PDC 1M capabilities vs. M3 and functionality tips

[Rekraps]

OK, so my son and I picked up the VO 1M today. Wow is the understatement of the year with regard to the PDC delivery program. First and most important is the excellence of personnel from BMW that host the program. Well organized and very beneficial. Those of you on the forum who have not experienced this driving experience or something similar will NEVER appreciate the incredible level of performance these cars are capable of delivering. To keep this short:
For the 1M, the M button on the steering wheel was confirmed to increase throttle response, not to increase boost or HP/TQ.
The Dynamic Stability Control (center consol) has three modes: Default (when you start the car) is full overwatch. Press once and sport mode is engaged, allowing limited tire spin and lowering the threshold for computer intervention in the event that the car is pushed to the limits of safe driving conditions. Hold the button for four seconds and all computer assisted vehicle controls are off. With this mode, you are on your own.

Now, we spent considerable time on the skid track (300' round concrete pad/sprayed with water). With DTC fully off, the car simply cannot stay on course and spins out of control. With DTC on default, the car easily handles this challenge and remains on the track. Hold this thought.

Moving to the actual race portion of the day, I drove a 1M and there were two M3's and several 335i's. The track is about a one mile circut with many twisting curves and hills. Everyone pushed the cars to the point where you would have thought the Vienna Boys Choir was in full unison, tires squeeling, smoke belching, drifting etc... and full out acceleration. I can attest that without the DTC fully engaged, everyone would have been out in the muddy field.

What was really cool however, was that the 1M was able to catch the M3's and on three ocassions I was told to slow down. The car is a monster.

The delivery was almost 2 hours. Takaways that might be helpful for eveyone:
For those with electric seats, leaving the mirror control button in the right position activiates the back-up tilt of the right mirror.
The annoying dong sound can in fact be reduced to just a whisper, using the control stick and selecting the volume control.
For those of you with a single loose wire in the trunk area, this is just a shipping wire and should be rolled up and tucked away. No real use.
Even if there are two separate temperature settings in play, simply pressing the right control knob in makes both temperature setting identical.
After the car is turned off completely, pull the left control stick toward you once and the outside lights will illuminate for a period of time, determined by your preference.
The Valet trunk lock button is in the glove compartment. Activate and take the valet key with you and the trunk will be secure, so you can leave purses and other items of value while at dinner etc...
Each key fob remembers settings EACH time you leave the car, and each fob remembers different setting. So, you and your wife can each have different radio/seat etc... preferences and the key fob will honor them.
PDC confirmed the 1200 mile differential fluid change.
The negative post for slaving the car is about 12 inches forward and postioned horizontially from the left as you look at the Positive (Red) connector.
No spare tire.
The drone complaint is completely overblown. Shift gears or change speed.
Finally, the PDC team confirmed that indeed, the VO is the fastest.

[infinitekidM2C]

lol "VO is fastest"..sounds fun man. Congrats too!

[v1k0d3n]

Originally Posted by Rekraps

Finally, the PDC team confirmed that indeed, the VO is the fastest.

You lie...they confirmed that BSM was the fastest and most rare, which is why they don't use them for PCD

[Redadair]

Great review. VO is the fastest.

Thanks

[robertm]

PCD

[PyratOne]

Originally Posted by Rekraps

OK, so my son and I picked up the VO 1M today. Wow is the understatement of the year with regard to the PDC delivery program. First and most important is the excellence of personnel from BMW that host the program. Well organized and very beneficial. Those of you on the forum who have not experienced this driving experience or something similar will NEVER appreciate the incredible level of performance these cars are capable of delivering. To keep this short:
For the 1M, the M button on the steering wheel was confirmed to increase throttle response, not to increase boost or HP/TQ.
The Dynamic Stability Control (center consol) has three modes: Default (when you start the car) is full overwatch. Press once and sport mode is engaged, allowing limited tire spin and lowering the threshold for computer intervention in the event that the car is pushed to the limits of safe driving conditions. Hold the button for four seconds and all computer assisted vehicle controls are off. With this mode, you are on your own.

Now, we spent considerable time on the skid track (300' round concrete pad/sprayed with water). With DTC fully off, the car simply cannot stay on course and spins out of control. With DTC on default, the car easily handles this challenge and remains on the track. Hold this thought.

Moving to the actual race portion of the day, I drove a 1M and there were two M3's and several 335i's. The track is about a one mile circut with many twisting curves and hills. Everyone pushed the cars to the point where you would have thought the Vienna Boys Choir was in full unison, tires squeeling, smoke belching, drifting etc... and full out acceleration. I can attest that without the DTC fully engaged, everyone would have been out in the muddy field.

