Select sport on a auto..... what actually or should happen?

[Lydiam]

As above

[X5Sport]

For a BMW auto, it changes the throttle response so the car is more lively when pressing on. It will start using all of the gears from a standstill. ‘Normal’ mode tends to ignore 1st. It will hold all of the gears for far longer in each rev range so you get nearer the red line each time. 6th will not usually get selected below 100mph (I tested it on a track some years back).

It also makes the fuel gauge fall faster, but you should get a grin factor.

It does not give you more power as you are just changing the gear shift map and throttle response.

[Lydiam]

Thanks, makes sense.

I differently get a sharper throttle response and gets closer to the red line, i just was not sure if it give you more power.

Does anyone ever use manual mode? I can not take to using it

[fenj66]

Does anyone ever use manual mode? I can not take to using it

when climbing up a steep hill i found mine would constantly up and down change as the car wasnt sure which gear to be in,
slipping it into manual just kept one gear selected for a smoother drive.
similar going downhill, it let you have a bit of engine braking also.

[StuBeeDoo]

Does anyone ever use manual mode? I can not take to using it

The only time I use manual is every oil change (6k miles) when I also put VGT&DPF cleaner in the fuel and then take the car for a blast for 25 miles down the A1 in either 5th or 6th gear. I keep it in comfort mode 99.5% of the time. I sometimes use Sport mode, and I've only used EcoPro once - when I test drove the car before I bought it.
My feeling is that you don't buy an auto then change gear yourself. If my car had come with paddle-shift, I doubt I would have used it.

[Greydog]

I use the manual function when off road on slippery surfaces (mud and chalk) when out shooting or towing the horse trailer to Winter shows. The show entrances are normally through a farm gate which rapidly (well this year anyway) become a bog. Selecting 3rd to pull away with minimum throttle normally gets the job done, well I haven't needed rescue so far and have towed more than a few high end 4x4's out of the claggy stuff.

[Lydiam]

I use the manual function when off road on slippery surfaces (mud and chalk) when out shooting or towing the horse trailer to Winter shows. The show entrances are normally through a farm gate which rapidly (well this year anyway) become a bog. Selecting 3rd to pull away with minimum throttle normally gets the job done, well I haven't needed rescue so far and have towed more than a few high end 4x4's out of the claggy stuff.

It must bring a nice satisfying smile to your face when you show up the big boys!

Does anyone ever use manual mode? I can not take to using it

The only time I use manual is every oil change (6k miles) when I also put VGT&DPF cleaner in the fuel and then take the car for a blast for 25 miles down the A1 in either 5th or 6th gear. I keep it in comfort mode 99.5% of the time. I sometimes use Sport mode, and I've only used EcoPro once - when I test drove the car before I bought it.
My feeling is that you don't buy an auto then change gear yourself. If my car had come with paddle-shift, I doubt I would have used it.

Totally agree! I quite like the lazy driving of an auto but much prefer a manual in a sportier car.

[X5Sport]

I agree that a manual is better however the way things are going it’s going to be autos for everything. My X6 and F46 are both auto only because manuals can’t meet the emissions regs (allegedly) for those models.

I don’t use either of them in selected manual however both are equipped with flappy paddle shifters so I don’t need to use manual mode. I never got on with manual in the E53 either simply because it felt (to me) the wrong way around! It didn’t help that we had a manual car too and I kept trying to shift with the stick into gates that didn’t exist (in and out of sport )

The E53 does have engine braking as standard. You just need to lightly trail the brakes to hold a speed and after a few seconds the box will change down to hold it for you. It also works this way on both the X6 and F46. The gear holds until you next touch the throttle.

[Leslie]

Sport mode is good for an instant overtake as it lifts the revs a bit with a gear drop so throttle response is instant with no lag on my e70 sd as otherwise if going slow you have to floor it then wait for the box to think a little before it kicks down and get out of 6th gear then it wants to hit 4k and stay there when its already too late , apart from that its auto all the way never go near the stick For town driving you can't beat auto and despite always driving manuals up till now I don't think id go back (except for a v8 m3 ! ) , must be getting old but pressing a clutch all the time in town is a right pain .........