[hcardona111793]

Hey everyone,

i feel that if i just leave my car in auto the acceleration is slugish and the response isnt that good. However, if i put it into the manual part, i get acceleration way faster and more throttle response. so here are my two questions:

1. how can i make the automatic as responsive as the manual?

2. do you start at 2 or 1 when in manual to get the fastest acceleration? also, like tips on manual shifting for fast acceleration (0-60)

Thanks.

i have a bmw 2004 325i!

 

[TallTravel]

Which automatic transmission do you have?

 

[hcardona111793]

i dont know but i think thats irrelevant. i just want to know what could fix a sluggish start and what manual combinations accelerate car the fastest. thanks

 

[DerRoteBaron]

What could fix the sluggish start is buying an actual manual transmission. You are never going to achieve satisfying results while your car has a torque converter.

 

[peytonracer4]

a true manual will blow an automatic out of the water... sorry. it doesn't matter if you're in "manual mode" a real manual is faster
also if your drag racing. put your left foot on the brake and rev your car up. you'll feel the rear suspension preload. this will get you off the line faster

 

[dmax]

Hey everyone,

i feel that if i just leave my car in auto the acceleration is slugish and the response isnt that good. However, if i put it into the manual part, i get acceleration way faster and more throttle response. so here are my two questions:

1. how can i make the automatic as responsive as the manual?

2. do you start at 2 or 1 when in manual to get the fastest acceleration? also, like tips on manual shifting for fast acceleration (0-60)

Thanks.

i have a bmw 2004 325i!

Be careful. The auto really isn't made as a dragster, nor is even the manual.

If you're an automatic, you're slower than the same car in a manual...no matter what. It is what it is, and if you try to make it something it isn't, it will make itself into something you don't want...a car without a trans.

So, to summarize, my tip is don't. Don't listen to all the tricks you might hear about stepping on the gas, holding down the brake while stepping on the gas, stepping harder on the gas, etc. You'll work into trans. problems very soon that way...and you will not be happy about it.

You'll get tricks, no doubt; be smart and ignore them...or get a muscle car.

 

[fisher_330ci]

Are you aware of, and using, all three modes? "D" for just your piddle poke drive. "S" for your sport mode. When you get into "M" manual mode you make the shifts. I would imagine for your "quickest" times in a straight line the "S" mode would be the best. Manual mode would be ideal for spirited driving on curvy roads where you might need to hold a gear. The "S" mode changes shift points and I'm not sure what else... maybe tune? Not sure.

As far as auto over manual.. yes, a straight stick, good ole manual transmission is hard to beat, but for the majority of e46's with Auto's the sport and manual mode makes it bearable. To a degree.

 

[Andy2108]

start in 1st for best acceleration :facepalm:

 

[hcardona111793]

Are you aware of, and using, all three modes? "D" for just your piddle poke drive. "S" for your sport mode. When you get into "M" manual mode you make the shifts. I would imagine for your "quickest" times in a straight line the "S" mode would be the best. Manual mode would be ideal for spirited driving on curvy roads where you might need to hold a gear. The "S" mode changes shift points and I'm not sure what else... maybe tune? Not sure.

As far as auto over manual.. yes, a straight stick, good ole manual transmission is hard to beat, but for the majority of e46's with Auto's the sport and manual mode makes it bearable. To a degree.

Be careful. The auto really isn't made as a dragster, nor is even the manual.

If you're an automatic, you're slower than the same car in a manual...no matter what. It is what it is, and if you try to make it something it isn't, it will make itself into something you don't want...a car without a trans.

So, to summarize, my tip is don't. Don't listen to all the tricks you might hear about stepping on the gas, holding down the brake while stepping on the gas, stepping harder on the gas, etc. You'll work into trans. problems very soon that way...and you will not be happy about it.

You'll get tricks, no doubt; be smart and ignore them...or get a muscle car.

OK, thanks. But yes, i was not looking for a way to damage my transmission, more on the side of fully utilizing my engine. However suggested the stepping on the break, thanks, but no thanks. i understand that way you not only damage the transmission but waste tire...

YEs, i was wondering that. So the D is just for Drive, nothing special. Then the S is sports mode? more specifcally what changes? do i still have to manually change gear? whats the difference? and i know M is fully manual.

