This is my first owned auto car and my first 3.0 so double joy (and my 1st new shape z4 but 4th in total all been 2.5)
Now I am on my 3rd week in the new z4 and been messing around.
Firstly its manic. Seriously I would never drive a manual car gear shifting down so much. I am only touching the accelerator and its off like a shot.
Love the down shift if you floor it hidden gem.
Love the sports shift if you push the stick left and it down gears and is ready for the off.
Now in full auto
Im still learning the differences when running it. In the old 2.5 i would run 2 3 and 6. even in 30 its 6 the, going up a hill at 50 its 6th. this wants to drop to 5th around town. going up that hill at 50 it drops down 5 then 4 and then I am accelerating, not good when following a car in front wohh.
Now its a 260+ bhp grunt power plant so should easily run in 6th but the rpm is very low.
Sometimes its dropped into 1st when normally its in 2nd, so if I still think its in 2nd ill be a bit more heavy on the peddle, and then look a plonker as its racing away.
Now depending on the peddle travel it can change at 3K or 3.5k which is nice just getting in the power band and keeping it there. But sometimes it wont go up to 6th unless i go over speed and then come of the throttle it will change up 1 or 2.
Ok manual
You can see the gear selected, now thats great. However its still meddles with your gears like a nagging partner. coming to a junction it will down shift for u which is good, but you slip into false sense of security that its in auto, NOT planting the peddle down simply hits the red line lol, and your think WTF panic and down shift to 1st ahhhh dime bar up shift quick.
Again that down shift happens say down a country road coming to a 40 mph bend and your in 5th, but its so quiet you do not notice and forget that its interfeared so run a few miles in the wrong gear. AHHH stop messing with my gears. And yes at 30 it will deselect 6 to 5th.
Now using the gear stick to seq up and down shift is great, the paddles on the wheel are a bit of a novelty which ive been using a bit more this week mainly to down shift. the location for my small hands are quite difficult to mess with but the gear shift is more natural. still working on it though.
Now my issues.
1) to put it in permanent manual you need to push the stick across. This in the first instance is sports shift, so if already moving will mean going down 1 gear automatically, not an issue as you can up shift quick. best to do it from start.
2) S shift. This is simply bonkers great for overtaking shove the gear stick left and plant but its 7K change wohhh.
3) sports button. again it drops down a gear and keeps the revs up. I cant use this as a normal fun drive in auto due to the petrol use but ill mess with manual this week.
To sum up
I will never underestimate an auto again, there is no way a normal competent driver (i am one) can pick the perfect gear for a given road condition/ speed like this can. the standard kick down is so smooth and in sports mode its manic.
I have yet to try launch control.
The 3.0 is another leap in performance, my 2.5si sports, I had the sports button on and floored the peddle especially in 2nd 3rd then cruse at 6th in my normal daily commute down country roads in the hilly peak district. (thats 7 years experience in the old z4). This roaring beast i am still taming it and understanding the differences in the modes and how and when it changes gears depending on how I poke it, its not that simple like it will change at 2K.
I guess one of the massive differences is how quiet and smooth it is compared to the old model, 2.5K at 60 mph now its 2K.
I guess on a racing track the car is perfect but for me the main drive is 50 to 60 down country roads, some tight 30 mph corners and hilly up and down. I would love to have 3 settings A) be able to have it in full manual and me down shift. B) in sports mode not for it to down shift a gear, do that on sports + but have it sports shift. that way I can cruse if i am doing 60 let it top gear but as im breaking and going round country bends down shift and accelerate, but always get to top gear. C) A final 3rd mode of flat cap old man driving, when following traffic I cant do anything but as fast as the car in front.
Now I am on my 3rd week in the new z4 and been messing around.
Firstly its manic. Seriously I would never drive a manual car gear shifting down so much. I am only touching the accelerator and its off like a shot.
Love the down shift if you floor it hidden gem.
Love the sports shift if you push the stick left and it down gears and is ready for the off.
Now in full auto
Im still learning the differences when running it. In the old 2.5 i would run 2 3 and 6. even in 30 its 6 the, going up a hill at 50 its 6th. this wants to drop to 5th around town. going up that hill at 50 it drops down 5 then 4 and then I am accelerating, not good when following a car in front wohh.
Now its a 260+ bhp grunt power plant so should easily run in 6th but the rpm is very low.
Sometimes its dropped into 1st when normally its in 2nd, so if I still think its in 2nd ill be a bit more heavy on the peddle, and then look a plonker as its racing away.
Now depending on the peddle travel it can change at 3K or 3.5k which is nice just getting in the power band and keeping it there. But sometimes it wont go up to 6th unless i go over speed and then come of the throttle it will change up 1 or 2.
Ok manual
You can see the gear selected, now thats great. However its still meddles with your gears like a nagging partner. coming to a junction it will down shift for u which is good, but you slip into false sense of security that its in auto, NOT planting the peddle down simply hits the red line lol, and your think WTF panic and down shift to 1st ahhhh dime bar up shift quick.
Again that down shift happens say down a country road coming to a 40 mph bend and your in 5th, but its so quiet you do not notice and forget that its interfeared so run a few miles in the wrong gear. AHHH stop messing with my gears. And yes at 30 it will deselect 6 to 5th.
Now using the gear stick to seq up and down shift is great, the paddles on the wheel are a bit of a novelty which ive been using a bit more this week mainly to down shift. the location for my small hands are quite difficult to mess with but the gear shift is more natural. still working on it though.
Now my issues.
1) to put it in permanent manual you need to push the stick across. This in the first instance is sports shift, so if already moving will mean going down 1 gear automatically, not an issue as you can up shift quick. best to do it from start.
2) S shift. This is simply bonkers great for overtaking shove the gear stick left and plant but its 7K change wohhh.
3) sports button. again it drops down a gear and keeps the revs up. I cant use this as a normal fun drive in auto due to the petrol use but ill mess with manual this week.
To sum up
I will never underestimate an auto again, there is no way a normal competent driver (i am one) can pick the perfect gear for a given road condition/ speed like this can. the standard kick down is so smooth and in sports mode its manic.
I have yet to try launch control.
The 3.0 is another leap in performance, my 2.5si sports, I had the sports button on and floored the peddle especially in 2nd 3rd then cruse at 6th in my normal daily commute down country roads in the hilly peak district. (thats 7 years experience in the old z4). This roaring beast i am still taming it and understanding the differences in the modes and how and when it changes gears depending on how I poke it, its not that simple like it will change at 2K.
I guess one of the massive differences is how quiet and smooth it is compared to the old model, 2.5K at 60 mph now its 2K.
I guess on a racing track the car is perfect but for me the main drive is 50 to 60 down country roads, some tight 30 mph corners and hilly up and down. I would love to have 3 settings A) be able to have it in full manual and me down shift. B) in sports mode not for it to down shift a gear, do that on sports + but have it sports shift. that way I can cruse if i am doing 60 let it top gear but as im breaking and going round country bends down shift and accelerate, but always get to top gear. C) A final 3rd mode of flat cap old man driving, when following traffic I cant do anything but as fast as the car in front.
