Love the new 328, not sure I would do it again...

Also worth noting that by my calculations, the new 328i, driven 15K miles per year should burn about 90 less gallons of fuel per year than the outgoing model. This difference will be larger if more highway miles are driven.

let's say fuel averages around $4 a gallon for premium and you keep the car for 5 years. $1800 or so saved in fuel costs, which is not too shabby. Will pay for an entire new set of tires with money to spare.

Originally Posted by shabadoo25

Seriously chief, it's a second at the most. I usually take my foot off the gas once I see the brake lights in front of me go off, and then hit the gas after the front car starts to move. There's really no appreciable delay at all.

Hey, whatever works for you, personally, it's too slow for me, especially after driving an 320i E91 that had it with a MT and it worked flawlessly.

When the light is about to turn green, let go of the brakes and let the car inch up a bit. Re-apply the brakes and the engine will stay on. Now you are ready to drag race that old lady in the car next to you once the light turns green

Autologic can permanently disable the car from turning off.

Originally Posted by TLR305

It's just not normal to hear your car start up dozens of times during a single drive.

It will be. Think of all the gas that is wasted at red lights. It's millions of gallons.

It wasn't very many years ago when I would get into my car after my wife had driven it that I would have to adjust the seat. I'd have to move it back and drop it down. I'd have to adjust the angle of the seat back as well. Next I'd have to readjust the rear view mirror, then the driver's side mirror and then the passenger side mirror. After that I had to push buttons to change the radio station! This was followed by pushing more buttons to drop the air temp, etc., etc. I can't believe that in those days I even had to put my key in the door and physically turn it to get into the car; and I had to insert it into the ignition slot and turn it!!!!! Oh, and not just turn it, but actually hold the key in the far position unit the engine actually fired up!!!! I really don't know how I lived through it all.

Now all those things are taken care of for me. To be whining about pushing a button, one time, that's right next to the START button is beyond me.

Originally Posted by Michael Schott

It will be. Think of all the gas that is wasted at red lights. It's millions of gallons.

In a hybrid, where there's an alternate power source, I get this feature. But in a gas-only car it doesn't make enough sense to me.

I'm going to hit the off button, no worries for me. But what concerns me is my wife who uses my car infrequently. In order to leave our block we have to make a left turn across traffic on a busy street. Because of the lights and the timing you need to look both ways, find a clear window, make a decisive decision, and get across the near lane to the far lane. At rush hour or when the schools let out one has to wait at the end of the block for 30 or 60 seconds for the opportunity to make it across and I worry that if the wife doesn't hit the 'off' button that the car will hesitate and cause a near-miss or an accident. I also worry about other drivers who are supposed to be making a turn that I can predict from 500 feet away getting a hesitation from their engines and thus making me have a near-miss. Sometimes a second is a big deal.

BJ

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

In a hybrid, where there's an alternate power source, I get this feature. But in a gas-only car it doesn't make enough sense to me.

I'm going to hit the off button, no worries for me. But what concerns me is my wife who uses my car infrequently. In order to leave our block we have to make a left turn across traffic on a busy street. Because of the lights and the timing you need to look both ways, find a clear window, make a decisive decision, and get across the near lane to the far lane. At rush hour or when the schools let out one has to wait at the end of the block for 30 or 60 seconds for the opportunity to make it across and I worry that if the wife doesn't hit the 'off' button that the car will hesitate and cause a near-miss or an accident. I also worry about other drivers who are supposed to be making a turn that I can predict from 500 feet away getting a hesitation from their engines and thus making me have a near-miss. Sometimes a second is a big deal.

BJ

That sounds pretty serious for the upper crust of society to have to deal with. There must be a still richer area near you which received the traffic light. Probably the neighborhood with all the Mercedes.

The good news for you and your wife is that the feature does not activate until the car is up to temperature. Unless she uses it while it is still warm from a previous trip, chances are it won't activate.

Originally Posted by samualcc

That sounds pretty serious for the upper crust of society to have to deal with. There must be a still richer area near you which received the traffic light. Probably the neighborhood with all the Mercedes.

The good news for you and your wife is that the feature does not activate until the car is up to temperature. Unless she uses it while it is still warm from a previous trip, chances are it won't activate.

Well, there's the problem. The manservant has already warmed the car up for her.

Originally Posted by mdsbuc

Well, there's the problem. The manservant has already warmed the car up for her.

