Query about how BMW auto + paddles work
Discussion
Hi All.
Just idly pondering really - I've always had manuals (currently in a manual M135i) apart from one attempt at a paddle shift S4 which didn't work out, but it fairly narrows down the choice these days especially as I'll probably go for a 3 or 4 series next (maybe with x drive)
Anyway - was wondering what would happen in the following scenario: tooling along at 60 in an auto in drive (in sixth) - you come to a sharpish bend and want to slow the car to about 30 so give it 3 yanks on the left paddle to get it down to third (I prefer this to using the foot brake). You get round the bend and accelerate away back to 60 - what happens next if you do nowt? ie does the car stick you back up through the gears to sixth on its own or do you need to use the paddles? At what point does it take back control if you see what I mean?
Thanks for any sensible replies
Just idly pondering really - I've always had manuals (currently in a manual M135i) apart from one attempt at a paddle shift S4 which didn't work out, but it fairly narrows down the choice these days especially as I'll probably go for a 3 or 4 series next (maybe with x drive)
Anyway - was wondering what would happen in the following scenario: tooling along at 60 in an auto in drive (in sixth) - you come to a sharpish bend and want to slow the car to about 30 so give it 3 yanks on the left paddle to get it down to third (I prefer this to using the foot brake). You get round the bend and accelerate away back to 60 - what happens next if you do nowt? ie does the car stick you back up through the gears to sixth on its own or do you need to use the paddles? At what point does it take back control if you see what I mean?
Thanks for any sensible replies
If it's in manual mode it stays in 3rd or whatever cog you dropped it down to.
I don't have paddles on my f10 and it's a pre LCI so not sure if they fixed this but I sometimes miss being able to block change from say 6 to 2 instantly without having to go through each gear sequentially.
Apart from that I'd be hard pushed to go back to a manual.
I don't have paddles on my f10 and it's a pre LCI so not sure if they fixed this but I sometimes miss being able to block change from say 6 to 2 instantly without having to go through each gear sequentially.
Apart from that I'd be hard pushed to go back to a manual.
DibblyDobbler said:
Cheers - this is maybe what I am missing... if I start in normal auto mode but then pull the paddles to down shift does that put me in manual mode? How do you control what mode you're in?
In my 2012 Z4 with 8 speed sports automatic, you could switch from auto to manual by moving the gear lever to the right then use the paddles, lever back to the central position to go back to auto.If you used the paddles when in auto mode without moving the lever then after a delay it would automatically go back into auto mode.
I think the delay was something like 10 seconds or so, but can't remember exactly as after trying the paddles over the first week of ownership I found them to be fairly pointless for normal road driving as the auto box was so good.
Other flavours of BMW auto boxes may well be different.
[quote=Porkbrain]
In my 2012 Z4 with 8 speed sports automatic, you could switch from auto to manual by moving the gear lever to the right then use the paddles, lever back to the central position to go back to auto.
If you used the paddles when in auto mode without moving the lever then after a delay it would automatically go back into auto mode.
I think the delay was something like 10 seconds or so, but can't remember exactly as after trying the paddles over the first week of ownership I found them to be fairly pointless for normal road driving as the auto box was so good.
spot on for a 335d f31 pre facelift
In my 2012 Z4 with 8 speed sports automatic, you could switch from auto to manual by moving the gear lever to the right then use the paddles, lever back to the central position to go back to auto.
If you used the paddles when in auto mode without moving the lever then after a delay it would automatically go back into auto mode.
I think the delay was something like 10 seconds or so, but can't remember exactly as after trying the paddles over the first week of ownership I found them to be fairly pointless for normal road driving as the auto box was so good.
spot on for a 335d f31 pre facelift
Till135 said:
If you are in auto and then simply use the paddles to downshift, the gearbox will go back into auto after ? 10 sec or so and shift back up.
It will only hold the paddle gear if you've slapped the auto selector to the left, putting it into manual.
Yep! You only get full manual control if the lever is pushed to the left, m/s, position and the paddles are used. Even then the software prevents a stall or over rev by selecting a more appropriate gear. It will only hold the paddle gear if you've slapped the auto selector to the left, putting it into manual.
Leaving the gear selector in the RHS position and selecting between ECO, Comfort, Sport and Sport plus just changes the quantity of gears and the throttle position / demand / change map. Using the paddles then just gives a 10s override selection and then it goes back to the programmed map.
With the gear selector in the LHS position it operates the same programmed map as sport. Useful for overtaking - just mash the lever to the left! Much easier than looking down at the switch position and it takes too long to change maps. It uses the sport map until the paddles are used and then it becomes manual gear selection until the lever is returned to the RHS position. At least until stall or over rev is detected eg braking hard for a hazard wouldn't stall the car it would just change to M1 or M2 and wait for the driver to change back up accelerating away from said hazard.
In sprited driving I found both auto maps can change gear in corners or bog down - upsetting the balance of the car. However on the twisties select M3 or M4 and drive on the throttle is way better.
Try it!
Edited by ian in lancs on Monday 17th July 08:10
DibblyDobbler said:
Really? Crikey that is a bit clever !
Yep, according to Top Gear it came in on the 2015 1 series, not sure about other models:https://www.topgear.com/car-news/first-look/its-ne...
Top Gear said:
One of the more interesting nuggets of tech nestled in the new 1-Series is its application of satnav data to increase efficiency. Pick the automatic gearbox and the car will change up or down gears depending on if the nav informs it of an upcoming roundabout, a string of corners or motorway slip road.
jan8p said:
In the later autos, it is also linked to the sat nav so should select more appropriate gears for corners
Didn't know that. If it's in my 2015 235 then it's not very good as it's usually in too high a gear. The paddles aren't as good as on my old Audi - too clunky, feel slower.
