Start/Stop Impressions (on a 528i loaner)

I'll admit, I was very very critical of the decision to include start/stop in the BMW line.

When I had my X3 in for repeated low coolant warnings and reprogramming for the jerky throttle issue, they gave me a 528i xDrive as a loaner.

I can tell you my impressions after driving it.

1.) The system is very fast, it starts the engine the instant you begin to release pressure from the brake pedal. In my day of driving over 60 miles, I noticed no instance where I felt the car was caught flat-footed.

2.) The system is no-where near transparent. You can tell it shuts off as the car sort of lurches back against the torque converter, I wasn't expecting this sensation. You can hear it shut off and start. There is no mistaking what is going on.

3.) The programming for comfort mode in the 528i xDrive is pretty weak. I think the throttle response is deliberate, almost what I would have thought the eco-pro mode would have been. So you can imagine, eco-pro was a no go. Not on a BMW in my mind. Sport livened up the throttle response, however as in the X3, it won't grab 8th on the highway and wastes gas unnecessarily. But Sport mode made me realize the N20, even in a 5 series with xDrive, is a nice little motor. I would think the N20 in the 5 series is perfectly acceptable. It isn't a model in smoothness, engine sounds, etc. But it is a strong, relatively engaging motor.

Verdict:

Would I use start/stop? Probably. But I would seek out a solution to make it something I would engage manually instead of something I have to turn off. It isn't as bad as I thought it would be, but it isn't seamless enough (at least with the N20) that I'd want people in my 50K car asking why its sort of bucking at stop signs and turning the engine off. Alone or with my wife commuting, its fine.

So I give it a solid B/B+ in operation

No idea how much fuel it would actually save me.

my observations:

In my daily commute to the office I find I spend a fair bit of time in EcoPro mode with the start/stop feature enabled.

I have the dynamic comfort package (which included the dynamic dampers) and find that when not in EcoPro mode for commuting I use comfort mode with the gear selector in DS. On the way home from the office I am more likely to be using sport mode with the gear selector in D.

I agree the start/stop is very unobtrusive and the perfect sense when you are sitting at a red light getting zero mpg.

The EcoPro mode has no negative impact in conjunction with the cruise control... so definitely use it with cruise.

I just had a 2012 5 series loaner today and really didn't like the start/stop feature. You could really feel it every time it started back. I ended up turning it off. I also thought eco mode SUCKED. Took the life out of the car. I don't think I would ever drive in that mode if it were on my vehicle. Makes me really glad I got a 2011 without either of these