Truth about using Kickdown?

[tomlong]

Originally Posted by deli333

edit : car is not tuned, 78000 miles.

Our cars start blowing up when they are tuned. That's the topic which has this community on edge. Like you, I'm at 74k miles STOCK and see over 100mph almost every day w/kickdown and everything .... no issues. They're great cars until heavily modified.

[bsmf8x]

Originally Posted by tomlong

Our cars start blowing up when they are tuned. That's the topic which has this community on edge. Like you, I'm at 74k miles STOCK and see over 100mph almost every day w/kickdown and everything .... no issues. They're great cars until modified.

Just got my m4 30k miles.

I've felt the kickdown in f8x numerous times it's literally addicting planning on keeping it stock and keeping it until ~80k so I hope i can regularly kickdown and drive the way it's supposed to be driven daily and see no issues too.

Any tips on avoiding issues/common mistakes people make that cause extra wear?

Also, are you still on the stock brakes? I heard they last a while.

[Kilabyte]

It's like your asking your mad wife/ gf if you can still go out and she says "go ahead"

[tomlong]

Originally Posted by murdrdf82

Just got my m4 30k miles.

I've felt the kickdown in f8x numerous times it's literally addicting planning on keeping it stock and keeping it until ~80k so I hope i can regularly kickdown and drive the way it's supposed to be driven daily and see no issues too.

Any tips on avoiding issues/common mistakes people make that cause extra wear?

Also, are you still on the stock brakes? I heard they last a while.

Yes sir, if you're gonna drive it hard then you must equally spend the effort and $$$ to take car of the car. They are reliable and will provide you with many smiles per gallon, only in tip top form. You get what you give.

Here is my comprehensive answer to your question: https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1707024

Short answer: Do not skip on maintenance and consumables to maximize longevity. I bought mine right at 29k miles too like you and she feels stronger, faster, and more reliable today at 74k miles. We're about to go to the dark side soon too

Yes, the brake rotors are stout and the system works well. Still on my first set of rotors but first set of brake pads triggered the wear sensor at ~50k miles for me. I'm on my 2nd set of OEM pads. Brake pads and sensor go for about $500 at the dealership. The compound is aggressive so expect a lot of brake dust. You'll be an expert at cleaning your wheels owning this car

I see guys here drop $10k on mods, post their dyno video, then go silent because their car broke down as a result of likely under investment into maintenance or inadequate prep prior to adding horsepower.

I probably have spent a lot of $$$ just on running premium motor oil (I use Red Line 5w50) every 5k (I change the oil filter even more frequently every 2.5k miles ). Red Line is ~$150 for 7 qt itself but worth every penny. When I go E85 I'll be doing oil changes every 3k miles going forward. You got to pay to play as the cliche goes.

Car is also on the verge of it's 3rd spark plug change, I try to do them every 30k miles, or before a major upgrade. I recommend NGKs, which are one step colder than stock even if you are not tuned. You'll feel the difference.

The Liquid Moly Ceramic Engine Wear Treatment is good too. I used it the other day and I noticed my motor ran smoother and quieter. I also pour a bottle of Red Line Water Wetter into the coolant (which was flushed at ~65k miles) as the summer means heat soak.

Car has received 4-5 alignments and is currently on it's 3rd set of Michelin PS tires. So yes, it all adds up, not to mention the daily trips to the pump, but I am at 74k miles today without a single engine issue, knocks on wood.

While the engine has not had any issues. User error like busting my oil cooler going fast over a bump, or punctured tire going over a big pothole may and can happen. These things are to be expected especially if you're driving the car hard everyday. Oh, forgot to mention I'm on my 2nd carbon fiber front lip as well

Hopes this helps. You'll love this car. I know I do and have no plans to ever part from it.

[bsmf8x]

Originally Posted by tomlong

Yes sir, if you're gonna drive it hard then you must equally spend the effort and $$$ to take car of the car. They are reliable and will provide you with many smiles per gallon, only in tip top form. You get what you give.

