Has anyone drove the newer BMW 1 and 3 Series with the "stop-start" technology. When the car is stood in traffic the engine shuts down and
then fires up again when the clutch is depressed to select 1st gear.
Is it any good?
Does it saves a reasonanle amount of fuel?
I have just been told my new company car has this feature - unsure if i am going to get on with it or not
- Ash
A mate of mine has it and he asked BMW to switch it off - which they couldn't do.
it annoys him.
a 1.8 litre 4 stroke engine uses about 0.3 litres of petrol per hour at idle.
The official fuel consumption tests have periods of idle in them, maybe 30 or 40 seconds at a time. It makes their MPG figures a bit better if they
turn the engine off rather than let it idle. And yours too if you drive a lot in busy city traffic.
The systems that start the engine when the clutch is pressed are the best ones. By the time you've put the stick in 1st, the engine is running
and you drive away as normal. I don't wee why all cars aren't fitted with such a system.
I also don't see why there shouldn't be a button to turn it off, for when the car is hard to start, or the battery is flat.
[Edited on 9-6-2008 by smart51]
Ha ha ha, just wait till its 10 years old and takes more to start, you'll be lurching along on the starter LOL!!
I hired a new 1 series last week with it. Found it OK. Cant comment on fuel saving ability.
do you have to take the car out of gear, and release the clutch for it to work, and the engine turn off? if so cant you just leave it in gear, and keep your clutch held in to stop the engine cutting out?
I found pressing the clutch retarted it and it stayed started hilst stationary.
Wouldnt put me off buying a new BMW.
Me neither! Just ordered a 123D M Sport for work.
We have it on ours. I dont especially like it, and I'm sure it doesnt save much fuel, but you get used to it quite quickly - but probably helped
the car stay in a lower tax band than it would otherwise have been in.
I thought there was a button on the dash (like an "A" with a circular arrow round it) that turned it off?
Regards
hugh
As available on FIAT "Ritmo" (Strada) in the 70's 
i doubt the fuel saving will offset the cost of a new starter every 40000 miles!
Its definately a gimmick IMHO.
Must point out to smart51, i cant see how periods at idle improve your MPG, since you are using gallons and getting no miles at all.
it's a major PITA my wifes mini has got it and i always switch it off when i drive the car otherwise you get to a junction or traffic lights flick the car into neutral and it cuts out just as the lights go green or the traffic clears, it starts instantly on pressing the clutch but it is really annoying.
As I said earlier, I've gone for the 123D M Sport. I don't care whether it's a gimick or not but when it means that you don't get crippled (relatively speaking!!) on tax (CO2 emmissions are 138g/km) on something with 204 bhp and that will get to 62 mph in 7 seconds with an alleged combined fuel consumption figure of 54.3 mpg I'm willing to put up with it.
You may also be able to get round it by having the air con on. Wastes even more fuel, but should keep the engine running....unless it hasn't got A/C or has an electric A/C pump!
quote:
Originally posted by JoelP
Must point out to smart51, i cant see how periods at idle improve your MPG, since you are using gallons and getting no miles at all.