2 questions...just curious.
- Thread starter Howe
- Start date
i read somewhere but forgot exactly where, so folks who know chip in.
if my memory still serves me right, BMW tranny at stop is disconnected from engine or something like wise. although the car will still move when brake is release. the design is to limit/minimize the wear and tear on the torque converters.
if my memory still serves me right, BMW tranny at stop is disconnected from engine or something like wise. although the car will still move when brake is release. the design is to limit/minimize the wear and tear on the torque converters.
Funny that you ask that...may I ask are you older or from Germany or Europe?? My old aunt in Germany bought an automatic for the first time in her life a few years back. Everytime we come to a stop light, she puts the car in neutral. I have told her many times that it is not necessary, but she think it is.
With all automatics, you do not need to, and should not put the car in neutral when at a stop. The car is an automatic...designed for no shifting. Put it in D baby....and leave it!!!!
With all automatics, you do not need to, and should not put the car in neutral when at a stop. The car is an automatic...designed for no shifting. Put it in D baby....and leave it!!!!
I don't think it is disconnected from the engine at a stop. Otherwise it wouldn't move if you just release the brake.
I can tell you this from experience though....The car will BARELY move if you release the brake from a stop without applying the gas. Also in stop-and-go traffic if you play it right you will hardly ever have to use your brakes as the car will slow to a crawl when you release the gas pedal.
I think all this is due to the superb tuning the cars achieve, the smooth engine, supreme electronic controls, just all around high quality drive train and controls. Remember, BMW doesn't award contracts to their parts suppliers just because they are the lowest bidder. Unlike American cars......
I can tell you this from experience though....The car will BARELY move if you release the brake from a stop without applying the gas. Also in stop-and-go traffic if you play it right you will hardly ever have to use your brakes as the car will slow to a crawl when you release the gas pedal.
I think all this is due to the superb tuning the cars achieve, the smooth engine, supreme electronic controls, just all around high quality drive train and controls. Remember, BMW doesn't award contracts to their parts suppliers just because they are the lowest bidder. Unlike American cars......
It's all about the torque convertor. BMWs don't move much when you release the brake because they have relatively loose torque convertors. From my experience driving a 2000 323i, BMW seems to run 2000 rpm stall convertors (or somewhere thereabouts). They do this to get the rpms up a little more when starting from a stop to get the car of the line faster. The flip side of this is that the car doesn't move much at idle with your foot of the brake.
My girlfriend's Grand Prix GTP also has a torque convertor with what seems like a 2000 rpm or higher stall, and it barely moves at idle with the foot of the brake, either. On the other hand, my Camaro has a very tight torque convertor (about 900-1000 rpm stall) and with its idle of about 1000 rpm, it'll truck along at up to 10 miles an hour with the foot off the brake.
It used to be that if you ran a loose convertor to get better starts off the line, your highway mileage would suffer greatly because of the torque convertor "slippage." However, with the advent of lock-up torque convertors, manufacturers can get the best of both worlds - a loose convertor for quick starts and a very tight convertor at interstate speeds for good mileage.
My girlfriend's Grand Prix GTP also has a torque convertor with what seems like a 2000 rpm or higher stall, and it barely moves at idle with the foot of the brake, either. On the other hand, my Camaro has a very tight torque convertor (about 900-1000 rpm stall) and with its idle of about 1000 rpm, it'll truck along at up to 10 miles an hour with the foot off the brake.
It used to be that if you ran a loose convertor to get better starts off the line, your highway mileage would suffer greatly because of the torque convertor "slippage." However, with the advent of lock-up torque convertors, manufacturers can get the best of both worlds - a loose convertor for quick starts and a very tight convertor at interstate speeds for good mileage.
I agree that there is no reason to switch into neutral. If I am going to sit somewhere with the engine running I will put it in park.
Drive mode does it all. I occasionally use manual but have a bad habit of forgetting about it and wind up sitting at a stop light with the car in 4 or 5. Sport mode is fun because you can accelerate faster but I only use that occasionally now.
[driving2]
Drive mode does it all. I occasionally use manual but have a bad habit of forgetting about it and wind up sitting at a stop light with the car in 4 or 5. Sport mode is fun because you can accelerate faster but I only use that occasionally now.
[driving2]