Stupid Question?

[Z4Ohio]

Looked at a 2003 Z4 SMG today. Considering purchase. Seller told me you can only drive it by shifting with the shifter or paddles. Cannot drive as an Automatic. There was no "D" selection on the shifter. Everything I have read says there is an Auto option when in "D". HELP, I'm confused. Jeff

[kis]

Looked at a 2003 Z4 SMG today. Considering purchase. Seller told me you can only drive it by shifting with the shifter or paddles. Cannot drive as an Automatic. There was no "D" selection on the shifter. Everything I have read says there is an Auto option when in "D". HELP, I'm confused. Jeff

Hi mate, welcome! SMG can be driven as fully auto.
You flick the gear selector (from Neutral) to the right and it normally defaults to auto (D) if not (it will just display a 1 - for gear one). If this is the case then you click it to the right again and it will change to (D)

[Z4Ohio]

Current owner does not know that. Probably shouldn't tell him.

[Z4Ohio]

This car has only 18000 miles on it.

[djstan]

Is this a trader or do they own the car? Slightly worrying if they own the car that they don't know that?!

[jabber]

I owned a smg and really enjoyed it I always drove it in manual mode and the wife would use auto mode

[cj10jeeper]

Or a dodgy seller who knows the box has a fault and hiding it
Just saying...

[kis]

I didn’t say that actually it’ll tell you the gear when in drive. So if it’s in drive and in gear 1 for example then it’ll read (D1). If it’s gear 4 then (D4).

If it’s just manual there will be no D and it’ll need shifting manually to change gear number. Obviously lol.

Where you based? Is it local? Test drive? If it doesn’t switch from (D1) to (1) then perhaps there could be a selector or gearbox or some sort of problem...

[patriot66]

The auto mode on the SMG is bloody awful compared to a true auto gearbox. Don't forget it is actually a 6 speed manual gearbox with a clutch that is actuated electro-hydraulically. When you drive in the auto mode it revs that high in each gear before changing that it makes you cringe and then the changes themselves aren't the same silky smooth you are used to with a genuine auto.
If you buy the SMG just put it in Sport mode and drive it as Fritz intended with the paddles or stick. Superb !

[kis]

The auto mode on the SMG is bloody awful compared to a true auto gearbox.

Come now, it's not that bad. Let's just leave it as 'not as good as an auto' lol! When I'm driving I normally shift after the auto shift does anyway. But yes when in traffic or something it wants to go to like 2500 revs before shifting when it could easily manage around 1800. Got its faults, but suits me nicely.

[cj10jeeper]

Truth is that it was a nice idea, but didn’t have the best elements of a manual or auto, so most folks skipped it
Once they fitted paddles to the auto the concept was dead as evidenced by its demise in the range and low sales

[patriot66]

Truth is that it was a nice idea, but didn’t have the best elements of a manual or auto, so most folks skipped it
Once they fitted paddles to the auto the concept was dead as evidenced by its demise in the range and low sales

The SMG in sequential mode being driven 'properly' using paddles/stick is a superb driving experience. The upchanges under full throttle are lightning fast and seemless and the rev matching throttle blips on the downchange are sublime. And you get 'engine braking' as with a normal manual. A very different experience indeed to driving an auto in manual mode.
My wife has a Freelander2 with 6 speed auto and she says in comparison the SMG in auto mode in our Zed is 'bloody awful'.....so it must be !

[cj10jeeper]

Truth is that it was a nice idea, but didn’t have the best elements of a manual or auto, so most folks skipped it
Once they fitted paddles to the auto the concept was dead as evidenced by its demise in the range and low sales

The SMG in sequential mode being driven 'properly' using paddles/stick is a superb driving experience. The upchanges under full throttle are lightning fast and seemless and the rev matching throttle blips on the downchange are sublime. And you get 'engine braking' as with a normal manual. A very different experience indeed to driving an auto in manual mode.
My wife has a Freelander2 with 6 speed auto and she says in comparison the SMG in auto mode in our Zed is 'bloody awful'.....so it must be !

I don’t disagree with anything you say,. I’m just pointing to what I see as the reality of how customers decide and buy, hence few sales and short life.
DCT and slick autos like the 8 in my F Type and 9 in Evoque are a world apart from old slush boxes

[ph001]

Wouldn't have a DCT in a weekend sports car if my life depended on it. I thought it completely disconnected me from the driving experience of an F80 M3 Comp pack that I had for a day recently. Manual every time.

The resale value of manual sports and supercars are rocketing at the moment, that must say something.