So i just recently as in last Thursday purchased my first BMW. Its a 91' 735i automatic and i love it already. I have no experience with these cars yet and i have i guess my first of possibly a few questions to come as i drive more and more. The car didnt come with a manual so i couldnt look there for info. I have a button next to my shifter with an "A" at the top and an "M" at the bottom, I was wondering what does this button do?

when the button is in "A" mode, it shifts automatically...and when it is in "M" mode, you have to cycle through the gears yourself...how many miles???

Leave it in 'A' most of the year. You can use 'M' during the winter. Your car, being a '91 is going to be different from mine (a '01). My manual states:

The automatic transmission of your BMW is equipped with the Adaptive Transmission Control (ATC) as standard equipment. When you select A, the ATC system automatically adapts to individual driving styles and road conditions to provide optimal performance with the selector lever at position D. Because of this, the remaining selector lever positions for forward driving are only required in extreme situations such as those listed in the description of position 2 (when you want to limit gear changes (on steep uphill or downhill slopes, for instance). The transmission upshifts only as far as the selected gear.

A - Adaptive program.

This is the initial position that the transmission selects at every start. In the position for forward driving, the ATC automatically selects the optimal gear from different shift programs. To achieve this, the system constantly adapts to driver characteristics (such as moderate or performance-oriented driving style), road condition factors (slick roads or extreme slopes, for instance) as well as the current driving situation (winding roads or mountain travel, for instance).

M - Manual program

This program is for driving in one gear (4th gear when D has been selected). The transmission then remains in the selected gear both when underway and when starting off. For instance: When you make a steep ascent with the selector lever in position 2, the transmission does not make undesired upshifts. The same principle applies during operation on ice-covered roads. By placing the selector lever in position 3, you can move off gradually, and the transmission will also suppress subsequent shifts into higher gears.

A winter program is automatically selected when the vehicle is operated on slippery roads surfaces (snow and ice). When this program is active, the transmission starts in 2nd gear and shifts into the higher gears earlier. This program improves response under winter driving conditions by providing enhanced traction and vehicle stability. ATC leaves the program when it registers a high-traction road surface.....

I use the M program when in traffic, but I must constantly remember what gear I am in. If I cruise up to a stop light in 3rd and forget to shift down to 2nd, I'm not going to have the power available to me in the lower gear. The same goes for 4th. To save wear and tear on the tranny, leave it in A and if necessary, shift down into 4th, 3rd, or second if you want to hold it in any one of those gears.

You can print a driver's manual on line, I believe. That's where I got mine.

jk

Hey thanks guys, i was thinking it was something like that, but then again i didnt wanna touch anything without knowing what it is yet. It has 168,000 with service records kept up till 160,000, clean title, very little wear, got it for 3700 cash!!!

Hey thanks guys, i was thinking it was something like that, but then again i didnt wanna touch anything without knowing what it is yet. It has 168,000 with service records kept up till 160,000, clean title, very little wear, got it for 3700 cash!!!


Thats expensive, my friend just got a 1992 in mint condition for $2,900. It has 190k miles though ...but for almost a grand :confused

Either way its a rock'n car! ..Best of luck!

kelly estimates around 7000, in Oregon it was a steal, i have been looking for a reasonable priced one for months. Online i found a manual for my car for like 25.00 but shipping will be a few bucks. Do you think it may be cheaper to get it direct from the dealership?

kelly blue book doesn't mean anything now days, most banks use NADA.

You'll see a huge price difference in what they're worth.


either way...its a nice car... heck kbb says my car is worth almost $20k ...I know if im lucky i'll get $14k out of it...nada says its worth $14.2k

Call 'em and find out. It's worth the dime...or half a buck, whatever it costs these days. Keep a close eye on it in Portland, though.

jk