Auto or manual

[techathy]

Not much difference, are you kidding???

2 seater drop top - Yes
Premium brand - Yes
Rear wheel drive - Yes
Hard top roof - Yes
Baby GT feel - Yes
... I can't think of a closer match to the Z4 than the SLK/SLC

Only the SLK 55 AMG comes up to scratch when compared with the 35is performance wise and that takes a V8 to do it and costs several thousands more. All the others are smaller (boot and interior) and considerably slower 0-62. They didn't call Clarkson's car the SL Gay for nothing

But for all its flaws the SLK/SLC is by far the the most direct competition to the Z4 in my book. It feels like a baby GT sports car, everything else I tried felt like it (trying) to be a handling sports rather car than a baby GT sports car.

[Nictrix]

Take the size of the engines and the performance out of the equation, they look similar and thats what the average person sees.

[brightonbimmer]

Cheers guys i think ill make the DCT auto my first choice

My prior car, a 2003 Boxster S, had a Tiptronic transmission with toggles on the steering wheel. Since the car would not let you select too low a gear, I found that I could preselect a lower gear, perhaps two down, as I approached a corner at speed, while braking. When I hammered the gas while leaving the turn, I was already in the correct gear for acceleration. I think that the performance was still quite "sporting", and I doubt that I could have shifted gears as efficiently or quickly with a manual. My Jaguar XK8 (before the Porsche) was also an automatic, but I did not drive it in the same fashion as either the Porsche or the Z4. I am very happy with the paddles in the Z4, but have yet to give it a real workout to make a fair comparison with the Boxster S.

[brittas]

I trading mt Audi TTS DSG gear box to a manual Z4 28i. I will miss the auto a great deal. I may regret not getting an auto but the price was right on the Z4 I am buying.

[brittas]

I have since changed my mind and put deposit on automatic 28i m sport. I doubt it will live up to the tts s tronic. I will find it hard to go back to manual now.

[Nanu]

It's the duel clutch auto that makes the big difference

[flybobbie]

If I had the money, top of the range DCT.
My manual is notchy, which spoils the drive.

[ronk]

I never really found the gear change of my E85 very good - it thought it was quite heavy - The service manager from another dealership took it out and said that it was normal !

[MattHall91]

The S tronic box in my A3 is mightily impresive and I am glad I went for it to cover 35k miles a year in.

However if I could have a 2nd car for weekends, I wouldn't look twice at even a DCT. I have come to appreciate the circumstances under which each gearbox is the best choice (for me).

[Zed Five]

I drove a manual new bmw yesterday for the first time in a while. I genuinely cannot see why anyone bothers with a manual these days. Just pointless 'ohh i'm a driver' talk. Who cares? I'm afraid i wont be buying one.

[dr_john]

I don't really get this DCT vs auto issue.

I love my 8 speed auto, smooth as silk, fast and responsive enough for me during normal everyday driving.

I understand the mechanics of a DCT box, but what is the difference as a driver? Maybe I'm missing a point here

[LeeZ4MR]

The S tronic box in my A3 is mightily impresive and I am glad I went for it to cover 35k miles a year in.

However if I could have a 2nd car for weekends, I wouldn't look twice at even a DCT. I have come to appreciate the circumstances under which each gearbox is the best choice (for me).

Completely agree with this and had the S-Tronic gearbox in a TT-S and have the ZF8 in a 640d and I genuinely can't really understand why anybody rates that type of gearbox highly unless you are constantly stuck in traffic, because as soon as the road opens up both the S-Tronic and Auto gearboxes are as boring as hell for sure.

A three pedal manual has to rule the day if you enjoy driving or want any sort of satisfaction or reward for sure

[LeeZ4MR]

I don't really get this DCT vs auto issue.

I love my 8 speed auto, smooth as silk, fast and responsive enough for me during normal everyday driving.

I understand the mechanics of a DCT box, but what is the difference as a driver? Maybe I'm missing a point here

The fact is there really isn't any real difference and if anything the auto actually does a better job overall because it does the slush bit far better but also responds well in the right mode too, the problem with DCT/S-Tronic is that they are really good when pushing on but fall down at doing the rest of it.

You try moving a DCT/S-Tronic slowly forwards and backwards and it will frustrate you big time and that type of gearbox only seems happy when you are really pushing on and having fun, and let's be honest if you want fun it's the three pedal way all of the way anyway

[dr_john]

Thanks for that Lee, I guess that's what I suspected

[Mr Tidy]

Welcome from a dinosaur - 3 pedals for me, and naturally-aspirated straight 6 with a 6-speed manual gearbox please!

Wouldn't consider any sort of flappy-paddle/turbo nonsense - but hey, that is why they invented the E89 I think!?!

What a disappointment in every respect! POS.