Who loves their DCT? And 6MT owners have you tried it?

[PKL]

After having Manual my whole life going back to a 1999 M3, for the past two years I have been driving a 2011 M3 with DCT.

Going back to manual now. All benefits of the DCT aside, it just isn't the same, the FEEL OF ROWING THE GEARS is priceless to me

[scourgem3]

My first F80 was a DCT and now I'm in a 6MT. I love the DCT and miss it occasionally (mostly during traffic) but there's just something special about the 6MT.

[ntg44]

Haven't tried the DCT, but it intrigues me. My previous S4 had the DSG box, and I was very satisfied with that transmission (and the car as a whole), but I think it says a lot that I traded it in on a manual M3 three years later.

After I sold my WRX for the S4, I realized how much I missed a manual, peaky torque curve turbocharged experience. The hell with numbers, I for one cannot get enough of turbo lag and the surge of torque when boost hits. Reminds me of my old WRX, with the difference being that the M3 actually delivers competent power under 3000 RPM.

Compared to other manuals I've owned, the M3's shifter isn't particularly remarkable. I hate how close the gates are horizontally to each other. Combined with very little force required, I'm hitting 5th gear way too often during a redline 2-3 shift. Can't stand that, and it's the only manual I've ever had this problem with. You can't put any horizontal effort into the shift at all. But the clutch is great, and the rev matching is such a nice quality of life improvement, I don't even care that it's enabled by default, it makes normal driving so much easier. First manual I've owned that people haven't commented on the ride being jerky.

Overall though, I think this car probably has the best manual you're going to get for a DD. For me, DCT would be a choice more for power delivery/acceleration than for an easier commute. The light clutch, shifter, and rev matching make it way too easy to pick it up if that's what you're looking for.

[zamboni]

Having both E93 DCT & F80 6MT no doubt the DCT shift faster but I would like to have control how and when I want to shift the gear. The maintenance on MT is much cheaper than DCT.

[xBoffx]

6MT or nothing for me...I just love shifting gears and that’s that. Besides, how else could I pretend I was Gilles Villeneuve?

[SD ///M4]

Originally Posted by Tintking

Just wondered if you love the DCT as much as I do? Manual owners did you ever try the DCT before going manual and if so, was it more than a 10 minute test drive?

I was planning on buying a 2016 M4 but the hardest decision for me was DCT or manual. In 2015 I had a unique opportunity, along with my wife, and a friend who was also planning on buying an M3. Another friend of ours, who worked at a BMW dealer, had two identically configured Austin Yellow M4s, with only one difference, one was a DCT and the other was a manual. He offered us the chance to drive both, back to back, on some nearby windy, twisty roads. We were able to take both cars out, unaccompanied, for as long as we wanted, and the three of us rotated through both cars, driving the same roads back and forth.

At the time, my wife had a 335is Coupe, 6MT, and she's never owned a car without a manual transmission. I had a Z4 M Roadster (which I still have), and except for my first used car, every car I've owned has been a manual. My friend had an E46 M3 with SMG. He's owned lots of BMWs, mostly manuals, since the first salvage BMW he bought while in high school. (He restored that, made it his daily driver, and eventually it became his BMW CCA Club Racing car.)

Over the course of an hour or so, we all drove both cars. I loved the DCT, and it felt effortless. The ability to immediately upshift or downshift, with absolute precision, the constant forward thrust, without hesitation, was just sublime. I felt immediately bonded to the car and there was absolutely no doubt that I was going to order my car with the DCT. My friend liked the DCT, but he really preferred the manual and he was going to order his M3 with the manual. (He ended up ordering an M2 with a manual.) My wife, said that she could go either way, she liked them both. (Two years later she ordered her M3 with the DCT.)

I've never regretted choosing the DCT. I always drive it in Sequential mode, upshifting and downshifting as I would if it were a manual. Even in traffic, I never use it in Auto mode. I don't feel "less engaged" or "disconnected", common criticisms from manual owners (many of whom have never driven a DCT), instead, I feel more at one with the car because I can effortlessly change gears in a split second.

I've done around two dozen track days at multiple tracks in the 3.5 years I've owned it, just a fraction of my total time on the track in other cars, and the DCT truly excels on the track. There's no loss of momentum, just constant acceleration on the straights. Downshifting for a corner is effortless and you can concentrate on your braking and your line through the corner without worrying about getting your heel-toe downshift perfect (I mastered that in my S2000 years earlier).