Joking aside, there's a thread in the other forum about ASS and several drivers have reported that the car mysteriously turns itself on when they think it's shut down. So besides the "car turns itself back on at the moment I'm making a left turn across traffic" concern there's the issue of "I parked my car in the garage at night and the carbon monoxide alarms were going off" issue.

I don't need my car telling me how I can save money. The car works for me, should obey what I want it to do without having to press a button. Are there other non-hybrids out there with this ASS feature? If so, any reported issues with those systems?

BJ

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

In a hybrid, where there's an alternate power source, I get this feature. But in a gas-only car it doesn't make enough sense to me.

I'm going to hit the off button, no worries for me. But what concerns me is my wife who uses my car infrequently. In order to leave our block we have to make a left turn across traffic on a busy street. Because of the lights and the timing you need to look both ways, find a clear window, make a decisive decision, and get across the near lane to the far lane. At rush hour or when the schools let out one has to wait at the end of the block for 30 or 60 seconds for the opportunity to make it across and I worry that if the wife doesn't hit the 'off' button that the car will hesitate and cause a near-miss or an accident. I also worry about other drivers who are supposed to be making a turn that I can predict from 500 feet away getting a hesitation from their engines and thus making me have a near-miss. Sometimes a second is a big deal.

BJ

If she is at the stop turning the wheel anticipating a turn it won't turn off. All it took for me on the test drive to deactivate or keep the engine running was a little turn or wiggle of the wheel. Easy solution when u need to gun it off the line.

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

Joking aside, there's a thread in the other forum about ASS and several drivers have reported that the car mysteriously turns itself on when they think it's shut down. So besides the "car turns itself back on at the moment I'm making a left turn across traffic" concern there's the issue of "I parked my car in the garage at night and the carbon monoxide alarms were going off" issue.

I don't need my car telling me how I can save money. The car works for me, should obey what I want it to do without having to press a button. Are there other non-hybrids out there with this ASS feature? If so, any reported issues with those systems?

BJ

Really I'm with you on this. I'm sure that I'll be pushing the button as soon as I start the car. I might even look into getting it coded so that "ASS OFF" is the default mode.

Hell, once I get mine I'll buy (or build) the damn cable and code it to ASS off at all times.

BJ: Shouldn't your manservant shut off ASS every time the trophy leaves the house with your car?

Originally Posted by shag

Hell, once I get mine I'll buy (or build) the damn cable and code it to ASS off at all times.

BJ: Shouldn't your manservant shut off ASS every time the trophy leaves the house with your car?

Damn right! He's not worth his salt if he can't perform such a simple procedure. He could do it just before he sprinkles the rose petals on the carpet.

Originally Posted by TLR305

I have had no problems with the car after two months, in fact it's been everything I hoped it would be, and rides so smooth. But, I (mainly my wife) cannot get used to this auto start/stop. Yes, yes push it when you get in the car and it's back to the normal experience. That seems easy but it's just not working out, and for the life of me have no idea who thought this was a good idea. So go ahead and rip away, but this extremely minor detail is too much to look past when it's time to buy/lease again.

Not to worry if you feel that strong about the dislike of the A.S.S. complain to your dealer and from what I under stand they will file a PUMA about the A.S.S. and will be able to disable it for you. Good luck
cheers
vern

Originally Posted by TLR305

So I can blame Obama for this crap ?

No, CAFE existed long before Obama. 1975 to be exact: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAFE

If you really want to blame someone, blame the universe/evolution/the creator/etc. for not having more dinosaurs die out to create more oil. Oh, and for not being made of something that burns cleanly without pollution and causing greenhouse gasses.

Regarding BJ's comments about people's cars starting unexpectedly: I haven't read the thread he's talking about, but it sounds to me like people park their car, the ASS kicks in and stops the engine, and they get out without actually shutting off the car! That's user error, not a problem with the ASS.

As with all technology, it gets better over time. I'd be willing to bet that there will be a software update that improves the ASS within the next 12 months. Maybe even including additional fail-safes for people who forget to shut the car off. It's unfortunate that buyers of first or even second model year of a new car are basically beta testers. Sadly early adopters have to expect problems, and either live with them or wait for fixes.

Cheaper cars have ASS that are not intrusive, the F30 ASS is poorly executed. By the time OP shops for his next BMW, I am sure it will be fine. Although something else might bother him so he swears he will not buy the next next BMW.

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

In a hybrid, where there's an alternate power source, I get this feature. But in a gas-only car it doesn't make enough sense to me.