What was really cool however, was that the 1M was able to catch the M3's and on three ocassions I was told to slow down. The car is a monster.

The delivery was almost 2 hours. Takaways that might be helpful for eveyone:
For those with electric seats, leaving the mirror control button in the right position activiates the back-up tilt of the right mirror.
The annoying dong sound can in fact be reduced to just a whisper, using the control stick and selecting the volume control.
For those of you with a single loose wire in the trunk area, this is just a shipping wire and should be rolled up and tucked away. No real use.
Even if there are two separate temperature settings in play, simply pressing the right control knob in makes both temperature setting identical.
After the car is turned off completely, pull the left control stick toward you once and the outside lights will illuminate for a period of time, determined by your preference.
The Valet trunk lock button is in the glove compartment. Activate and take the valet key with you and the trunk will be secure, so you can leave purses and other items of value while at dinner etc...
Each key fob remembers settings EACH time you leave the car, and each fob remembers different setting. So, you and your wife can each have different radio/seat etc... preferences and the key fob will honor them.
PDC confirmed the 1200 mile differential fluid change.The negative post for slaving the car is about 12 inches forward and postioned horizontially from the left as you look at the Positive (Red) connector.
No spare tire.
The drone complaint is completely overblown. Shift gears or change speed.
Finally, the PDC team confirmed that indeed, the VO is the fastest.

They confirmed 1200mile differential fluid change? How so? I really hope you're not just taking their word for it. For all the great things they do for you and your car during PCD pickup, they dont do the 1200mile service. So, how do they know the diff fluid was changed?


Also, you must been on a differnt track, because ours was about 1/4 mile and there wasnt enough room to get out of 2nd

great day though

[Rekraps]

Originally Posted by PyratOne

They confirmed 1200mile differential fluid change? How so? I really hope you're not just taking their word for it. For all the great things they do for you and your car during PCD pickup, they dont do the 1200mile service. So, how do they know the diff fluid was changed?


Also, you must been on a differnt track, because ours was about 1/4 mile and there wasnt enough room to get out of 2nd

great day though

What they confirmed is that it IS to be changed at 1200 miles!

And just for the record, my neighbor also verified that the VO is indeed the fastest 1M. He knows.

[bmwmck]

i saw PDC in the title and initially thought that your long write up was all about park distance control capabilities and functionality tips

good write up!

[NihonX]

Originally Posted by bmwmck

i saw PDC in the title and initially thought that your long write up was all about park distance control capabilities and functionality tips

good write up!

+1

[Pete_vB]

Originally Posted by Rekraps

Now, we spent considerable time on the skid track (300' round concrete pad/sprayed with water). With DTC fully off, the car simply cannot stay on course and spins out of control. With DTC on default, the car easily handles this challenge and remains on the track.

Just a second. It sounds like you're saying the car is set up to over-steer in steady state cornering. I can't think of any car set up from the factory that way.

What exactly were you doing on the skidpad?

[mrow]

Originally Posted by bmwmck

i saw PDC in the title and initially thought that your long write up was all about park distance control capabilities and functionality tips

good write up!

Me too. Not to be so nitpicky but it's "performance center delivery" or PCD, not "performance delivery center".

[hlmiii]

Originally Posted by Pete_vB

Just a second. It sounds like you're saying the car is set up to over-steer in steady state cornering. I can't think of any car set up from the factory that way.

What exactly were you doing on the skidpad?

When the skidpad's sprinklers are working properly, it's almost impossible not to oversteer at a normal rate of speed with DTC switched "off."

This is even more true when working through the exercises that the instructors set up. You may not be aware - the concrete is highly polished.

The car is definitely not set up to oversteer. Especially with reference to default settings and in most road conditions.

[PyratOne]

Originally Posted by hlmiii

When the skidpad's sprinklers are working properly, it's almost impossible not to oversteer at a normal rate of speed with DTC switched "off."

This is even more true when working through the exercises that the instructors set up. You may not be aware - the concrete is highly polished.

The car is definitely not set up to oversteer. Especially with reference to default settings and in most road conditions.

Lets not forget what ACTUALLY happens during skid pad.

With traction control "off", you are instructed to keep steady speed (10-15mph) around the circle, then instructor says "gun it! Gas right to the floor" and all the sudden your in free-spin. But what you probably didnt see him do is grab the e-brake! Why? b/c you were geeked out on spinning 360 degrees.

Then he "engages" traction control which is true and has you do the same thing, but now the car can magically stay on the track at full throttle.

A little bit of deception didnt hurt anyone.

