hi, this is the first time posting here so please accept apologies if i screw up on protocol... I have been driving an 1994 E34 , 520i manual for the past 5 years , an amazing car and perfectly stable taking corners at 140km or higher by droping gears, was great fun and you could do it confidently. I just upgraded to the 2003 E39 , 520i automatic, great looking car and also drives like a dream , but i am not as confident yet to hit the corners at high speeds, how does the car handle ? how does the car know that you are entering a corner ? are there any sencors ? is it safe or am i just being mad...
High Speed cornering
Jan 23, 2007
3 Replies
Arrange to go on a track with run outs etc. The car knows you are turning from the wheel speed sensors, and should hold gear [in auto] if you are cornering, however
- Read the manual very carefully.
- Try it out under safe conditions or use the box in manual mode.
Just a bit concerned about the suspensions. They are quite prone to fail especially for BMWs. I presume the suspensions in your car are stock ones that come with it when you bought it. Make sure they are still fit as the suspension system has great deal of effect on cornering.
One of the cool things about an automatic transmission is that you can select the gears manually if you desire.
There is a bit of a trick to it to make the shifts cleand and comfortable, but the same theories you applied to the manual gearbox apply to the automatic -- lower gears raise the engine speed, and help the engine play a role in the stability. Just as you need to pre-select the proper gear with youir manual transmission, you also have to plan ahead with the automatic. With proper planning and forethought, you can drive your automatic along your favorite mountain road with the same confidence you felt with the manual.
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