RE: E92 M3 Start/Stop Technology - is it subtle ?

[pdj81]

Evening All,

Am very close to purchasing an E93 M3, (my first M car..) and will likely go for a 2010 onwards car that has the new engine stop / start technology. Having read that this will go some way to reducing emissions / fuel consumption I wanted to see if any members of the group have driven the car and whether its subtle in its activation in daily use ?

I recently read an article that another certain sports / GT car maker wont employ start-stop as the tech can annoy the drivers and some find it intrusive.

Any experiences / opinions of it on the road greatly appreciated!

Cheers

[jontysafe]

The mind well and truly boggles. IMHO stop/start on an M3 is an oxymoron. A complete and utter waste of time and I'm a little shocked its even an option. TBH it will make next to feck all difference and annoy you beyond reason.
In what world is an extra 1/2 a mile a gallon important on a car that, at best, you'll get an average 19mpg and will depreciate as much as £1000 per month. If you want frugality buy a TD. That said I love the M3. Hoping this isn't a troll as am enjoying a vino or 10.

[pdj81]

thanks - I do agree with the sentiment that its questionable value on a performance car. its not an option, apparently standard on all cars 2010 m3s onwards. just interested to see if any members can comment on what its like. clearly the tech is becoming more common place... cylinder deactivation etc

[Davidonly]

It can be disabled quite easily. If when I get an E92M3 and its fitted I shall be getting it removed pronto!

[mondeoman]

Why bother - you have to go through a very specific sequence to activate the stop/start anyway that it really doesn't make any difference. Mrs Mondeoman's 09 3 series has it and I cant remember the last time she ever activated it in normal driving.

[api330]

I have driven several cars with stop start tech (Not bmw) and you don't even notice it working, They are very clever they only work at certain times and you can switch system of, If you do a lot of town driving it would save you wasting fuel, I know you don't buy these cars for there fuel comsumption but why not save a bit when you can,

[pjv997]

One of the key benefits of the stop start technology is that is reduces the official emissions figure and potentially puts the car in a lower tax bracket.

[foresterlad]

Stop/start does not effect the tax group for the m3, nor does DCT. However it is a mpg benefit and
of course gets BMW brownie points in euro- land for reducing emissions.
I currently run a 2010 CP manual car and routinely disengage stop/start after the engine completes it's warm up cycle.
The actual stop/start process is seamless, however it is also in my view pointless. I did confirm with BMW that there is no permanent way to disengage stop/start although USA cars have the function reversed (it has to be enabled through a switch). There maybe independents who can programme the ecu but I would be concerned the warranty is then invalidated.
really it is not an issue, I'm more concerned future M cars will not have a manual option

[pdj81]

thanks foresterlad, you mention that you can routinely deactivate the function - how do you do this ? i.e is their a button or programme on i-drive etc

[waremark]

There is a button to turn it off. My M3 is older and does not have stop/start, but in cars which do have it I don't turn it off. After having tried it, it just seems wasteful not to use it. The engine does not stop if the computers think there is any reason for it to continue running - ie very hot, very cold, and a few other situations. In a manual, it only stops if you take the car out of gear and release the clutch. It starts again when you press the clutch to put the car back into gear, so the engine is running in very good time for you to move off. In auto cars the engine starts again when you release the footbrake - in some cars the start up is quick enough that the engine is running normally by the time your right foot gets to the accelerator. In my wife's Merc, I prefer to start the engine in advance of releasing the footbrake - with my left foot on the footbrake, I touch the accelerator with my right, and the engine starts. Happy to hear how smoothly the M3 DCT moves off if you allow the engine to restart when you release the footbrake.

[R1_NUR]

1. Yep there is a button to turn it off.

or on a DCT car:

2. You can switch to manual and stop start is disabled.

I notice on the new M5 the button to switch stop/start off is located by the main ignition START button. I guess BMW worked out that most people start the engine and then immediately switch off stop/start! lol

Having said that I don't find it too intrusive but I don't like sitting there with my foot on the brake because I feel sorry for the person behind me with my brake lights shinning in their face!

[3ftandclean]

I liked it on my last M3. Those moments at traffic lights when the engine switched off were like quiet tranquil ponds in the noisy rough seas of life. Or something.

[foresterlad]

From experience of a manual M3 in heavy traffic I find the constant engine re-start sequence irritating. The
mpg is little different if at all. There is an inevitable delay albeit slight in moving off and if the stop is of a significant time why not just turn off the engine anyway.
The point is that Eu testing is not of the real world and car makers will do anything to headline low co and high mpg

[Slurms]

It's ok, most of the owners I know just switch it off.

Did a cross town commute in a manual M3 with start/stop and it wasn't to bad, certainly not something to worry about when buying the car.