Why I don't like manual mode with the steptronic
07-07-2009, 05:55 PM
#31
Originally Posted by Krozi' post='933216' date='Jul 5 2009, 04:25 PM
Well, since it is an Auto box, it is designed to shift as to not stall the engine. If you did have to down shift and the car wouldn't do it for you then it wouldn't be an auto box.
Listen to the engine and get used to how each gear feels. I am always in the right gear, even when not looking at the display, you'll be able to tell what gear you are in after a while.
Listen to the engine and get used to how each gear feels. I am always in the right gear, even when not looking at the display, you'll be able to tell what gear you are in after a while.
The older BMW auto boxes (such as in my old 535i) in manual mode would stick in the selected gear through thick and thin, bouncing off the rev limiter all day if you let it, and wouldn't downshift even if you floored the accelerator (hitting the downshift switch), and you could take off in third gear (4-speed box - you couldn't select 4th manually).
07-07-2009, 11:34 PM
#32
Members
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Techno79' post='933214' date='Jul 5 2009, 09:21 PM
Up until I bought my 525d, I've always had a manual transmission car. I've been trying to use the manual step mode on the 525d but I'm not getting on with it and I think it is down to the fact that it automatically downshifts for you. Because of this auto downshifting, it is hard to instinctively know which gear you are in which means I'm frequently looking down at the display. In a proper manual car you know instinctively as you downshift yourself.
With the 525d in manual mode, I'm either looking down at the display or spending a portion of my attention to listening for it downshifting. Both of these take away my attention to the road and surroundings which makes me feel uncomfortable and take away the enjoyment of the manual gear experience.
For this reason, I seem to leave it in D mode 99% of the time. What is everyone else's experience like?
With the 525d in manual mode, I'm either looking down at the display or spending a portion of my attention to listening for it downshifting. Both of these take away my attention to the road and surroundings which makes me feel uncomfortable and take away the enjoyment of the manual gear experience.
For this reason, I seem to leave it in D mode 99% of the time. What is everyone else's experience like?
Up to my last car MB ive always had manual's , the auto in the MB was good but find auto with sb in the e60 excellent. hardly ever use ds, just dont need it with the sb. Maybe all helped by the diesel grunt which does seem well suited to the auto.
Would agree for serious driving/racing there no subsitute for a proper manual, otherwise the auto in d with sb does it for me, and any other hardened manual fan thats had a go in mine agrees
.
07-08-2009, 03:55 AM
#33
Contributors
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: New York, New York
Posts: 10,301
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: See my signature
Originally Posted by Rob Hall' post='935970' date='Jul 8 2009, 03:34 AM
I dont use manual mode for similar reasons , seems pretty pointless for normal driving. Maybe manual mode comes in useful for towing ?
Up to my last car MB ive always had manual's , the auto in the MB was good but find auto with sb in the e60 excellent. hardly ever use ds, just dont need it with the sb. Maybe all helped by the diesel grunt which does seem well suited to the auto.
Would agree for serious driving/racing there no subsitute for a proper manual, otherwise the auto in d with sb does it for me, and any other hardened manual fan thats had a go in mine agrees .
Up to my last car MB ive always had manual's , the auto in the MB was good but find auto with sb in the e60 excellent. hardly ever use ds, just dont need it with the sb. Maybe all helped by the diesel grunt which does seem well suited to the auto.
Would agree for serious driving/racing there no subsitute for a proper manual, otherwise the auto in d with sb does it for me, and any other hardened manual fan thats had a go in mine agrees
.
07-08-2009, 04:51 AM
#34
Members
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by sdg1871' post='936033' date='Jul 8 2009, 12:55 PM
For serious driving/racing, the best and most effective transmission is a SMG which, of course, is a manual that just happens to be automated. You can never shift as fast as a top notch SMG transmission. No automatic trans can be as fast as responsive as a SMG trans.
sounds like a proper manual then.
would be interesting to see a timed lap of a tricky course with a good driver between a regular manual and an smg.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Vman33
Complete Car Sales
5
03-14-2022 04:43 AM