I'm going to hit the off button, no worries for me. But what concerns me is my wife who uses my car infrequently. In order to leave our block we have to make a left turn across traffic on a busy street. Because of the lights and the timing you need to look both ways, find a clear window, make a decisive decision, and get across the near lane to the far lane. At rush hour or when the schools let out one has to wait at the end of the block for 30 or 60 seconds for the opportunity to make it across and I worry that if the wife doesn't hit the 'off' button that the car will hesitate and cause a near-miss or an accident. I also worry about other drivers who are supposed to be making a turn that I can predict from 500 feet away getting a hesitation from their engines and thus making me have a near-miss. Sometimes a second is a big deal.

BJ

The stop start system should not allow the engine to hesitate. I have only taken a short test drive in a F30 and didn't notice this but if this is a problem I can see what you mean. My only stop start experience is in my wife's Honda Insight Hybrid and it's pretty seamless with no engine hesitation. It certainly seems that BMW's implementation is old technology and is not very smooth but if it works as designed, there should be no hesitation.

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

Joking aside, there's a thread in the other forum about ASS and several drivers have reported that the car mysteriously turns itself on when they think it's shut down. So besides the "car turns itself back on at the moment I'm making a left turn across traffic" concern there's the issue of "I parked my car in the garage at night and the carbon monoxide alarms were going off" issue.

I don't need my car telling me how I can save money. The car works for me, should obey what I want it to do without having to press a button. Are there other non-hybrids out there with this ASS feature? If so, any reported issues with those systems?

BJ

Two issues:

1) As you know, this is dictated by BMW to meet future CAFE standards and it's not going away and will become more common in the future.

2) Yes, there are plenty of other non-hybrid cars available in the US with stop/start systems including Porsche and GM. There's an article from a fairly recent Road & Track that discusses stop/start systems and which cars use them. I can't find a link unfortunately.

Originally Posted by OBS3SSION

Regarding BJ's comments about people's cars starting unexpectedly: I haven't read the thread he's talking about, but it sounds to me like people park their car, the ASS kicks in and stops the engine, and they get out without actually shutting off the car! That's user error, not a problem with the ASS.

Yes, it's a user error, but it's still a problem with the ASS. If the car couldn't fool the driver and appear to be 'off' when you leave the car you wouldn't have a problem.

BJ

Originally Posted by Michael Schott

The stop start system should not allow the engine to hesitate. I have only taken a short test drive in a F30 and didn't notice this but if this is a problem I can see what you mean. My only stop start experience is in my wife's Honda Insight Hybrid and it's pretty seamless with no engine hesitation. It certainly seems that BMW's implementation is old technology and is not very smooth but if it works as designed, there should be no hesitation.

Thanks Michael. Hoping to teach my wife about the 'off' button, but I'm sure she won't remember occasionally.

BJ

It's been my experience that the ASS doesn't kick in immediately when the car is stopped. It takes about three seconds before the engine shuts off and the tach goes into the "Ready" position. I like this feature because it allows you to make a very short but complete stop in a residential area and lets you proceed again without having the engine shut off.

I had a single negative incident with the system and I believe it was my fault. I took my foot off the brake and started to accelerate the instant it was beginning to take effect. When I did, I think it was in a kind of limbo. As a result, the engine shut completely off and I had to restart it with the On/Off button. I can't think of any other reason why that would occur. Has this situation ever happened to any of you?

Ever since then when the car comes to a stop, I try to make it a quick one lasting only a couple of seconds. If I can't do that, I wait a second or two longer for the ASS to completely kick in. I've had no problems since.

You guys that are still whining about A.S.S. read post #40. you will have it what ever way you desire.Good luck
cheers
vern

Originally Posted by voip-ninja

Also worth noting that by my calculations, the new 328i, driven 15K miles per year should burn about 90 less gallons of fuel per year than the outgoing model. This difference will be larger if more highway miles are driven.

let's say fuel averages around $4 a gallon for premium and you keep the car for 5 years. $1800 or so saved in fuel costs, which is not too shabby. Will pay for an entire new set of tires with money to spare.

Just for the record, according to EPA over 15K miles the 328i costs as much in fuel as a 2013 Lexus ES350 V6 which is faster if you are just mashing it from a redlight.

BMW N20 ---> second rate technology poorly executed.

Vern, I'm sure that's good news for those who find the system an annoyance, but what is the source of your info?