Here goes...

[850CSi]

^See, that's the problem... "In theory"....


I'm going to start trying it out. Even if it works, I'm still going to be worried about clutch wear, because I still refuse to believe it's possible to have a fail-proof mechanism like that. If it turns out to be the real deal, that would be awesome.

Taking off from a standstill I'm starting to get the hang of (The main problem with that is that the 325 idles at around 600. Kind of low, and the first bit of gas pedal travel has very little effect). It's more the 1-2 and even 2-3 shift that are annoying me.

E90 forums are filled with complaints about this thing. Even Drive-By-Wire isn't anywhere near as annoying (not that bad actually).

[cozmik]

Don't you love it when engeneers overthink?  <_<  

[SJ_GTI]

Honestly I am surprised you are having this much trouble. When I went to the 3er "premier" event I hopped right in and was probably shifting smoother in the 3ers than I was with my own car. When I went back to my A4 I felt jerky for a few shifts.

Maybe you are overthinking it. Just do what feels natural and see how it works out, rather than trying to treat the 325i like your A4.

[93JC]

Don't you love it when engeineers overthink?  <_<

Better than the ones who don't think very much at all.  :ph34r:  

[Raza]

There is a propagation of overengineering with technology to keep the car safe from the driver these days (Mercedes is one of the biggest culprits, and though BMW keeps it quiet, it is not far behind) and all it does is keep the driver from involvement--the one thing that used to set BMWs apart from the rest of the competition.  I fear that the industy as a whole (except for Lotus, it seems) is beginning to think that the person shouldn't drive the car, but the car should drive the person.  I've heard rumors of such a system before the pictures of the E90 leaked, and more rumors that a similar, though less intrusive system was installed on the E46 as well.  BMW has forgotten what "sport" means, and has replaced it with "computer".  Even race-ready Evos have a system that doesn't allow you to drop the clutch with the revs above 5000, and that's not the best way to embarass the Ferrari driver next to you at a stoplight.  Your drop point would be best higher.  

We're heading into a dark automotive age.  

[850CSi]

There is a propagation of overengineering with technology to keep the car safe from the driver these days (Mercedes is one of the biggest culprits, and though BMW keeps it quiet, it is not far behind) and all it does is keep the driver from involvement--the one thing that used to set BMWs apart from the rest of the competition.  I fear that the industy as a whole (except for Lotus, it seems) is beginning to think that the person shouldn't drive the car, but the car should drive the person.  I've heard rumors of such a system before the pictures of the E90 leaked, and more rumors that a similar, though less intrusive system was installed on the E46 as well.  BMW has forgotten what "sport" means, and has replaced it with "computer".  Even race-ready Evos have a system that doesn't allow you to drop the clutch with the revs above 5000, and that's not the best way to embarass the Ferrari driver next to you at a stoplight.  Your drop point would be best higher.  

We're heading into a dark automotive age.

The E46 and later E36s had it, too.


I wanna get rid of it.

Honestly, this is the only techno-gizmo that's bothering me. I love everything else.

[850CSi]

Maybe you are overthinking it. Just do what feels natural and see how it works out, rather than trying to treat the 325i like your A4.

Doing what's natural results in a shudder and makes me wonder if my clutch will last more than a week.

[SJ_GTI]

There is a propagation of overengineering with technology to keep the car safe from the driver these days (Mercedes is one of the biggest culprits, and though BMW keeps it quiet, it is not far behind) and all it does is keep the driver from involvement--the one thing that used to set BMWs apart from the rest of the competition.  I fear that the industy as a whole (except for Lotus, it seems) is beginning to think that the person shouldn't drive the car, but the car should drive the person.  I've heard rumors of such a system before the pictures of the E90 leaked, and more rumors that a similar, though less intrusive system was installed on the E46 as well.  BMW has forgotten what "sport" means, and has replaced it with "computer".  Even race-ready Evos have a system that doesn't allow you to drop the clutch with the revs above 5000, and that's not the best way to embarass the Ferrari driver next to you at a stoplight.  Your drop point would be best higher. 

We're heading into a dark automotive age.

The E46 and later E36s had it, too.


I wanna get rid of it.

