Quote:
Originally Posted by Blake P
I participated in this event today at my local dealer and was pretty disappointed. First, the selection of 328i's was pretty weak, with no sport models at all. I decided to drive the base model, figuring if that could impress me then I'd really love one with paddle shifters and sport suspension. The route they mapped for us was terrible. It was a 4 mile square on some of the busiest stoplight-lined streets in town, so I got to experience first hand just how annoying the stop/start feature really is. It was over 90 degrees, so the car would randomly start back up to keep the AC blowing hard enough to keep the car cool. When the engine was stopped, temps would climb quickly because it only allows the AC to blow at a low speed. After a few blocks, I switched start/stop off entirely. I never really had a chance to get the car up to speed, but it seemed to have plenty of power. Even in sport mode, the 8 speed transmission shifts way too early and often for my driving style. I would have loved to try one with paddle shifters. Oh well, plenty of time to schedule a real test drive before the M Sport F31's arrive next year. I could see this program being valuable for someone who isn't at all familiar with the brand to learn about the new 3 and drive it briefly, but not an enthusiast who really wants to push the car a bit. A small road course or auto-x would have been nice, but I understand that's not the nature of this event. Also, it's pretty lame that the coupon expires so soon. I obviously won't be able to use it toward the F31 I want, though nobody at the dealership had heard about a new 3 series touring, except the sales manager who swore it would be arriving with the other 2013's this summer/fall. Ha!
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So you didn't move the stick to the left and try the shifting in manual mode? This changes the experience a lot. You shift when you want. Also, the manual mode automatically disables the Auto Stop/Start. That's the way I drive my F30... start up the car, put it in D, move over to left. Since I've gotten it, I think I've only driven it in full auto twice, when I was in ECO PRO.