Early thoughts on CSL ownership

[Straightsix]

Originally Posted by alexk

I would like to add something here.

When you drive a manual around town shifting at 2000 or 2500, you normally do nice and slow shifts.
You don't shift very fast right ?
The same is with the SMG.
If you drive slowly, it's good to change the shift speed to a lower level.
If you drive fast, you need to have higher shift speed. Like you would do on a manual... you would shift fast.

I think that's quite basic stuff. After all, it's a manual with servos.

Also I think even if u are in S5 if u are driving slowly the shifts tend to be slower than if u are accelerating hard does this tally with ur experience ?

Never bothered with auto. Usually I am in S3 - S5. Prefer using paddles though I like the lever too makes u feel a bit like in a rally car.

[alexk]

Originally Posted by Straightsix

Also I think even if u are in S5 if u are driving slowly the shifts tend to be slower than if u are accelerating hard does this tally with ur experience ?

Never bothered with auto. Usually I am in S3 - S5. Prefer using paddles though I like the lever too makes u feel a bit like in a rally car.

The CSL brochure has graphs of shift times in different modes.
I haven't seen there a parameter for engine rpm.
I am not sure if the engine rpm is being taken into account to be honest.
It feels slower in lower rpm but I can't be sure.

As a side note I have checked in the telemetry the shift times between S4 and S6.
There is a significant difference.
In S6 you see the acceleration to continue in < 100ms.
So the shift time of 80ms in S6 is real.

PS : many people have told me that they shift faster with a clutch and a stick than the SMG II does in S6.
I say bollocks... unless you have a sequential racing gearbox.

[Straightsix]

Originally Posted by alexk

The CSL brochure has graphs of shift times in different modes.
I haven't seen there a parameter for engine rpm.
I am not sure if the engine rpm is being taken into account to be honest.
It feels slower in lower rpm but I can't be sure.

As a side note I have checked in the telemetry the shift times between S4 and S6.
There is a significant difference.
In S6 you see the acceleration to continue in < 100ms.
So the shift time of 80ms in S6 is real.

PS : many people have told me that they shift faster with a clutch and a stick than the SMG II does in S6.
I say bollocks... unless you have a sequential racing gearbox.

I was going to say this is all from memory when my old man had a 2004 E46 M3 Coupe SMGII Drive Logic from 2004-2007 because I don't currently own a M3 CSL. But the shifts in S5 felt faster when under hard acceleration than slow acceleration so I would imagine would be the same for the CSL though someone will have to confirm or deny this :-) ?

[AlexC]

Sorry to break-up the SMG chat but thought I had better let you guys know I survived Goodwood!

Had a really good afternoon down there, helped by the fact there were only eight other cars running. I took on board all the warnings about it being an unforgiving circuit and just built-up slowly. All the signage around the track helped a lot in terms of knowing what to do where. I wasn't going for any peak speeds but I certainly went faster by the end of the session. It was pretty intense though. I'm not sure I would have wanted to do a whole day.

The only grumble was the brakes! I think better pads might be necessary, even for Alpine road driving I would have thought.

It wasn't the most exciting circuit but probably a good, quiet session to get a feel for open-pit lane events. I can't say that the experience has left me hooked and eager to get back on track immediately (unlike when I drove the Nurburgring and wished I had planned to stay longer), but it has left me with an appetite for a road trip in the CSL. I reckon next time I do a track day I will aim go to a more technical circuit and take my Renaultsport Clio 182 for a good thrash and see how that goes, just for the sake of diversity.

Anyway, cheers for the advice. And thanks to Plumber Vic for coming to say "hello" and chat about CSLs.

[LeinsCSL]

Originally Posted by 83SY

When driving through town or slow to work etc I run the box on just two bars & like you suggested change smoothly as poss.

Do most use the paddles or the stick? i cant remeber the last time I used the stick or the auto mode

Only ever use the stick when turning left or right from stand-still to change from 1st to 2nd gear. Paddles all the way other than that

I always use S3 from cold start-up, and work my way up to S5/S6 as the gear-box warms up. I have no mechanical knowledge that dictates this is the correct thing to do though, just seems more "sympathetic", so would be interested in hearing others' opinions

[Jon8710]

im s atront beliver in leaving the gear setting at max !!!

when i used to mess about with the setting when driving slower i found it would induce clutch slur when wanting to push the car to the limit and there is nothing more annoying than that !!!!

[Jon8710]

Originally Posted by Jon8710

im s atront beliver in leaving the gear setting at max !!!

when i used to mess about with the setting when driving slower i found it would induce clutch slur when wanting to push the car to the limit and there is nothing more annoying than that !!!!

that word is strong beliver by the way !!!!

[83SY]

Good to hear you made it home safe! brakes wise... do you run standard set up? if so what pads? i ran standard with DS2500 pads and was advised to go AP's with RS29's.. superb.

If you dont want to go the AP route just changing the pads to RS29's will make a big difference

Originally Posted by AlexC

Sorry to break-up the SMG chat but thought I had better let you guys know I survived Goodwood!

Had a really good afternoon down there, helped by the fact there were only eight other cars running. I took on board all the warnings about it being an unforgiving circuit and just built-up slowly. All the signage around the track helped a lot in terms of knowing what to do where. I wasn't going for any peak speeds but I certainly went faster by the end of the session. It was pretty intense though. I'm not sure I would have wanted to do a whole day.

The only grumble was the brakes! I think better pads might be necessary, even for Alpine road driving I would have thought.

It wasn't the most exciting circuit but probably a good, quiet session to get a feel for open-pit lane events. I can't say that the experience has left me hooked and eager to get back on track immediately (unlike when I drove the Nurburgring and wished I had planned to stay longer), but it has left me with an appetite for a road trip in the CSL. I reckon next time I do a track day I will aim go to a more technical circuit and take my Renaultsport Clio 182 for a good thrash and see how that goes, just for the sake of diversity.

Anyway, cheers for the advice. And thanks to Plumber Vic for coming to say "hello" and chat about CSLs.

[alexk]

Originally Posted by 83SY

If you dont want to go the AP route just changing the pads to RS29's will make a big difference

In stock brakes I would only put RS14.
The RS29 are extremely noisy !

[CraigMillwardCroft]

Originally Posted by alexk

In stock brakes I would only put RS14.
The RS29 are extremely noisy !

Is that not all part of the beast you drive