steptronic question...dynamic shifting
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From: Oxfordshire, UK
My Ride: E61 535d Apr 05. UK spec + Media Pack, Luxury Pack & Visibility Pack
Originally Posted by etmaniac' post='323147' date='Aug 16 2006, 01:45 PM
I know this has been discussed many times before, but it would be very good if BMW would be able to program the gearbox differently for each engine type. I have a 2.5D and it really does not make a lot of sense to have it shift back a gear if you hit the gas (no kickdown) and have a diesel engine rev up to 3500 rpm..
oh well, if the car would be perfect what would we have left to complain about on this forum ;-)
oh well, if the car would be perfect what would we have left to complain about on this forum ;-)
Re: your specific complaint - are you sure it's the box shifting down, or is it simply the torque converter "freeing up" from the lock position?
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My Ride: 2006 550i - Titanium Silver, Step, Black Interior, Sports Pkg.,CWP,Comfort Access, Nav, Premium Sound, Sat. Radio
Originally Posted by Znod' post='322989' date='Aug 15 2006, 06:01 PM
Except that DS will not shift into 6th automatically--at least on the vast majority of cars.
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Originally Posted by my530i' post='323013' date='Aug 15 2006, 07:59 PM
Yep. DS is much much better than D. If you're selling your car and let buyer drive in D, he/she'd say BMW power sucks!
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Originally Posted by Klepper' post='323213' date='Aug 16 2006, 09:37 AM
Mine shifts into 6th in DS, just at a lot higher RPM. I wonder why?
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Originally Posted by Klepper' post='323213' date='Aug 16 2006, 09:37 AM
Mine shifts into 6th in DS, just at a lot higher RPM. I wonder why?
The folks who report theirs does not shift in to 6th probably haven't gone fast enough!
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Originally Posted by DBU' post='323428' date='Aug 16 2006, 08:44 PM
For the same reason it stays longer in all gears: Performance - sacrificing fuel economy.
The folks who report theirs does not shift in to 6th probably haven't gone fast enough!
The folks who report theirs does not shift in to 6th probably haven't gone fast enough!
Some have even tried topping the car out in 5th to no avail.
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From: Oxfordshire, UK
My Ride: E61 535d Apr 05. UK spec + Media Pack, Luxury Pack & Visibility Pack
Originally Posted by Znod' post='323434' date='Aug 17 2006, 05:04 AM
Some have even tried topping the car out in 5th to no avail.
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From: Belgium
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Originally Posted by dlevi67' post='323186' date='Aug 16 2006, 05:41 PM
As far as I can tell, there is a different program for each engine type. And they keep changing it over time (witness the many complaints on here re: "before the latest software update it did/did not do x, y or z"). Whether the programmers got it right 100% of the time, I don't know, but it's a fair bet they did not!
Re: your specific complaint - are you sure it's the box shifting down, or is it simply the torque converter "freeing up" from the lock position?
Re: your specific complaint - are you sure it's the box shifting down, or is it simply the torque converter "freeing up" from the lock position?
oh, these bmw drivers...
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From: Oxfordshire, UK
My Ride: E61 535d Apr 05. UK spec + Media Pack, Luxury Pack & Visibility Pack
Originally Posted by etmaniac' post='323489' date='Aug 17 2006, 10:17 AM
Nope definitely not the torque converter, it shifts back a gear, goes up to 4.something rpm and then shifts gear again. Could be that gearbox has adapted to my rather binary driving style. Either you hit the gas, or you don't
oh, these bmw drivers...
oh, these bmw drivers...
Must make for an interesting driving experience, this "PWM accelerator" of yours 
Mind you - when I test drove an E39 528, it did exactly the same thing, and that was the primary reason for picking the 535. The 528 felt frantic in comparison.
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From: Boston MA
My Ride: 2006 525xi 3.0 215 horsepower 185lb/ft torque
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i topped my car out in 6th gear, 5th gear gets me to about 132mph.... then 6th gear gets me to 137... which is the limit on my 525xi.... the new 2006 525xi models with the 3.0 litre engine are pretty quick, dont underestimate the 25 or the halogen lamps 
here is a pic proving the above... the first picture is 120 in 5th gear about 5300rpm.. its hard to tell cuz the pic got cut off, the second is 130 in 5th gear at 6000 rpm...
here is a pic proving the above... the first picture is 120 in 5th gear about 5300rpm.. its hard to tell cuz the pic got cut off, the second is 130 in 5th gear at 6000 rpm...