Honestly, this is the only techno-gizmo that's bothering me. I love everything else.

Have you checked your oil yet...?

:ph34r:  

[SaltyDog]

So how's the college applying going?

[mazda6er]

I guess I'm wondering why we haven't heard any complaints in  magazine reviews about this. Seems like the type of thing they'd be all over.

[ifcar]

Maybe they're used to a wider range of behavior?

[mazda6er]

Maybe they're used to a wider range of behavior?

I suppose that's true, and I do remember them saying the E90 shifter wasn't quite as slick as the E36, but this seems like something more severe or quirky than that. I don't know though, I'm interested to hear how this works out.


And Faris, how's the push-button start working for you?

[93JC]

I guess I'm wondering why we haven't heard any complaints in  magazine reviews about this. Seems like the type of thing they'd be all over.

[mazda6er]

lol :D Faris might not approve.

[93JC]

I think Faris will understand it's satire, and will acknowledge most automotive journalists are not particularly critical of BMWs.

[SaltyDog]

I think Faris will understand it's satire, and will acknowledge most automotive journalists are not particularly critical of BMWs.

I don't know, iDrive on BMWs has aroused more disgust than Bill on Monica.

[850CSi]

There is a propagation of overengineering with technology to keep the car safe from the driver these days (Mercedes is one of the biggest culprits, and though BMW keeps it quiet, it is not far behind) and all it does is keep the driver from involvement--the one thing that used to set BMWs apart from the rest of the competition.  I fear that the industy as a whole (except for Lotus, it seems) is beginning to think that the person shouldn't drive the car, but the car should drive the person.  I've heard rumors of such a system before the pictures of the E90 leaked, and more rumors that a similar, though less intrusive system was installed on the E46 as well.  BMW has forgotten what "sport" means, and has replaced it with "computer".  Even race-ready Evos have a system that doesn't allow you to drop the clutch with the revs above 5000, and that's not the best way to embarass the Ferrari driver next to you at a stoplight.  Your drop point would be best higher. 

We're heading into a dark automotive age.

The E46 and later E36s had it, too.


I wanna get rid of it.

Honestly, this is the only techno-gizmo that's bothering me. I love everything else.

Have you checked your oil yet...?

:ph34r:

Oil's fine, the car's computer gives you the level if you ask for it.

You mean tranny oil?



Like I said, a lot of people on the E90 forums are complaining about the clutch, and a few have swapped out their CDV's.

If my dad lets me, I'm seriously going to think about doing it.

[850CSi]

So how's the college applying going?

I applied early to Northwestern, as planned, about 2 weeks ago. I get their response within the next 3-4 weeks. If I'm accepted, I'm done, and I'll be enrolling at their Medill School of Journalism next year (Regarded by many to be one the world's best undergrad journalism programs ).

But it's a big "If", as it really is ridiculously hard to get into N'Western.


If I'm not accepted there, I'm probably going to apply to the University of Chicago as my second choice, and either Loyola University or DePaul University to fall back on and eventually transfer to N'Western after my first semester or freshman year.

[Raza]

And Faris, how's the push-button start working for you?

I had my first experience with a push button starter this week.  If it weren't for the amazing car wrapped around it, I wouldn't have liked it all.  It's a completely unnecessary feature.

[850CSi]

I guess I'm wondering why we haven't heard any complaints in  magazine reviews about this. Seems like the type of thing they'd be all over.

You know, I was wondering the same thing...

Then again, they're driving these things really hard all the time. They're not exactly concentrating on everyday clutch-life-prolonging driving. And that's where you really don't feel the CDV's effects anymore: 6,000RPM shift.

[Raza]

So how's the college applying going?

I applied early to Northwestern, as planned, about 2 weeks ago. I get their response within the next 3-4 weeks. If I'm accepted, I'm done, and I'll be enrolling at their Medill School of Journalism next year (Regarded by many to be one the world's best undergrad journalism programs ).

But it's a big "If", as it really is ridiculously hard to get into N'Western.


If I'm not accepted there, I'm probably going to apply to the University of Chicago as my second choice, and either Loyola University or DePaul University to fall back on and eventually transfer to N'Western after my first semester or freshman year.

If you don't get into Northwestern, you think Chicago will take you?  

