auto box probs or is it just me?!

[bingboybri]

hi guys,this is my first auto so i dont know if its a problem or not....... when i start the car up i start it in park(is that correct or shouldi start it in neutral?)and once i shift it into drive the car wants to lurch forward a few inches as if im trying to drive away with the hand break on....it usualy only does it when the car is warm so im thinking it might be a clutch kinda problem but autos dont have a clutch as such or do they?
its only done 29,000 miles
please help or just ignore me if im being stoopid

 

[ovrkll]

Yes, you should start the car in Park, matter of fact most cars cannot be started without being in Park and have the brake pedal depressed (not positive about BMW though). The lurch is caused by the engine taking up the slack in the drive train when engaged. It is not a problem, and is normal for an automatic.

Cheers!

 

[bingboybri]

you can start the z4 in park or in neutral and thanks for the lurch info i was getting worried as sometimes its mor evident than others and sometimes its not there at all

 

[Wondermike]

you can start the z4 in park or in neutral and thanks for the lurch info i was getting worried as sometimes its mor evident than others and sometimes its not there at all

Do you notice it more when the sport button is pressed?

 

[bingboybri]

hi mike,its mainly when i start the car so the sport button is not pressed but i havent even thought about that so i will try it out when i manage to prize the keys from my wifes hand as its now her daily driver!!!

 

[Wondermike]

It might lurch more when the sport button is pressed, because it will start in 1st rather than 2nd gear. When slowing down in my car (in S mode), when you're almost stopped you get a lurch as it changes into 1st. If it's when you first start, the engine revs will be higher than normal, and this will exacerbate the effect.

I did a bit of research on the 'net as to whether or not you should put it in N when sat at the lights, or at a junction. What I found was most poeple recommended just leaving it in D all the time, the wear on the drivetrain when you change from N to D is worse than leaving it in D with your foot on the brake. So I put it in D when I leave, and don't move it out until I've stopped at the destination.

By the way, what are you doing letting the wife have it all the time? Can't you give her the van instead?

 

[bingboybri]

i took the zed out last night and tryed it in sport and without the button pressed and it was the usual,if your looking for the problem its never there when you want it so i will just keep trying to see if it happens more in sport mode than normanl mode
i was putting it into N at lights too as i thought this was better for it(felt like i was riding the clutch keeping it in D)but there you go i was doing something wrong again

most of the time when i drive it i have the sport button pressed and in manual mode as i prefere the steering in sport as it doesnt seem to tramline as much as i still have the run flats and i like to change gear when i want not when the revs are high in sport auto

as for the wife driving the van.... well she drove it once only because she needed some big things picking up for her work and i was busy.... she hated the brakes she hated the seating position she hated the smell (i dont keep my van as clean as my zed!!) hated the dust hated the... hated the... hated the...... so i think you get the idea!!

going to buy a little runner for her to get about as its town driving she is doing and only getting 20 odds to the gallon so always moaning about there being no fuel(guess who has to fill it up as well?!!!)

so to sum it all up... no chance of her driving the van and me getting the zed... the joys of married life eh!!

 

[Wondermike]

bingboybri, rather than get a runaround, it might be more economical to trade in the wife

 

[bingboybri]

mike i never thought of that..... now where will i trade her in to?

 

[fire-n-ice]

bingboybri, rather than get a runaround, it might be more economical to trade in the wife

...and dayum, you gotta gas it up too ?!