540i auto differences

[bmwodds3 5 7]

i have a question about the autos in the 540i....i had 98 540i sport with non vanos and without steptronic and the car hauled serious tail :D...my question is to the 540i owners with steptronic. Is there really a difference between the two transmissions performance...I am in the smarket for another 540ia and am wondering will i really want the step..yes i know the 6 speed is the way to go, but honestly i didnt find my old 540 lacking in any way. Plus my wife drives the car occasionally so im just lookin for feedback any would be appreciated

[Nihilation]

The only real way to answer this is to go drive one. Everyone's perception of performance is relative.

[02540ico]

I haven't driven one without the steptronic, but I assume yours doesn't have the sport mode either then? If not, it makes a huge difference. The steptronic is OK, shifting is kinda strange though, downshift push forward, upshift pull back, totally opposite if you've ever used an aftermarket floor shift. I hear it's a simple swapping of two wires to change the pattern, which I'll do soon.

[BimmerBreaker]

True race cars are upshift-back/downshift-forward and imo thats better and more natural

[BCBJr]

I haven't driven one without the steptronic, but I assume yours doesn't have the sport mode either then? If not, it makes a huge difference. The steptronic is OK, shifting is kinda strange though, downshift push forward, upshift pull back, totally opposite if you've ever used an aftermarket floor shift. I hear it's a simple swapping of two wires to change the pattern, which I'll do soon.
They did it that way to make it similar to the SMG systems in the M3

[camoore]

Sport Mode makes all the difference!!!!

[02540ico]

True race cars are upshift-back/downshift-forward and imo thats better and more natural

Race bikes are the opposite of street bikes too, 1-up, 5-down. Not natural to me, guess it just depends on what you're used to.

[bmwodds3 5 7]

well the car was a sport it just didnt have step as that was introduced in 99 i belive but everything else the bbs rims sport seats just not step

as i said this was my previous car

[carjoe]

Steptronic isnt' a big deal but the sport pack with shorter gears is what you should be concerned with. The ratio isn't a huge difference but it's enough to make a difference.

[gjVah]

I know this is irrelevant since you specifically mention it in your first post, but something with a third pedal and lease a camry for the wife. 2 pedals = fail. And no, traffic is not an excuse.

[Richter12x2]

^Says a guy with a 4,000lb sports car. Actually, there are cars that are better auto than manual because of the torque multiplication.

Back on topic - I just picked up my 540ia less than a month ago, and it's a little confusing because I just picked it up used, the options lists a Steptronic auto, but I don't have the gate on the shifter? If I manually push through the gears 2 to 3 to 4 it shifts fast and smooth though. Do all Steptronics not have the gated shifter?

[amancuso]

All the auto transmissions on the 540i are the same. The only difference is the shifter mechanisms and the wiring. To access sport mode on the ones without the step-gate is to shift the car into 4 and S4 will read on the dash that's sport mode. My cousin has the step version and he never uses it.

[jamesdc4]

2 pedals = fail. And no, traffic is not an excuse.
:rolleyes













:D

[SpeedsterBek]

i have a question about the autos in the 540i....i had 98 540i sport with non vanos and without steptronic and the car hauled serious tail :D...my question is to the 540i owners with steptronic. Is there really a difference between the two transmissions performance...I am in the smarket for another 540ia and am wondering will i really want the step..yes i know the 6 speed is the way to go, but honestly i didnt find my old 540 lacking in any way. Plus my wife drives the car occasionally so im just lookin for feedback any would be appreciated


I believe steptronics offer slightly faster 1/4 miles times, especially the ones with 3.15 diff. It could be slightly better since it's newer and better.
Also, + and - shifting on stepronic can be reversed with a simple wiring mod, so it shouldn't be a major decision point in getting a steptronic.

IMO, just get the 2001+ 540i sport that's been maintained well. You can find them for a really good price nowadays

[gjVah]

^Says a guy with a 4,000lb sports car. Actually, there are cars that are better auto than manual because of the torque multiplication.

Back on topic - I just picked up my 540ia less than a month ago, and it's a little confusing because I just picked it up used, the options lists a Steptronic auto, but I don't have the gate on the shifter? If I manually push through the gears 2 to 3 to 4 it shifts fast and smooth though. Do all Steptronics not have the gated shifter?
^Says the guy with the ugliest, worst Porsche ever made..;)

jk, don't talk about my car's weight, she's sensitive.

[Richter12x2]

^Says the guy with the ugliest, worst Porsche ever made..;)

jk, don't talk about my car's weight, she's sensitive.

And yet it's still faster than your 5 :embarrasm

[gjVah]

And yet it's still faster than your 5 :embarrasm
It better be, it's a Porsche... It has to make up for the ugliness somehow (even tho, being faster than a 2 ton sedan is not amazing).

:D

[Richter12x2]

All the auto transmissions on the 540i are the same. The only difference is the shifter mechanisms and the wiring. To access sport mode on the ones without the step-gate is to shift the car into 4 and S4 will read on the dash that's sport mode. My cousin has the step version and he never uses it.