Here is my comprehensive answer to your question: https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1707024

Short answer: Do not skip on maintenance and consumables to maximize longevity. I bought mine right at 29k miles too like you and she feels stronger, faster, and more reliable today at 74k miles. We're about to go to the dark side soon too

Yes, the brake rotors are stout and the system works well. Still on my first set of rotors but first set of brake pads triggered the wear sensor at ~50k miles for me. I'm on my 2nd set of OEM pads. Brake pads and sensor go for about $500 at the dealership. The compound is aggressive so expect a lot of brake dust. You'll be an expert at cleaning your wheels owning this car

I see guys here drop $10k on mods, post their dyno video, then go silent because their car broke down as a result of likely under investment into maintenance or inadequate prep prior to adding horsepower.

I probably have spent a lot of $$$ just on running premium motor oil (I use Red Line 5w50) every 5k (I change the oil filter even more frequently every 2.5k miles ). Red Line is ~$150 for 7 qt itself but worth every penny. When I go E85 I'll be doing oil changes every 3k miles going forward. You got to pay to play as the cliche goes.

Car is also on the verge of it's 3rd spark plug change, I try to do them every 30k miles, or before a major upgrade. I recommend NGKs, which are one step colder than stock even if you are not tuned. You'll feel the difference.

The Liquid Moly Ceramic Engine Wear Treatment is good too. I used it the other day and I noticed my motor ran smoother and quieter. I also pour a bottle of Red Line Water Wetter into the coolant (which was flushed at ~65k miles) as the summer means heat soak.

Car has received 4-5 alignments and is currently on it's 3rd set of Michelin PS tires. So yes, it all adds up, not to mention the daily trips to the pump, but I am at 74k miles today without a single engine issue, knocks on wood.

While the engine has not had any issues. User error like busting my oil cooler going fast over a bump, or punctured tire going over a big pothole may and can happen. These things are to be expected especially if you're driving the car hard everyday. Oh, forgot to mention I'm on my 2nd carbon fiber front lip as well

Hopes this helps. You'll love this car. I know I do and have no plans to ever part from it.

Thanks for your thorough response. My biggest issue with a used BMW like this is I hate leaving my car at the dealer or shop for a week or two or even longer sometimes as I have an extremely busy schedule so I'll be ubering or getting rides as if you don't purchase a car from the dealership, you aren't guaranteed a loaner.

A family members Alfa Romeo Giulia (2.0) has been at the dealer for over 2 weeks just for a coolant leak with no loaner as they're heavily backed up; if it wasn't for coronavirus and him not having the same commitments as usual, he'd be screwed.

I know getting a BMW when I need a reliable car 7 days a week for the next few years isn't ideal, but I have an extended aftermarket warranty to cover repairs it's just about dealing with not having a car in my driveway for long periods of time that is my only concern with this car as I'm young and my career/work is the priority.

Anyways, thanks for your help and I was wondering if it's really beneficial to use premium oil & plugs on a stock car. I drive relatively hard, no track days but probably a WOT pull almost everyday. I was planning on running everything OEM in terms of maintenance as there's numerous certified BMW shops near me that do work for cheaper than dealer prices using OEM parts and certified BMW techs.

Are colder plugs really going to be beneficial for a stock car? I'd feel safer just using OEM plugs and OEM oil. I'd change oil every 6k as well and plugs every 30k.

This might be a specific question, but what settings do you drive on for daily driving? Putting all those miles on an M car as a daily without any issues still amazes me.

Also, I saw you had Michelin Pilot Sport As3+ on your car at one point. In terms of straight line traction, is it far off from the stock MPSS? and is the car driveable in light snow? Meaning snow is sticking to the ground maybe a few inches one or two but nothing crazy piled up. I've seen mixed reviews regarding this.

Lastly, I've seen nothing about changing coolant on this car. Is doing a coolant flush and replacing the fluid a thing? Thanks again.

[tomlong]

Originally Posted by murdrdf82

Thanks for your thorough response. My biggest issue with a used BMW like this is I hate leaving my car at the dealer or shop for a week or two or even longer sometimes as I have an extremely busy schedule so I'll be ubering or getting rides as if you don't purchase a car from the dealership, you aren't guaranteed a loaner.

