Auto Start-Stop. Option?

[johnbirt]

Just had my new sDrive28i M Sport auto 2012 for a couple of days. Is it only manual cars that have auto start-stop? Certainly there is no icon showing its presence and the button to switch on/off is blank anyway.

The car was heavily discounted as a new late 2012 model so I had what options were on, which were pretty much everything I wanted anyway.

From what I read the auto start-stop is not universally popular so maybe not missing much?

John B

[NeilP]

Had on my first Smart, so can't comment on the BMW system, but I hated it.

Ended up making a jumper wire on the switch to force it off. Car was far better after said mod.

[Robbeh]

Yeah so far for BMW it's only on manuals - the other half has it on her auto slk and I'm not a fan really

[PerryGunn]

Yeah so far for BMW it's only on manuals

Nope, it's on our F20 118d auto as well - first thing we do after starting the engine is turn it off.

There's supposed to be a coding option for setting it to be on/off/state-at-switchoff but I haven't had a chance to fiddle....

[dario]

i have auto start/stop on my twin turbo 525d F11 and i have to say that its a bit disconcerting that you could have been wazzing along nicely doing 70mpg ish and the ASS will stop the engine with hot turbos.

When i worked with heavy engines in generating plant, the worst thing you could do was shut the engine down straight after coming off load as the turbos were cherry red hot and the oil would be cooked in the housing of the turbo (very hot) and this would cause premature wear of the bearings leading to oil consumption and eventual failure.

The turbos in those days were cooled by the pumped engine oil. no pumped oil = damaged bearing!

[willc8]

I just picked up the same car John, congrats to you. I was wondering the same, can't find a button and i'm pretty sure the engine hasn't stopped once since I got it...

[willc8]

John, you probably found the answer already, but auto's don't come with stop/start, only the manuals. From the sounds of it, it shouldn't be much of a loss.

[bigdog]

i have auto start/stop on my twin turbo 525d F11 and i have to say that its a bit disconcerting that you could have been wazzing along nicely doing 70mpg ish and the ASS will stop the engine with hot turbos.

When i worked with heavy engines in generating plant, the worst thing you could do was shut the engine down straight after coming off load as the turbos were cherry red hot and the oil would be cooked in the housing of the turbo (very hot) and this would cause premature wear of the bearings leading to oil consumption and eventual failure.

The turbos in those days were cooled by the pumped engine oil. no pumped oil = damaged bearing!

And that's why I would never buy a used turbo car. Even if the turbo is water cooled. You still have the issue of the turbo spooling down without an oil supply. Coked oil on a bearing is very bad indeed. It was something I had to watch for on my Kenworth truck.

[Maniac]

Its probably only the F series with autos that have stop start for the moment. Poor old e89 is perhaps the only one in the current range stuck in the past.

[Wondermike]

dario, engines with stop-start keep all the ancillary items like water and oil pumps going to avoid any issues like that, not sure how much fuel it actually saves in the end but it's probably worthwhile.

SS is much more annoying with an auto, because in a manual, when you come across a situation where you will only be stopped for a brief time, you can keep the clutch down and SS won't kick in, but you can't do that with an auto, you would need to reach over and turn it off.

[gallaghb]

dario, engines with stop-start keep all the ancillary items like water and oil pumps going to avoid any issues like that, not sure how much fuel it actually saves in the end but it's probably worthwhile.

SS is much more annoying with an auto, because in a manual, when you come across a situation where you will only be stopped for a brief time, you can keep the clutch down and SS won't kick in, but you can't do that with an auto, you would need to reach over and turn it off.

Manual of my 1 says engine has to have stopped for 5 secs IIRC to make it actually more fuel efficient. It's annoying really as always had that in the back of my mind, so would stay on the clutch thinking I'd be moving in a minute! Just turned it off in the end!