DibblyDobbler said:
jan8p said:
In the later autos, it is also linked to the sat nav so should select more appropriate gears for corners
Really? Crikey that is a bit clever !(as is most of this semi-autonomous tech crap)
Having specced the Sport-Auto paddle option on my 2017 X5, the only thing I've now found it useful for is flipping the downshift paddle quickly for a bit of engine braking to assist the brakes coping with 2+Te during sharp braking.
I loved the paddles in my 135i with DCT, but the 8ZF is nowhere near as good as DCT I'm afraid, despite what BMW try to convince people it is.
The 8ZF is perfect for the X5 application of course, I just could of saved myself a few hundred quid opting for the Sport-Auto option in it.
As mentioned, you can use the gearbox as completely manual in more recent models. Even in COMFORT auto mode, the paddles can be useful if you want to downshift before accelerating when you overtake, or can see that the road ahead demands a shift. For example, in Alpine switchbacks, even in SPORT, I end up downshifting as I approach a hairpin so I'm ready to take the corner and accelerate out.
However, I will admit to getting lazy - and I suspect that most owners are the same. The Sport ZF8 gets it right so often that it's only the odd occasion when it is noticeably wrong (not it's fault - no electronic system is perfect). But this is so infrequent that if they're like me, I can't be bothered to override it. It's probably only 5% of the time, if that, that I can be bothered to go into full manual mode.
Even in full manual mode, the advantage of the auto is that it won't let you stall the car. This was one of the factors which moved me to get another auto after my first. Also, in ECO PRO mode, the car will disengage the gears and idle (in mine, around 700 RPM) going downhill. This has proved useful on the odd motorway journey when I've been very low on fuel - I found it saved about 10%-12% over 'standard' consumption if I used this feature carefully.
However, I will admit to getting lazy - and I suspect that most owners are the same. The Sport ZF8 gets it right so often that it's only the odd occasion when it is noticeably wrong (not it's fault - no electronic system is perfect). But this is so infrequent that if they're like me, I can't be bothered to override it. It's probably only 5% of the time, if that, that I can be bothered to go into full manual mode.
Even in full manual mode, the advantage of the auto is that it won't let you stall the car. This was one of the factors which moved me to get another auto after my first. Also, in ECO PRO mode, the car will disengage the gears and idle (in mine, around 700 RPM) going downhill. This has proved useful on the odd motorway journey when I've been very low on fuel - I found it saved about 10%-12% over 'standard' consumption if I used this feature carefully.
Edited by msej449 on Monday 17th July 17:13
Till135 said:
If you are in auto and then simply use the paddles to downshift, the gearbox will go back into auto after ? 10 sec or so and shift back up.
It will only hold the paddle gear if you've slapped the auto selector to the left, putting it into manual.
Concur (335d sport auto). Also if you 'slap' the central selector to the left and use the selector to change up or down, it will be the same as paddles, i.e. you are now in manual. Mine has the 8 speed box. 'Slapping' it left seems to always move to the gear that gives you 2000 rpm (diesel) and you can then at least double your speed in an overtake staying in the same gear.It will only hold the paddle gear if you've slapped the auto selector to the left, putting it into manual.
msej449 said:
As mentioned, you can use the gearbox as completely manual in more recent models. Even in COMFORT auto mode, the paddles can be useful if you want to downshift before accelerating when you overtake, or can see that the road ahead demands a shift. For example, in Alpine switchbacks, even in SPORT, I end up downshifting as I approach a hairpin so I'm ready to take the corner and accelerate out.
However, I will admit to getting lazy - and I suspect that most owners are the same. The Sport ZF8 gets it right so often that it's only the odd occasion when it is noticeably wrong (not it's fault - no electronic system is perfect). But this is so infrequent that if they're like me, I can't be bothered to override it. It's probably only 5% of the time, if that, that I can be bothered to go into full manual mode.
Even in full manual mode, the advantage of the auto is that it won't let you stall the car. This was one of the factors which moved me to get another auto after my first. Also, in ECO PRO mode, the car will disengage the gears and idle (in mine, around 700 RPM) going downhill. This has proved useful on the odd motorway journey when I've been very low on fuel - I found it saved about 10%-12% over 'standard' consumption if I used this feature carefully.
Pretty much my experience entirely. The auto is very good apart from on hairpins (which fortunately I have a lot of locally). It stays in auto most of the time apart from (a) on the hairpins (b) when I want to hear the exhaust sound bouncing off the rocks.However, I will admit to getting lazy - and I suspect that most owners are the same. The Sport ZF8 gets it right so often that it's only the odd occasion when it is noticeably wrong (not it's fault - no electronic system is perfect). But this is so infrequent that if they're like me, I can't be bothered to override it. It's probably only 5% of the time, if that, that I can be bothered to go into full manual mode.
Even in full manual mode, the advantage of the auto is that it won't let you stall the car. This was one of the factors which moved me to get another auto after my first. Also, in ECO PRO mode, the car will disengage the gears and idle (in mine, around 700 RPM) going downhill. This has proved useful on the odd motorway journey when I've been very low on fuel - I found it saved about 10%-12% over 'standard' consumption if I used this feature carefully.
Apart from the twisty sections of the local passes mine spends most of its time in Eco Pro.
In Sport or Sport+ it seems to take longer to go back to Drive than in Comfort or Eco Pro if you just pull a paddle manually.
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