Transmission Manual Mode / Tiptronic Questions

[fl_infin]

This is kind of embarrassing to say, however today when I was at a Red light I was messing around with my gear shifter on my 08 M35 and was thinking about attempting to drive it in manual mode (I have never done it before) and knocked it over into the shifting gate. However, my phone started to ring so I reached to accept the call and the light turned green and I inadvertently had forgotten that I put it into manual mode and so my transmission was stuck in 1st gear when I was trying to accelerate. The RPMs got up to around 4500 before I realized it and then I immediately put it back in regular D.

My Questions are:

1. Is there the potential that this may have damaged the transmission ?

2. What is the proper way to use the tiptronic mode on the M's with the 5 speed auto?
I know on the newer model infinitis with the 7 speed auto like the 2010+ G's that if you knock it over there it is basically like drive-sport and will shift itself in a sporty way even if you dont touch it but from what I gather this is not the case on models with the older 5 speed.

Any comment are appreciated (so long as they are nice, haha )

-fl_infin

[Ilya]

lol. Nothing to worry about.

I drive in manual mode 95% of the time. And the times that I don't, I forget I'm in D and go into N like an idiot.

The car has a rev limiter, it's there to prevent damage from something like this. Only way to blow a motor or seriously harm the car is if you red line it for like 10 minutes straight. I've bounced my car off the limiter a hand full of times taking off from lights...

I maintain the CRAP out of my car, and even after 100kmi of me driving it hard, she still drives like new.

[svard75]

Do that all the time. In fact I actually rev to 6000+ before switching to D. It doesn't do anything at all other than change gears. If you're hammering on the gas while doing this it may not be good but normal driving 'fugetaboutit'

[Ilya]

Do that all the time. In fact I actually rev to 6000+ before switching to D. It doesn't do anything at all other than change gears. If you're hammering on the gas while doing this it may not be good but normal driving 'fugetaboutit'

As long as you maintain the transmission fluid, etc. even hammering on it is fine. I hammer it ...but then again my car at 130kmi is in better shape than most cars that are at 50kmi.

[EniGmA1987]

lol. Nothing to worry about.

I drive in manual mode 95% of the time. And the times that I don't, I forget I'm in D and go into N like an idiot.

The car has a rev limiter, it's there to prevent damage from something like this. Only way to blow a motor or seriously harm the car is if you red line it for like 10 minutes straight. I've bounced my car off the limiter a hand full of times taking off from lights...

I maintain the CRAP out of my car, and even after 100kmi of me driving it hard, she still drives like new.

Same thing for me. Car is still in really great condition for being over 150K miles.

[Ilya]

lol. Nothing to worry about.

I drive in manual mode 95% of the time. And the times that I don't, I forget I'm in D and go into N like an idiot.

The car has a rev limiter, it's there to prevent damage from something like this. Only way to blow a motor or seriously harm the car is if you red line it for like 10 minutes straight. I've bounced my car off the limiter a hand full of times taking off from lights...

I maintain the CRAP out of my car, and even after 100kmi of me driving it hard, she still drives like new.

Same thing for me. Car is still in really great condition for being over 150K miles.

. I remember when I was like 13 or 14 and my dad was trying to teach me how to work on cars...I always told him that I would work in IT (which I do) and make a good living (which I do) and that I'd pay people to work on my cars (I don't). I'm glad he forced me to learn how to do my own work...I've saved THOUSANDS over the last 11 years (since I turned 16 - I'm 27) on work. Old school (european) opinions (do everything DIY) FTW.

You're fine OP. Enjoy your car

[paranoidjack]

remind me to buy cars from you in the future.

[Ilya]

Cars are made to be driven. Why would manufacturers design a car with (in the case of my M56) 420hp if it's meant to be kept at 3k RPM at all times and never have it's legs stretched? Maintenance is what sets cars apart. I change my fluids before their CI is up and have never had a transmission failure, engine failure, etc. on any of my cars. For reference, I have been driving almost 12 years, have had 4 cars now.

The reason why people have so many issues is they DON'T maintain their vehicles and expect 90,000 mile old fluid to withstand the aggressive driving. It doesn't work that way.

Any of you watch Top Gear? Remember the one episode where they had the mobile German car inspection station inspect their cars? I guarantee that my 2007 M35x that I sold with 140k on it would pass all those tests and then some. Not to mention I have receipts of EVERYTHING (oil filters, etc.) for each car I own that I give to the next owner when I trade up. I'm ANAL about maintenance.

My keys to maintenance: Synthetic fluids, Auto-Rx treatment followed by maintenance doses of Sea Foam at each oil change, proper fluid grades, and change intervals that are 75-80% of what is recommended (sometimes less - I change my oil every 5k even though it's rated to go at least 10k). You don't have to do it like I do it, but my process hasn't failed me yet and I have not had to incur ANY (as in, $0) cost on engine/transmission repairs for any of the cars I've owned/self-maintained.