What is electric steering.

In article >,
Jim > wrote:
> > As for Consumer Reports, where I don't accept everything they say as
> > gospel, they have pointed me in the right direction in the past.
> >
> They pointed me in several directions. Nearly all of them have been the
> wrong ones.

You find dedicated motor mags always agree?

--
*It's o.k. to laugh during sexŒ.Œ.just don't point!

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Dave Plowman (News)" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> Jim > wrote:
>> > As for Consumer Reports, where I don't accept everything they say as
>> > gospel, they have pointed me in the right direction in the past.
>> >
>> They pointed me in several directions. Nearly all of them have been the
>> wrong ones.
>
> You find dedicated motor mags always agree?
>
> --
> *It's o.k. to laugh during sexO.O.just don't point!
>
> Dave Plowman London SW
> To e-mail, change noise into sound.
No. I may pay some attention to those mags.

Jim

I have a Z4 and now when I switch cars I miss the electric steering. Or maybe it's really just the overall feel

Anyway instead of hydraulically assisted steering it done via an electric motor.

--
....Carl Frisk
Anger is a brief madness.
- Horace, 20 B.C.
http://www.carlfrisk.com


"grinder" > wrote in message ink.net...
> Consumer Reports liked the Z4 but said it lacked the agility of the Boxster
> or Honda 2000 because of the electric steering.
>
> What is it? Can something be done to counteract the reduced agility (i.e.
> front strut tower braces?).
>
>

In article > ,
Jim > wrote:
> "Dave Plowman (News)" > wrote in message
> ...
> > In article >,
> > Jim > wrote:
> >> > As for Consumer Reports, where I don't accept everything they say as
> >> > gospel, they have pointed me in the right direction in the past.
> >> >
> >> They pointed me in several directions. Nearly all of them have been
> >> the wrong ones.

> No. I may pay some attention to those mags.

But still make up your own mind if you disagree? So not really different
from a consumer mag?

I find the paranoid criticism of consumer mags strange. If yours is like
the UK one, it's totally paid for by the members. No government grant and
no advertising. So really only the business of those members. I, like
everyone else, don't always agree with their conclusions, but their data
is is very useful in deciding on certain things. But you have to read the
articles carefully rather than just relying on headlines.

--
*Your kid may be an honours student, but you're still an idiot.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article <Il4Gh.34$1C6.26@trndny04>,
Carl Frisk > wrote:
> I have a Z4 and now when I switch cars I miss the electric steering. Or
> maybe it's really just the overall feel

> Anyway instead of hydraulically assisted steering it done via an
> electric motor.

Dunno the Z4 system, but some use an electric motor to drive a hydraulic
pump on demand. So it's not wasting energy when not required.

--
*Never miss a good chance to shut up.*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Dave Plowman (News)" > wrote in message
...
> In article <Il4Gh.34$1C6.26@trndny04>,
> Carl Frisk > wrote:
>> I have a Z4 and now when I switch cars I miss the electric steering. Or
>> maybe it's really just the overall feel
>
>> Anyway instead of hydraulically assisted steering it done via an
>> electric motor.
>
> Dunno the Z4 system, but some use an electric motor to drive a hydraulic
> pump on demand. So it's not wasting energy when not required.

Actually p/s pumps take little power when they're not assisting steering.
In effect the outlet of the pump is connected to the inlet, so apart from
the resistance to flow in the pipes through the valve chamber back to the
pump, the pump is not really doing much work at all.
I feel sure that any gain from using an electric pump, is very marginal, as
while the pump is running,and possibly after it stops, the alternator will
be working that much harder to replace what the electric pump has taken from
the battery.
Long m/way journeys might be where an electric pump could give a benefit in
fuel consumption, but around town I can't see it making any noticeable
difference.
OTOH maybe electric pumps don't work that way, and I'm just spouting
rubbish. :-)
Mike.

On Fri, 02 Mar 2007 15:35:46 GMT, "grinder" >
wrote:

>Consumer Reports liked the Z4 but said it lacked the agility of the Boxster
>or Honda 2000 because of the electric steering.
>
>What is it? Can something be done to counteract the reduced agility (i.e.
>front strut tower braces?).
>
By the by, aren't the e90 variants using electric-assisted steering
now as well?
epbrown
--
How can you know where I'm at if you haven't been where I been?
Can you see where I'm coming from? "How I Could Just Kill A Man" Cypress Hill

In article >,
Mike G > wrote:
> > Dunno the Z4 system, but some use an electric motor to drive a
> > hydraulic pump on demand. So it's not wasting energy when not required.

> Actually p/s pumps take little power when they're not assisting
> steering. In effect the outlet of the pump is connected to the inlet, so
> apart from the resistance to flow in the pipes through the valve
> chamber back to the pump, the pump is not really doing much work at all.

You also need to consider the friction in the drive to the pump.

> I feel sure that any gain from using an electric pump, is very marginal,
> as while the pump is running,and possibly after it stops, the
> alternator will be working that much harder to replace what the
> electric pump has taken from the battery

Yes but it would seem the total energy is less - enough to make it
worthwhile.

> Long m/way journeys might be
> where an electric pump could give a benefit in fuel consumption, but
> around town I can't see it making any noticeable difference. OTOH maybe
> electric pumps don't work that way, and I'm just spouting rubbish. :-)

Every mickle maks a muckle as they say in Scotland...

IIRC, there are fully electric systems too.

--
*It was all so different before everything changed.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Tom K." > wrote in message
. ..
>
> "grinder" > wrote in message
> nk.net...
>>
>>
>> Just the Boxster and I own a Z4. I can't fit in the 2000 - I have to
>> literally crawl out of it. I like my Z and will probably like it even
>> more when I get rid of the ride flat tires. The Boxster was nice also
>> but maintenance costs were a concern and I have always been very pleased
>> with BMW.
>>
>
> As I've always felt the Boxster was a bit pricey compared to the Z4, I
> haven't test driven one. So how would you compare the steering feel
> between the two?
>

I found the Boxster to me a little more responsive. But the difference in
price as well as maintenance costs offset that completely. I noticed a
difference last weekend when I was driving the Z4. I was on an off-ramp and
the curve was sharper than I expected. I started to turn and, when it did
not respond as I expected, I had to quickly turn the wheel in order to avoid
hitting the retaining wall. I was thinking it was do to excessive speed
but now I think the electric steering also played a part. It is worth
nothing that I only drive the Z4 1 or 2 times a week.

"grinder" > wrote in message
ink.net...
>
>
> I found the Boxster to me a little more responsive. But the difference in
> price as well as maintenance costs offset that completely. I noticed a
> difference last weekend when I was driving the Z4. I was on an off-ramp
> and the curve was sharper than I expected. I started to turn and, when it
> did not respond as I expected, I had to quickly turn the wheel in order to
> avoid hitting the retaining wall. I was thinking it was do to excessive
> speed but now I think the electric steering also played a part. It is
> worth nothing that I only drive the Z4 1 or 2 times a week.
>
Personally, I don't even notice the electric steering anymore, although I
understand some folks problems with the steering binding in very hot
weather.

You might experiment with increasing the front tire pressure a bit to reduce
the understeer you're experiencing (especially if you have the sport package
staggered tire sizes).

Tom K.