[harperium]

Something I've noticed, maybe other people have too.

When doing an on-ramp pull, the gear/RPMs/acceleration are not always consistent. I start the pull anywhere from 10 to 40 mph depending on the on-ramp. Always in Sports+ and D3. I then push to WOT so the kickdown button is depressed.

Sometimes the car will downshift and the RPMs will jump from 2500-ish up to 4000 or 4500. The sweet spot. These are the best pulls.

But other times, the car will not downshift. For example today on a cloverleaf onramp, my speed was about 30 mph and the RPMs were around 2800 (Sports+ D3 auto). I pushed to WOT, and .... the RPMs climbed until red line but the car didn't downshift. So the pull did not have as much acceleration. Just one long climb to red line. Fun, yes, but I was expecting a downshift, and jump to about 4000 RPMs, with more acceleration.

Obviously I can switch to manual for the onramp pulls, but it's annoying that I can't get consistent behavior out of the X3M.

EDIT: Is this a gearing issue? If I'm in 2nd gear 2800 RPMs, the car won't shift into 1st? Do I have to slow down and start the pull in 1st gear?

[m630]

Unless in bumper to bumper traffic, why would you ever drive in D and not shift every gear?

A computer will never provide you with the M experience, I’d suggest you try shifting only for a week and see what you are missing!

[GP0256]

I know compared to my F82 with the DCT, this one holds gears a LOT longer. I would start shifting manually and I think you will get the result you want!

[weez]

I know what you mean. There’s been a few times where it definitely should have downshifted but didn’t and my acceleration was affected. I don’t usually shift myself because I seem to miss the sweet spot on up shifts a lot. I do find myself upshifting manually when the trans holds the gear for an exceptionally long time during spirited acceleration.

[Gsavarese]

Aren’t these transmissions adaptive ? If you’re puttering around and then floor it maybe that’s why it’s sluggish. As opposed to spirited driving before you attack an on ramp in which case the trans is already “awakened”

[harperium]

Originally Posted by Gsavarese

Aren’t these transmissions adaptive ? If you’re puttering around and then floor it maybe that’s why it’s sluggish. As opposed to spirited driving before you attack an on ramp in which case the trans is already “awakened”

I'm not sure about "adaptive" - when on the highway going 70 mph (sports+ d3), if I give it throttle, it readily downshifts so that I'm in the 4000-ish RPM sweet spot. It just doesn't always consistently downshift on the on-ramp pulls.

I'll try manually shifting for a bit.

[Gsavarese]

Like too many things on modern cars the computer thinks too much. I have a feeling all the sensors prevent aggressive downshifts when attacking an on ramp to prevent spinning or upsetting the balance of the car. There’s so much computing going on in the background when you’re driving you’re unaware of. So so much nannying

[STi from DSM]

I have this happen in mine too. I have to manually change it sometimes as it seems to hold it for like 30 seconds.

[serpentine]

Maybe she was mad at you.

[KayTees]

When I lend my car out to staff or even friends who've never driven M cars and not familiar with how to an M gear shifter, I always tell them "you must shift with the paddles" "make sure the dash says 1 and not D1" but they never question me because they all notice I'm always hitting the paddles.