Driving tips

[TommyGG]

I've only been driving for about 7 months, and I took my friend out in the Z4 and he told me only switch to 1st gear when you're completely stopped otherwise the gearbox can get worn out.

Is this true? Also, are there any more tips like this to keep various parts of the car in good condition? I'm a bit of a noob.

 

[original guvnor]

What a load of old codswallop!

My top tip would be not to listen your friend!!

 

[Swiftly]

+1

 

[Maniac]

He's probably talking about the synchromesh. They do wear, but it will take a very long time with some quite serious abuse to make wear that will cause an issue. Top tip is don't hold the car on the clutch. Don't ride the brakes. Don't labour the engine. Don't give it the beans until warmed up... I could go on

 

[TommyGG]

Ok thanks everyone! What's wrong with holding the car on clutch? And what do you mean by riding brakes?

 

[DPG]

What's wrong with holding the car on clutch?

You'll wear it out

 

[Maniac]

Holding the car on the clutch, perhaps when on an incline or in traffic will heat and wear clutch components. Use the handbrake.

Riding brakes, gentle pressure on brakes for sustained periods, say when going down an slight decline. This can heat and wear braking components. Heat can result in poor brake response. Use engine braking instead.

 

[MrPT]

Use the horn to announce your arrival at every junction.

 

[TommyGG]

Great tips thanks I over use the clutch and do gently break often, will try and break those habbits!

 

[dan yeates]

Keeping the clutch depressed, or even resting your foot lightly on the clutch pedal puts a lot of pressure on the clutch release bearing - otherwise unloaded when the clutch is not depressed.

The amount of time it's depressed whilst changing gear will not wear out the bearing, but keeping it depressed and therefore keeping the load on the bearing for a prolonged period of time will overheat and wear out the bearing.

So always change to neutral if you're stopped for more than 10 seconds or so.

 

[Marius]

Use the horn to announce your arrival at every junction.

Quite normal think in Turkey


Sent from my LT18i using Tapatalk 2

 

[NeilP]

Use the horn to announce your arrival at every junction.

LOL!

Turkey, India, the Middle East...list goes on for over use of the horn!

 

[RLiu]

If you can see the tires of the car infront over your bonnet you are not tailgatting close enough...wouldnt want to give BMW drives a good name now

 

[Denis O]

Use the horn to announce your arrival at every junction.

You can't do that. You'll wear out your electricity :wink:

 

[lewist]

If you can see the tires of the car infront over your bonnet you are not tailgatting close enough...wouldnt want to give BMW drives a good name now

In my A9 experience, that's Audis these days. It used to be BMWs but they seem relatively civilised now. So if you want to go for the tailgating and using the road as if it were a motorway (on the single carriageway stretches), get an Audi. :wink: