iDrive - a late discovery!

[SouthernComfort]

Having tried various settings since fitting the iDrive I eventually settled on U4 as the sweet spot for most conditions. Yesterday I had the car in for service at All GC and driving home afterwards it seemed smoother in gear changes, still full of grunt as usual, but less 'fussy' at slower speeds and during frequent gear changing (peak hour suburban driving). Then I noticed the iDrive setting was on A.C. (Automatic Control). Had never tried that setting before, and it's a feature unique to iDrive apparently, it increases the 'assistance' effect the harder you push the pedal, so smooth. Not sure why/how it got changed, but I like it - a lot!!

[LeCheese]

Originally Posted by SouthernComfort

Having tried various settings since fitting the iDrive I eventually settled on U4 as the sweet spot for most conditions. Yesterday I had the car in for service at All GC and driving home afterwards it seemed smoother in gear changes, still full of grunt as usual, but less 'fussy' at slower speeds and during frequent gear changing (peak hour suburban driving). Then I noticed the iDrive setting was on A.C. (Automatic Control). Had never tried that setting before, and it's a feature unique to iDrive apparently, it increases the 'assistance' effect the harder you push the pedal, so smooth. Not sure why/how it got changed, but I like it - a lot!!

Nice observation, I might have to give AC another crack. I played around with it for a few minutes but found it didn't remove the dead zone on pickup as much as I'd like. I settled on U4 as well, but have changed down to U3 a few weeks ago to try smooth it out at lower speed driving.

[drover]

I keep spending the coin on other things but soon as I'm ina town start cursing away, one day one will appear..... till then its push pedal gently, waiting, waiting then Kabooom we launch.......

[Nanook]

I had mine set on AC when I first installed it but found it could be touchy at times. I have mine set on U6 all the time now.

[LeCheese]

Originally Posted by Nanook

I had mine set on AC when I first installed it but found it could be touchy at times. I have mine set on U6 all the time now.

Yeah I set mine back to AC for a drive yesterday and found the same thing. One particular instance was merging onto the freeway behind a slower car where I had to keep adjusting my speed. I found it ran up and down the gears repeatedly, even with only small changes to throttle input. I also didn't particularly like that I didn't know exactly what I was going to get when I pressed the pedal.

Like the idea, and might try it out again in a different environment, but back to U3 for me.

I've no idea how you manage U6 Nanook, and others I've seen who run it even higher than that. I had it on U5 for a while and just found it too peaky - and I'm by no means a slouch of a driver!

[SouthernComfort]

I think our different findings may have something to do with the different behaviours between 5sp and 8sp boxes. In my 5sp I find anything above U4/5 too twitchy for my liking, even on U4 at low speeds it wants to kick down at every opportunity.

It'll be interesting to see how I settle with A.C, have only done the one run on that setting so far and found it much smoother at those lower speeds.

[Jeeper6]

I've got an iDrive in mine...I had it on AC for while but didn't really like it...it is still there but I have turned off as I actually prefer to feel the throttle with out interference...