[tkbr0wn]

Originally Posted by PyratOne

Lets not forget what ACTUALLY happens during skid pad.

With traction control "off", you are instructed to keep steady speed (10-15mph) around the circle, then instructor says "gun it! Gas right to the floor" and all the sudden your in free-spin. But what you probably didnt see him do is grab the e-brake! Why? b/c you were geeked out on spinning 360 degrees.

Then he "engages" traction control which is true and has you do the same thing, but now the car can magically stay on the track at full throttle.

A little bit of deception didnt hurt anyone.

There was no e-brake grabbing going on in my spin. My instructor actually let me put the car in dtc mode to try and drift a little after the first TIM YOYO and full TC demo.

[ethanh8791]

Originally Posted by PyratOne

With traction control "off", you are instructed to keep steady speed (10-15mph) around the circle, then instructor says "gun it! Gas right to the floor" and all the sudden your in free-spin. But what you probably didnt see him do is grab the e-brake! Why? b/c you were geeked out on spinning 360 degrees.

yah I caught that but didn't call the instructor out on it - I guess partly because I didn't know what was going on but that's actually even more reason to ask.

[hlmiii]

Originally Posted by PyratOne

Lets not forget what ACTUALLY happens during skid pad. ... A little bit of deception didnt hurt anyone.

Yep, I think I do understand.
Been there four times. (I sent two boys there for High School graduation!)

I was getting at the comment about the car being set up for oversteer.

There really is no deception because ... the instructors explain what is going to happen. "Once I tell you to hit the accelerator, I'm going to set the car where it loses grip."

There are two exercise variants. The quick and simplified ones during the Delivery Program are designed to let the owner know what the car does. PCD is only attempting to provide the new owner with a basic understanding of 1) what a loss of control/traction is, and 2) what the car's stability system will do in such a situation.

The more involved exercises - at the Two Day Performance and Advanced M Classes - go into the details of under and over steer. During those situations there is class and auto instruction on the physics, car mechanics and "feel" of the two scenarios. On the skidpad the driver is told how to cause/get the car into both conditions. With the smooth surface and the water a quick punch on the accelerator is all it takes for understeer. The parking brake isn't really necessary at that point (unless the student is too timid!).

Regardless ... it's a lot of fun. And invaluable.

[PyratOne]

Originally Posted by tkbr0wn

There was no e-brake grabbing going on in my spin. My instructor actually let me put the car in dtc mode to try and drift a little after the first TIM YOYO and full TC demo.

Yeah, I dunno. Maybe for newbs like me and my brother, he grabs the e-brake for full spins. We get all giddy and watch the horizon fly by - go "ooohhh and aaahhh".

for you, you know what your doing, so maybe he lets you rip a bit.

for us, there were TWO cars on the circular track at the same time, just opposite of each other spinning out. I cant imagine he'd let unexperienced drivers cut loose like that.

[PyratOne]

Originally Posted by hlmiii

Yep, I think I do understand.
Been there four times. (I sent two boys there for High School graduation!)

I was getting at the comment about the car being set up for oversteer.

There really is no deception because ... the instructors explain what is going to happen. "Once I tell you to hit the accelerator, I'm going to set the car where it loses grip."

There are two exercise variants. The quick and simplified ones during the Delivery Program are designed to let the owner know what the car does. PCD is only attempting to provide the new owner with a basic understanding of 1) what a loss of control/traction is, and 2) what the car's stability system will do in such a situation.

The more involved exercises - at the Two Day Performance and Advanced M Classes - go into the details of under and over steer. During those situations there is class and auto instruction on the physics, car mechanics and "feel" of the two scenarios. On the skidpad the driver is told how to cause/get the car into both conditions. With the smooth surface and the water a quick punch on the accelerator is all it takes for understeer. The parking brake isn't really necessary at that point (unless the student is too timid!).

Regardless ... it's a lot of fun. And invaluable.

No, I get you. Im not trying to argue about anything, its all good. I tease.

However, experiencing "losing control" is one thing for a new driver and the PCD experience. A valuable and fun expereince to see how the car loses control.
I do take a (very) minor issue with that exercise trying to sell me on the difference between DTC "On" and "Off". No passenger will ever grab your e-brake on a rainy day whilst driving 15miles an hour in a circular manner in a parking lot with DTC "off"

Like I said, all in good fun.

[hlmiii]

Originally Posted by PyratOne

I tease.
Like I said, all in good fun.

Def.
Especially if you consider 900 degrees of rotation and cramming mud and grass into the front lip of somebody else's $80K+ car to be good fun!!

I did ...