Despite having improved greatly you can still tell it's a diesel. Especially from the outdside.
Only in cars with manual gearboxes.
Once the novelty has faded away, yes it's a bit annoying especially because everytime it start again the gear level vibrates quite a lot. But I guess with time we'll get used to it. And concerning the reliability, well I hope BMW engineers have thought about that before implementing it on their cars...
Lack of charisma can be fatal.
Visca Catalunya!
it seems to work only when the outside temperature is above 3 degree Celsius...pretty much always in most parts of Spain. I think you will keep it in gear much more than you were used to with the Mini and use the clutch much more. (the use of only the clutch and keeping the engine running idle, will bring you to third gear without any problem...)
"I find the whole business of religion profoundly interesting, but it does mystify me that otherwise intelligent people take it seriously." Douglas Adams
It's about to break the 100k miles barrier and we've had it since June 2005. The car feels totally different to when I had my driving lessons in it (it was in good condition back then, now the mechanicals need a thorough overhaul (not economically viable) and it's getting worn on the interior), so I think it's going to be replaced soon I'm afraid.
It's a shame because we've become quite attached to that little car. It was Dad's first (proper) car for the driving school, and we used it to set the 'school up and running. I learned to drive (officially ) in it, as did my best mate and girlfriend...and now it's not the little machine it once was . The bodywork's still perfect but driving school cars take such a beating mechanically and on all the control surfaces (steering wheel, gearlever etc).
That would make sense - diesels need pre-ignition time before starting in those temperatures, and that'd probably take too long for the Stop and Start tech to work properly.
As in moving off from rest using only the clutch, then once the engine management system's ticking it along, changing-up carefully?
Last edited by Clivey; 12-14-2007 at 03:16 PM.
"This is hardcore." - Evo's John Barker on the TVR Tuscan S
V0R5PRU7NG DUR6CH T3CHN1K
Motion & Emotion
It's fun, I drove (hid it when he wasn't looking) a friends 306 1.9TurboD the other week and I didn't touch the throttle once
V0R5PRU7NG DUR6CH T3CHN1K
Motion & Emotion
"This is hardcore." - Evo's John Barker on the TVR Tuscan S
That is true, but also a bit annoying coupled to the longer gearing of 2nd. That's because in the Mini when I drove at very slow speeds (10-15km/h) I used to use 2nd for that. But in the BMW 2nd gear is 17,6km/h per 1000rpm which means that if I put it in second at like 10km/h the car accelerates "on it's own".
I'll have to get used to that and use first more often.
And I guess the Cooper S is even worse than the diesel. But I didn't thought it was that bad. The 1-series is notably softer on everything, though.
Lack of charisma can be fatal.
Visca Catalunya!
Yes, same with the Minis, you control that with your clutch. A word of warning is to be careful when turning at a junction - you sometimes change down to second and drop to the speed that the engine management system kicks-in at. It will, if you're not careful, give you a bit of a shock and a "kick" of acceleration half way 'round a bend. If you partially depress the clutch when you drop below that speed, you avoid this.
"This is hardcore." - Evo's John Barker on the TVR Tuscan S
"I find the whole business of religion profoundly interesting, but it does mystify me that otherwise intelligent people take it seriously." Douglas Adams
I was just going to say that (the last bit). It has happened to me a couple of times putting it in neutral some metres before the red lights which then turn green and so I shift into second and because I was going so slow the car accelerates and I almost crash with the car in front. All very "exciting".
Lack of charisma can be fatal.
Visca Catalunya!
In Brazil we don't have diesel cars . Only trucks and pickups and SUVs.
ouch....
May the downforce be with you
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