auto owners.

[jimmybell]

You start a drag race with your foot on the brake? :p

[Ducklakeview]

You start a drag race with your foot on the brake? :p

In an auto, that can be beneficial - Left foot on brake as lights go amber, build revs to 1,750-2,000, and let the brake go as you floor the throttle...

Mike

[ronk]

Have the later Auto E89 s got launch control?
I know our 335xd has and it's a real hoot - it s like being sat in a catapult sling!

[mr wilks]

I'm with GuidoK, a lot of the comments seem to imply that it's just too hard to drive a manual well. Come on, it's not really is it? I can't recall ever having a problem getting off the line quickly, the only thing that can hinder is the TC in its fully on state. Switching to DSC makes a marked difference, albeit I now have an LSD too...

Not all clutches & gearboxes are alike though try a swift , smooth & rapid start with a ZM that doesn't involve much noise & strange smells slick they aint , by comparison my sons Scirocco R manual just rips away smooth as you like

[jimmybell]

You start a drag race with your foot on the brake? :p

In an auto, that can be beneficial - Left foot on brake as lights go amber, build revs to 1,750-2,000, and let the brake go as you floor the throttle...

Mike

Sure, but the example was in a manual you'd have to move your foot to the accelerator..

Effectively, why are we debating if an old style autobox is faster than a manual?

even BMW's figures highlight how much slower it is.

The only time it might be faster is if it's more efficient/easier at changing gear more often, thus you may naturally get into the right RPM range more often than you would if you were being lazy in a manual (real world driving here..).

[Ducklakeview]

You start a drag race with your foot on the brake? :p

In an auto, that can be beneficial - Left foot on brake as lights go amber, build revs to 1,750-2,000, and let the brake go as you floor the throttle...

Mike

Sure, but the example was in a manual you'd have to move your foot to the accelerator..

Effectively, why are we debating if an old style autobox is faster than a manual?

even BMW's figures highlight how much slower it is.

The only time it might be faster is if it's more efficient/easier at changing gear more often, thus you may naturally get into the right RPM range more often than you would if you were being lazy in a manual (real world driving here..).

Even the "old" ZF 5-HP in the E85 changes gear quicker than any driver can, and with much less strain on the drivetrain than "snatching" the next gear as fast as possible in a manual. The difference in acceleration is due mainly to the fact that a torque converter provides a "liquid coupling" rather than the pure mechanical drive from a manual, however as I said earlier, the torque multiplication effect of this means you actually get more torque to the rear wheels for a given engine RPM when taking off, hence the "shove in the back" feeling in the auto.

Mike

[RedLine]

It took me a little while to realise just how quick my 3.0Si Auto was when pulling away. My first auto ever so its difficult to compare on experience.
Yes its possible to be quicker in a manual but not time and time again for all but the very skilled, for most probably not even 2 out of 10.

I know of a set of lights where is great fun to gently and quietly pull up in the left hand lane of three at a traffic island all leading onto a motorway. All the hot hatches etc queueing in the middle and right hand lane expecting to fight their way to the front where three lanes run into two and beat you into the bargain.
When the lights change floor the loud pedal and I've never been close to being overtaken by the wannabes. Always left in the mirror.

The trick is that after about 1/2 mile there's a bend and an area on the right where theres usually one of the local constabulary hiding out of sight. Having reached the speed limit just ease off and let the others race by occasionally to be greeted by blue lights. Ethical - probably not, but great fun. Of course there are faster cars about. Nearly always 1:0 though and sometimes 2:0!

[Johnbmwz4]

My 3.5i DCT has launch control, or at least it says it has in the handbook. Never used it though, I had an auto 3.0 E85 before the 3.5 DCT and it was rapid from standstill beating anything I tried at traffic lights. It felt faster than my E89 at setting off but I think that's because it feels like a much smaller car and is much lighter. I'm on my 4th auto car and love them. I drive a manual transit through the day and get totally fed up changing gears when stuck in traffic etc . Autos have come on a lot from the 80s and there are a lot more on the road now than that era too

[NickDE]

It took me a little while to realise just how quick my 3.0Si Auto was when pulling away. My first auto ever so its difficult to compare on experience.
Yes its possible to be quicker in a manual but not time and time again for all but the very skilled, for most probably not even 2 out of 10.

I know of a set of lights where is great fun to gently and quietly pull up in the left hand lane of three at a traffic island all leading onto a motorway. All the hot hatches etc queueing in the middle and right hand lane expecting to fight their way to the front where three lanes run into two and beat you into the bargain.
When the lights change floor the loud pedal and I've never been close to being overtaken by the wannabes. Always left in the mirror.

The trick is that after about 1/2 mile there's a bend and an area on the right where theres usually one of the local constabulary hiding out of sight. Having reached the speed limit just ease off and let the others race by occasionally to be greeted by blue lights. Ethical - probably not, but great fun. Of course there are faster cars about. Nearly always 1:0 though and sometimes 2:0!

Totally unethical and evil.

[ronk]

My 3.5i DCT has launch control, or at least it says it has in the handbook. Never used it though, I had an auto 3.0 E85 before the 3.5 DCT and it was rapid from standstill beating anything I tried at traffic lights. It felt faster than my E89 at setting off but I think that's because it feels like a much smaller car and is much lighter. I'm on my 4th auto car and love them. I drive a manual transit through the day and get totally fed up changing gears when stuck in traffic etc . Autos have come on a lot from the 80s and there are a lot more on the road now than that era too

If you haven't tried it - then you must use it once at least - you will be amazed! Take a tip tho, find a straight and quiet bit of road. The acceleration feels like one big relentless push.
The only reason I haven't used it on my car is it's only done 1k before going into hibernation.

I note your comments re 80's Autos ! 3 speed Borg Warner boxes - awful in the extreme. If auto boxes were like that now I would not have one.

I don't think many auto users return to a manual.

[Johnbmwz4]

Ha ha yeah I think my mate had a 1981 Honda Civic which was an auto and 1 of the 3 gears was reverse I think ha ha. To be honest when I put the car in sport plus from standstill it scares me to death with the back end squirming all over the place so I don't think I'll use the launch control just yet.

[ronk]

It was a pals 335xd I tried the launch control and on a dry road - with 650Nm (ish) of torque and good traction, it would be a very fast car to catch it.

[Steve84N]

My 3.5i DCT has launch control, or at least it says it has in the handbook. Never used it though, I had an auto 3.0 E85 before the 3.5 DCT and it was rapid from standstill beating anything I tried at traffic lights.

The 35 is still a 3.0.

[STUBOY2UK]

You start a drag race with your foot on the brake? :p

In 'real life' driving, yes I do. I'm talking about just beating someone away from the lights, not sitting there eyeing each other up whilst revving the engine and having a full on race

[ronk]

My 3.5i DCT has launch control, or at least it says it has in the handbook. Never used it though, I had an auto 3.0 E85 before the 3.5 DCT and it was rapid from standstill beating anything I tried at traffic lights.

The 35 is still a 3.0.

The nomenclature that Bmw have doesn't make a lot of sense does it? 1.8 and 2.3 both 2.0l ( I think!)