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      10-05-2011, 09:55 PM   #25
RPM90
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Drives: 340i M-sport AT
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Chicago

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Simsims View Post
I find all non M BMW brakes to be grabby. The initial brake bite is very strong, possibly designed for safety. On the highways if you touch the brakes the car will go BOOM from the initial bite.

However, once you get into an M car, the brakes feel a lot more linear without a strong first bite that'll catch you. But you gotta know how to use it.. If you apply pressure the same way you did in a non M car you'll run into something. I know I almost did in Munich xD
You may experiencing BMW's "brake assist", I think that's what they call it.
It works based on your speed, but more so on how fast you release the throttle and get on the brakes. The faster you go to the brake from the throttle the greater amount of brake boost the system gives.
It's supposed to be a "safety" feature. The idea is that if you're moving off the throttle and quickly to the brake, then you must want or need to stop as quickly as possible. And, since most people don't apply the brake pedal pressure as hard as they should, the system will boost brake pressure to a greater level so as to apply greater brake force.

I experienced this a couple of times and I'll have to say it works.
I was traffic on day and we were at a stop light. The light went green, we started moving. I was up to about 30mph. I got distracted for a split second, thinking we were moving so all was well. As soon as I looked up bright brake lights in front of me. I quickly went for the brake.
The brakes bit HARD. So much that I went forward and the seat belt gripped hard. I had room to stop, but going that fast from throttle to brake activated that feature.
I've also noticed one time while on the highway.
I was going about 55mph, no cars near me. For some strange reason my throttle foot slipped and hit the brake with not much pressure from me, but the braking force was immediate and immense, such that I was thrown into the belt as if I had stomped on the brake.

Maybe some of you are experiencing this feature as "too grabby" or "too much initial bite". For me, I think BMW brakes are quite good.
When braking normally I have no "grab" or anything like that.
The brake pedal doesn't have a lot of movement like many other cars. Stopping force feels linear to the amount of force you apply to the brake pedal. Porsche brakes are awesome. Almost no brake pedal travel, just more braking as you apply more pressure. Many people don't like that, as they are used to equating stopping force with more brake pedal travel.
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