Yeah, that's what I kinda figured. I thought about swapping it over, but after feeling the way it shifts from 2-3-4, I just don't see a need.


It better be, it's a Porsche... It has to make up for the ugliness somehow (even tho, being faster than a 2 ton sedan is not amazing).

:D

Beauty's in the eye of the beholder - I always preferred the 928's over the 911's. Something nice about actually being able to steer at 130+, too. :D You drive a 540, you know what I'm talking about.

Like the Porsche mechanic says, you can drive a 911 to the corner store and feel like you've driven across country. You can drive a 928 across country and feel like you just went to the corner store.

[Jason5driver]

^Says a guy with a 4,000lb sports car. Actually, there are cars that are better auto than manual because of the torque multiplication.

Back on topic - I just picked up my 540ia less than a month ago, and it's a little confusing because I just picked it up used, the options lists a Steptronic auto, but I don't have the gate on the shifter? If I manually push through the gears 2 to 3 to 4 it shifts fast and smooth though. Do all Steptronics not have the gated shifter?

LOL!
Pwn'd!
:)

Look here for info:
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=934130

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=206317&page=7

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?p=12098926

http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/117920/

[amancuso]

+1 on not swapping it out, really not worth the time and expense.


Yeah, that's what I kinda figured. I thought about swapping it over, but after feeling the way it shifts from 2-3-4, I just don't see a need.



Beauty's in the eye of the beholder - I always preferred the 928's over the 911's. Something nice about actually being able to steer at 130+, too. :D You drive a 540, you know what I'm talking about.

Like the Porsche mechanic says, you can drive a 911 to the corner store and feel like you've driven across country. You can drive a 928 across country and feel like you just went to the corner store.

[bmwodds3 5 7]

928s:drool: talk about fast my father had one it was an early model an 89 i belive and dammit that thing was fast it pulled like a locamotive and just kept goin and that was an older version. i would love to drive a gts :alright
back on topic.......

exactly in my old one i would drop down into s4 and it would be in sport or i could shift from there. However im just really curious as to if the steptronic is more fun or would i not notice it....... The reasoning behind all this madness is i can get an absolutly cant miss deal with a triple black 98 sport with everything including nav(it will be retrofitted with a wide face believe me) or there is this 2003 m sport. The 03 is appealing to me cause its white and well lets face it there arent many white ones, but the 98 is in just as good condition and has all service records and only has 89k.....o and its way cheaper and that is even more appealing to me. With all major issues being addressed cooling suspension all new regualtors the guy even bought new cupholders wow

o yeah i would love six speed but thats an argument id rather not have and a camry............ please it would seem like my wife was on her period the whole time she would own it. My wifes current car is an automatic e36 m3 4dr so anything that dosent have a star, 4 rings, or a propeller is out of the question. Hey the girls got taste lol

[Richter12x2]

540s are so velvety smooth, you won't miss the extra 2hp and .01 in the 1/4 that a stick would give you IMO. To me it's just not that kind of car. If you want to beat on something, get a Mustang, they're cheap to fix when you miss a shift.

[bmwodds3 5 7]

o beating on it is out of te question ill be driving it daily....but i like to have fun. I live in brooklyn new york and the streets here suck so driving fast thru the street is out...but i work in another borough and that commute is fun. Im on the go alot so i just want perfect balance. Now im between and sc 400 a passat and the m3 and the sc is wating to be sold so i need my v8 lol

[Wolfen]

928s:drool: talk about fast my father had one it was an early model an 89 i belive and dammit that thing was fast it pulled like a locamotive and just kept goin and that was an older version. i would love to drive a gts :alright
back on topic.......

exactly in my old one i would drop down into s4 and it would be in sport or i could shift from there. However im just really curious as to if the steptronic is more fun or would i not notice it....... The reasoning behind all this madness is i can get an absolutly cant miss deal with a triple black 98 sport with everything including nav(it will be retrofitted with a wide face believe me) or there is this 2003 m sport. The 03 is appealing to me cause its white and well lets face it there arent many white ones, but the 98 is in just as good condition and has all service records and only has 89k.....o and its way cheaper and that is even more appealing to me. With all major issues being addressed cooling suspension all new regualtors the guy even bought new cupholders wow

o yeah i would love six speed but thats an argument id rather not have and a camry............ please it would seem like my wife was on her period the whole time she would own it. My wifes current car is an automatic e36 m3 4dr so anything that dosent have a star, 4 rings, or a propeller is out of the question. Hey the girls got taste lol


The 97/98 were ballsier motors and the cars can really move. They got a little slower later on.

[amancuso]

The 97/98 were ballsier motors and the cars can really move. They got a little slower later on.

See, from experience I really don't think thats true. My friend has a ;97 and it's no different from my '99 (apart from more engine sound.)

[02540ico]

Also, a sport version 540i/A has a higher stall converter than the non-sports do, so the sport will be significantly quicker.