328i with auto tranny handles well?

c280driver · 08-30-2010, 09:06 PM

Hi all, I currently drive a MB C280 (shut up) and want to move on to something sportier. I think the e90 328i will be a good fit for me. I plan to get one with the sports package. But yes, it will have to be automatic... because of the congestion here. For those of you who have one, does the e90 with auto still provide the most thrills in its class, compared to its competitors with automatic transmission?

jopa489 · 08-30-2010, 09:18 PM

Well, the best answer is to drive it yourself and see if you like it. The 328 and 335 do use different AT units. Both are 6 speeds and feature Steptronic, but the 328 uses a GM-designed unit (built in France) while the 335 has a ZF unit. The ZF unit is built to handle the added torque of the 335 and shifts a little quicker, but I don't think you'll be disappointed by the 328 AT.

jmen11 · 08-30-2010, 10:06 PM

There is a bit of a lag when taking off from a standstill but once the car starts moving it does just fine. Basically you just have to give it a bit more gas than you think you need on takeoff. In sport and manual mode it feels pretty good, for an auto.

DJKhan85 · 08-30-2010, 10:14 PM

I have gotten many a 128i and 328i auto box for loaners, even had one for 1.5 weeks as spark plugs were being changed on my car(apparently they need the oldest monk to hand carve them from baby whale bones and then flown in to get put in my car :|). The engine and car is phenomenal. Even the ones without the sport package. It does thrill in ways that my n54 equipped coupe can not deliver.

BUT (everyone knew there was a but coming) the auto transmission has got to be the dumbest auto box I have ever used. It can't make up it's own mind when it comes to anything but puttering along. Sometimes the shifts were harsh and I found that it would down shift after I've already compensated for the slow take off.

tldoxmf87 · 08-30-2010, 10:43 PM

get the PBX and you'll be set.

db2112 · 08-31-2010, 08:06 AM

I am a 2007 328i owner with Auto and Sport. I like the way the automatic is set up in this car, in my opinion it is sort of a dual personality vehicle. In Drive mode it starts out in 2nd gear I believe, better fuel economy, upshifts quickly, good for around town. In DS mode it feels like an entirely different car - starts out in 1st, higher shift points, much more aggressive to drive. My prior car was a manual transmission, but I have been very pleased with the automatic so far in the 328.

Delta0311 · 08-31-2010, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by db2112

I am a 2007 328i owner with Auto and Sport. I like the way the automatic is set up in this car, in my opinion it is sort of a dual personality vehicle. In Drive mode it starts out in 2nd gear I believe, better fuel economy, upshifts quickly, good for around town. In DS mode it feels like an entirely different car - starts out in 1st, higher shift points, much more aggressive to drive. My prior car was a manual transmission, but I have been very pleased with the automatic so far in the 328.

DS and D it still starts out in second. Don't believe me, put your car in DS at a light and then downshift. That's the only way you'd be in first.

To the original poster. If you get the 328i then get a PBX. Perosnally, I wouldn't buy another 328i. Going for the 335iS this spring.

Neutrino45 · 08-31-2010, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delta0311

DS and D it still starts out in second. Don't believe me, put your car in DS at a light and then downshift. That's the only way you'd be in first.

I think a better way to determine if DS starts in 1st or 2nd is to count the shifts as you take off. Just because you downshift at a light in DS and it goes to 1st doesn't mean it's not already at first. Do you know what I mean?

benzo23 · 08-31-2010, 09:41 AM

Yes a 328i will be fine, I came from a w202 too...a 328i with sport pack will still be much better then the 280. If you can tho try and get a 335i you wont be disappointed.

GregTheStig · 08-31-2010, 09:49 AM

When you put the AT 328i in manual or sport mode it's as much fun as I could ever ask for. The lag in normal mode is killer though but you get used to it. You'll love it.

scrufy · 08-31-2010, 10:31 AM

Mine is a 335 so a bit different but if its anything like mine at all, I would say go for it. I can hit the canyons in DS or M and then when I come out of the last turn I slide it into D and the adrenaline goes down at the same time the car turns into this docile (well as docile as a 335i can be) sedan that is quiet and comfortable, feels like no big hurry, just quiet and comfortable. It really does feel like a different car in D from DS/M. I guess since mine is a ZF I can't compare shifts but mine isn't harsh, it just does what I tell it. (I do have a minor annoyance in DS that when I'm hard on it and let off, it just kind of hangs there at 5 or 6k revs instead of upshifting and coasting but hey, it doesn't know I don't want to have fun anymore so it is still doing what its supposed to and holding it there for me to gas it again.....

Delta0311 · 08-31-2010, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neutrino45

I think a better way to determine if DS starts in 1st or 2nd is to count the shifts as you take off. Just because you downshift at a light in DS and it goes to 1st doesn't mean it's not already at first. Do you know what I mean?

