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      04-19-2011, 06:26 PM   #1
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Auto Start Stop

Has anyone actually used the auto start/stop feature? To me is seems like a weak attempt by BMW to make an environmental statement. The M3 is awful on gas (who cares with such performance), I'm sure that turning it off at traffic lights once in a while won't make a difference.
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      04-19-2011, 06:31 PM   #2
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Tried it once just to make sure it worked. I personally feel like thats a little too hard on the engine to keep turning it off and starting it back up. Even with that, I would never think of using it. Stupid feature.
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      04-19-2011, 07:34 PM   #3
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Actually, I use it for selected trips and driving situations. Call me wimpy, but there's nothing wrong to me with saving some fuel and reducing emissions, albeit only a bit.

According to BMW:

"According to the standardised consumption test specified by legislation and conducted on the chassis dynamometer, there is a 3% saving in fuel. In everyday driving situations the savings potential can be as high as 1.5 litres (continuous running), depending on the route profile. The greatest savings effect is of course obtained in congestion and urban traffic."

http://www.m-power.com/_open/s/conta...lang=en&x=2074

One fill-up a week x $80 (Canadian fuel @ $1.50/L for 91 Shell) x 52 weeks = $4160 x 3% = $125. I'm ok with saving 125 bucks, if it actually works like they say. That feeds my Starbucks habit very nicely.

And it works just fine, I just anticipate re-starting by 1-2 seconds, lessen the pressure on the brake pedal (not even removing it), and the engine fires up, ready to go. The only issue I have is that my V1 reboots with every engine restart, but I don't really need the V1 in urban traffic congestion anyways so I turn it off.

Sure, I use a lot of gas with my M3. And yes, I know, I can afford this car, so I can afford the barrels of gas that I burn as well. But why not save 3%?
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      04-19-2011, 07:37 PM   #4
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Been meaning to try it just to see if it works but haven't. The car is too much fun to think about saving gas but if I was very low on gas and stuck in city traffic, I might consider it.
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      04-19-2011, 07:38 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chowster View Post
But why not save 3%?
Exactly, if it's possible and doable then why not? The M3's engine may be thirsty, but one would be a fool to think BMW paid NO attention to fuel efficiency at all in designing it. So what's wrong with their adding just one more aspect to further increase the fuel economy by a little bit?
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      04-19-2011, 07:41 PM   #6
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      04-19-2011, 07:57 PM   #7
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Tried it and it works with only a slight delay in starting off.
A little irritating. Might use it if the stop lights around here were longer than 20 seconds....
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      04-19-2011, 08:10 PM   #8
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No, this is a waste of gas and wear on engine. Did this once while I was stuck in traffic, must have started and stopped at least 75 times in 2 hrs. That's like 1/3 years worth of driving. I'll never use it again
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      04-19-2011, 08:13 PM   #9
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      04-19-2011, 08:57 PM   #10
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Auto Start Stop

I like to use the feature when in stop and go traffic - which is EVERY morning for me I wonder if there is a way to have the "auto off" automatically turned on?
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      04-19-2011, 09:16 PM   #11
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i agree, but also should note that hot restarts are nothing for engines - its actually ice cold starts that do the most wear on the engine, like 90%, unless you're doing something extreme with the motor
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      04-19-2011, 09:16 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by abizarvakharia View Post
I like to use the feature when in stop and go traffic - which is EVERY morning for me I wonder if there is a way to have the "auto off" automatically turned on?
i thought you could turn it off and leave it off???
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      04-19-2011, 09:18 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by E=mc2 View Post
Highly doubt it. A lot of these features are saved in memory, such as MDM, or the heated seats, or the random music selection in idrive
OK, thanks
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      04-19-2011, 09:29 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kyoo View Post
i thought you could turn it off and leave it off???
You can because it's by default off. What you can't do is leave it on.


Quote:
Originally Posted by kyoo View Post
i agree, but also should note that hot restarts are nothing for engines - its actually ice cold starts that do the most wear on the engine, like 90%, unless you're doing something extreme with the motor
Not only that, these start-stop mechanicals are beefed up and the engine is stopped in a specific way to make restarts even easier on it and quicker than usual.
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      04-19-2011, 10:22 PM   #15
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My Review

I use this feature when I'm in LA almost constantly, knowing you're not wasting priceless fuel when stopped at the light does give some relief. I've learned a trick to make this feature a little more fitting to my preferences (this is applicable to m3's equipped with dct). For example, when you come up to a red light and you know it's going to turn green any second, or it's a situation where you may need to keep inching forward (stop sign), I fully stop the car and then release the brake. This keeps it from turning off, but obviously the surface has to be flat and the brake should be covered. It takes approximate 1.5 seconds for it to turn off with the brake fully applied and the car stopped. I wouldn't recommend using this feature on freeway traffic unless your not moving at all for extended periods (I don't usually make the motor turn off unless I anticipate sitting for 10+ seconds).

I disagree that this will cause wear on the motor, if it is it's negligible and the motor idling causes just as much or more. The wear item from this feature is the starter, and BMW has equipped cars with this feature with heavy-duty starters to compensate for it.

As far as the time it takes to start back up and go, it's really nothing. You don't have to let the RPMs settle after the restart, you just give it gas after the I initial start and the clutch enacts and your off.
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      04-19-2011, 10:26 PM   #16
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i drove next to a new m3 with this feature for about 5 red lights, kind of annoying if u ask me
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      04-19-2011, 11:27 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by richardbb85 View Post
i drove next to a new m3 with this feature for about 5 red lights, kind of annoying if u ask me
Annoying that you wasted more gas than him? Haha
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      04-20-2011, 12:32 AM   #18
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I used it twice. Both times the cars next to me thought I couldn't drive a manual and that I was simply stalling at every light or something.
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      04-20-2011, 01:13 AM   #19
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I turn it off everytime I jump in the car. £400 to have it programmed off here. Can't justify that amount so it's become habitual now to press the button.
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      04-20-2011, 01:23 AM   #20
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i use it when i know I'll stop for a while (to a take a picture of a location while in the car, to show a house or something etc)

rarely use it when I'm driving around... I'm scared the engine will turn off when i want to go real quick lol
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      04-20-2011, 01:25 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by persian54 View Post
i use it when i know I'll stop for a while (to a take a picture of a location while in the car, to show a house or something etc)

rarely use it when I'm driving around... I'm scared the engine will turn off when i want to go real quick lol
How can you go real quick in an E93?

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      04-20-2011, 01:55 PM   #22
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How can you go real quick in an E93?

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