Driving an auto for the first time

marcarm

My wife's boss has asked that I do some driving for him, taking his inlaws to the O2 then to gatwick, using his wife's car. It's a x3 or x5, not sure which but I assume it's an auto.

I know foot on the brake, select drive and away you go, but is there anything else to it than that? Also keeping your left foot well out of the way of the brake :rotfl:

I've been driving for years, but have never driven an auto.

Marktheshark

You are about to be introduced to "luxury" motoring.
Put in drive, accelerate to go, brake to stop.
Enjoy the upholstery and radio as people along side slam and grind stick shifters like some repetitive sentenced chore.

Ebe_Scrooge

Yep, left foot tucked away somewhere safe. Other than that, just remember to keep your foot on the brake at traffic lights etc. - an auto will usually creep forward when in "drive" even with no throttle.

For what it's worth, I hate driving my wife's auto, give me a manual any day. But it is an old ( 2004 ) Zafira, I expect the one you'll be driving ( newer and much posher ) will be a breeze.

InsideInsurance

Whilst the brake pedal is bigger its not so big that you are going to accidentally catch it when you go for the clutch etc

The only other thing will be about the handbrake etc when at traffic lights. I dont know about the BMW X3/X5 but it may not have a physical handbrake leaver but a hold function and/ or electronic brake. So with my Mercedes you "pump" the brake pedal and Hold is activated so you can take your foot of the brake and it wont go anywhere, similarly turn off the car in Hold and the electronic brake (aka handbrake) is applied

Similarly you leave the car in Drive whilst sat at lights rather than putting it in Neutral

harveybobbles

Remember "D" is for daytime and "N" is for nightime.






































That's a joke by the way..

marcarm

harveybobbles wrote: »

Remember "D" is for daytime and "N" is for nightime.






































That's a joke by the way..

Thanks, I may not have driven one but I know enough to know that's just a ruse:rotfl:

Hedgehog99

Put it in P for Park when you finally stop & before you turn the ignition off.

gilbert_and_sullivan

If its got an electric parking brake it may be set up for fully automatic release (and on some vehicles automatically apply the park brake when you turn the engine off) but no guarantee that the owner hasn't selected (or had programmed in) manual operation only via the menu.
Hopefully they'll explain it at the time.

On most autos, and BMW's are usually proper autos, you won't be able to remove the key unless you put it in park, though the car in question might not have a key as such, it might be the case of inserting the plipper into the dash if the car is older, or it might be fitted with keyless go, either way it will no doubt have a start/stop button faff instead of a normal ignition key for starting and stopping the engine...joy of joys it might even have stop/start and turn itself off at traffic lights etc.

I suspect you'll be pleased to get out of the thing and back to some form of normality after the day.

Tobster86

You can also use 'P' instead of the handbrake for holding the car at junctions/lights, to prevent dazzling the person behind you with your brake lights.

I find this is slicker than using 'N' and the handbrake, and don't like to stress the transmission and prop shaft by using 'D' with the handbrake (it probably doesn't, but I'm an engineer and it just feels wrong!). Just make sure the car is completetly stationary before selecting 'P'!

marcarm

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

If its got an electric parking brake it may be set up for fully automatic release (and on some vehicles automatically apply the park brake when you turn the engine off) but no guarantee that the owner hasn't selected (or had programmed in) manual operation only via the menu.
Hopefully they'll explain it at the time.

On most autos, and BMW's are usually proper autos, you won't be able to remove the key unless you put it in park, though the car in question might not have a key as such, it might be the case of inserting the plipper into the dash if the car is older, or it might be fitted with keyless go, either way it will no doubt have a start/stop button faff instead of a normal ignition key for starting and stopping the engine...joy of joys it might even have stop/start and turn itself off at traffic lights etc.

I suspect you'll be pleased to get out of the thing and back to some form of normality after the day.

I suspect my 10 year old focus will seem quite normal afterwards. I'm pretty sure the bmw is no more than a year old.

I might just ask if I can use his instead, he's got a 2 month old 5 series, with a manual box. I can pretend I'm a pimp for the night :rotfl:

colino

Don't (unless your stopping to park or going into reverse to move backwards) do anything with the gearchange other than leaving it in Drive and let it do its automatic thing. Frequent moving of the gearchange accelerates wear in the 'box, and definitely do not use Park for "holding" the car. Park is in fact the gearbox in neutral with an additional mechanical lock on the 'box as many BMW, Mercedes and Jaguar drivers have found to their cost when the gearbox locks solid because P has been selected on a hill and it physically locks up.