How is the manual transmission?

[shortseller]

Picked up something interesting online re this very topic, though in this case it was a review of a new Porsche 993 with pdk vs the stick in past models.

The end result was the guy, a manual diehard, basically came to realize the 3.8 liter was so powerful and quick to redline, that human intervention(manual transmission) just wasn't fast enough to keep up with the motor. Saying you would have to be exceptionally good just to be even close to the pdk.

Kind of feel the same way now with my manual f80, and this is coming from a guy that has done manuals for the last past 30 yrs. Am I having fun, yes! Do I think I'm taking full advantage of the s55, no. Would I redo to the dct if I could, maybe..well actually to be honest, probably but my fear would always be at what expense(?), would I lose that connection to the road that has already been sliced into by bmw electronic steering.

[RingMeister01]

DCT is fast

6MT is fun

[sonicgrounds]

Originally Posted by RingMeister01

DCT is fast

6MT is fun

No 6MT is fast too. So it should be DCT is a tiny bit faster and the 6Mt is significantly more fun

[RingMeister01]

Originally Posted by sonicgrounds

No 6MT is fast too. So it should be DCT is a tiny bit faster and the 6Mt is significantly more fun

:

After pulling my hair out from confusion, I changed my order last minute to 6MT!

I think the fun factor and driver involvement outweighs the speed difference.

[jc05e46m3]

Originally Posted by RingMeister01

:

After pulling my hair out from confusion, I changed my order last minute to 6MT!

I think the fun factor and driver involvement outweighs the speed difference.

YES! Nice call. You're going to love it. I promise.

[Lotus99]

It's on the track that I think I would actually miss a DCT the most... Not for city driving.
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[tareemaa]

I test drive a dct f82, I was bored of it immediately. I drive in Chicago traffic everyday with my 6mt, never get tired of it.

If I tracked a ton a really cared about my times compared to others than I'd go dct, but even then I feel like I'm using a handicap, if it's manual vs dct on a track and both guys are posting the same numbers, the manual driver is the better driver in my opinion.

We're spending a lot of money on a performance car, in my opinion it has to be a manual, the day the m3 stops being sold in manual is the day I stop buying m3s

[carholic]

Originally Posted by JonnyM3

Looking to go see about trading my E90 M tomorrow, and am wondering what everyone thinks of the manual. My car is DCT and while I do love it, I admittedly find myself missing rowing my own gears. I drove the E90 with a clutch before deciding on the DCT (owned an sti and s5 before the E90 in manual) and absolutely hated it. Is the tranny improved at all since, or am i gonna be underwhelmed. Thanks for any input.

So much better than letting a robot drive your car. I would get an automatic or DCT or PDK if I were racing and need to shave a second or two off a lap, or if I am drag racing with someone from light to light for money, but otherwise I will take a manual any day. More fun and you can control the speed of engagement and disengagement of the clutch with your left foot. Can't do that with any DCT or PDK.

[Mortis]

I have the 6MT on my M4 and think it's absolutely great for all the reasons cited here.

Question for you guys though - is it just me or is the clutch travel quite long ? With correct seat adjustment for the brake/throttle pedals I still need to stretch out my foot way more than comfortable to get the clutch all the way in. Have not yet tried fast shifts at high speeds but am thinking this could be a problem....

Any views and advice much appreciated!

[Lotus99]

Interesting. I'm in the same boat before ordering eventually (I take a while to get a new car from when I let the idea percolate... )

How many of you drove the M3/M4 DCT before ordering a manual?

I've driven manual cars only for 20 years, and they're a blast. I take my current 335 to the track a few times a year too, and while I'm sure I'd do better with a DCT there, like the heel / toes I occasionally mess up when downshifting on this very tough hairpin, the manual is still a blast to drive there.

I'm lucky that I don't have a nasty commute so at least that's not a reason.

I drove a friend's R8 V10 for a week, and while I have to admit the DCT was pretty sweet when you wanted to drive the car spiritedly - not having to take your hands off the wheel really is nice - in regular city driving, even though I was manually shifting, it got boring pretty quick.