A family members Alfa Romeo Giulia (2.0) has been at the dealer for over 2 weeks just for a coolant leak with no loaner as they're heavily backed up; if it wasn't for coronavirus and him not having the same commitments as usual, he'd be screwed.

I know getting a BMW when I need a reliable car 7 days a week for the next few years isn't ideal, but I have an extended aftermarket warranty to cover repairs it's just about dealing with not having a car in my driveway for long periods of time that is my only concern with this car as I'm young and my career/work is the priority.

Anyways, thanks for your help and I was wondering if it's really beneficial to use premium oil & plugs on a stock car. I drive relatively hard, no track days but probably a WOT pull almost everyday. I was planning on running everything OEM in terms of maintenance as there's numerous certified BMW shops near me that do work for cheaper than dealer prices using OEM parts and certified BMW techs.

Are colder plugs really going to be beneficial for a stock car? I'd feel safer just using OEM plugs and OEM oil. I'd change oil every 6k as well and plugs every 30k.

This might be a specific question, but what settings do you drive on for daily driving? Putting all those miles on an M car as a daily without any issues still amazes me.

Also, I saw you had Michelin Pilot Sport As3+ on your car at one point. In terms of straight line traction, is it far off from the stock MPSS? and is the car driveable in light snow? Meaning snow is sticking to the ground maybe a few inches one or two but nothing crazy piled up. I've seen mixed reviews regarding this.

Lastly, I've seen nothing about changing coolant on this car. Is doing a coolant flush and replacing the fluid a thing? Thanks again.

A premium oil in my view does a better job of coating the cylinder walls to prevent blow-by and the ester in Red Line, in my view, does a good job of lubricating mechanical parts. Only way to tell is to take the engine apart to verify, which I have not had to do yet, since the motor has been consistent. So it's hard to prove my theory but I think you get the gist of what I'm trying to convey.

Plenty of websites like ECS Tuning, FCP Euro, Vivid Racing, etc. that carry OEM genuine parts.

To ensure that I am getting 93 octane, as pump gas can be unreliable, whether it is Shell V Power or not, I will occasionally add octane booster to compensate for this unknown. Poor gas usually means it is less than 93 octane. Lower octane means higher chances of detonation. A colder plug helps to control detonation whether it's a lawn mower or a F1 racing engine.

Yes, shops are backed up. I've been waiting for my custom tune for 3-4 weeks now. Such is life. I have a daily, you might want to get one too. If anything, my daily is used to carry parts, fluids, and tires. Ironically enough I use the M3 to go to the grocery store lol.

I drive on efficient mode regularly and law compliant. When I see prey I normally switch to Sports Plus for straight acceleration. For example, if I know a that a 392 Hemi Charger is coming right at me, which they do about 2-3 times a day, I hit my "M1" button (what I have Sports Plus configured as on my steering wheel) then "kickdown" and hurt some egos.

I use Sports mode for out handling other cars on twists and curves, the massive torque spike in Sports Plus are probably not ideal when trying to take a curve at 130mph.

I use A/S 3+ because it only gets above 90 degrees in Chicago 14 days out of the year. Grips just like Pilot 4 and 4S. Better in wet conditions. No performance tires are good in snow. Our roads are plowed well here. Now that its Summer, I'm about to pull the trigger on Pilot Sport Cup 2s in the front and Toyo Proxes R888R in the rears. Will switch back to A/S 3+ on all 4 corners in October.

BMW will tell you that the transmission fluid, differential fluid, and coolant are "good for life" of the car. I say bullshit. Everything has a decay rate.

[bsmf8x]

Originally Posted by tomlong

A premium oil in my view does a better job of coating the cylinder walls to prevent blow-by and the ester in Red Line, in my view, does a good job of lubricating mechanical parts. Only way to tell is to take the engine apart to verify, which I have not had to do yet, since the motor has been consistent. So it's hard to prove my theory but I think you get the gist of what I'm trying to convey.

Plenty of websites like ECS Tuning, FCP Euro, Vivid Racing, etc. that carry OEM genuine parts.