No I starts in second.. Believe me you can tell when you take off in first vs taking off in second.

Neutrino45 · 08-31-2010, 10:59 AM

No! I don't believe you! It has to be proven scientifically! Not by your butt dyno.

alex2364 · 08-31-2010, 11:00 AM

DS starts in 2nd, because if you upshift at a standstill, it goes to 3rd. Also in M mode, it automatically goes down to 2nd when you come to a stop.

GregTheStig · 08-31-2010, 12:29 PM

There's only 1 thing I don't like about DS and M. When you're in DS and you're accelerating and you want to take control in M and upshift, sometimes it shifts up twice because DS was already planning on upshifting before you did it yourself in M. Had this car for 18 months now and I still can't get used to that...

Delta0311 · 08-31-2010, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neutrino45

No! I don't believe you! It has to be proven scientifically! Not by your butt dyno.

Sir I'll have you know my butt dyno has never been wrong!!

Neutrino45 · 08-31-2010, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alex2364

DS starts in 2nd, because if you upshift at a standstill, it goes to 3rd. Also in M mode, it automatically goes down to 2nd when you come to a stop.

Ok, that is a more logical explanation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delta0311

Sir I'll have you know my butt dyno has never been wrong!!

Ok, just make sure you calibrate it monthly.

ak335 · 08-31-2010, 03:10 PM

a Auto 328i would be great, much better then the c280 imo

faz · 08-31-2010, 03:13 PM

OP, 328i is plenty fine, and coming from a C280, you will definitely love the improved performance and handling and road feedback that the e90 will provide.

In my opinion, those who bash the auto tranny in this car are mostly doing so due to their comparing it to 335i. The transmission in this car works beautifully, and as intended, and yes, it does very occasionally act confused, but mostly because the driver confused it.

The DS mode does start from 1, not 2. Come to a full stop in DS, and as it is approaching the full stop, it puts it into 1, hence creating that sudden slowdown that some people (like me) are upset about and consider a 'rough' engagement. When you start from a red light in DS mode, it does indeed start in 1, and it upshifts to 2 as needed... i.e. depending on how much gas you are giving it, it may hold the first gear for longer, or quickly switch to 2nd if you are not pushing it hard enough. This has been the behavior of mine and every other 328i that I have driven (loaner, etc.). The fact that you are stopping in DS and downshift (while stopped) and it goes to M1 doesn't mean it was in M2... it means it is now in manual mode but still in gear 1.

Anyway, the only reason that I say the driver can 'confuse' the transmission is this: this car does not have the flat torque curve that 335i has... so the transmission has to make up for it if/when a sport mode is desired. Like in any other machine with great amount of torque down low, a transmission doesn't need to shift to lower gears for regular acceleration, and the 335i transmission knows this (has been programmed for it) so it behaves 'smoother' when you decide you want to accelerate sanely.

However, in 328i, the transmission has to decide whether it needs to downshift or not, and it does so based on combination of things, including input from the driver (gas pedal) and the speed and the driving mode (D vs. DS) and a bunch of other things I am sure... when you put it in DS and drive it at slower speeds with gentler inputs from yourself, it is confused and it acts like you want it to be acting sporty but you haven't made up your mind yet.

If you have it in DS, you need to drive it like you are racing it, and it will behave beautifully in all conditions. If you have it in DS and you come close to an intersection where you need to calm down a bit, then put it in D and you will see it will behave exactly the way you are expecting it to. Once you are done being calm, put it back in DS and enjoy the very nice, crisp, fast gear changes and higher revs.

2M · 08-31-2010, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delta0311

DS and D it still starts out in second. Don't believe me, put your car in DS at a light and then downshift. That's the only way you'd be in first.

To the original poster. If you get the 328i then get a PBX. Perosnally, I wouldn't buy another 328i. Going for the 335iS this spring.

Of course you wouldn't. Who would get the same car twice. I wouldn't even get a same model M twice (at least not right away).

kcgman · 08-31-2010, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by faz

In my opinion, those who bash the auto tranny in this car are mostly doing so due to their comparing it to 335i. The transmission in this car works beautifully, and as intended, and yes, it does very occasionally act confused, but mostly because the driver confused it.

The initial acceleration lag is terrible. My family's minivan is more responsive from a standing stop. After 5 days of driving the 328i auto, I just couldn't get past the annoyance of the initial lag. In fact, it was so annoying that when I returned the loaner I asked the BMW SA if he'd heard many complaints about the initial lag in the 328i. He smiled and said, "Yes."

There are a lot of reasons to like the 328i, but the auto tranny isn't one of them.

Saintor · 08-31-2010, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jopa489

The ZF unit is built to handle the added torque of the 335

Oh the irony.

