Are the paddles 'overkill' for big diesel?
01-17-2007, 08:13 AM
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Originally Posted by red-max' post='379542' date='Jan 17 2007, 05:01 PM
So to be fair, I haven't had transmission slam in the new car, but I've only done 2,300 miles. I only felt it twice in my 530d in 20,000 miles - maybe I was lucky. When pulling away after braking, the hesitancy is still there though.
01-17-2007, 08:16 AM
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Originally Posted by Raighne' post='379549' date='Jan 17 2007, 05:13 PM
Sorry about that. I somehow thought these two things were connected instead of being separate issues.
ABC
01-17-2007, 12:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Raighne' post='378902' date='Jan 16 2007, 11:22 AM
So the sports automatic added paddles, a different shifter a 'sports' button that activates the paddles and makes the throttle more sensitive and the gear changes swifter.
My question is this... in your opinion
Would this setup be total overkill (verging on redundant) for diesel engines like the 535d?
With the range of power and torque on that engine it sounds like very few gear changes are required (and more gear changes wouldn't add to the sportiness) In fact, the gears are probably used more to deliver higher economy that to squeeze out power and torque.
Do you really see yourself paddle-shifting a big diesel and country roads... I can imagine wanted to have that setup for a high-revving petrol but it doesn't seem necessary at all for a diesel.
What do you 535d/530d diesel drivers think?
My question is this... in your opinion
Would this setup be total overkill (verging on redundant) for diesel engines like the 535d?
With the range of power and torque on that engine it sounds like very few gear changes are required (and more gear changes wouldn't add to the sportiness) In fact, the gears are probably used more to deliver higher economy that to squeeze out power and torque.
Do you really see yourself paddle-shifting a big diesel and country roads... I can imagine wanted to have that setup for a high-revving petrol but it doesn't seem necessary at all for a diesel.
What do you 535d/530d diesel drivers think?
In the real world you will use it for a week, after that you shall use the automatic.
Well even my mother of 65 has them (in her Peugeot 1007 sport (1.4 ltr 90 hp)
01-17-2007, 02:54 PM
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Originally Posted by aybeesea' post='379552' date='Jan 17 2007, 05:16 PM
From my reading of transmission slam, you need to visit A&E for treatment of whiplash!
How many miles do you have on it now?
01-17-2007, 09:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Raighne' post='379798' date='Jan 17 2007, 11:54 PM
Have you experienced it in your 535d yet?
How many miles do you have on it now?
How many miles do you have on it now?
ABC
01-18-2007, 01:05 AM
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As a follow on to yesterday when I drove entirely in M mode, today I drove to the office (55 miles, mixture of road types) entirely in DS mode. Bear in mind I previously tended to mostly use D with very occasional DS and M (with paddles) on fast roads, motorways.
In DS the car feels much more eager, there's always power under your right foot. Compared to D there is little to no lag (and no annoying unneccessary dropping down a gear when you want to go). I was surprised that it really feels like a different car, and made me want to drive faster ;->
The only downside is that DS keeps the revs higher when cruising, and doesn't ever seem to go into 6th gear, even at motorway speeds, so it's not so economical and doesn't feel as "relaxed" as D mode. I reset the mpg half way and supposedly got 33.2mpg for the second half of the journey, which isn't too bad (but the engine was already warmed up, so this may be non-representative of the whole journey).
I didn't touch the paddles, though I wanted to change up into 6th a few times. It is unfortunate that using the paddles in DS shifts you permanently into M mode, and the only way back to DS is to shift the lever over to D and back again - that's a bit clunky. I wonder if this is improved on the new fully electronic joystick lever?
My conclusion is that DS is better than I thought for general use. Shifts from 2 to 3 and 3 to 2 aren't as smooth as they could be, but are acceptable. I think in future I will use a mixture of D, DS and M in my driving, depending on conditions and my mood.
Back to the original question - I still think the paddles are useful. I don't think they're overkill, but they are also not strictly necessary. If I bought a new car then I probably would choose to have them as an option, but if they weren't available it wouldn't stop me buying a car without them.
In DS the car feels much more eager, there's always power under your right foot. Compared to D there is little to no lag (and no annoying unneccessary dropping down a gear when you want to go). I was surprised that it really feels like a different car, and made me want to drive faster ;->
The only downside is that DS keeps the revs higher when cruising, and doesn't ever seem to go into 6th gear, even at motorway speeds, so it's not so economical and doesn't feel as "relaxed" as D mode. I reset the mpg half way and supposedly got 33.2mpg for the second half of the journey, which isn't too bad (but the engine was already warmed up, so this may be non-representative of the whole journey).
I didn't touch the paddles, though I wanted to change up into 6th a few times. It is unfortunate that using the paddles in DS shifts you permanently into M mode, and the only way back to DS is to shift the lever over to D and back again - that's a bit clunky. I wonder if this is improved on the new fully electronic joystick lever?
My conclusion is that DS is better than I thought for general use. Shifts from 2 to 3 and 3 to 2 aren't as smooth as they could be, but are acceptable. I think in future I will use a mixture of D, DS and M in my driving, depending on conditions and my mood.
Back to the original question - I still think the paddles are useful. I don't think they're overkill, but they are also not strictly necessary. If I bought a new car then I probably would choose to have them as an option, but if they weren't available it wouldn't stop me buying a car without them.
01-18-2007, 02:10 AM
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Originally Posted by red-max' post='379995' date='Jan 18 2007, 10:05 AM
Back to the original question - I still think the paddles are useful. I don't think they're overkill, but they are also not strictly necessary. If I bought a new car then I probably would choose to have them as an option, but if they weren't available it wouldn't stop me buying a car without them.
ABC
01-18-2007, 03:02 AM
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Originally Posted by aybeesea' post='380001' date='Jan 18 2007, 11:10 AM
So the overriding factor for some will be whether they want the Sports Auto Transmission but incidentally acquire the paddles as a freebie gizmo to use as the mood takes them.
The only reason many of us are even wondering if we need it or can live without it... is that it is not available for months and months we are questioning can we afford, or bear, to wait that bit longer.
01-18-2007, 03:04 AM
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Originally Posted by Raighne' post='380006' date='Jan 18 2007, 12:02 PM
IMHO I think every rational thinker would want the sports auto... as it seems to be a superset of the standard setup.
ABC
01-18-2007, 03:13 AM
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Originally Posted by aybeesea' post='380007' date='Jan 18 2007, 12:04 PM
Interesting to note that BMW do not choose (at least not yet) to publish performance and economy figures for the SAT.
Do you expect the numbers to be very different for the 2 versions?