If you guys could shed more light on the different functions of the semi-manual modes. D, S, and M.

thanks!

 

[Andy2108]

drive - auto

sport - auto but shifts later and doesnt use 5th gear

manual* - you have to shift it

* - even in manual mode, the car will automatically shift for you at redline (or 6200 usually)

Brake boosting (or whatever you want to call it) is normal practice on automatics. It wont burn tires up, you dont have enough power for that :rofl:

 

[fisher_330ci]

Just pull the handle to the left and leave it... you should see an "S D". If you move it up or down from there, you've taken it out of Sport and activated manual shifting.

Drive it and see for yourself what it does. It makes the car more responsive. As far as what EXACTLY it does, who cares. Its better.

 

[fisher_330ci]

drive - auto

sport - auto but shifts later and doesnt use 5th gear

manual* - you have to shift it

* - even in manual mode, the car will automatically shift for you at redline (or 6200 usually)

Brake boosting (or whatever you want to call it) is normal practice on automatics. It wont burn tires up, you dont have enough power for that :rofl:

Hmm... I would have to double check this, but I don't remember my car not shifting to 5th in Sport mode. Weird... I don't know why it wouldn't. I just shift manually. Gives me something to do besides kill myself while I drive. I hope to do the manual swap early next year. Thats the plan now that my car isn't my DD.

 

[Andy2108]

My dad's 2007 328xi shifts from 6th to 5th when on the highway and switching from D to S.

Maybe E46's are different :dunno:

My 330 and M3 are both 6 speed manuals.

 

[bighitbiker3]

Best way to get off the line fast is to rev it up in N (about5k should do) and then slam it into D. Granted, you'll only be able to do this a couple times, but it's well worth it

 

[Andy2108]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrWJPaTjVnk

 

[330iDiot]

In this case, e46, the manual will always win. But to say automatics aren't as fast as manuals is not am end-all, be-all statement. There are plenty of automatics that are faster than a manual.

 

[fisher_330ci]

My dad's 2007 328xi shifts from 6th to 5th when on the highway and switching from D to S.

Maybe E46's are different :dunno:

My 330 and M3 are both 6 speed manuals.

Man, that would be nice. The Auto was nice at first just because I had the car I wanted... Everything but the manual. I regret not getting the manual, but... soon that will change.

I will have to check on the 5th gear thing. I don't remember it not going into high gear in sport mode, but I don't know for sure. With the 6spd I could better understand shifting down to get out of the tall gear, but eh... I dunno about the 5th on a 5 gear trans. I'll have to check. Doesn't matter either way. I still hate the auto. ha. :facepalm:

 

[Danoff]

OK, thanks. But yes, i was not looking for a way to damage my transmission, more on the side of fully utilizing my engine. However suggested the stepping on the break, thanks, but no thanks. i understand that way you not only damage the transmission but waste tire...

YEs, i was wondering that. So the D is just for Drive, nothing special. Then the S is sports mode? more specifcally what changes? do i still have to manually change gear? whats the difference? and i know M is fully manual.

If you guys could shed more light on the different functions of the semi-manual modes. D, S, and M.

thanks!

As has been said, the "S" indicates sport mode. You should use it when you want the car to be more responsive. It's not a mode that you should leave the car in while cruising, but it does make a big difference. You can drive with the car left in "S" just like any other automatic - no need to shift manually. But be aware that the car will hold gear longer.

I use the "Manual" mode primarily for spirited driving when I want to hold a gear, or for passing on the freeway. To activate manual mode you need to put the car in sport mode and either push up or down on the lever to change gear. When I'm stuck behind a semi-truck, I'll move the stick to the left and up to shift down a gear. Put it back in "D" when you're ready for it to shift back.

I also have a hill on the way to my house that the automatic likes to leave one gear too low (too high rpms). I use manual mode to force it to up shift in that instance.

You should get familiar with all of the modes and use them regularly. You can get a lot more enjoyment out of your automatic that way.

 

[urbankyleboy]

So which would win???

2003 330i auto Vs. 1998 328is manual?

 

[NOVAbimmer]

So which would win???

2003 330i auto Vs. 1998 328is manual?

win at what? straight line 0-60? auto-x? road course? 1/4 mile drag? 60-100 roll? tiddleywinks?