gearbox setting whilst driving around

[dennys]

Hi guys do you all drive around in your x5 in drive auto mode or do you use drive sport  mode or drive around in manual mode,just wondering as i drive around in drive mode and switch to ds when overtaking.

[stevee]

I tend to use sport mode for the engine braking .. so down hill, entering a round-a-bout , etc.

S

[X5Sport]

I tend to leave mine to look after itself most of the time.  The E53 was almost always in 'D' mode unless I need additional rpm to overtake etc.  The E71 has the flappy paddle shifter so again that stays in D as the paddles temporarily override that mode and then it goes back to 'D' once play has finished... .

Having been partly taught to drive by the Police, we were told always use the brakes to slow down as they are cheaper than gearbox spares.  Gearboxes were very different then of course, and autos had precious little engine braking.  Nowadays that isn't an issue any more and ZF boxes have quite good engine braking - albeit sharper in 'Sport' 

I have never found either the 6-speed box in the E53, or the 8-speed in the X6 to lack engine braking to the extent that 'Sport' is needed.  Mind you that may well be because I take my foot off well beforehand (at the 'Reduce Speed Now' signs at roundabouts etc).  I think I got more than 35k miles out of the first set of X5 brake pads.