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E12, E28, E34, E39, E60General discussion and technical help for all year 5 series cars.
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Your Ride: 2006 330xi, 2007 X5 3.0
isnt steptronic just an automatic. my brother has a dodge magnum with steptronic and to me it just seems like its an automatic without the different shift levere positions.
Yep, its an automatic, but it allows you to change gears if you want to. There's a computer watching over your actions so that you dont damage your car. For example if your RPMs are too high for a lower gear that you want to switch to, the car will not allow that. Difference between a manual: it will switch to the lower gear and probably damage your car as well.
Actually I believe you can get tranny software that reprograms it to shift much quicker.
I'm not positive this is correct, so don't hold me to it, but I'm pretty sure the reason there's a delay is when you downshift (for example), the computer has to analyze your situation and see if it's safe to actually make the shift. For example, it wouldn't let you downshift into first when you're going 60. That calculation is what causes the lag. I'm also pretty sure the tranny software eliminates that analysis and shifts immediately (regardless of the danger), however being a shifter in a straight line like that, if you slip and drop it into 1st going 60, you'll find yourself buying a new tranny/engine. That said, it might be worth it to keep the delay. hah
I used to drive my 328 daily, using steptronic constantly, and I actually got pretty good at timing it, so I could shift it always close to redline, but it's not going to be the same as a true manual (just bought an m3 manual last friday).
Haha, good luck with that, and, of course.... welcome to UB!
Congrats on the new M3! I think I am going to follow your advice as well and not blow my tranny Learning the right time to shift in the car also makes the car a bit more personal, which is always cool. My goal now for the next few months is to practice this till I get good at it. Yeah it will not be like a manual but I will also wait a couple years before I follow in your track with the M3
Congrats on the new M3! I think I am going to follow your advice as well and not blow my tranny Learning the right time to shift in the car also makes the car a bit more personal, which is always cool. My goal now for the next few months is to practice this till I get good at it. Yeah it will not be like a manual but I will also wait a couple years before I follow in your track with the M3
Hey, either way, manual or auto, it's still a BMW.
Exactly, its still the best car to drive around out there... and quite safe too (got in a rear-end accident beginning of Jan and I walked away w/o a single strain )... pics @ http://flickr.com/photos/sdebnath/se...7594052645831/ if interested ... should have seen the ford truck that hit me, needless to say, the hood looked like a slice of bread.
02-11-2006, 02:52 AM
and I walked away w/o a single strain 
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