Steptronic/Tiptronic Gearboxes |
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328i
Senior Member I Joined: 03-August-2004 Location: West London Status: Offline Points: 134 |
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Posted: 05-August-2006 at 07:53 |
Can someone explain to me how these work? 99% of all the e39 540's I look at have these boxes, Manual one are like rocking horse sh*t! Is there a drastic difference in performance? How do you change gear with no clutch pedal in manual mode & at which point does the auto side of it take over? My old mans got an Auto E36 & kick down is delayed even in sport mode, would a steptronic box eliminate this delay? TIA Dean |
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2001 540i Sport, Silver, Black Leather
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Stone-IslandV8
Really Senior Member II Joined: 31-January-2003 Location: North Somerset Status: Offline Points: 3015 |
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2 stage kickdown in normal and sports modes, 1st drops 1 gear then press again to drop again, theres a delay but quicker than most people can change gear!
In manual its via the auto gearstick...forward and back to change gear without taking foot off throttle.......the box will automatically change if revs drop under about 1000 or it hits the redline. The step boxes 'learn' and adapt to how you are driving to a degree. |
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flyingalexf68
Really Senior Member II Joined: 01-April-2006 Location: 53°19’59,6°14’56 Status: Offline Points: 2581 |
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Yes, the Steptronic box is fantastic. Way way better than an old style auto. If you wish you can have full control of all the changes or if you just leave it in D it will change fast at the right points. Kick down is very quick. Even when your going down a hill it will hold a gear to give engine braking itself.
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1995 e36 3.0 M3 Coupe, Daytona Violet, AP Racing BBK, CCFL Angel Eyes, M3 Spoiler, M-Tec 3 Steering Wheel.
2000 530d Steptronic, Poverty Spec, 18" Alloys. |
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bm24v
Really Senior Member II Joined: 03-August-2004 Location: Glasgow Status: Offline Points: 565 |
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Iv'e got the steptronic too in a 98' 523, it's weird being able to use it like a manual, but I'm still very wary of Bm auto box's in general. But what I tend to do is if going up hill (even slightly) if in auto it'll change down but then I put into "manual" and it goes back up into 4th. Mainly because I know if it was a proper manual it would go up the hill no problem, that's my only real gripe auto's in general. So I guess because of their weight compared to a manual box and this changing down even on the slightest of hill's (imo) you use more fuel. But driving a auto in traffic.....you can't beat it lazyness... |
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stephenperry
Bavarian-Board Contributor Joined: 20-April-2004 Location: Elgin Status: Offline Points: 7213 |
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i think you either love them or hate them i've tried ordinary ones, ones with the paddles and i've tried the alpina switchtronic - to me they all feel like a cross between fairground bumper cars and a games console |
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2007 Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCI Titanium X Auto 1983 Ford Sierra XR4i 2000 Alpina B10 3.3 #118 1999 BMW 323Ci 1995 BMW 318i SE 1994 Vauxhall Omega 2.0 GLS 1995 Ford Mondeo 1.8 LX 1990 Honda Concerto 1.6 EX 1986 Ford Orion 1.6 GL 1989 Ford Fiesta 1.1 Firefly |
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Stone-IslandV8
Really Senior Member II Joined: 31-January-2003 Location: North Somerset Status: Offline Points: 3015 |
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I've got to admit I miss a proper manual box.
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bm24v
Really Senior Member II Joined: 03-August-2004 Location: Glasgow Status: Offline Points: 565 |
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I just dont understand (and probably never will) why bm ect make those steptronic/tiptronic ect auto box's....I mean for god's sake if you want a proper manual....but one....and vice versa!!
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328i
Senior Member I Joined: 03-August-2004 Location: West London Status: Offline Points: 134 |
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Hope this isn't a daft question but how would I tell if a cars got a step/tiptronic box? Most of ones I see are advertised as auto's with only a few saying step/tiptronic transmission specifically. From what I can make out from online pics most cars have P N R D & thats it? My old mans E36 has got 123DNRP, Does that mean they are step/tip boxes or just standard Auto's? One last one, Do all E39's have foldiong rear seats? Seen one advertised with it & its gotta be a must as we've had many an awkward drive home from DIY/Garden centres etc in our current E36 due to lack of folding seats. Thanks, Dean. |
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2001 540i Sport, Silver, Black Leather
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bm24v
Really Senior Member II Joined: 03-August-2004 Location: Glasgow Status: Offline Points: 565 |
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With the steptronic box when the lever's in D you can then move it left and either shove it forwards for up/pull back for down to change there will be +/_ mark's next to D symbol.....btw it's a 98' e39 523 step Iv'e got.
