Swtichable auto any good?

[B19GRR]

Hi All,
Purchase of some sort of touring model is getting closer. I'd prefer a manual but I'd be interested in your opinions on the switchable auto box. Does it really offer as good performance as a manual just minus a clutch pedal? How about fueal economy, is that the same as just a standard auto box? Anything else worth knowing about it should I happen to find the perfect car that just happens to surround one of these creatures?

Cheers,
Rob

[Tabs]

You don't give any indication of model, but I have an E36 318i touring auto. MPG is very late 20's in town, and mid 30's at sensible motorway speeds. The sports mode doesn't of course make it any quicker, it just holds each gear for longer. In ordinary mode it goes quicker if you put the pedal to the floor as 'kick-down'. I remain in economy during normal driving, and if I wish to overtake, I flick the switch which drops it a gear and off you go, flicking back again when completed. You can also flick the switch to sports mode when approaching a bend to slow down and power through, and then go to economy again. It's obviously not the fastest of the bunch, but it's easy to drive and quick enough for me. Don't consider the 3's as load luggers, the load area is shallow and only good enough for long weekends etc(hence touring). There is plenty of stowage space around the spare, and the split seats are also handy. I will definitly upgrade to another when the time comes, build quality and drive-ability being superb.

[mondeoman]

Nooooooooooooooooo!!!!

Get a manual!

The Switchable auto in "manual" mode is kack - it decides what gear it really wnats to be in, not you. It can take up to 2 seconds to change gear, and when you're in the twisties, you never really know what gear you are in.

In a petrol, the economy deficit is minimal, in a diesel expect to lose up to 20% off your mileage; this is due to the amount of time you spend with the engine running below the "lock-up" speed (about 2000 rpm).

[B19GRR]

LOL, so you don't like them then mondeoman?!!

Tabs, I'm looking for a mid 90's 525 TDS version or maybe a 325 TDS if the 525TDS manual just doesn't exist!! Although if you're saying there isn't that much space in the 3 series touring then perhaps I should just stick to the 5 series.

Cheers,
Rob.

[B19GRR]

Actually a bit of further research helps the confusion. I think I mean the Selectronic 5 speed auto/manual. Is that the one where you knock the lever forward to go up a gear and knock it backwards to go down - or the other way around? Is that gearbox different from the other switchable autos? And if so is it any good?

Cheers,
Rob

[dcb]

B19GRR said:

Actually a bit of further research helps the confusion. I think I mean the Selectronic 5 speed auto/manual.

I've got one in my 530. I've not used it a lot, but it seems ok.

B19GRR said:

Is that the one where you knock the lever forward to go up a gear and knock it backwards to go down - or the other way around? Is that gearbox different from the other switchable autos? And if so is it any good?

Seems ok to me. Same gearbox I believe. Nothing in the user manual about different gearbox for the selectronic.

Mind you with 230 BHP thru about 1600 kilos, the auto is quite fast enough for me. 0-60, for folks that worry about these kind of things, is about 7.1 in the manual, and 7.6 in the auto, so not enough to worry about.

[sohlman]

At the end of the day you have an engineer in Germany deciding when you will and won't change gear. They will never be as direct or as quick or as frugal as a well driven manual, but the latest generation of steptronics are about as good as you can get.

[dcb]

sohlman said:

At the end of the day you have an engineer in Germany deciding when you will and won't change gear. They will never be as direct or as quick or as frugal as a well driven manual, but the latest generation of steptronics are about as good as you can get.

There is manual override if you want it, but for us 90% of all drivers that aren't good drivers, the BMW auto is fine.

Takes the thinking out of it, ensures two hands on the wheel at all times and means that when you want to do a full bore takeoff, you just floor it.

Auto & cruise control - I used to think they were worse than useless, till I bought a car with them on, now I wouldn't be without them.