E86 Z4 Coupe - manual versus auto?

[Big Tav]

I am in the same boat. I have driven both years ago and they are both great. I would still have trouble deciding between them though!

[mcbeee]

My right ankle is a little buggered so I can’t heel toe anymore, I had really got the hang of it in my Boxster S and was loving life then I really twisted up the ankle looking for a lost golf ball, so what does that all Mean ?
It means I drive my manual box M roadster and wish I could put the PDK from my 911 in it. I had a DCT in my E89 and absolutely loved it..... but I really like the shifting in the M ........ WTF ! Buy whatever suits your fancy and you will learn to love it. I unfortunately have two hot German mistresses so I am a lost cause.
Good Luck

[rally-chris]

My right ankle is a little buggered so I can’t heel toe anymore, I had really got the hang of it in my Boxster S and was loving life then I really twisted up the ankle looking for a lost golf ball, so what does that all Mean ?
It means I drive my manual box M roadster and wish I could put the PDK from my 911 in it. I had a DCT in my E86 and absolutely loved it..... but I really like the shifting in the M ........ WTF ! Buy whatever suits your fancy and you will learn to love it. I unfortunately have two hot German mistresses so I am a lost cause.
Good Luck

I doubt you had a DCT in your E86, as it wasn't ever an option. Do you mean the normal torque converter auto box with paddles?

Chris

[mr wilks]

The op should try both to decide which suits best but as for which is quickest ? the stats , facts & numbers can say what they like on paper but ive had 3.0Si in manual & auto off the line the auto in sport mode would have disappeared leaving 99% of manual owners still looking for second & if i was betting a weeks wage on it the 3.0Si auto would also be my choice to reach 60mph quicker than 99% of 3.2 M owners could & all with little effort or strain on the cars components , they obviously don't suit all but they are by no mean's the slower alternative

[pvr]

It really is what you want out of the car and how you use it. I love my manuals and the majority of cars of mine are manual, but as mr wilks said, it is only relating to the amount of involvement you want as for performance it makes no difference really.

[LordOxygen]

Bmw autos and manuals are good. If daily driving id go for the auto (my daily is a flappy paddle auto). If a weekend toy I'd go for the manual. The 6 speed manual box in mine is superb, the faster you go the better it gets, especially with the zhp gear knob. Fresh oil also helps.
All manual bmws I've driven have a slightly, longer than you want, throw, the zhp or stormworks knob sorts that thankfully, in the zed atleast

[Buckz]

I'd say depends how you drive and where you drive.

when I got my manual coupe I lived in London and with all the traffic and mental people around it was a bit of a pain. Now I live in west sussex and on my daily commute I'm more than happy with a manual and when it comes to fun, rev matching etc it's a lot more involving.

auto would be good if you're a lazy type of driver or genuinely dislike the manual gearbox.

[kammy1975]

I think everyone has pretty much covered all the reasons as to why you should buy either a manual or an auto. Personally, I opted for the auto, which may sound strange, as 25 of my previous 26 cars were manuals ! Reason - Simple. I drove a manual and auto Z4 Coupe back to back, and just found the manual a little heavy and cumbersome in its shifts compared to my previous cars. ( Yet to drive something which shifts like an S2000 !)

Having said that, if I had the choice again, I think i would go manual ! Having owned the Z4 Coupe for almost 2 years now (which in my car ownership is an eternity !!) I have found what i would say are the limitations of the Auto box when pressing on through the twisty stuff. My car is a weekend toy, but the past 2 years have seen it being used more for commuting when working from other offices. And for this I am always grateful of having the auto, as it makes the commute in heavy traffic less of a pain ! Its a very good auto box, miles better than the horrible auto I had in my only other Auto car (SLK 55 AMG R171) but its leaps behind its successor, the silky smooth ZF 8HP.

As for 0-60 sprints and straight line performance, I have to agree with Mr Wilks. In real world use, the auto box just propels the car with the minimum of fuss. I reckon if i came up against a manual Z4 coupe at the lights, the manual would have the beating of me, but the driver would need to get the perfect launch, and a snappy change. Would they be able to do that 10 times out of 10 ? I doubt it ! I think the auto would win 9 times out of 10 !

So as everyone has posted above, best thing to do is go and try them both, and see what suits you best. The Z4 Coupe is a cracking car, so don't get too hung up on the gearbox, as whichever you choose, the car wont be any worse for it !

Kam

[mcbeee]

My right ankle is a little buggered so I can’t heel toe anymore, I had really got the hang of it in my Boxster S and was loving life then I really twisted up the ankle looking for a lost golf ball, so what does that all Mean ?
It means I drive my manual box M roadster and wish I could put the PDK from my 911 in it. I had a DCT in my E86 and absolutely loved it..... but I really like the shifting in the M ........ WTF ! Buy whatever suits your fancy and you will learn to love it. I unfortunately have two hot German mistresses so I am a lost cause.
Good Luck

I doubt you had a DCT in your E86, as it wasn't ever an option. Do you mean the normal torque converter auto box with paddles?

Chris

Typo: it was my 2009 E89 3.5i with Dinan stage II, Alpine White and 296 's that didn't crack

[bakerlonglegs]

Thanks very much indeed for all the replies and advice! I’m looking for a daily driver that includes a commute in busy town traffic - I think it’s defo an auto for me then . I’m not a traffic light monster so any small differences in 0-60 times will be lost on me.

[Wood Butcher]

I hadn't had an auto before I got my coupé, and I wasn't really sure until I drove it. In the year I've had it, I've been very impressed, and anyone who is in the car with me always mentions how smoothly it goes through the gears.

As it's my only car, I do use it sometimes for travelling to work, and in rush hour traffic the auto is perfect. When you have a bit of clear road it's no slouch even in D.
If I'm out for a drive at the weekend, I'll put it in sport (SD), or manual (M) to use the paddles, or even sometimes the lever (you can use it a bit like a sequential box), so you still have a few options if you want to feel a bit more involved.
It's never truly manual, it won't let you select a gear that would over rev for example, and will change down for you, if you let the revs get too low.
The only slight negative I can think of, is when depressing the throttle fully to engage kickdown, there is a bit of a delay before the engine goes rawr!

From a standing start in sport mode, it's off like a rocket, screaming through the revs up to the red line. I think you'd have to be a true master of the manual box, with a perfect change in every gear to keep up.
I now await all the hate from manual users

[Phoenixboy]

I love my auto. Plenty of options, d if your feeling lazy or in traffic, sport if you want to push on a bit, or manual if you want more input.
What’s not to like?