Indeed. If it can climb any hill in top gear, it's under geared.
My previous BMW, an E34 525 24 valve (petrol) auto, would come out of torque convertor lock and drop a couple of gears on several motorway hills. But gave the most amazing mpg - 40 on the motorway wasn't unusual.
I used to like the 525e for that. Not generally a popular car though. Current diseasels can manage astonishing mpg under those circumstances. The big Jags are achieving fuel economy that people would have been grateful to see from a Mini just fifteen years ago, big Beemers likewise or a bit more so. Oh, and they are way faster than hot hatches.
Not as good as on an auto for sure but still useful for those long tedious stretches of road with SPECS cameras and also for keeping me honest in towns. I use mine in my manual car all the time.
Tim
Yeah but, that's an auto. It makes perfect sense for CC to stay engaged even if the box has to drop a cog for a hill. On a manual though, for the CC to stay engaged when changing down and slowing (for a roundabout say) makes no sense.
Tim
It doesn't stay engaged on my car either when slowing down for a roundabout, etc. Not, of course, that I usually do given BMW roadholding. ;-)
In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes
Yep, I've seen more than one BMW which has gorn off the road backwards. ;-)
,
Oh, you mean like most BMW owners you enjoy going backwards around roundabouts with a startled expression on your face as you discover that yes they really are tail-happy?
You really need to try one made in the last 20 years or so. Or, of course, learn how to drive a RWD vehicle properly.
What, like the compact?
Last time I checked my Jag was RWD and hasn't managed to kill me yet, or switch ends. I've seen many, many backwards Mist Wagens over the years.
In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes
I learned to drive in a RWD car, and drove one for 40 years; I think my first FWD was a new Cavalier in 1995. BMWs are fine as long as they aren't driven by BMW drivers. ;-)
Indeed.
Same here. It feels as though it brakes quite a lot for me though. When the economy meter end-stops and there is more braking effect after that point makes me think it's actually braking. I believe the car has quite a tight control of over-speed but I've never really tested it personally.
Not sure..it's got 6 gears and does about 2000 rpm at speeds plod would become genuinely interested in on the motorway. The real trick is the 295 lbft at 1300 rpm. Being an early "efficient dynamics" car, I can get anywhere from typically low forties to mid fifties out the thing - it's by no means a heavy drinker as it is. Never having to change down on the motorway is quite relaxing really.
I'm so pleased with the motor that I'm not buying another 3 unless the
6 cylinder diesel is fitted.
I thought Scotland was generally considered to be one of the lumpier parts of the UK? Just because your torquier car has to change down doesn't mean that mine will.
Try finding a manual 330d then - you'll find lots of autos and only a few manuals. 335d cars don't even have a manual box as an option.
I know what you're saying but, I'm not sure I'd want to run much lower rpm at high speed in a car. It's already under 2000 rpm at legal speeds. The problem would be that the manufacturer would have to add strength (weight) to the moving parts of the engine. This would impact other areas of its performance.
Also, I fully agree with you in the case where an economy gear is fitted to a car which allows it to cruise below its peak torque rpm, but to do this in my car means going below 1300 rpm. I think this is too low in a car diesel. Fine in a lorry.
Yet in stating the above you haven't considered that your own driving technique may need polish and that the car is fine?
Changing down to promote slowing down is a seriously out of date technique practiced by many that don't know about modern driving in a modern road car. In the case of a roundabout, changing down (if required) should take place *after* the correct speed for the roundabout has been reached.
Because I drive my car properly (as a direct result of recent training), CC does not stay engaged if I'm slowing down for a roundabout (even though it isn't automatically disengaged by the clutch pedal).
As is my E39 petrol auto.
Why?
Why?
The peak torque in your engine is down to how hard the blower is working.
I'm afraid that the peak torque is not *at* 1,300 rpm, but is
*somewhere* between 1,300 and 3,250 rpm on your M57 engine.You may have seen it listed from 1,300 rpm, but this is incomplete information.
On this engine
David
It's not my car, it belongs to a friend.
Well I will plead guilty to still using the gears for slowing. I've been doing it for nearly 40 years and am yet to be convinced that it's a "bad" practice.
I dislike having to be busy changing gear at the last moment when I can instead just have the throttle to control as I transition on to the roundabout. It feels easier to keep the car balanced that way and smoother for passengers. Of course if you've not be taught how to do that properly you might find that tricky. ;-)
I know it's not the "modern" way but frankly, I don't give a f*ck.
Tim
I have a 118i auto (until tomorrow), and a 335d auto, both of which are (sept) 2009 models with "Efficient Dynamics".
On the smaller petrol engine car, I can feel the "brake energy regeneration" (BMW marketing speak, internally known as "Intelligent Alternator Control" which is a far more accurate title) and see the battery charging voltage rise over a period of one or two seconds on over-run, it doesn't suddenly turn on the alternator. Whereas on the
335d, I cannot be sure that it is the increase of the charging voltage of the battery on over-run.It is difficult to separate whether it is the brake function of the CC, or the increase in battery charging that causes deceleration back to the set point. For instance, when running with CC, and coming up to a slower vehicle, to overtake the accelerator is pressed for a few seconds and then after passing the vehicle, the accelerator pedal is released and I often wonder if the car is braking back to the set point, or the alternator is charging the battery until the original set point is reached.
David
On this engine:
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