The ZF is a beefed up 6HP19 coded 6HP19TU, which allows 450Nm of torque. The regular 6HP19 is less than that.

The GM is a lesser version 6L50 coded 6L45R, which allows ... 450Nm of torque.

The ZF is no more solid than the GM.

Now ZF's best tranmission (8-sp.) is back to 200ms gear change.... like the GM.

I love my GM unit, less the gear shifter that failed on my car (probably the same as the ZF anyway).

08-30-2010, 09:06 PM	#1
c280driver Registered 1 Rep 2 Posts Drives: '98 C280 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: NYC iTrader: (0)	328i with auto tranny handles well? Hi all, I currently drive a MB C280 (shut up) and want to move on to something sportier. I think the e90 328i will be a good fit for me. I plan to get one with the sports package. But yes, it will have to be automatic... because of the congestion here. For those of you who have one, does the e90 with auto still provide the most thrills in its class, compared to its competitors with automatic transmission?
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08-30-2010, 09:18 PM	#2
jopa489 Major General 122 Rep 6,594 Posts Drives: Anything with Wheels Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: USA iTrader: (9)	Well, the best answer is to drive it yourself and see if you like it. The 328 and 335 do use different AT units. Both are 6 speeds and feature Steptronic, but the 328 uses a GM-designed unit (built in France) while the 335 has a ZF unit. The ZF unit is built to handle the added torque of the 335 and shifts a little quicker, but I don't think you'll be disappointed by the 328 AT. __________________ X7 LCI // Incoming C7 ZR1 ZTK // Sebring + TRX // Hydro + Raptor Gen1 Roush // Tuxedo
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08-30-2010, 10:06 PM	#3
jmen11 Private First Class 1 Rep 182 Posts Drives: 2011 e90 328i Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: O.C.,CA iTrader: (0)	There is a bit of a lag when taking off from a standstill but once the car starts moving it does just fine. Basically you just have to give it a bit more gas than you think you need on takeoff. In sport and manual mode it feels pretty good, for an auto. __________________ 2011 e90 328i \| Montego Blue \| Black Dakota \| Premium \| Value Pkg. \| STEPTRONIC \| Nav \| Harman Kardon \| Xenon \| 2000 Trans Am WS6 \| Black \| Black lthr. \| Hurst 6MT \| T-tops \| Eibach pro kit \| Koni SA \| Borla \|
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08-30-2010, 10:14 PM	#4
DJKhan85 Major 24 Rep 1,190 Posts Drives: 2011 4dr 6mt Golf GTI Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Boston Massachusetts iTrader: (1)	I have gotten many a 128i and 328i auto box for loaners, even had one for 1.5 weeks as spark plugs were being changed on my car(apparently they need the oldest monk to hand carve them from baby whale bones and then flown in to get put in my car :\|). The engine and car is phenomenal. Even the ones without the sport package. It does thrill in ways that my n54 equipped coupe can not deliver. BUT (everyone knew there was a but coming) the auto transmission has got to be the dumbest auto box I have ever used. It can't make up it's own mind when it comes to anything but puttering along. Sometimes the shifts were harsh and I found that it would down shift after I've already compensated for the slow take off. __________________ 2011 VW GTI 4dr-6mt-Sunroof-Nav-Xenons OLD: 08 335i AW/CR/Poplar 6mt-ZSP-ZPP-ZCW-iPod-iDrive-PDC-Style 230s w/FK 452-Dinan LSD
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08-30-2010, 10:43 PM	#5
tldoxmf87 Captain 40 Rep 720 Posts Drives: e92 TiAg Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bellevue iTrader: (14)	get the PBX and you'll be set.
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08-31-2010, 08:06 AM	#6
db2112 Enlisted Member 9 Rep 30 Posts Drives: '07 328i Sedan Sport Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Cary, NC iTrader: (0)	I am a 2007 328i owner with Auto and Sport. I like the way the automatic is set up in this car, in my opinion it is sort of a dual personality vehicle. In Drive mode it starts out in 2nd gear I believe, better fuel economy, upshifts quickly, good for around town. In DS mode it feels like an entirely different car - starts out in 1st, higher shift points, much more aggressive to drive. My prior car was a manual transmission, but I have been very pleased with the automatic so far in the 328.
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08-31-2010, 09:41 AM	#9
benzo23 Colonel 74 Rep 2,848 Posts Drives: 14 F30 AW MSport Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: FL iTrader: (1)	Yes a 328i will be fine, I came from a w202 too...a 328i with sport pack will still be much better then the 280. If you can tho try and get a 335i you wont be disappointed.
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08-31-2010, 09:49 AM	#10
GregTheStig derp 48 Rep 1,203 Posts Drives: a Tuk Tuk Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Atlanta, GA iTrader: (1)	When you put the AT 328i in manual or sport mode it's as much fun as I could ever ask for. The lag in normal mode is killer though but you get used to it. You'll love it. __________________
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08-31-2010, 10:31 AM	#11