[850CSi]

Maybe they're used to a wider range of behavior?

I suppose that's true, and I do remember them saying the E90 shifter wasn't quite as slick as the E36, but this seems like something more severe or quirky than that. I don't know though, I'm interested to hear how this works out.


And Faris, how's the push-button start working for you?

The shifter itself I actually like. It should get slicker as time goes on, and it's very defined. I also like how it's very biased towards the center position (Which makes 2-4 shifts very easy and, more importantly, also helps avoid the 'Money shift').


Push button start is actually kind of cool. Not really necessary, but cool.

[850CSi]

I guess I'm wondering why we haven't heard any complaints in  magazine reviews about this. Seems like the type of thing they'd be all over.

 

[850CSi]

I think Faris will understand it's satire, and will acknowledge most automotive journalists are not particularly critical of BMWs.

True.

[850CSi]

So how's the college applying going?

I applied early to Northwestern, as planned, about 2 weeks ago. I get their response within the next 3-4 weeks. If I'm accepted, I'm done, and I'll be enrolling at their Medill School of Journalism next year (Regarded by many to be one the world's best undergrad journalism programs ).

But it's a big "If", as it really is ridiculously hard to get into N'Western.


If I'm not accepted there, I'm probably going to apply to the University of Chicago as my second choice, and either Loyola University or DePaul University to fall back on and eventually transfer to N'Western after my first semester or freshman year.

If you don't get into Northwestern, you think Chicago will take you?

I don't know. NU is harder to get into, but they both look for different things in a student.

NU wants a smart student-athlete with interests and a social life. They'd rather have a 3.5 GPA 30ACT student who started on a high school team and was a part of 3 or 4 clubs than the 4.2GPA 35ACT dork.


Chicago doesn't really seem to care, it's all about the brains. That's why their atmosphere is so ridiculously academic and high-pressure when compared to NU.

[Raghavan]

I wouldn't really care about that kind of valve junk. I'm always easy on a clutch, and i dn't do redline shifts.

That's because you've never driven a MT car that you own...

Huh?

[Colonel Cadillac]

So how's the college applying going?

I applied early to Northwestern, as planned, about 2 weeks ago. I get their response within the next 3-4 weeks. If I'm accepted, I'm done, and I'll be enrolling at their Medill School of Journalism next year (Regarded by many to be one the world's best undergrad journalism programs ).

But it's a big "If", as it really is ridiculously hard to get into N'Western.


If I'm not accepted there, I'm probably going to apply to the University of Chicago as my second choice, and either Loyola University or DePaul University to fall back on and eventually transfer to N'Western after my first semester or freshman year.

Crap you're a high achiever. A friend of mine was deferred from Chicago and she had a 1560 on the SAT's. She got in later, but still, it's pretty tough.  

[SJ_GTI]

There is a propagation of overengineering with technology to keep the car safe from the driver these days (Mercedes is one of the biggest culprits, and though BMW keeps it quiet, it is not far behind) and all it does is keep the driver from involvement--the one thing that used to set BMWs apart from the rest of the competition.? I fear that the industy as a whole (except for Lotus, it seems) is beginning to think that the person shouldn't drive the car, but the car should drive the person.? I've heard rumors of such a system before the pictures of the E90 leaked, and more rumors that a similar, though less intrusive system was installed on the E46 as well.? BMW has forgotten what "sport" means, and has replaced it with "computer".? Even race-ready Evos have a system that doesn't allow you to drop the clutch with the revs above 5000, and that's not the best way to embarass the Ferrari driver next to you at a stoplight.? Your drop point would be best higher.?

We're heading into a dark automotive age.

The E46 and later E36s had it, too.


I wanna get rid of it.

Honestly, this is the only techno-gizmo that's bothering me. I love everything else.

Have you checked your oil yet...?

:ph34r:

Oil's fine, the car's computer gives you the level if you ask for it.

You mean tranny oil?

No, I was referring to the fact that you can't actually check your oil. That was one thing that bugged me when I was checking out the new 3er.

[Raza]

You can't check the oil?  There's no dipstick?

[850CSi]

Nope. It gives you the readout if you ask for it. Easy to bring up.