Stop/start technology

[Rawwr]

Anyone driven a stop/start motor? Do they feel odd or is it completely unnoticeable?

[kambites]

It depends on the car. Some are pretty seamless, some have an appreciable delay before they'll pull away. Most start the engine as soon as you depress the clutch, so they are ready by the time you have selected a gear and actually try to pull away.

I've never driven an auto so I don't know how they work in that case. I'd imagine they only stop if you select neutral?

[Dracoro]

Taken out in a new 3 series the other day.

When stopped and in neutral with clutch out, car stops. When clutch depressed then engine starts up again.

All well and good in a new reliable car. I wonder what these cars are like in 5/10/15 years time when they struggle to start, things start playing up etc.

[5harp3y]

It is noticeable ... the engine stops.

Had it in a 1 Series and a 3 series.

Pull up at lights, car out of gear, engine stops.

press the clutch down to go into first and the engine fires up.

relatively seamless

[reggie82]

My mum's MINI has it and it's good. Is a bit of a novelty at first, but quickly becomes normal.

When i got back in my car after it felt odd that the engine didn't cut out everytime i stopped!

Good system in my opinion and doesnt get in the way of your driving at all.

[hondafanatic]

Dracoro said:

All well and good in a new reliable car. I wonder what these cars are like in 5/10/15 years time when they struggle to start, things start playing up etc.

That's an interesting point I'd not thought about.

Can the systems be switched off?

[greygoose]

hondafanatic said:

Dracoro said:

All well and good in a new reliable car. I wonder what these cars are like in 5/10/15 years time when they struggle to start, things start playing up etc.

That's an interesting point I'd not thought about.

Can the systems be switched off?

You can turn the system off in Minis.

[Brewsters]

Got it on my little 123d - has an option to switch it off via button on the dash - first thing I do when I start it up, is switch it off. Very annoying thing to have, but BMW benefit with average emissions etc as a manufacturer. Save the planet eco stuff me thinks.

[Dracoro]

Brewsters said:

Got it on my little 123d - has an option to switch it off via button on the dash - first thing I do when I start it up, is switch it off. Very annoying thing to have, but BMW benefit with average emissions etc as a manufacturer. Save the planet eco stuff me thinks.

Why is it annoying?

Apparently it's seamless and saves you money.

[Snoop Bagg]

Yep, Cooper S keeps stop starting when put in neutral and not moving. The only part that annoys me is when people think you've stalled it at the lights, but yes pretty seemless!

[Rawwr]

Yeah, if it's working, why would you turn it off?

[Gizmo!]

Drove it in a Cooper S a while back. Slightly strange, but you get used to it soon enough. The oddest part though, is when you're sat in traffic, not moving, it turns itself off but then turns itself back on again after a minute...

[T0M]

Brewsters said:

Got it on my little 123d - has an option to switch it off via button on the dash - first thing I do when I start it up, is switch it off. Very annoying thing to have, but BMW benefit with average emissions etc as a manufacturer. Save the planet eco stuff me thinks.

You have to turn it off every time you get in the car? So it defaults to 'On' everytime?

[djt100]

I had a hire car golf diesel with this on, and i though it was a pain in the Arse, i ended up turning it off.

It will depend on how you drive, but i found that there was a slight delay when pulling away from lights or junctions that was not great but noticable and very annoying , also i cought it out quite alot and it stalled, you then have to manually start it again. not a happy experience at all.

[Crusoe]

Gizmo! said:

Drove it in a Cooper S a while back. Slightly strange, but you get used to it soon enough. The oddest part though, is when you're sat in traffic, not moving, it turns itself off but then turns itself back on again after a minute...

Does that if you are using a lot of power like the A/C on high etc. or if it hasn't been driving long so hasn't built up enough charge.

[Sixpackpert]

greygoose said:

hondafanatic said:

Dracoro said:

All well and good in a new reliable car. I wonder what these cars are like in 5/10/15 years time when they struggle to start, things start playing up etc.

That's an interesting point I'd not thought about.

Can the systems be switched off?

You can turn the system off in Minis.

You can turn it off in the Mitsubishi Colt I had as a courtesy car. Worked fine, no big really, meh.

[SJobson]

Tried it in a Mini Cooper (seamless) and my dad's Freelander (didn't notice it working so I was probably doing something wrong, though it also functioned as anti-stall when off-roading which was interesting).

[RobM77]

My Dad has had a couple of courtesy cars that have done this (X1 and 1 series), and they were both perfect. The engine starts instantly when you depress that clutch, and it was ready by the time he wanted to pull away.

More cars should have ,this then I wouldn't be woken up every morning by the taxi driver who parks under my bedroom window with the loudest diesel in the world and leaves the engine running for ten minutes

[fatboy b]

I had an Audi courtesy car with it recently. fking annoying, but at least you can turn it off.

[rypt]

It would mean changing how I drive as I tend to be in gear, clutch down, foot on brakes when in traffic rather than in neutral, clutch up