scrufy Zoom Zoom This 12 Rep 694 Posts Drives: The Short Bus Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: So. Cal. iTrader: (0)	Mine is a 335 so a bit different but if its anything like mine at all, I would say go for it. I can hit the canyons in DS or M and then when I come out of the last turn I slide it into D and the adrenaline goes down at the same time the car turns into this docile (well as docile as a 335i can be) sedan that is quiet and comfortable, feels like no big hurry, just quiet and comfortable. It really does feel like a different car in D from DS/M. I guess since mine is a ZF I can't compare shifts but mine isn't harsh, it just does what I tell it. (I do have a minor annoyance in DS that when I'm hard on it and let off, it just kind of hangs there at 5 or 6k revs instead of upshifting and coasting but hey, it doesn't know I don't want to have fun anymore so it is still doing what its supposed to and holding it there for me to gas it again.....
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08-31-2010, 10:59 AM	#13
Neutrino45 Major 62 Rep 1,452 Posts Drives: XXX Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: milky way iTrader: (2)	No! I don't believe you! It has to be proven scientifically! Not by your butt dyno. __________________
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08-31-2010, 11:00 AM	#14
alex2364 Colonel 2931 Rep 2,797 Posts Drives: 2020 M4 ZCP / 2023 X3 M40i Join Date: May 2005 Location: Northern VA iTrader: (2) Garage List 2020 BMW M4 [10.00] 2023 BMW X3 M40i [10.00]	DS starts in 2nd, because if you upshift at a standstill, it goes to 3rd. Also in M mode, it automatically goes down to 2nd when you come to a stop.
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08-31-2010, 12:29 PM	#15
GregTheStig derp 48 Rep 1,203 Posts Drives: a Tuk Tuk Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Atlanta, GA iTrader: (1)	There's only 1 thing I don't like about DS and M. When you're in DS and you're accelerating and you want to take control in M and upshift, sometimes it shifts up twice because DS was already planning on upshifting before you did it yourself in M. Had this car for 18 months now and I still can't get used to that... __________________
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08-31-2010, 03:10 PM	#18
ak335 Lieutenant Colonel 119 Rep 1,564 Posts Drives: Cayman S Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Northern Va iTrader: (3)	a Auto 328i would be great, much better then the c280 imo __________________
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08-31-2010, 03:13 PM	#19
faz Second Lieutenant 21 Rep 287 Posts Drives: 2023 X5 x40i, 2018 330i F30 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bay area, CA iTrader: (0)	OP, 328i is plenty fine, and coming from a C280, you will definitely love the improved performance and handling and road feedback that the e90 will provide. In my opinion, those who bash the auto tranny in this car are mostly doing so due to their comparing it to 335i. The transmission in this car works beautifully, and as intended, and yes, it does very occasionally act confused, but mostly because the driver confused it. The DS mode does start from 1, not 2. Come to a full stop in DS, and as it is approaching the full stop, it puts it into 1, hence creating that sudden slowdown that some people (like me) are upset about and consider a 'rough' engagement. When you start from a red light in DS mode, it does indeed start in 1, and it upshifts to 2 as needed... i.e. depending on how much gas you are giving it, it may hold the first gear for longer, or quickly switch to 2nd if you are not pushing it hard enough. This has been the behavior of mine and every other 328i that I have driven (loaner, etc.). The fact that you are stopping in DS and downshift (while stopped) and it goes to M1 doesn't mean it was in M2... it means it is now in manual mode but still in gear 1. Anyway, the only reason that I say the driver can 'confuse' the transmission is this: this car does not have the flat torque curve that 335i has... so the transmission has to make up for it if/when a sport mode is desired. Like in any other machine with great amount of torque down low, a transmission doesn't need to shift to lower gears for regular acceleration, and the 335i transmission knows this (has been programmed for it) so it behaves 'smoother' when you decide you want to accelerate sanely. However, in 328i, the transmission has to decide whether it needs to downshift or not, and it does so based on combination of things, including input from the driver (gas pedal) and the speed and the driving mode (D vs. DS) and a bunch of other things I am sure... when you put it in DS and drive it at slower speeds with gentler inputs from yourself, it is confused and it acts like you want it to be acting sporty but you haven't made up your mind yet. If you have it in DS, you need to drive it like you are racing it, and it will behave beautifully in all conditions. If you have it in DS and you come close to an intersection where you need to calm down a bit, then put it in D and you will see it will behave exactly the way you are expecting it to. Once you are done being calm, put it back in DS and enjoy the very nice, crisp, fast gear changes and higher revs.
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