Tips on SMG driving?

[Tman]

Good morning from a TVR driver,

Someone reversed into my Tuscan and while it's awaiting repair I've been given a brand new M3 convertible to drive. It's a pretty impressive beast to drive and handles brilliantly; hammering it around windy B roads is great fun and having a TV in the car is pretty cool (is there any way to allow a passenger to watch it on the move by the way?)

Anyway - I'm finding making smooth gear changes in the thing is a bit haphazard, particulalry 1st to 2nd. It's neck wrenching in fact - is that normal? Any tips on driving style / gear settings that'll make the changes smoother or is it just part of the car (I've only had it for a couple of days) that I need to get used to?

Cheers in advance

[m12_nathan]

What mode are you in? Sport on or off?

Modes 5 and 6 are pretty brutal under acceleration anyway, sport mode changes the throttle map for the first half or so of the throttle pedal travel so makes it harder to meter out just the right amount when pootling.

[Tman]

I was in Sport mode off and mode 5. Suspect I just need to get used to the thing - I thought it would be matching revs on the shifts to avoid those horrible lurches?

[subaqua]

Matches revs on the way down the box, but not up if i remember correctly.

I think with the trick with the SMG (and the Cambio on my old Masser) is to partially lift off the loud pedal, to about 3/4 from full on, then bury it as soon as the change is thru.... seems to keep the change sweet and avoids most wheelspin too

[M3John]

What else you may find on this is that (and i'm assuming here that it's a e46 M3) the car actually learns the drivers characteristics over a set amount of hours. This may be why it seems a littly jurky to you and to everybody else for that matter if it's a garage lease car.

[Carrera2]

My CSL box blips on the downchange (I thought the M3 did too). For smooth upchanges, lift off during the change and then ease back on as the change finishes seems to work at lower revs. At higher revs keep it pinned and nail your way through the gears!!!

It's a bit of a black art admittedly at lower revs.

[M3John]

Carrera2 said:

It's a bit of a black art admittedly at lower revs.

i'll agree with that but don't you think that when you get it all in unisen (sp?) it's just a fantastic bit of kit !!

[Tman]

Thanks for the advice all - I shall endeavour to realise them.

Also is there any setting to allow TV watching on the move? The girlfriend will want to watch Hollyoaks this weekend as we drive down to London...

[Obi Wan]

Tman said:

Thanks for the advice all - I shall endeavour to realise them.

Also is there any setting to allow TV watching on the move? The girlfriend will want to watch Hollyoaks this weekend as we drive down to London...

There should be I don't own a M3 but I've heard that all tv's in cars turn themselfs off if the handbrake isn't on so the driver isn't tempted to watch it while driving.

[Zod]

The key to smooth driving with SMG, even in the S5 and S6 modes is to lift the right foot slightly as you change up. Just imagine it's a normal manual and you are starting to lift and declutch, but move only the right foot and by a small amount.

[john_p]

Zod said:

The key to smooth driving with SMG, even in the S5 and S6 modes is to lift the right foot slightly as you change up. Just imagine it's a normal manual and you are starting to lift and declutch, but move only the right foot and by a small amount.

This.

Also, remember that the speed at which it revmatches will depend on how much acceleration you have dialled in. This is especially important on downshifts. Also you have to get used to the exact timing of when it will change into first - and when you need to command the downchange instead of pulling away from a junction in 2nd.

You can bypass the tv on the move thing, but it involves buying a cable. So unless you're feeling generous, probably not worth it for a loan car

[markda]

Obi Wan said:

Tman said:

Thanks for the advice all - I shall endeavour to realise them.

Also is there any setting to allow TV watching on the move? The girlfriend will want to watch Hollyoaks this weekend as we drive down to London...

There should be I don't own a M3 but I've heard that all tv's in cars turn themselfs off if the handbrake isn't on so the driver isn't tempted to watch it while driving.

You can't watch the television whilst in motion, not without tinkering around with the wiring. The said cable is about £150-200 so I am sure you won't be rushing out to buy one. I am guessing BMW couldn't care less, but in an effort to avoid being sued they decided to put such measures in place.

Edited by markda on Wednesday 6th December 14:11