2009 535d Touring - which transmission?
Discussion
Hi,
I'm currently looking for a 6 month old 535d touring.
Tested one yesterday with standard gearbox - is sport automatic transmission worth looking for? HAs anyone got it on their car and what is your impression of it? Would welcome your views on which is better.
Was really impressed with the car yesterday, I tested it back to back with an M3 - thought the M3 had a more comfortable ride though!
Thanks
I'm currently looking for a 6 month old 535d touring.
Tested one yesterday with standard gearbox - is sport automatic transmission worth looking for? HAs anyone got it on their car and what is your impression of it? Would welcome your views on which is better.
Was really impressed with the car yesterday, I tested it back to back with an M3 - thought the M3 had a more comfortable ride though!
Thanks
johnholywood said:
Hi,
I'm currently looking for a 6 month old 535d touring.
Tested one yesterday with standard gearbox - is sport automatic transmission worth looking for? HAs anyone got it on their car and what is your impression of it? Would welcome your views on which is better.
Was really impressed with the car yesterday, I tested it back to back with an M3 - thought the M3 had a more comfortable ride though!
Thanks
I wouldnt decline an otherwise good car to find one with Sport auto. The standard auto box is superb - very fast, very slick and automatically puts the car into 'P' when you switch the car off. I'm currently looking for a 6 month old 535d touring.
Tested one yesterday with standard gearbox - is sport automatic transmission worth looking for? HAs anyone got it on their car and what is your impression of it? Would welcome your views on which is better.
Was really impressed with the car yesterday, I tested it back to back with an M3 - thought the M3 had a more comfortable ride though!
Thanks
Unless you really really think you are going to get use out of the paddles (and i think the novelty would wear off very quick) then i'd run with the standard auto box model.
Sorry to jump in here. But can someone explain where the paddles come from? I was in Hexagon yesterday eyeing up an 06 650i but noticed there weren't any paddles on the steering wheel. As such, is it an SMG feature, an option or only found in the more recent model years.
Coming from Alpina Switchtronic I'm not keen to loose paddle control!
Coming from Alpina Switchtronic I'm not keen to loose paddle control!
I've had sports auto for 2 years since it was first introduced and drive almost all of the time in manual.
By hitting the sports button the steering firms up, the throttle is sharper and the gear changes are significantly quicker than normal (still slick and smooth, but amazingly fast). It makes the car drive in a completely different fashion and if it's worth every penny. If I go for another BMW next, I won't buy a car without it.
Try to drive one with SAT, but drive it in full auto with the stick to the left and sports button hit, drive it fast and you'll see that it all makes sense!
By hitting the sports button the steering firms up, the throttle is sharper and the gear changes are significantly quicker than normal (still slick and smooth, but amazingly fast). It makes the car drive in a completely different fashion and if it's worth every penny. If I go for another BMW next, I won't buy a car without it.
Try to drive one with SAT, but drive it in full auto with the stick to the left and sports button hit, drive it fast and you'll see that it all makes sense!
I just bought a 530D with Sport Auto; I love it and ended up using it as a something to filter the cars on offer. Given the £100 the option costs on the 535D (or £75 uplift on lesser models) I'm amazed that it's not on more cars. I imagine because it's not on a lot of demonstrators and because even if it was most test drives aren't going to be long enough to appreciate the virtues.
I haven't got all the tips like M-J-B; I'm still figuring it out for my driving style but I like the options that it gives me. I had one of the first DSGs on an 03 3.2 V6 TT which was much cruder in character (but great tech) - it drove like S = mental or D = prematurely retired. In that car flappy paddles was essential to keep it in D and then drive briskly without being driven nuts by the noise / high revving. DSG also (and I have no idea if this is the case today) had a big flaw that it would not creep in R. That meant that you had to blip the throttle causing a lurch which was often less than helpful reversing into a tight spot. By contrast the LCI's gearbox + sport auto seems to be much more about holding the optimum gear for the speed (perhaps an Efficient Dynamics thing?) but being (very) ready and reading what your foot is doing. Reverse works like an auto should too.
Made me smile to hear the comment about the M3 / 535D ride. My Sport Business Edition comes with 19" 172 alloys and is possibly harder. I'm finding both the ride and road noise blissful after 15 months in a 53 S4 Avant.... I've no idea what all these run flat nay sayers and Honest John are all on about.
HTH
I haven't got all the tips like M-J-B; I'm still figuring it out for my driving style but I like the options that it gives me. I had one of the first DSGs on an 03 3.2 V6 TT which was much cruder in character (but great tech) - it drove like S = mental or D = prematurely retired. In that car flappy paddles was essential to keep it in D and then drive briskly without being driven nuts by the noise / high revving. DSG also (and I have no idea if this is the case today) had a big flaw that it would not creep in R. That meant that you had to blip the throttle causing a lurch which was often less than helpful reversing into a tight spot. By contrast the LCI's gearbox + sport auto seems to be much more about holding the optimum gear for the speed (perhaps an Efficient Dynamics thing?) but being (very) ready and reading what your foot is doing. Reverse works like an auto should too.
Made me smile to hear the comment about the M3 / 535D ride. My Sport Business Edition comes with 19" 172 alloys and is possibly harder. I'm finding both the ride and road noise blissful after 15 months in a 53 S4 Avant.... I've no idea what all these run flat nay sayers and Honest John are all on about.
HTH
GoLo said:
Made me smile to hear the comment about the M3 / 535D ride. My Sport Business Edition comes with 19" 172 alloys and is possibly harder. I'm finding both the ride and road noise blissful after 15 months in a 53 S4 Avant.... I've no idea what all these run flat nay sayers and Honest John are all on about.
HTH
Is your car not on normal tyres? Didn't think the 19 inchers came with run flats - which may explain you not understand naysayers and Honest John.HTH
Edited by drmark on Sunday 11th October 16:48
drmark said:
GoLo said:
Made me smile to hear the comment about the M3 / 535D ride. My Sport Business Edition comes with 19" 172 alloys and is possibly harder. I'm finding both the ride and road noise blissful after 15 months in a 53 S4 Avant.... I've no idea what all these run flat nay sayers and Honest John are all on about.
HTH
Is your car not on normal tyres? Didn't think the 19 inchers came with run flats - which may explain you not understand naysayers and Honest John.HTH
Edited by drmark on Sunday 11th October 16:48
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