I don't miss driving a manual, but if I really have the craving to drive a manual, I still have the Z4 M Roadster, which I limit to perfect days, not too hot, not too cold, and never in the rain.

[xeux]

I have the DCT on my current and also had it on the previous F80. I'm a big fan.

[notnow]

E92 M3 6MT was fun but inconvenient for 100% city driving, especially when no one else could drive it for me after a few drinks.

DCT on the M4 sounds intoxicating, I also feel like I get to focus more on the actual drive but it could be because I only had 3 years of experience with MT.

[M 4 FUN]

I bought my M4 for DRIVINg pleasure only, and to drive it myself, as pure as possible. I want to shift, clutch out, brake, steer, all by myself. I don't like to be controlled by Electronic stuff. I deleted the stupid fake burbles, stupid rev matching, active sound fake crap. Instead i put in GTS carbon seats, short shifter and Öhlins suspension to further increase the driving pleasure.
Eveyone with DCT talks about the fast shifting. What do they do with the extra 0,2 seconds they save? Go to McDonalds or what ?
To me "automatics" are for limousines and family cars. But that's just me .

[Tintking]

Originally Posted by M 4 FUN

I bought my M4 for DRIVINg pleasure only, and to drive it myself, as pure as possible. I want to shift, clutch out, brake, steer, all by myself. I don't like to be controlled by Electronic stuff. I deleted the stupid fake burbles, stupid rev matching, active sound fake crap. Intsead i put in GTS carbon seats, short shifter and Öhlins suspension to further increase the driving pleasure.
Eveyone with DCT talks about the fast shifting. What do they do with the extra 0,2 seconds they save? Go to McDonalds or what ?
To me "automatics" are for limousines and family cars. But that's just me .

Ok it sounds like you might be “on the fence” about this. Lol
But as I said in my post, did you ever try a DCT at any point? Note that there are a lot of long time manual drivers who have switched teams.

[DPHTOY]

I learned to drive on a manual F-150 with 3 speed on the column and since than almost every car I have owned has been a manual. However in 2016 I bought a F83 with a DCT. My lease was recently up and I liked the F83 so much I purchased a 2020, but I ordered one with a 6MT. I will admit the DCT is faster and I certainly cannot come anywhere close to being able to shift as fast as the DCT, but while I was OK with it never won me over. With the 6MT I feel more connected with the car. More involved and for me the driving experience with the manual is much more engaging.

[bagekko]

I had a DCT 135 and I have driven DCT M3/4/5 on the track. I like it, but I will always be a 3 pedal manual person. I couldnt wait to get ride of my DCT 135 convertible and get the 6spd M4 convertible. One of the main reasons I gave into the DCT life for a while was as a 2nd car option for the wife, since she has 2 cars now thats no longer necessary.

DCT is better than SMG and would take DCT over the autos the M's have moved too, but my #1 option will always be a standad stick shift regardless of the drawbacks.

[AlpineWhite_SJ]

Originally Posted by Tintking

Ok it sounds like you might be “on the fence” about this. Lol
But as I said in my post, did you ever try a DCT at any point? Note that there are a lot of long time manual drivers who have switched teams.

Are you a missionary? Seems like you’re trying to convert people.

MT vs DCT is a religious argument. Be happy with your choice and enjoy it, like the people who have the manuals are with theirs.

[M3 MT]

Originally Posted by M 4 FUN

I bought my M4 for DRIVINg pleasure only, and to drive it myself, as pure as possible. I want to shift, clutch out, brake, steer, all by myself. I don't like to be controlled by Electronic stuff. I deleted the stupid fake burbles, stupid rev matching, active sound fake crap. Instead i put in GTS carbon seats, short shifter and Öhlins suspension to further increase the driving pleasure.
Eveyone with DCT talks about the fast shifting. What do they do with the extra 0,2 seconds they save? Go to McDonalds or what ?
To me "automatics" are for limousines and family cars. But that's just me .

