BMW 330e ordered...

[Tonycv51]

I've realised today I don't understand the "S" gearstick position versus Sport mode :-

- I had assumed Sport mode put the whole car into Sport i.e. gearbox, engine, steering, exhaust etc.
- however "S" doesn't appear in the display when I just put it in Sport mode
- in Sport mode the ICE is on whilst driving but is still in auto stop/start mode
- with gearstick in "S" position auto stop/start is off i.e. ICE is on even when at a standstill (will actually be handy in traffic if battery is exhausted as may make the car less jerky)
- earlier in the forum there was discussion about the gearbox being slow - does putting it in "S" put it into a faster change mode ?

So if you want to drive in the sportiest fashion am I meant to put car in Sport mode and also meant to knock the gearlever into "S", and is this a general BMW auto gearbox thing (not had one before) or is there any 330e specific behaviour ?

[snorkel sucker]

I know there is a lot of detail of lease deals on these but has anyone gone for a PCP deal with BMW?

I get a car allowance and miles paid for due to being site based so one of these could make financial sense. Typical week might be 1 or 2 days with mixed commute of 80 miles round trip. Maybe 1 or 2 days in local office 10 mile round trip and then a longer trip to different office / site, anything up to 150 miles round trip.

My current car is going (M135i) but I really don't want a diesel again if I can help it.

No charging point at work (at the moment at least) but would charge at home.

Sensible?!

[jez1987]

rich2000 said:

Check the rules of the charging point grant - I'm sure I remember reading it has to be ordered within 3 or 4 months either side of your cars delivery?

I have paid for a 32 Amp Rolec tethered unit which after grant is costing £149. I'd have to pay that just for a cable and includes all the install (although I have already ran the cable as I had a specific route under floorboards etc).

Car arrives AM on 1st March and charge point installed that afternoon

Who did you order your charge point through? I have seen one for £149 with Charged EV. Are there any specifics that I need in my house for the connection?

[Gb908010]

Coyote86 said:

Yours had slipped back a month or 2 hadn't it?

yeah it has 😳

[XE11]

Tony Angelino said:

Mines arrived, chuffed to bits after a quick 10 minute spin.

Can't register on either the BMW Connected or Remote apps, are they included or is there just a problem can anybody advise?

thanks all

yep. as part of their PHEV optimised package. real time traffic should also be included too.

(i drive a 225xe)

[XE11]

Tonycv51 said:

I've realised today I don't understand the "S" gearstick position versus Sport mode :-

- I had assumed Sport mode put the whole car into Sport i.e. gearbox, engine, steering, exhaust etc.
- however "S" doesn't appear in the display when I just put it in Sport mode
- in Sport mode the ICE is on whilst driving but is still in auto stop/start mode
- with gearstick in "S" position auto stop/start is off i.e. ICE is on even when at a standstill (will actually be handy in traffic if battery is exhausted as may make the car less jerky)
- earlier in the forum there was discussion about the gearbox being slow - does putting it in "S" put it into a faster change mode ?

So if you want to drive in the sportiest fashion am I meant to put car in Sport mode and also meant to knock the gearlever into "S", and is this a general BMW auto gearbox thing (not had one before) or is there any 330e specific behaviour ?

i can only speak from my experience with my 225xe.

yes, "S" gear will turn off auto-start stop. and it only affects the gearbox. the "sport" mode is to do with steering, dampeners, throttle responses.

the whole thing is abit disjointed because the car was not build for PHEV from grounds up. there are petrol/diesel with manual gearbox cars, those will still have this comfort/eco/sport selections. then there are petrol/diesel with auto box.... so i can understand why they want to keep the two system separated. but as a user, it just feels disjointed and not coherent enough.... most i do is sport mode, i very rarely go into "S" with gearbox.

[rich2000]

jez1987 said:

rich2000 said:

Check the rules of the charging point grant - I'm sure I remember reading it has to be ordered within 3 or 4 months either side of your cars delivery?

I have paid for a 32 Amp Rolec tethered unit which after grant is costing £149. I'd have to pay that just for a cable and includes all the install (although I have already ran the cable as I had a specific route under floorboards etc).

Car arrives AM on 1st March and charge point installed that afternoon

Who did you order your charge point through? I have seen one for £149 with Charged EV. Are there any specifics that I need in my house for the connection?

Mine has been ordered with Charged EV - gets installed on 1st March, although work commitments mean I may need to change the date. They are doing further discount in Feb so I have the 32 Amp tethered unit installed for £149. I wanted to have the version which has a std 13A plug as well as the tethered connection but that is not available on the grant. I should be able to easily retrofit the 13A socket though.

This includes "standard" install which is detailed on their site. I had issue with it in that it only allowed 10m of cable and would be clipped to the wall only and would have looked horrible where my fuse box is (middle of the house). I have ran my own cable under floorboards etc ready for the install which I agreed with them up front - as long as it was 6mm armoured they were fine. No discount for me supplying the cable so I will be asking for my 10m...will always come in handy

[Mcpaynter]

XE11 said:

yep. as part of their PHEV optimised package. real time traffic should also be included too.

