# Sport Mode wishes and questions



## JPinTO (Dec 20, 2001)

The sport mode is very cool. The remapped throttle response is still a little touchy on street starts, but it's excellent on highway.

Questions:

If you leave sport mode on when you shut the car down--- does it stay on when you restart it? 

Is the sport mode "just" a DBW trick? If Yes, would sport mode be possible to implement (just a theoretical question) before DBW came out?


Wishes

Not sure if there have ever been any discussions about this on the fly before. 

Years ago, the Vettes had a Valet mode that neutered the engine. Similarly APR chips have a valet mode for the VW 1.8Ts.

Is there any way of implementing a similar setup on the M3? It would be cool if the redline was significantly reduced (5000 rpm MAX) and the power was also reduced significantly.

- JP


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## mike_m3 (Apr 6, 2003)

Sport mode does not stay on after you restart the car.
One would think that DBW is required to make sport mode a user accessible option while driving. You can make any car open the throttle faster but it would require a mechanical change which would be hard to do on the fly (like changing the attachment point where the throttle cable attaches to the lever that works the butterflies).
A valet mode would be nice but I don't trust them with my car either way.

Further on sport mode - IMHO, the best thing to do is to drive it one mode all the time. Changing from normal to sport and back all the time gives you less familiarity with throttle response. I don't know if your car is a stick or SMG, but in a stick car when heel - to - toeing changing from normal to sport all the time makes a mess, at least for me. I used to run sport at the track or autoX, twisties and normal on the street, now I just run it in normal mode all the time - makes things far more consistent that way. 
While cute, IMO sport mode is just a gimmick.


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## JPinTO (Dec 20, 2001)

mike_m3 said:


> *Sport mode does not stay on after you restart the car.
> *


This is what I thought. And yet, twice now (in a week) the car has started in sport mode! Is this a known issue?


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## alee (Dec 19, 2001)

JPinTO said:


> *This is what I thought. And yet, twice now (in a week) the car has started in sport mode! Is this a known issue? *


I bet you could sell your "faulty" sport mode button for a premium to other M3 folks.


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## JPinTO (Dec 20, 2001)

mike_m3 said:


> *A valet mode would be nice but I don't trust them with my car either way.*


I don't trust them either and never use them. I'm just thinking about having it when a friend or kid (or wife! ) asks you to drive it and you want to give it to them. Having the option of having a "lower power" mode would make it just that much easier.


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## JPinTO (Dec 20, 2001)

alee said:


> *I bet you could sell your "faulty" sport mode button for a premium to other M3 folks.  *


It's intermittent however... if it was always on, then great!

But it's not. I only find out when I think I'm in normal and start off overreving the thing and doing the jackrabbit start!


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## JPinTO (Dec 20, 2001)

mike_m3 said:


> * Changing from normal to sport and back all the time gives you less familiarity with throttle response. I don't know if your car is a stick or SMG, but in a stick car when heel - to - toeing changing from normal to sport all the time makes a mess, at least for me. *


I agree.. it makes a mess! Particularly when it starts in sport mode by itself.

I prefer the linear throttle response of normal in startup. More responsive highway acceleration is the only interest I have. And then if you forget to turn it off when you get off the highway... you get another mess.

I can see after getting acclimatized to the vehicle that you'd just leave it off all the time.... as long as it doesn't come on by itself.


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## BB330i (Dec 22, 2001)

> While cute, IMO sport mode is just a gimmick.


I think sport mode reduces throttle lag which allows me to make much better shifts up and down.
Given a choice however I would gladly trade sport mode / dbw for a good ol' fashioned cable.


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## BB330i (Dec 22, 2001)

BTW now that I mentioned throttle lag I got myself all worked up.
Venting.
1) Is it not ridicules that when your brain and right foot call for revs you have to wait?
2) Why is it that in order to make smooth downshifts I have to tap the peddle a few milliseconds before I really want to? And in the meantime during that period of no response the revs are falling! So not only do I have to call ahead for revs but order more than would otherwise need.
It sure is counter intuitive to me. My ’02 330i was even worse. Even after 16 months with the 330i I still have not gotten use to it.