Lol, same here. MT for me all the way

[CanIDeductIt]

I had a chance to test drive both on a few different occasions before buying my 6MT. The DCT is an incredible gearbox, and I felt much better programmed than my limited experience with one in a buddies E90. The main sticking point on choosing manual for me was that my prior car, 2015 Cayman S, was a PDK and there were a lot of times during that ownership I wished I had gone with the manual transmission. My car before that was a 335i manual, and mostly manual transmissions in prior cars. I bought the Cayman with the PDK so that my wife (who refuses to learn manual) could drive it on occasion, and I was also commuting in traffic much more often back then. And while she did enjoy her time behind the wheel, it was so limited it was negligible when the M3 purchase came around.

All that said, I have a feeling this will probably be my last manual transmission daily driver. Fortunately, my commute is fairly painless, so it's not a matter of dealing with traffic. Rather, I'm doubtful my next car will be offered with a manual, be it a future generation M3 or something else. I hope I'll have the garage space and financial ability at that time to grab a 911 of some flavor and get my manual transmission kicks in that manner, then have something more practical for daily driving duties.

In the meantime, this is one of the nicest 6 speeds I've driven and definitely scratches my itch for a three pedal car.

[Tommy L Garage]

I drive a manual - love it.

DCT is better paired for the F8x and makes it feel like a supercar.

I still went with the manual. Slower but a lot more fun.

[N55Msport]

Drove both. DCT on the F80 is definitely faster but, to me the manual just looks better. Leather boot, the three M pedals... it just looks proper.
And I dont care about track or lap times.

[gripenM]

i've been a manual guy for years since i first started driving,
but i would choose the DCT in the F82 again and again.

i love the barks on the upshift!

[Tintking]

Originally Posted by AlpineWhite_SJ

Are you a missionary? Seems like you’re trying to convert people.

MT vs DCT is a religious argument. Be happy with your choice and enjoy it, like the people who have the manuals are with theirs.

I’m trying ...but you guys seem too zealous to convert! At least a few of you have verts so that’s good to see. Sounds like we are all happy with our flavor.

[Beemerm3]

I like my dct. Shifting down to 2nd gear car makes a whoosing sound. Driving aggressive on the freeway u only need to be on 6th gear. Downshifting to 5th gear picks up speed quick. Being in sport plus downshifting from 4th to 2nd in traffic it's really loud. Kind of noticable. I drive it in sport mode.

[SD ///M4]

Originally Posted by SD ///M4

I don't feel "less engaged" or "disconnected", common criticisms from manual owners (many of whom have never driven a DCT), instead, I feel more at one with the car because I can effortlessly change gears in a split second.

Originally Posted by DPHTOY

With the 6MT I feel more connected with the car. More involved and for me the driving experience with the manual is much more engaging.

See? What did I say? But the real question is, have you driven a DCT for a true comparison? Or is this just how you "feel" about it, with no empirical data to back up your "feeling"?

[AlpineWhite_SJ]

Originally Posted by SD ///M4

See? What did I say? But the real question is, have you driven a DCT for a true comparison? Or is this just how you "feel" about it, with no empirical data to back up your "feeling"?

What level of operation is required to drive a DCT? At worst, in sequential/manual shifting mode you pull on a +/- paddle or the lever while pressing the accelerator. You probably have to think about current rpm or rate of acceleration. Easily done with a coffee or breakfast burrito in hand. At best, you just punch it with the gas pedal and drive mode/drive logic does all the shifting at predetermined values for you. Quick yes, but doesn’t require much thought or input on your part for the acceleration and gear selection. That can be a benefit - you can focus on braking, your line for the apex, etc.

Manual on the other hand, does absolutely nothing for you. You have to put in the clutch pedal, you have to move the gear selector to an appropriate gear for the speed and rpm you are in. You have to synchronize clutch pedal motion with gear throw and gas pedal to do it effectively and smoothly. You do any of this wrong and you money shift, grind a gear, stall or bog the motor. It requires more inputs and actions, so it inherently requires you to think and act more - i.e. be "engaged” at all times or you don’t get the desired outcome. You still have to focus on braking, your line, and all the rest.

Not sure how actually driving a DCT is going to magically erase all of those factual differences on how the two differ, and that many MT drivers consider to be part of being engaging. Paddle shifting in a ZF8 to me is like playing a video game - I click and it goes and if I f-up, it corrects me.

Diffrn’t strokes for diffrn’t folks...