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      04-24-2013, 10:35 AM   #1
seanx10
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BMW's Hill Assist feature "Start-off Assistant"

So I've looked to a number of sources about this, ranging from BMW owners to BMW salesmen to non-BMW salesmen to BMW brochures (which apparently some are incorrectly labeled) and I keep getting different answers about this feature.

A little bit of background: I am moving to San Francisco here in a few months and am thinking about buying a 2009+ Z4 (probably a 3.0 liter). I would like to get a manual transmission (as I've always driven one), but I know that those SF hills make even the most experienced stick shift driver sweat. Therefore, I was looking at a car that has a start-off assistant feature. I also don't think the "e-brake trick" works on the Z4 e-brake.

I was wondering if anyone could definitively tell me if all Z4's come with this feature?

I was also wondering if someone who actually uses this feature a lot could verify for me that it does what I imagine it doing: being able to hold the car steady on something as notorious as a SF hill for a few seconds as you let out the clutch and press the gas (after releasing the brake pedal) and start off into first gear.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!
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      04-24-2013, 11:07 AM   #2
williakz
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You might want to contact the folks at the Golden Gate chapter of the BMW Car Club of America (BMW CCA). Perhaps they can put you in touch with a member who can address your concerns. The Club's website with contact info is here.
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      04-24-2013, 11:25 AM   #3
mbetoni
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I currently have an E85 2008 3.0si (for a few more weeks while I wait for my E89 to get here) with a 6-speed manual.

I can confirm that this car DOES have hill-assist, a feature my previous Z4, a 2005, did not. And, I can also confirm, it's GLORIOUS. When on a hill at a stop, clutch, shift into 1st, remove brake and voila - you don't roll back. Just add gas and let the clutch out as you would on a flat plane, and off you go. It's so well integrated, you forget it's there, it's really no different then going from stop to go on a flat street.

I can't imagine they removed this feature in the E89.
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      04-24-2013, 11:35 AM   #4
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my 2012 e89 has it. as the previous poster said, it really works well. The car holds for about 3 seconds, then lets go, but that's plenty of time to get in gear.
Should be perfect for SF
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      04-24-2013, 02:01 PM   #5
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this feature was removed on the four pot versions much to the annoyance of new owners who took BMW to task over it as it was in the brochure. the results ranged from them getting new cars with an auto. refunds, money back or free upgrades.
personally i wouldn't buy a manual car without it!
just don't apply the handbrake as it cancels the system.
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      04-24-2013, 04:51 PM   #6
seanx10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pacemaker1000 View Post
this feature was removed on the four pot versions much to the annoyance of new owners who took BMW to task over it as it was in the brochure. the results ranged from them getting new cars with an auto. refunds, money back or free upgrades.
personally i wouldn't buy a manual car without it!
just don't apply the handbrake as it cancels the system.
They didn't start making 4 cylinders until 2012+, right?

I think BMW may have made the 4-Cylinder sDrive20i or sDrive28i before 2012, but I don't think they are available in the U.S.

Correct me if I'm wrong anybody, but as long as I buy a pre-2012 Z4, or a 2012+ Z4 that is a 6 cylinder, I should have the feature, right?
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      04-24-2013, 05:14 PM   #7
Pacemaker1000
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Yes, all 6 cylinder modes have it
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      04-25-2013, 12:05 AM   #8
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My 11 35i manual has it. But I think after a month of ownership you wouldn't ever need it anymore. You'd get so used to the clutch that little gap between gears becomes so small its hard to notice a difference to a auto gear box.
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      04-25-2013, 06:03 PM   #9
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great feature

My 2009 35i has the hill assist and works great! After driving for a short time, you will find you really do not need it.
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      04-25-2013, 09:53 PM   #10
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OP, I lived in SF and had a manual WRX (no hill assist), manual 328 (hill assist) and Kawasaki Ninja (DEFINITELY no hill assist)

Honestly, even if it didn't have the feature there are only 1 or 2 hills that are THAT steep to cause an issue. It was certainly a nice to have feature and works well.

One minor annoyance is that when parallel parking on a hill, I would need to move the shifter between reverse and first (or else the hill holder assist would kick in) as opposed to just keeping it in first and letting the car roll and controlling with the brake and clutch. I made parallel parking a little bit more of a hassle.
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      04-29-2013, 09:11 PM   #11
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My '09 30i has it, so yes all e89 came with this feature
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      04-30-2013, 03:12 PM   #12
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I have a 2013 28i 4cyl manual. I don't believe it has this feature. If it does it's not working; the few times I may have needed it. Not many hills here in SE Michigan.
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      04-30-2013, 03:31 PM   #13
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There was a huge fuss kicked up in the UK forums about this. Seems 20i/28i don't have it, even tho it was on the sales blurb, prompting lots to get autos or discounts.

The 23i/30i/35i has it on both manual and auto's here in the UK. Even my DCT 35i has it, not sure why, as an auto has an inherent creep that keeps the car still unless its a huge slope... still, I have it, and I'm grateful.
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      04-30-2013, 04:31 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ManiacGT View Post
Even my DCT 35i has it, not sure why, as an auto has an inherent creep that keeps the car still unless its a huge slope... still, I have it, and I'm grateful.
There is a slight dip before my driveway and when I reverse into the garage there are times when the car will roll back slightly before going forward (i.e. when I shift from reverse to drive) if I don't first press the brake pedal firmly.

My imperfect understanding is that in first the DCT clutch is slipping, just like a traditional manual, and sometimes that clutch slip is not enough to keep the car moving forward when going up an incline
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      05-01-2013, 08:15 PM   #15
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I'd actually prefer my 6spd without it, but after owning the car for a year I'm pretty indifferent nowadays.

After a couple of seconds hill assist will auto-disengage, and you'll start rolling.
Works for 1st/Reverse. Not in neutral.
Pumping the gas a tiny bit, before the friction point point on clutch engagement, will also disengage the feature. To me this makes the car feel like a standard 6spd.
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