Since I tend to keep my cars 6 to 8 years, I'd be really worried getting a DCT and then regretting it for so many.

I'd miss not being able to do launch control though!
.

[JoeFromPA]

Originally Posted by Lotus99

Interesting. I'm in the same boat before ordering eventually (I take a while to get a new car from when I let the idea percolate... )

How many of you drove the M3/M4 DCT before ordering a manual?

I drove the DCT before ordering the manual. It was simple: The demo cars were DCT, couldn't reasonably find a manual before ordering.

The DCT is not slightly faster than me, it's ALOT faster than me in daily driving. It shifts faster, smooth, with less power interruption, and at better shift points for whatever I'm seeking.

Further, when I'm going all out, the DCT is going to be more consistently good than I am.

I still bought the manual transmission. Because I'm not a professional racer - I'm not trying to beat others when I drive hard. I'm just trying to be as fast as I can be. And whether that's with a manual or DCT, it's more about what gives me the most satisfaction.

[Mik3ymomo]

^ Joe states it nicely here. But would like to add that while the DCT will be superior and provide more consistent performance. Nothing is as rewarding as getting a nice lap time or 1/4 mile time knowing that you pulled that off yourself.

The fun for me is in the challenge.

If I drove a DCT it would feel more like "look at what the car did" instead of "look at what I did".

[dmk08]

I ended up with the manual and im loving every shift. Its light years ahead of the gearbox in my 08.

[nicksm3]

Coming from 2 STI's (best Manual ive ever driven) C6 Z06...pretty good! now my DCT E92...i test drove the F80 in manual. Verrrrrrrrrrrrry close feel to the STI. I LOVE IT!

[s4play]

Originally Posted by nicksm3

Coming from 2 STI's (best Manual ive ever driven) C6 Z06...pretty good! now my DCT E92...i test drove the F80 in manual. Verrrrrrrrrrrrry close feel to the STI. I LOVE IT!

You are the first guy I ever heard to say the STi is good or the Vette for that matter.

Most people use the s2000 shifter as the reference to judge others by so assuming you have not driven that car....

[nicksm3]

Yea I've never had the experience to drive the s2000..can't say much but knowingly that the tranny of the STI is used to beat the piss out in rally...and the feel of it is bullet proof, I can vouch that it's a league of it's own.

[///M///]

Originally Posted by dmk08

I ended up with the manual and im loving every shift. Its light years ahead of the gearbox in my 08.

That's really good to know as the manual in the E9X wasn't anything to be excited about. It was a no-brainer to go DCT on the E90.

[Lotus99]

Driving my manual the past few days, after having just upgraded the exhaust, I'm loving the throttle blips in neutral that I get to do, and I'd miss those too.

[m3z]

I LOVE the manual!!! so glad I got the 6mt over the dct. Not saying the dct isn't great but the manual is so involving and doesn't feel sloppy like the e92 335i manual (I was testing my friends manual to see how my m3's manual was gonna be and it doesn't even compare) if ur on the fence. Get the manual!!

[AlterZgo]

I'm always surprised by how many people say the manual of the M3/M4 is so great. IMO, it's decent, but not really much of a standout. I didn't like the flexy feel of the manual in my 335is and I was surprised by the fact that my F80 M3's manual shifter also feels somewhat flexy. It is no where near as solid as the shifter in my 535i manual which had virtually no flex. The M3's throws are a bit shorter but does not feel very short at all.

So for me at least, the M3/M4 manual was a bit of a let down. It is nowhere as positive, firm, or nice feeling as the manual in a NSX or RX7 or my old 300ZX TT which was notchy and firm in a very good way.

[m3z]

maybe yours sucks? or maybe mines new? cuz mine feels solid like my 350z shifter. and I went back to back in my friends 370z nismo today and I preferred the feel of my f80

[MischiMischi]

Originally Posted by m3z

maybe yours sucks? or maybe mines new? cuz mine feels solid like my 350z shifter. and I went back to back in my friends 370z nismo today and I preferred the feel of my f80

I totally agree with you.
I love my 6MT on the M4 and it reminds me of my 350Z shifter.

The only thing I still want to get is a short shifter.