Rudy

Good point JDN. You gotta be smooth in sport mode, especially in the lower gears!

Rudy

I'm not sure I buy that. I think it feels like it's not blipping the throttle and re-engaging the clutch because the car is moving so slowly that just a tiny blip is needed.

Also, I don't think it would be wise for the car to ever assume you're coming to a stop. I think it downshifts into 1st like normal but then, by the time it's finished letting out the clutch, it's time to disengage it again.

Watch the MPG needle when it does this downshift and you'll see that it blips the throttle...

EBMCS03

I think it is too... even when slowing to a stop from second... it still engages 1st for a VERY VERY short period of time... somtimes it doesnt even engage all the way. It feels like it starts to disengage the clutch and half way it has to engage the clutch again cuz you've come to a stop by then.

Rudy

Yup, which is why letting the car downshift for you doesn't make sense in manual mode. Don't forget, the car can start out in second so it really never "needs" to downshift to first...

EBMCS03

Ya thats true...


Yup!

rodybmw

OK.......I'll buy that Rudy. I tried it after reading your reply and about half the time I would see a slight movenment on the MPG needle, although not everytime. Also, there was never any other indication (like sound or jolt). What convinced me was that I was able to manually downshift just as smoothly by shifting closer to the time when the car would have shifted. In this case it also reacted the same way with only an occasional hint on the MPG dial, but nothing else. So it isn't that the car does not re-engage the clutch (as I had thought before), but just that by that point the RPM's would be almost at idle when the clutch is re-engaged, so there is not need to blip the throttle. It also follows that if the RPM's are the same before and after clutch engagement then there would also be no jolt and it would be very smooth.

545smg

OK.......I'll buy that Rudy. I tried it after reading your reply and about half the time I would see a slight movenment on the MPG needle, although not everytime. Also, there was never any other indication (like sound or jolt). What convinced me was that I was able to manually downshift just as smoothly by shifting closer to the time when the car would have shifted. In this case it also reacted the same way with only an occasional hint on the MPG dial, but nothing else. So it isn't that the car does not re-engage the clutch (as I had thought before), but just that by that point the RPM's would be almost at idle when the clutch is re-engaged, so there is not need to blip the throttle. It also follows that if the RPM's are the same before and after clutch engagement then there would also be no jolt and it would be very smooth.
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I've read all the yups and would tend to "somewhat" disagree. Having driven a manual for years and shifting over to the smg, - when coming to a halt at a stop sign or a light, in my previous car (porsche) I always just engaged the clutch and let it coast from 5mph to stop - or engage -disengage for for stop and go.

I rarely downshifted into first gear. Even in a manual it would be abrupt. I do of course downshift in normal driving conditions or when racing a bit to be in the correct rpm range and for downshift assistance in slowing into corners.

Having said that, again - downshifting into first gear with the smg should be taken care of the cpu during normal driving conditions for stop and go. I don't think we should downshift to assist stops. with so much torque and horsepower it would burden the transmission.

I can't remember the last time that I downshifted into first coming to a rolling halt (in my manual). Probably like most of us - we would just engage the clutch from second.

Occassionally, I have downshifted into first - but that was in an hondas2000 (9000 rpm), smooth as silk (no torque).

katheikia

OK.......I'll buy that Rudy. I tried it after reading your reply and about half the time I would see a slight movenment on the MPG needle, although not everytime. Also, there was never any other indication (like sound or jolt). What convinced me was that I was able to manually downshift just as smoothly by shifting closer to the time when the car would have shifted. In this case it also reacted the same way with only an occasional hint on the MPG dial, but nothing else. So it isn't that the car does not re-engage the clutch (as I had thought before), but just that by that point the RPM's would be almost at idle when the clutch is re-engaged, so there is not need to blip the throttle. It also follows that if the RPM's are the same before and after clutch engagement then there would also be no jolt and it would be very smooth.
[/quote]



I've read all the yups and would tend to "somewhat" disagree. Having driven a manual for years and shifting over to the smg, - when coming to a halt at a stop sign or a light, in my previous car (porsche) I always just engaged the clutch and let it coast from 5mph to stop - or engage -disengage for for stop and go.

I rarely downshifted into first gear. Even in a manual it would be abrupt. I do of course downshift in normal driving conditions or when racing a bit to be in the correct rpm range and for downshift assistance in slowing into corners.

Having said that, again - downshifting into first gear with the smg should be taken care of the cpu during normal driving conditions for stop and go. I don't think we should downshift to assist stops. with so much torque and horsepower it would burden the transmission.

I can't remember the last time that I downshifted into first coming to a rolling halt (in my manual). Probably like most of us - we would just engage the clutch from second.

Occassionally, I have downshifted into first - but that was in an hondas2000 (9000 rpm), smooth as silk (no torque).
[/quote]


Exactly!!!

Rudy

I'm not downshifting to slow down, I'm downshifting while braking to be in the proper gear for the next acceleration. With the SMG's rev-matching, downshifting doesn't "throw out an anchor" like it would if you downshifted an automatic or a manual and didn't heel-toe each downshift.

If I was good enough to heel-toe each and every downshift, I'd probably downshift a traditional manual that way too -- but I don't because it's not worth it. With the SMG, it is worth it because you don't want to be caught trying to accelerate while the car is trying to shift itself from 2 to 1.

It's really not fair to attempt to compare what people do with a traditional manual to what people do with an SMG. I've driven my SMG for 16,000 miles and I think, by now, I've found the most appropriate method to match my style of driving. Your mileage may vary...

545smg

Rudy,


I appreciate the feedback