing for BMW to change.I drove a 2000 Audi with tiptronic and it would upshift all the wat to 5th gear even at 20 mph.Of course it would lug at that speed,but at least it allows you the control.I have always thought that our cars are already in the rpm limiting area when the step shifts.That is why there is a noticible drop in power during the shifts.I still will opt for the step.I have owned countless manual trans cars,but I guess old age has set in.Also since no one with a smg or manual has bested our times means that the step may also be the fastest for 0-60 and 1/4 mile runs.