(i drive a 225xe)

RTTI is only standard on pro media pack.. for 3 years. You can have it on the standard pack and sign up for extras via connected drive and internet on the car, but it's about £60pa for traffic info

[Tony Angelino]

XE11 said:

Tony Angelino said:

Mines arrived, chuffed to bits after a quick 10 minute spin.

Can't register on either the BMW Connected or Remote apps, are they included or is there just a problem can anybody advise?

thanks all

yep. as part of their PHEV optimised package. real time traffic should also be included too.

(i drive a 225xe)

Thanks. Think I've just about sorted it now, registered my car through the desktop site rather than the app. Just need to try and sort the apps now!

[Tonycv51]

XE11 said:

i can only speak from my experience with my 225xe.

yes, "S" gear will turn off auto-start stop. and it only affects the gearbox. the "sport" mode is to do with steering, dampeners, throttle responses.

the whole thing is abit disjointed because the car was not build for PHEV from grounds up. there are petrol/diesel with manual gearbox cars, those will still have this comfort/eco/sport selections. then there are petrol/diesel with auto box.... so i can understand why they want to keep the two system separated. but as a user, it just feels disjointed and not coherent enough.... most i do is sport mode, i very rarely go into "S" with gearbox.

Ok thanks that helps - from that and some more digging in the manual etc :-

S stops auto stop-start and prevents max e-drive being used, changes paddle shift behaviour so a paddle change will lock car to manual, and does something to 330e driving/charging behaviour that sounds like it triggers more aggressive energy recuperation and "may increase fuel consumption"

Sport changes dampeners, steering, exhaust flap/throttle, also triggers more aggressive energy recuperation, and enables more frequent use of eBoost, but does allow you to select max e-drive

So S on 330e means no stop-start and locks paddle shift into manual mode, and prevents use of max e-drive.

They both have some impact on power / charging, but it's still not clear whether they're the same apart from no max e-drive for S

[Tonycv51]

XE11 said:

i can only speak from my experience with my 225xe.

Meant to ask what's the 225xe like ? Do you notice the 4 wheel drive at all and did you test drive a 330e to compare. As long as there's battery power the 330e feels amazingly smooth and refined compared to my previous audis and 3 series BMWs at any lower speed, and a rocket when needed even at higher speeds

[Robv1]

Tonycv51 said:

As long as there's battery power the 330e feels amazingly smooth and refined compared to my previous audis and 3 series BMWs at any lower speed, and a rocket when needed even at higher speeds

Isn't there always battery power to complement the petrol engine as it always keeps 20% of the charge?

[BMW330enut]

Coyote86 said:

Gb908010 said:

Updated delivery on Friday still says 27th March which has been the same for a month now,fingers crossed.

Yours had slipped back a month or 2 hadn't it?

Just had my delivery date confirmed for 3rd March from an order in October. Can't wait now

[Tonycv51]

Robv1 said:

Isn't there always battery power to complement the petrol engine as it always keeps 20% of the charge?

If the battery is very low and you hit stop start traffic it sometimes has to put the engine on - it's a rare event but you then really realise how annoying stop start can be because you don't experience it with the electric

Edited by Tonycv51 on Wednesday 22 February 08:58

[Robv1]

Tonycv51 said:

If the battery is very low and you hit stop start traffic it sometimes has to put the engine on - it's a rare event but you then really realise how annoying stop start can be because you don't experience it with the electric

Yes, and in the 330e it can't be switched off.
As my current car has the somewhat rattly N20 engine I tend to turn off stop start on every journey.

Can't wait to get my 330e.

[Coyote86]

Using ESYS, you can switch off the stop start (not 100% sure on the 330e but i and d you can) or switch it to memory function but be mindful of warranty

[johnduq]

Has anyone managed to get a tow bar post delivery from any supplier? Or does the "e" at the end mean nothing fits??

[Tonycv51]

Robv1 said:

es, and in the 330e it can't be switched off.
As my current car has the somewhat rattly N20 engine I tend to turn off stop start on every journey.

Can't wait to get my 330e.

It can be switched off as I realised yesterday - just knock gearstick to the left into M/S. And as long as you don't touch the paddles it will drive in auto

[aberdeeneuan]

johnduq said:

Has anyone managed to get a tow bar post delivery from any supplier? Or does the "e" at the end mean nothing fits??

I thinks it's more to do with the weight in the back with the batteries. Maybe give motobars in leamington a call, they just fitted one to my other halfs 2 series, they will able to tell you what is possible.

[Tony Angelino]

Absolutely loving mine after just over 24 hours, just about getting used to it and the different modes and settings. Latest thing I'm struggling with is when listening to a podcast from iPhone via bluetooth connection, the podcasts are very quiet and the volume needs to be turned up to around 75% to make it audible. Problem obviously comes when you forget that you've cranked the volume up so high when you switch back to radio and your eardrums nearly explode.

Does anybody else have this issue or know of a workaround perhaps?

Thanks