Edited by bm24v |
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Mick525i
Bavarian-Board Contributor Joined: 29-November-2005 Location: Dublin Ireland. Status: Offline Points: 1823 |
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Me too, but most driving is fine with the auto. Accross the back roads I would love to have a manual. No such thing as a Auto Rally car now is there Mick |
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Cheers
Mick BMW E21 318 1980 BMW E39 525i 2002 MTech VW Golf Gti 2003 |
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Andrew Rolland
Moderator Group Go away rain Joined: 19-August-2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 6579 |
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All the E39s are steptronic autos. Sellers will advertise them as either auto or steptronic but as far as E39s go, they are the same thing. If I feel I can be bothered I will drive mine in manual but 99% of the time it is in D. The only thing I don't like about mine is the +/- are the wrong way round. Change up + is towards the dash but later models this is t'other way round, change up + is pull the stick towards the handbrake. Being in manual mode you can't manually shift it into top gear which is 5th + torque converter lock up. The box still does this manually. If you do buy an auto, take it to an Automatic Transmission Specialist for a service. Don't believe the BMW hype of 'sealed for life' oil. Get it serviced for a cost of Ł120-150 inc VAT and you will save yourself the potential big bill of when it all goes pear shaped! Andrew |
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Be exclusive and drive a Petrol 5 Series!
Current '13 62 F10 535i MSport Auto Previous '04 04 E60 545i SE Auto '03 53 E60 545i SE Auto (Stolen) '98 S E39 523i SE Auto |
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bm24v
Really Senior Member II Joined: 03-August-2004 Location: Glasgow Status: Offline Points: 565 |
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I can and do in mine, although I need to be around the 40 mark to get to 5th but the min it drop's to about 35ish it's back to 4th again.. |
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jamie (e39)528i
Really Senior Member II Joined: 03-January-2005 Location: chafford hundred essex Status: Offline Points: 1093 |
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So they do exist but are rare,i think there is a picture of one in my James Taylor book of the five series,i will have to check.I think the car i see also had foreign plates but i can't confirm that. Maybe they were only available on the continent? |
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Andrew Rolland
Moderator Group Go away rain Joined: 19-August-2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 6579 |
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What I meant was that you can change from 1st to 2nd, 2nd to 3rd, 3rd to 4th and then 4th to 5th by moving the stick. You can then see the numbers 1 to 5 (S) appear in your display but you are not in top gear. All of these speeds have a degree of torque converter slip. There is however one more road speed which is 5th gear and torque converter lock up which eliminates torque converter slip giving a direct drive from the crankshaft to the 5th gear gear set. This is like having a 6th gear as you can count and feel the 5 gear changes between all the speeds. You cannot manually make the car go into 5th gear with torque converter lock up. Once you are in 5th gear, the only way to get the car to go into 5th gear with torque converter lock up is either to go faster and it up shifts itself or move the stick back over into D and you will then feel the change up. T'is all oily good fun Andrew |
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Be exclusive and drive a Petrol 5 Series!
Current '13 62 F10 535i MSport Auto Previous '04 04 E60 545i SE Auto '03 53 E60 545i SE Auto (Stolen) '98 S E39 523i SE Auto |
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Andrew Rolland
Moderator Group Go away rain Joined: 19-August-2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 6579 |
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Yup you are quite correct Jamie, I forgot about the poverty spec 520i auto. They are standard autos. Haynes manual talks about them. I'm pretty sure it is only the 520i, the bigger engines had the better steptronic auto. Or did the steptronic come in after a year after the introduction of the E39???? As in only the really old N and P reg ones.....Hmmmm I cannie remember! Andrew |
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Be exclusive and drive a Petrol 5 Series!
Current '13 62 F10 535i MSport Auto Previous '04 04 E60 545i SE Auto '03 53 E60 545i SE Auto (Stolen) '98 S E39 523i SE Auto |
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jamie (e39)528i
Really Senior Member II Joined: 03-January-2005 Location: chafford hundred essex Status: Offline Points: 1093 |
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I am also pretty sure it is the poverty spec 520i's that had the std auto,it looks funny without the steptronic!!!
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beast535
Really Senior Member I Joined: 16-June-2005 Location: cardiff though wish i was in dublin Status: Offline Points: 254 |
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Andrew, Its quite easy to change the way round the +/- are. PM me if you want details as I have a doc somewhere on it. I keep meaning to do mine but never got around to it. |
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E30 325i sport 1991
E34 530i auto 1989 E39 535i 18"s 1997 |
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Andrew Rolland
Moderator Group Go away rain Joined: 19-August-2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 6579 |
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Cheers Dave But I am quite happy with the 'wrong way round' of the older shifts, I have seen the posts on here on how to swap it about. I test drove a 530d with the shift the other way round from mine and the salesman commented on how well I was able to shift the gears manually. He says all the punters don't bother with the manual shifting on test drives but I wanted to give it some beans and it was on a twisty country road Andrew |
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Be exclusive and drive a Petrol 5 Series!
Current '13 62 F10 535i MSport Auto Previous '04 04 E60 545i SE Auto '03 53 E60 545i SE Auto (Stolen) '98 S E39 523i SE Auto |
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