To ensure that I am getting 93 octane, as pump gas can be unreliable, whether it is Shell V Power or not, I will occasionally add octane booster to compensate for this unknown. Poor gas usually means it is less than 93 octane. Lower octane means higher chances of detonation. A colder plug helps to control detonation whether it's a lawn mower or a F1 racing engine.

Yes, shops are backed up. I've been waiting for my custom tune for 3-4 weeks now. Such is life. I have a daily, you might want to get one too. If anything, my daily is used to carry parts, fluids, and tires. Ironically enough I use the M3 to go to the grocery store lol.

I drive on efficient mode regularly and law compliant. When I see prey I normally switch to Sports Plus for straight acceleration. For example, if I know a that a 392 Hemi Charger is coming right at me, which they do about 2-3 times a day, I hit my "M1" button (what I have Sports Plus configured as on my steering wheel) then "kickdown" and hurt some egos.

I use Sports mode for out handling other cars on twists and curves, the massive torque spike in Sports Plus are probably not ideal when trying to take a curve at 130mph.

I use A/S 3+ because it only gets above 90 degrees in Chicago 14 days out of the year. Grips just like Pilot 4 and 4S. Better in wet conditions. No performance tires are good in snow. Our roads are plowed well here. Now that its Summer, I'm about to pull the trigger on Pilot Sport Cup 2s in the front and Toyo Proxes R888R in the rears. Will switch back to A/S 3+ on all 4 corners in October.

BMW will tell you that the transmission fluid, differential fluid, and coolant are "good for life" of the car. I say bullshit. Everything has a decay rate.

Yeah I had the A/S 3+ on my AWD performance car before this, which didn't make a lot of power compared to these cars but was very dynamic and i would be able to take curves at crazy speeds with those tires.

Stock for stock, can you beat 392's off a roll easily?

And my commute is just a 9 mile drive on open nice Long Island roads with no traffic or potholes and then I go to the gym at night 5 min from my house; I have other cars at home that are used for going out on weekends or other errands that are driven by family members but the M4 is going to be my daily as my "daily" doesn't take much of a beating. If anything, there isn't a better commute to drive an M4 on lol.

[Jbonly21]

So is Dinantronics tune saver then other tunes like jb4 or bootmod? My car been running stage two for the last 20k with no problems. Knock on wood.

[M4Now!]

Have used it since I bought the car - not often, but am not trying to avoid it. Still under warranty tho, so if SCH it's BMW's problem.

Cheers

[ferrarifast]

Kickdown is easily one of the best features of M DCT.
I use it extensively.

[tomlong]

Originally Posted by murdrdf82

Stock for stock, can you beat 392's off a roll easily?

It's not a roll. More like they get a full running head start. I watch my rear view mirror as I cruise at 50-60mph and gauge how fast their headlights are approaching and right when they pass me at full WOT is when I kickdown. Usually start reeling them in right away and start gapping by 120-130mph.

I normally shut it down at 150 mph. For the more persistent Hemi drivers, I'll bounce off the speed limiter (168 mph) to continue distancing ... by this time they're back in my rear view mirror again. REPEAT (if still persistent) or they'll just take the next exit.

Not sure if that's considered "easily"

Hellcats give me more trouble as I am limited by my speed limiter. Trackhawks put up a good fight but not as fast as Hellcats, I tend to find. MOPAR comprises most of my encounters as there are plenty of them and they're quite commoditized out here in the Midwest.

[bsmf8x]

Originally Posted by tomlong

It's not a roll. More like they get a full running head start. I watch my rear view mirror as I cruise at 50-60mph and gauge how fast their headlights are approaching and right when they pass me at full WOT is when I kickdown. Usually start reeling them in right away and start gapping by 120-130mph.

I normally shut it down at 150 mph. For the more persistent Hemi drivers, I'll bounce off the speed limiter (168 mph) to continue distancing ... by this time they're back in my rear view mirror again. REPEAT (if still persistent) or they'll just take the next exit.

Not sure if that's considered "easily"

Hellcats give me more trouble as I am limited by my speed limiter. Trackhawks put up a good fight but not as fast as Hellcats, I tend to find. MOPAR comprises most of my encounters as there are plenty of them and they're quite commoditized out here in the Midwest.

