BMW Sport Auto - talk to me!
Discussion
Question. Is the BMW "Sport Auto" box a conventional auto or an automated manual that behaves like an auto? Also, as the selector appears to be electronic, is there an added layer of "stuff to go wrong"?
I'm pondering an F32 4 Series Coupé or Gran Coupé - probably a 420i M Sport. Most of the examples for sale are sport autos. There are very few manuals. I don't care which I end up with from a driving perspective, but I most definitely would prefer to avoid something that adds a layer of tech which might go wrong and cost a lot to fix when it does.
Any thoughts?
I'm pondering an F32 4 Series Coupé or Gran Coupé - probably a 420i M Sport. Most of the examples for sale are sport autos. There are very few manuals. I don't care which I end up with from a driving perspective, but I most definitely would prefer to avoid something that adds a layer of tech which might go wrong and cost a lot to fix when it does.
Any thoughts?
I should probably hand in both my "man card" and my "PH card" but, sadly, I have no idea how an auto box works or what "torque converter" means. In the past auto boxes used to sap performance and ruin fuel economy, but in the case of the modern BMW ones, seem to perform better than manuals in both respects, hence why I wondered if it was something more sophisticated.
If it's a conventional auto, but with an electronic selector, what opportunity does that present for more stuff to go wrong? As an example, my 23 year old E36 has an old school steering lock which has never been an issue. My OH's 120d has an electronic one which has needed re-coding twice, so I'm suspicious of anything which adds a layer of needless tech to fix something that wasn't actually broken.
If it's a conventional auto, but with an electronic selector, what opportunity does that present for more stuff to go wrong? As an example, my 23 year old E36 has an old school steering lock which has never been an issue. My OH's 120d has an electronic one which has needed re-coding twice, so I'm suspicious of anything which adds a layer of needless tech to fix something that wasn't actually broken.
Never heard of the Sport part of the 8 speed ZF box failing.
All ZF 8 speeds have a Sport function whereby you move the lever left and it used higher revs and changes up the gears later.
A true Sports Auto option iirc is also having the paddles behind the wheel. We have them on our car and I have never used them in 9 years!! I just push the lever left to overtake or pull out of a difficult junction.
All ZF 8 speeds have a Sport function whereby you move the lever left and it used higher revs and changes up the gears later.
A true Sports Auto option iirc is also having the paddles behind the wheel. We have them on our car and I have never used them in 9 years!! I just push the lever left to overtake or pull out of a difficult junction.
As already mentioned, it will be a ZF8 gearbox on the cars you mention. I’ve owned 2 cars now with this gearbox and it is brilliant at what it does - many people who bemoan the decline of the manual gearbox have never tried a ZF8 IMO (& I do enjoy a manual car myself at times).
It’s a ‘traditional’ torque converter auto but these things have moved on such a long way in recent years (not just this particular ‘box). Yes, it does have an electronic selector rather than a physical lever as such, but I believe that particular part going wrong is the least of your worries on any modern car.
In my current case, when working with the B58 engine (& I’m sure others), you can just leave it in auto and it will do it’s job or you can slide the selector across to use the paddles - but you can also override the gearbox just by flicking a paddle at any time to overtake or going down a steep incline for example and will give you everything you want till you stop using the paddles for a short period and it will then put itself back into automatic mode. In Comfort mode bumbling along, you cannot actually feel the gear changes either. It’s also extremely efficient and I’m absolutely certain that it enhances fuel economy rather than hindering it.
It’s excellent.
It’s a ‘traditional’ torque converter auto but these things have moved on such a long way in recent years (not just this particular ‘box). Yes, it does have an electronic selector rather than a physical lever as such, but I believe that particular part going wrong is the least of your worries on any modern car.
In my current case, when working with the B58 engine (& I’m sure others), you can just leave it in auto and it will do it’s job or you can slide the selector across to use the paddles - but you can also override the gearbox just by flicking a paddle at any time to overtake or going down a steep incline for example and will give you everything you want till you stop using the paddles for a short period and it will then put itself back into automatic mode. In Comfort mode bumbling along, you cannot actually feel the gear changes either. It’s also extremely efficient and I’m absolutely certain that it enhances fuel economy rather than hindering it.
It’s excellent.
Interesting stuff, thanks. I have now watched a couple of YouTube videos explaining how an auto box works and will be filing them alongside algebra in the "too mindblowing for my simple brain" compartment in my head!
I currently have two opposing mindsets...
1: An auto should be less likely to break as the machine changes gear rather than the driver, so there'll be no botched gear changes that could do damage.
2: A manual should be less likely to break, and cheaper to fix if it does, as it's a simpler affair.
The spanner in the works is BMW's electronic interface on the auto which adds a layer bork potential but I'll take the advice above that it's a reliable piece of kit.
I currently have two opposing mindsets...
1: An auto should be less likely to break as the machine changes gear rather than the driver, so there'll be no botched gear changes that could do damage.
2: A manual should be less likely to break, and cheaper to fix if it does, as it's a simpler affair.
The spanner in the works is BMW's electronic interface on the auto which adds a layer bork potential but I'll take the advice above that it's a reliable piece of kit.
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