[just4kickz]

Do some of you guys find it annoying that the step auto downshifts after coming to a complete stop? Sometimes when I'm slowing down I shift down by myself... and sometimes it double down shifts because the computer shifts down once and I shift down once... anyways... has anybody asked the dealer if they can program it to not auto down shift? its great feature but i think i'd be better for me... so i know what gear i'm in at all times...

[06E90Rostik]

You mean when you in Sport mode? I doubt that you can program it to fully manual operation. SMG works same

[BMW F22]

this only happened to me a few times. yeah sometimes it gets kinda annoying but it's not a problem for me. I kinda like it cus it stops the car faster. hehehe

[just4kickz]

Originally Posted by 06E90Rostik

You mean when you in Sport mode? I doubt that you can program it to fully manual operation. SMG works same

sport mode is DS... im talking about when you shift left (goes to DS), down shift once (goes to M2)... basically when u turn or you stop it downshifts back to a lower gear or back to M2.

[xG35c]

Originally Posted by just4kickz

Do some of you guys find it annoying that the step auto downshifts after coming to a complete stop?

No, it only shifts down when your speed is inappropriately slow for the gear you're in. Why would you want it to stay in a higher gear? Personally, I like the way it functions (I don't like the gearing, but that's another story). The only problems I have with it is that when you shift, the indicator shows you the gear you tried to selected, which is NOT always the gear you're actually in, and than it changes back to the actual gear - STRANGE. The gear lever also tips forward for downshifts and backwards for upshifts, which seems to be counter intuitive and is OPPOSITE of the way my G35 worked. Three months of driving and I still get it backwards sometimes!

[GoBonesGo]

Originally Posted by xG35c

No, it only shifts down when your speed is inappropriately slow for the gear you're in. Why would you want it to stay in a higher gear?

You wouldn't want to stay in a higher gear than appropriate for your current speed, but that's not what the OP is saying.

The problem is that he's doing his job as a driver and downshifting as his speend decreases, but the car throws in an extra downshift and he ends up in first when he should now be in second. If you happen to be coming to a complete stop it's not a big deal. But when the extra downshift happens simultaneously with your intended path opening up (the light turns green or whatever) and you step on the gas, you end up overrevving the engine because you're a gear too low. It's not an easy thing to correct for, either, because (as you mentioned) the display doesn't always show the actual current gear.

This has happened to be several times and it's my least favorite thing about the Step. Overall, it's a very good auto, but this is one area that could be improved.

[Ninjaneer]

Originally Posted by xG35c

The gear lever also tips forward for downshifts and backwards for upshifts, which seems to be counter intuitive and is OPPOSITE of the way my G35 worked. Three months of driving and I still get it backwards sometimes!

I actually like it this way. Even when I play video games, especially First Person Shooters (FPS), I modify my controls to be in this "inverted" mode so down looks up, and up looks down... give me a controller that isn't inverted and I'll be so confused lol

Back to cars tho, I don't even own a Bimmer yet, but I liked this from my test drive and I drove my friend's G35 and I didn't like the "default" up is up, down is down method... I even got it wrong and did it the Bimmer way It feels more natural to me for some reason, with my fingers wrapped around the shifter, to just tap it back/down to upshift then nudge it up to downshift cos so far I typically find myself using Step only when I feel like speeding up and so I'm more conscious of slowing down so I make an effort to remember that down is up!

Oh well

[cobradac]

If u hold that downshift the tranny will shift down when appropriate. That is, say you are in M3 for example, you know your asking to down shift at too high an RPM but do it anyway, press shift lever forward and HOLD the position (don't let it spring back) to either M2 if that is all you want or all the way (two downshifts) to M1 and hold it. It will shift down when tranny software says it can.

[IronMike]

Originally Posted by xG35c

The gear lever also tips forward for downshifts and backwards for upshifts, which seems to be counter intuitive and is OPPOSITE of the way my G35 worked. Three months of driving and I still get it backwards sometimes!

I find I like the way mine shifts but I find if I zone out that I too go back to the way my A4 shifted and have frequently gone backwards with the shifting. I also keep trying to shift on the steering wheel but keep changing song tracks.

[Darrel Revok]

Originally Posted by xG35c

The gear lever also tips forward for downshifts and backwards for upshifts, which seems to be counter intuitive and is OPPOSITE of the way my G35 worked. Three months of driving and I still get it backwards sometimes!

This is opposite of a traditional automatic but it make sense if you think about it. When you accelerate your body moves back, easier for a backward pull of the shifter, and when you decelerate your body leans forward, easier for a forward push of the shifter.

I had trouble with it at first too, but you get used to it.

[siriusinvestor]

Well when I am in Manual Mode, in my steptronic. I downshift much sooner than the computer downshifts the gear. I down shift from about 2,000 RPM. Is that bad?

[Brett]

Originally Posted by xG35c

The gear lever also tips forward for downshifts and backwards for upshifts, which seems to be counter intuitive and is OPPOSITE of the way my G35 worked. Three months of driving and I still get it backwards sometimes!

My bimmer works the other way, downshifts are backwards, and upshifts are forward. I have MY2000. I believe it was changed either MY2001 or 02.

-Brett

[Asiann]

I haven't had a problem with the downshifting. Sometimes I forget and just stop and it will downshift for me. I never had it double shift down. I have had it upshift when I wasn't ready. I wanted to stay longer in the gear and it shifted up 1 for me. Now that I didn't like.

[wheeler]

Originally Posted by Asiann

I haven't had a problem with the downshifting. Sometimes I forget and just stop and it will downshift for me. I never had it double shift down. I have had it upshift when I wasn't ready. I wanted to stay longer in the gear and it shifted up 1 for me. Now that I didn't like.

What he said.

I hate it when it shifts up for me. Down I can handle because it really would be too low an RPM if the computer didn't do it for me. Up, however, is different. I may want to scream it up to redline, then let the engine slow me back down when I let off the gas. Instead it shifts up as soon as it touches redline.

[Asiann]

Originally Posted by wheeler

What he said.

I hate it when it shifts up for me. Down I can handle because it really would be too low an RPM if the computer didn't do it for me. Up, however, is different. I may want to scream it up to redline, then let the engine slow me back down when I let off the gas. Instead it shifts up as soon as it touches redline.

If I buy another BMW it will definately be a stick and the wife will just have to deal with it! Speaking of sticks, I just found out the Lexsus IS250 comes in a 6 sp. I always heard differently until I saw it for myself. They also had Pearlwhite instead of flat white. The color looks so much better!

[E90 Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by siriusinvestor

Well when I am in Manual Mode, in my steptronic. I downshift much sooner than the computer downshifts the gear. I down shift from about 2,000 RPM. Is that bad?

Well, not from a fuel efficiency standpoint. But you're shorting yourself some of the power and spirited driving that can be had by letting it rev a bit higher. I often shift at around 3000 rpm, when in manual mode, for a sportier experience than what automatic mode provides.