Sport mode?

**blueninja1980** · 11-18-2018, 06:19 PM

Does the 97 528ia has sport mode when you put the car in 3rd? When in Drive the s or 5 goes away and just shows D.

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**1823alex** · 11-18-2018, 08:04 PM

There is no real sport mode like the E39 M5 has on any of our non E39 M5 cars, the closest we got was called "Steptronic" which is for automatic cars only. Basically slide the shifter to left from drive and leave it, it's now in "S" and the gear changes are timed differently, it'll hold gears longer & try to keep you in the power band depending on how you're driving. Then if you are already to the left in "S" mode just push the shifter toward the front of the car to downshift (assuming you have a later model, it may be the opposite if your production is prior to like 2000 or 2001) and back toward the back of the car to upshift, thereby letting you 'choose' your gears sorta. That's about it.

In short:

There's 3 modes

Normal "D" or Drive which is general driving

Sport or "S" and that's for hooning it a bit but letting the car pick the gear still

Manual or "M" not a true manual but better than nothing and fun, only shifts if you gonna stall the car by stopping and not changing the gear or if you are at redline.

**DennisG01** · 11-18-2018, 09:03 PM

I believe there's info in the manual that you can read more about it. But, in '97, you have 4 gears. Dropping it into "S3" eliminates top gear and changes how/when the shifting happens (maybe throttle repsonse... I don't recall... manual may say) a little bit for more "spirited" driving. There is no "pushing to left" or Steptronic in this car.

**blueninja1980** · 11-18-2018, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by DennisG01

I believe there's info in the manual that you can read more about it. But, in '97, you have 4 gears. Dropping it into "S3" eliminates top gear and changes how/when the shifting happens (maybe throttle repsonse... I don't recall... manual may say) a little bit for more "spirited" driving. There is no "pushing to left" or Steptronic in this car.

You are correct. Only thing my car didn't come with the manual

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**DennisG01** · 11-18-2018, 10:11 PM

Originally Posted by blueninja1980

You are correct. Only thing my car didn't come with the manual

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Google? Can you find it online? I think you can even find it on BMW's website.

**1823alex** · 11-19-2018, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by DennisG01

I believe there's info in the manual that you can read more about it. But, in '97, you have 4 gears. Dropping it into "S3" eliminates top gear and changes how/when the shifting happens (maybe throttle repsonse... I don't recall... manual may say) a little bit for more "spirited" driving. There is no "pushing to left" or Steptronic in this car.

Oh damn, you're right I guess I must not have read that part lol.