E30 Zone

After 19 Years of manual gearboxes I'm still getting used to my new Auto

When I'm sat at traffic lights or in a traffic queue should I leave it in D all the time or knock it into neutral ?

Seem to remember something about older BMW Autoboxes shouldnt be left in N or P or revved in these gears or it fooks the box - is this the same with more modern boxes ?

Should I just keep it in D all the time in normal use even when at traffic lights ?

Any advice appreciated

leave in D at lights and use foot brake, or stick it into park, depends how long your going to be sat there for i guess

Handbrakes have no use on an auto either

Alex wrote: Handbrakes have no use on an auto either

Until MOT Time

capri_rob wrote:

Alex wrote: Handbrakes have no use on an auto either

Until MOT Time

Should be good then as they dont get used on many autos

Keep in D unless stationary for prolonged periods - in that case N with handbrake.

Constant moving from D to N and back again results in more wear than keeping it in D.

George wrote:Keep in D unless stationary for prolonged periods - in that case N with handbrake.

Constant moving from D to N and back again results in more wear than keeping it in D.

Wouldnt you just stick it in Park ?

I always use the handbrake, lobbing it into park then dropping the weight of the car back against the box isnt really a very mechanically friendly thing to do IMO

Your box should be good though Rob, the only thing I would say is get the oil changed if its not been done yet.

ive done 90k miles with my E34 touring auto and I dont grandad it, left foot on the brake and right foot on the gas for traffic light GP's

Alex wrote:

George wrote:Keep in D unless stationary for prolonged periods - in that case N with handbrake.

Constant moving from D to N and back again results in more wear than keeping it in D.

Wouldnt you just stick it in Park ?

I don't. When you stick it in park, the car is held by a little plastic jobbie in the box which is a little on the fragile side. Better to be held by the handbrake.

Plus if you stick it in park, you have to go via R and the flash of reversing lights will scare those behind you!

I try and use the handbrake when parking the car up on a hill.

As before, it's not good for the box to take the strain of the car and especially harshly (i.e. parking like an american).

Not sure of this is your cup of tea rob but you can fit an M3 SMG steering wheel to any E46/E39/E53 auto and use the paddles to shift when in sport mode instead of the +/- on the stick.

You just need the correct slip ring and some wire but there are companies that do plug and play kits.

bss325i wrote:Not sure of this is your cup of tea rob but you can fit an M3 SMG steering wheel to any E46/E39/E53 auto and use the paddles to shift when in sport mode instead of the +/- on the stick.

You just need the correct slip ring and some wire but there are companies that do plug and play kits.

Very interesting ! I like the sound of that

Just looked on Ebay and an SMG wheel is gonna be £300 upwards by the look of it so this mod might be down the list a bit

+1 on not relying on park to have the whole weight of the car resting on it. Handbrake is there so might as well use it