Hello: I just bought a 03 540i Sport (auto ) for my wife. This is an awesome car!!! However this is the first car I have had with drive by wire and boy do I hate it!!! It is not linear at all! Is there any software out there that will make the throttle linear like a cable actuated throttle? I hate how I give it 20 or 30mm of travel with no response and then at 32mm it feels like I floored it! Very harry trying to get it onto ramps to work on it! My wifes old car 98 328is (which is still for sale) had Dinan Software and I really liked it. Does anybody have experience with Dinan's software for the 540? Any input would be helpful.
Is anybody running aftermarket software (Dinan, Turner, Conforti, etc) in their E39 540i? Are you happy with it? Did it change throttle response? Maybe this is the better question.
Is anyone out there running software on there late production E39 540i? If you are I would appreciate your thoughts on it. I realize the BMW only did the drive by wire in the E39 towards the end of production, but there has got to be someone, right?
From what I recall, the switch to drive by wire was done from 9/1989 production onward on the 540i, so the vast majority of 540is have dbw (1999-2003 models). I bought a 2002 540i/6spd new, and it did not have this issue -- throttle was fine. However, there was an issue with the throttle pedal that made it "sticky" which was replaced with a redesigned one under warranty back then. Note that for whatever crazy reason A LOT of BMWs with automatic transmissions exhibit this stupid programming behavior. Every time I get a loaner from my dealer I always plead with them to add a manual BMW to their loaner pool, and he of course just laughs. Every single auto BMW I've driven from E90s, E60s, etc, have had this stupid throttle response issue making impossible to easily modulate the throttle at very light to light throttle openings. Even an E65 Alpina B7 exhibited this stupid behavior. I've heard it has something to do with emissions testing, but I find that stupid since 6MT versions of cars like the E90 (and E39) do not behave that way. I did shoot a friend with a 2003 540iT a note about this, and he said his car doesn't behave that way, but he recalls that it did behave like that when it was new. He's had the Dinan s/w on it (along with other stuff) for so long, 5+years, (both engine and tranny s/w) that he can't really recall what it was like beforehand.
Thank you! Your input is much appreciated. Kind of sounds like the Dinan Software took care of it. I am going to call Dinan and see what their take is on it. Thanks again and I will let you know what I do.
Update Okay so I called Dinan, apparently this is what they specialize in! Their software takes away the throttle delay completely and makes it linear like a cable actuated throttle. The software all by itself only adds about 8hp and 6lb of torque. The other good news is that right now Dinan is offering 20% off!