I don't really go over 100 mph due to the fact that I live in NY and cops are merciless here; can and likely will arrest you especially considering I'm young and not white (lolll statistically proven tho).

I know a few 392 owners and other v8 NA muscle car owners who claim they gap M3/M4's which has to be BS.

[tomlong]

The car is meant to be driven at 100mph+ ... it is a horrible stop and go driver, even with DCT, in my opinion.

While I don't condone street racing, I consider myself "at risk" as the car gets that kind of attention. Like a woman with big tits wearing a low cleavage shirt who walks into a bar filled with nothing but thristy men, she'll likely get hit on. :

[N1rve]

I smash my kickdown whenever I get a chance to (when it's warmed up). I drive the hell out of my cars. It's a car, it's a BMW M car, it's meant to be driven and it's meant to be driven...HARD.

[65fastback]

Originally Posted by murdrdf82

I don't really go over 100 mph due to the fact that I live in NY and cops are merciless here; can and likely will arrest you especially considering I'm young and not white (lolll statistically proven tho).

I know a few 392 owners and other v8 NA muscle car owners who claim they gap M3/M4's which has to be BS.

I owned a 392 scat pac challenger and a couple N/A C7 corvettes those were manual though.... but my m4 dct would without a doubt smoke them in a straight line from a dig or roll or whatever.
At cruising speed using the kickdown on our DCT m cars does not get old as far as iam concerned.

they where all fun & great cars in their own ways.

[bsmf8x]

Originally Posted by 65fastback

I owned a 392 scat pac challenger and a couple N/A C7 corvettes those were manual though.... but my m4 dct would without a doubt smoke them in a straight line from a dig or roll or whatever.
At cruising speed using the kickdown on our DCT m cars does not get old as far as iam concerned.

they where all fun & great cars in their own ways.

your m4 stock? and was the scat auto

[tomlong]

This isn't 1320 Video. Stop asking stupid questions and get out there and learn how to drive your car. Results may vary.

I've taken out bikes, Ferraris, and GTRs when the internet will tell you that it isn't suppose to happened. Conversely, I've lost to 335i with upgraded pure turbos.

I've even taken out Jeeps, V6 Mustangs, and Civic SI in my fiancé's Toyota Highlander. Point I'm trying to make:

DRIVER MOD > everything

[six75LT]

since we're on this topic....

1) is it bad to downshift a few gears quickly? like from 7th to 4th? lets say you pull the paddle 2 times with a <1 sec delay each time?

2) is it bad to downshift while giving gas (not WOT)?

[bsmf8x]

Originally Posted by tomlong

The car is meant to be driven at 100mph+ ... it is a horrible stop and go driver, even with DCT, in my opinion.

While I don't condone street racing, I consider myself "at risk" as the car gets that kind of attention. Like a woman with big tits wearing a low cleavage shirt who walks into a bar filled with nothing but thristy men, she'll likely get hit on. :

A 30-90 pull gives me the same thrill that a 30-120 would; and if i see a cop i can brake to 70-80 and not get screwed as where i live you can be going that fast on the highway without getting pulled. Plus any sudden movements by other cars in traffic when you're going 120 can lead to deadly accidents versus ~90 mph I feel like you can maneuever better/brake in time.

I drive it hard I just have seen too many lives lost to be justifying taking my car to triple digits.

[tomlong]

Originally Posted by six75LT

since we're on this topic....

1) is it bad to downshift a few gears quickly? like from 7th to 4th? lets say you pull the paddle 2 times with a <1 sec delay each time?

2) is it bad to downshift while giving gas (not WOT)?

1) Not at low speeds, at higher speeds can be problematic

2) Its called rev matching

[six75LT]

Originally Posted by tomlong

1) Not at low speeds, at higher speeds can be problematic

2) Its called rev matching

doesnt the dct always rev match though, even without any throttle?

[65fastback]

Originally Posted by murdrdf82

your m4 stock? and was the scat auto

My M4 is stock.... as in no tune.

Both my challenger and corvettes were manuals which is why i say my dct m4 is quicker. The challenger was a PIG. A stock c7 with the A8 trans would put up a good fight to a stock M4, thats a coin toss drivers race.