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## saksiri (Apr 16, 2003)

JPinTO said:


> *I can see after getting acclimatized to the vehicle that you'd just leave it off all the time.... as long as it doesn't come on by itself. *


conversely, i just leave mine on all the time. it is a bit touchy, but i like the accelerated response in opening the first 1/2 to 3/4 of the throttle. in normal mode i feel like i spend a lot of time always pushing past the first 1/4 throttle to get to where i need to go.

i've considered that it's maybe too sensitive for the track, but i think if you get used to it it's no big deal.


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## JPinTO (Dec 20, 2001)

saksiri said:


> *conversely, i just leave mine on all the time. it is a bit touchy, but i like the accelerated response in opening the first 1/2 to 3/4 of the throttle. in normal mode i feel like i spend a lot of time always pushing past the first 1/4 throttle to get to where i need to go.
> 
> i've considered that it's maybe too sensitive for the track, but i think if you get used to it it's no big deal. *


Don't you find it a pain to turn it on every time? I forget, therefore it's easier to just leave it alone.


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## saksiri (Apr 16, 2003)

JPinTO said:


> *Don't you find it a pain to turn it on every time? I forget, therefore it's easier to just leave it alone. *


nah... just push it on every time i start the car...

if i forget i notice immediately (within the first few seconds of driving). usually as i'm trying to back out of the garage i find the car doesn't move... so i just maintain the pressure on the gas pedal and when i press the sport button i start going =)


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## GregW in Oregon (Feb 1, 2002)

*Sport mode*



saksiri said:


> *nah... just push it on every time i start the car...
> 
> if i forget i notice immediately (within the first few seconds of driving). usually as i'm trying to back out of the garage i find the car doesn't move... so i just maintain the pressure on the gas pedal and when i press the sport button i start going =) *


Same here. I use it 100% of the time. Your brain gets conditioned to respond. The only problem is on extremely bumpy pavement where you may start the "death jerk" sequence.

I just wish the button was over next to the DSC one. I makes no sense to put the HK subwoofer button more accessible than Sport.


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## JPinTO (Dec 20, 2001)

*Re: Sport mode*



GregW in Oregon said:


> *Same here. I use it 100% of the time. Your brain gets conditioned to respond. The only problem is on extremely bumpy pavement where you may start the "death jerk" sequence.
> 
> I just wish the button was over next to the DSC one. I makes no sense to put the HK subwoofer button more accessible than Sport. *


Can you please describe more about the "death jerk" sequence.

I know what it is (from experience--- not pleasant)... but what causes it? It only happens on sport mode on.


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## BB330i (Dec 22, 2001)

> I use it 100% of the time. Your brain gets conditioned to respond. The only problem is on extremely bumpy pavement where you may start the "death jerk" sequence.


LOL :rofl:
I would like a "Semi-Sport" mode


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## GregW in Oregon (Feb 1, 2002)

*Sport Mode*



BB330i said:


> *LOL :rofl:
> I would like a "Semi-Sport" mode *


Supposedly Dinan's chip bumps up the standard mode (semi-sport?) and refines the sport mode settings.


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## TANBOY90274 (May 12, 2003)

It's fun when you turn the sport mode on, but I kinda feel it's losing less torque vs without the sport mode on. Well thats my own opinion


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## GregW in Oregon (Feb 1, 2002)

*Sport Mode*



TANBOY90274 said:


> *It's fun when you turn the sport mode on, but I kinda feel it's losing less torque vs without the sport mode on. Well thats my own opinion *


You definitely do not lose torque. There is no difference whatsoever in power or torque. All Sport Mode does is quicken the ratio of throttle peddle movement to throttle application. Less movement for a given throttle setting.


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## TANBOY90274 (May 12, 2003)

Thankyou


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