Efficient Dynamics Start/Stop

Do you guys use this on your M3? I remember when I picked up my car on ED the lady told me about it but I had her deactivate it. I just got my car back in US and dont know how to reactivate it and if I should. I know it helps on gas so I was thinking of doing it. But I'm worried in stop and go traffic it would get annoying and prolly not good for car to be on and off every few minutes.

Don't use it, never have. There is a small button on the center dash with an "A" and an arrow going around it that turn the function on or off. A bit counter intuitive but when the light is on, the auto start/stop is off.

Originally Posted by kscarrol

Don't use it, never have. There is a small button on the center dash with an "A" and an arrow going around it that turn the function on or off. A bit counter intuitive but when the light is on, the auto start/stop is off.

and thank you designers for that. i would definitely turn it off everytime i started the car if the default were set to on.

Tried it one once...turned it off and I have never looked back.

Never used it and don't see the point of it in am M car.

Yeah what they all said ^^^^^.....leave it off...........Phil

I don't use it most of the time, but there are a few places that I have to go where there are really long red lights one block apart for 5 blocks in a row, so I turn it on when I go there......I just cannot stand the thought of the car using fuel when it is no moving and just waiting for a 5 minute light to change, only to go one block and stop again....Of course I try to avoid these intersections whenever possible but sometimes just can't avoid......there are some brilliant traffic engineers out there.....clearly interested in us wasting as much gasoline as possible.....really environmentally smart people....

What about.the power button? Sport and sport plus. How.often do u use it or when?

me, never sport +, i think maybe too sensitive. i use power when engine is warmed up completely

Originally Posted by infernoM3

Do you guys use this on your M3? I remember when I picked up my car on ED the lady told me about it but I had her deactivate it. I just got my car back in US and dont know how to reactivate it and if I should. I know it helps on gas so I was thinking of doing it. But I'm worried in stop and go traffic it would get annoying and prolly not good for car to be on and off every few minutes.

In my 2012 M3 I use the Start/Stop often in my work commute, I cannot stand wasting gas at stoplights especially the way this V8 gulp gas just idling. I used to have a 2008 M3 and one of my biggests complaints was the idle excessive (to me) gas consumption.

I even went ahead and code it to remember its last state instead of defaulting to off at each engine start.

Originally Posted by Technic

In my 2012 M3 I use the Start/Stop often in my work commute... I even went ahead and code it to remember its last state instead of defaulting to off at each engine start.

Technic,

Do you happen to know if this function uses the car's starter each time? I know that some systems (specifically, Mazda's and perhaps Peugeot's) restart the car based on some sort of compression in the engine (thus not stressing the starter), but I haven't been able to find any details about how the system in the M3 works. The possible starter wear is my biggest reason for leaving mine disabled.

I think I saw somewhere that the display can also show u when to shift for better gas consumption? Anyone seen this.

Originally Posted by Technic

In my 2012 M3 I use the Start/Stop often in my work commute, I cannot stand wasting gas at stoplights especially the way this V8 gulp gas just idling. I used to have a 2008 M3 and one of my biggests complaints was the idle excessive (to me) gas consumption.

I even went ahead and code it to remember its last state instead of defaulting to off at each engine start.

Exactly....I could not agree with you more....just sitting at idle burning gas just bothers me to no end....I have no problem enjoying the power that the V8 produces when driving, but just sitting there while the engines sucks down the fuel is just plain wasteful both of the gas the the car's capabilities....

Originally Posted by logicalthought

Technic,

Do you happen to know if this function uses the car's starter each time? I know that some systems (specifically, Mazda's and perhaps Peugeot's) restart the car based on some sort of compression in the engine (thus not stressing the starter), but I haven't been able to find any details about how the system in the M3 works. The possible starter wear is my biggest reason for leaving mine disabled.

I tried the system ( don't like it ) and I heard my starter motor running, however I guess it should be possible for the computer to park the engine with some cylinders at perfect ignition position ( compressed with fuel in the chambers ) and then as a first attempt try to just fire the spark plugs to get the engine running again. Not sure if the M3 can or ever does this.

Not sure, but the times that I use this, it seems to take far fewer turns of the engine/starter to restart the car compared to a cold or even a warm start, so something must be different...

do you guys know how this works or how to activate. Shift indicator
http://www.bmw.com/com/en/insights/t...indicator.html

Okay, I've done some homework on this. Apparently BMW's start-stop system uses a special heavy-duty starter made by Bosch, along with a heavy duty EGM battery (which won't activate start-stop if it's under heavy load in either very cold or very hot weather). I don't trust any BMW parts out of warranty (I think this company looks to parts & repairs as being a massive profit center) so I'd be a bit concerned about how durable that starter really is, but they've been using it in Europe since late 2007 so one could probably hunt around the on-line forums and see if there are any complaints about the durability. Maybe I'll do that later this week, if I have a chance.

Originally Posted by leejak

Exactly....I could not agree with you more....just sitting at idle burning gas just bothers me to no end....I have no problem enjoying the power that the V8 produces when driving, but just sitting there while the engines sucks down the fuel is just plain wasteful both of the gas the the car's capabilities....

I used to literally see my average fuel consumption ticking down like a time bomb at stop lights in a matter of seconds in my old M3... 15.7, 15.6, 15.5, 15.4mpg, and then the green light.

No mo'...

Originally Posted by logicalthought

Okay, I've done some homework on this. Apparently BMW's start-stop system uses a special heavy-duty starter made by Bosch, along with a heavy duty EGM battery (which won't activate start-stop if it's under heavy load in either very cold or very hot weather). I don't trust any BMW parts out of warranty (I think this company looks to parts & repairs as being a massive profit center) so I'd be a bit concerned about how durable that starter really is, but they've been using it in Europe since late 2007 so one could probably hunt around the on-line forums and see if there are any complaints about the durability. Maybe I'll do that later this week, if I have a chance.

Yes, that's correct... the Mazda approach is better from the point of view of starter load/long term reliability.

Recent Road & Track article about the different type of start/stop technology/systems. Included some subjective ratings by the editors and IIRC, they gave BMW's either last and next to last as far as being seamless and working well. They basically said the BMW system is the least technologically advanced and not well integrated.

I understand it on a 328/335i but I just don't get why an V8 M3 needs start/stop. I work for BMW so I drive these cars daily and while the system is cool, it still needs some work.

Originally Posted by infernoM3

Do you guys use this on your M3? I remember when I picked up my car on ED the lady told me about it but I had her deactivate it. I just got my car back in US and dont know how to reactivate it and if I should. I know it helps on gas so I was thinking of doing it. But I'm worried in stop and go traffic it would get annoying and prolly not good for car to be on and off every few minutes.

I've had my car 1 year this month and don't even look at that button. Never used it and have no intention on using it. My particular car is efficient enough for me and is improving daily as the engine is breaking in.

Originally Posted by infernoM3

What about.the power button? Sport and sport plus. How.often do u use it or when?

I used to use the power button sparingly, now I press it every damn time I get in the car. I prefer the throttle response with it on.

Originally Posted by logicalthought

Okay, I've done some homework on this. Apparently BMW's start-stop system uses a special heavy-duty starter made by Bosch

I suspected this. It makes sense. The starter in this car sounds and works like it will easily last the life of the car. I haven't seen 1 single starter failure on any of the forums on an M3. NOT ONE! Maybe I missed one or two but I don't think so. This is one positive we get whether we use the technology or not.