So for the 1st 1200 miles or 2000km one should not use the steptronic manual or sport mode? Because the engine is not broken in?

 

If you want to adhere to the BMW guidlines, pretty much yes. It is very easy to punch the accelerator and hit 4,500 RPM in DS. If you want to flirt with it, use the manual mode and shift at 4,500 RPM. I have found that I had some early run up in RPM and others have described above, the tranny now seems much better at shifting at a bit lower RPM, though if I really punch it, I'll still easily hit 5,000+.

 

You can... just dont floor it too hard and dont rev it too much.

 

If you want to adhere to the BMW guidlines, pretty much yes. It is very easy to punch the accelerator and hit 4,500 RPM in DS. If you want to flirt with it, use the manual mode and shift at 4,500 RPM. I have found that I had some early run up in RPM and others have described above, the tranny now seems much better at shifting at a bit lower RPM, though if I really punch it, I'll still easily hit 5,000+.
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Actually, you better shift a bit before 4500, especially from 1st to 2nd as there is a delay.

 

Compared to my 330i step my 545i step BLOWS! It's too spastic an inconsistent. The 330i seemed to perform predictably and the 545 seems to shift with a mind of it's own. That's ludicrous....I'm the one making the payments....I need it to do what I want it to do.

 

I have found the steptronic just fine. My last car was a manual, and no matter what anyone says, in a manual here is no better blending of man and machine.


I feel the steptronic works. For casual luxury driving d is fine, but let throttle be your guide. For more spirited driving DS is perfect, it is almost like a manual because you always have maximum horsepower and torque when you want it.

This is my first automatic and I found driving an automatic strange at first because it would sit with RPMs at 1500 or less! I never drove a standard that way, always kept up above 2000 - 7000 rpm so I could play with the maximum torque. I think that is what DS is for, for drivers like us.