715

For cars with SAT, I think the gear change speed in manual is the same, whether the Sport button is on or off. However, the gear change speed for SAT is much faster as compared to cars equipped with the normal Steptronic. Correct me if I'm wrong pls.

Techno79

I've been in a 535d which has had SAT fitted from factory and the gear changes with the Sport button on has been blindingly quick. Rudy's review of the SAT also confirms this: http://forums.e60.net/index.php?showtopic=...8&hl=review (read the 4th paragraph under "Sports Automatic Transmission"). From what I can tell, there hasn't been any noticeable increase in speed between pre-retro fit (i.e. with the normal steptronic) and post-retro fit. Further, there doesn't seem to be any difference between Sport button on and Sport button off.

It would be massively helpful if I could see the speed of gear changes with both Sport button on and off and also with both factory fitted SAT and retro fit SAT.

Any helpers or volunteers to grab some video footage of this?

Thanks in advance.

Richard in NC

I have 2 videos that may help. Neither are hi-res but you can see me shifting and the tach on occasion. Both are lengthy but good examples of the 550i in action. Here with my on track, you can plainly see at the 4:10 mark, a downshift followed by the tach jump a sub second later. I only downshifted 2-3 places per lap and let the compter upshift at redline. Here on the (password: dragon), I am following at 645ci at a good pace thru the 318 turns. The SAT and paddles really come in handy for the many downshifts and upshifts that I do. On this video, you can here the click of the downshifts followed by thr pitch change of the motor.

Techno79

Thanks for the video links. I couldn't really make out the tach very well or the speed that it was changing. I may go have a test drive with a car with SAT to compare but I know the changes are so much quicker than what I've got in my car.

715

I have been driving my stock car with STEP for about a year before I've done the SAT retrofit, and I drive in manual a lot. After the retrofit, I do feel that the gear shift is much quicker, and the lag in the STEP is gone. Or maybe I felt so cos I was trying to justify to myself for the money spent! LOL!

With the SAT, I don't feel any difference in change in gear shift speed in manual whether the Sport button is on or off.

The one thing that that I like most about the SAT retrofit is the heavier steering with the Sport button on. Can't live without it now.

I have also changed to a SMG steering with paddles at the same thing. After searching for a long time, I still could not find a solution to make the paddleshift works in the LCI, so my paddles are for show for now. I would really like to have them work, anyone knows of a solution to this?

Rudy

I don't have too much experience with the Steptronic (non SAT) transmission but I can confirm, without question, that the factory installed SAT clearly shifts faster with the sport button pressed (active) than without it pressed (inactive).

I drive my car 99.9% of the time in manual mode with the sport button pressed and on the rare occasions where I forget to press the sport button, I can feel the slower shift instantly and am reminded to press the button to activate the mode I'm used to. Keep in mind that the "slower" shift (in non-sport mode) might still be considered fast to people used to the Steptronic -- I really can't say for sure since I don't have a lot of stick time with the Step.

I'm a bit late to the party with all of the SAT retrofit threads but after skimming a couple of them tonight, I'm beginning to wonder if even after the software update the retrofit shifts as fast as a factory installed unit since a few of the guys who've retrofitted the SAT are saying they can't tell the difference in shift times between sport mode and non-sport mode...

Techno79

Has anyone done the SAT retrofit and done the software update. Just for information, the software update gives additional information when the Sport button is activated:
1. It indicates which gear you are in when the shifter is in DS mode (Shows S1 to S6 in the OBD).
2. It shows the word Sport in the OBD.

I'm hoping there are other changes with the software update. One of which is a massive improvement on gear shift speed when the Sport button is active. The gear changes become blindingly quick.

It would be really good to get to the bottom of this for the benefit of everyone who is considering doing this at the moment and in the future.

TIA

Glockz

Has there been any progress or updates on the SAT retrofit?

poot1873

Dont know about any progress, but i did the mod to my car a few weeks ago, 20 min job very easy to do. I never got it coded, purely a hardware swap. Very pleased with the mod and well worth it !!

Glockz

Thanks for update on your mod. Is the performance change in the shifting a significant difference with your car? From reading this thread it seems one guy notices a difference and the other not so much. Any feedback on your shifting now would be greatly appreciated.