how to drive M3... (help)

[transliu]

Hello,
I just got my 2002 M3 with SMG. The SMG (in A-mode) is making me really tense here. I sometimes make the engine jerk. For example, when I stop depressing the gas while it's reving up from gear 1 to 2, it seems like the engine did NOT ONLY stops reving up but ALSO a stopping force is automagically applied to the engine (I swear I didn't put my foot on the break). And then because of feeling such sudden and unexpected stopping force, I naturally apply pressure on the gas again attempting to keep the car at "constant" speed so the car behind me won't run into me accidentally. But this time, the engine would not listen, it will struggle to rev up but then as if it hit a brick of walls, the engine's rev actually drops down about 1k and then because of my foot is still on the gas, it will rev up and then hit the wall the drop rev and then rev up etc..... the result is a very uncomfortable, unsightly and noisy jerking actions.

I find that the only way I can avoid this jerking action is to try to put constant pressure as much as I can while the engine is reving up from 1 to 2.

Does anyone out there have similar experience? Is this normal at all? Or there is something wrong with the engine or SMG?

Thanks!!

[SHAHAB323IS]

your supposed to keep your foot down when it switches gears, you don't need to let of the gas like in a manual, you should keep it pressed the whole time

[bigred318]

oh really? i always thought you had to lift it up dont ask me why just made sense that it would be less stress for the engine!

David

[transliu]

darn, hit the wrong button, sorry....

so, do you feel a sudden deacceleration once you lift off the gas? I thought this is abnornal. An auto tranny doesn't do that; When lift off the gas, normal auto cars simply slow down gradually...

[TMac325is]

if youve ever driven a manual, you know that the transmission can be used in addition to the brake to help slow you down. which i why most downshift when coming up to a stop light, letting the engine deaccelerate instead of the brake.. but of course that puts more wear on the transmission. if it 1st or 2nd gear and you lift your foot off the accellerator, the car will jerk a lil then slow down. this is also the same in 3rd and 4th gears but usually you have to be in higher rpms to feel it

[SHAHAB323IS]

Originally posted by bigred318@Sep 14 2004, 02:00 AM
oh really? i always thought you had to lift it up dont ask me why just made sense that it would be less stress for the engine!

David

no it does everything for you, you just hit the gas and go, do the same thing as if you were driving a normal auto, the engine's computer does everything else, it let's of the gas, and controls the clutch, it even downshifts for you when braking

[transliu]

Originally posted by M3DUDE+Sep 14 2004, 05:00 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (M3DUDE @ Sep 14 2004, 05:00 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-bigred318@Sep 14 2004, 02:00 AM
oh really? i always thought you had to lift it up dont ask me why just made sense that it would be less stress for the engine!

David

no it does everything for you, you just hit the gas and go, do the same thing as if you were driving a normal auto, the engine's computer does everything else, it let's of the gas, and controls the clutch, it even downshifts for you when braking [/b][/quote]
it's not like normal auto, is it? i guess my main question is why the jerking action? anyone has similar experience, or i am getting an engine/smg problem here...?

[kawwal]

Yes, my brother has a 2002 BMW M3 SMG as well and we experienced the same in the beginning.

First off, the A-mode is suppose to simulate an automatic...but at the end, it's still a manual folks. It will never be that smooth...especially going from gear 1 to 2.

Second, you should keep the accelerator down but steadily. You just can't slam the accelerator from 1 to 2...this definitely causes the jerking all the time. You need to keep your foot down on the accelerator softly, and you will see it will be fine.

The key is to apply the accelerator softly from 1 to 2, not slam it!

P.S. I recommend sequential mode anyway, it's way better to drive that way.

[SHAHAB323IS]

Originally posted by kawwal@Sep 15 2004, 01:13 PM
Yes, my brother has a 2002 BMW M3 SMG as well and we experienced the same in the beginning.

First off, the A-mode is suppose to simulate an automatic...but at the end, it's still a manual folks. It will never be that smooth...especially going from gear 1 to 2.

Second, you should keep the accelerator down but steadily. You just can't slam the accelerator from 1 to 2...this definitely causes the jerking all the time. You need to keep your foot down on the accelerator softly, and you will see it will be fine.

The key is to apply the accelerator softly from 1 to 2, not slam it!

P.S. I recommend sequential mode anyway, it's way better to drive that way.

yeah that's what i meant it's deffintely not an auto, you just don't have to shift yourself, it's still a manual, just that the computer operates everything for you, i've also heard some people say that when it shifts they feel a little pressure on their foot from the accelerator, i guess it's not a perfect tranny yet, so don't freak out if you feel something like that, oh and i wasn't saying slam the gas, i was just saying that you don't need to lift completely off the gas

[transliu]

okay... i think i can live with that as long as this is normal for smg and not an engine problem... but it's just not very cool that in A-mode, this M3 always starts so slowly and lags way behind that 97' civic, 00' ford focus or actually any car simply because i can't slam on the gas....

thanks folks.

[SHAHAB323IS]

well you can slam the gas, if you want to go fast slam the gas, but under normal driving you can can do what was stated above