Coupe question - auto or manual?
- Thread starter archieuk84
- Start date
- 'Stupid handbrakes' stop you going forwards as well as backwards. It's best practice to apply it when stopped in traffic in case you're rear ended as it reduces the chance of you hitting the car in front which turns it into an at fault accident. Your foot will slip off the brakes in an impact.
- Six cylinder cars have hill start assist which holds the brakes on for a couple of seconds if the car would roll forwards or backwards depending on which gear you're in. Haven't needed such a feature in all the years I've been driving but nevertheless 'never roll backwards'.
- Never had a problem with stalling either.
- Missed gear changes are very rare but traffic you win.
- Don't know what you mean about cruise control, it works fine for me. You can even change gear and it remains active. (I believe but am not certain on the last part as our e91 does and the Z4 seems to have the same generation of system)
Short of traffic those reasons are all laziness or bad driving but if they are your priorities then auto wins.
- Six cylinder cars have hill start assist which holds the brakes on for a couple of seconds if the car would roll forwards or backwards depending on which gear you're in. Haven't needed such a feature in all the years I've been driving but nevertheless 'never roll backwards'.
- Never had a problem with stalling either.
- Missed gear changes are very rare but traffic you win.
- Don't know what you mean about cruise control, it works fine for me. You can even change gear and it remains active. (I believe but am not certain on the last part as our e91 does and the Z4 seems to have the same generation of system)
Short of traffic those reasons are all laziness or bad driving but if they are your priorities then auto wins.
5.5 0-60 manual
5.8 0-60 auto
I know what i want.
5.8 0-60 auto
I know what i want.
5.8 every time doesn't make sense as the auto also has no launch control.
Getting the best 0-60 time relies far more on the getaway than the shift which is pretty easy to get right being in a straight line across the gait. You can't modulate power off the line without a clutch as easy as you can with one.
Would be interesting to see who could do more consistent times but I'm not volunteering as I value my consumables!
Getting the best 0-60 time relies far more on the getaway than the shift which is pretty easy to get right being in a straight line across the gait. You can't modulate power off the line without a clutch as easy as you can with one.
Would be interesting to see who could do more consistent times but I'm not volunteering as I value my consumables!
When you put your foot down you are still in the 'wrong gear' but the car does the work for you to put it in the 'right' one.
With the box as old as it is the downshifts are fairly unremarkable so I bet I could change down quicker, especially if more than one gear lower is required where you can block shift in a manual.
It simply means you have to think about it, which to me is more fun. It's back to those personal preferences again.
With the box as old as it is the downshifts are fairly unremarkable so I bet I could change down quicker, especially if more than one gear lower is required where you can block shift in a manual.
It simply means you have to think about it, which to me is more fun. It's back to those personal preferences again.
archieuk84
Member
Steve84N said:
Great post and v helpful thanks.
archieuk84
Member
Certainly a lively debate, with clear plus points on both sides.
Nobody is talking about the paddles on the auto so I am assuming they are just never used or still get overridden by the auto box?
The whole point of them (I assumed) was to have the best of both?
I'm not a racing driver and never going to be so I don't really care about 0.3 theoretical seconds over 0-60.
Also not sure I want to settle into my recliner and get an auto just yet because I think if you do that's that and you ain't likely going back.
I am genuinely in two very separate minds on this issue but I will just have to drive both and see how I feel. I have not been out off / persuaded either way.
On that note, what is the best way to get out and test drive some of these bad boys? I have not seen any local dealer with one of the forecourt and private sellers may be a bit nervous of time wasters.
Isn't just a case of waiting until something shows up at a dealer and getting in there to drive it? I have some time as per my original post.
If there are any local members I would really appreciate just coming over to have a proper look around the car if nothing else.
I'm in the Richmond area of West London.
Cheers all
Nobody is talking about the paddles on the auto so I am assuming they are just never used or still get overridden by the auto box?
The whole point of them (I assumed) was to have the best of both?
I'm not a racing driver and never going to be so I don't really care about 0.3 theoretical seconds over 0-60.
Also not sure I want to settle into my recliner and get an auto just yet because I think if you do that's that and you ain't likely going back.
I am genuinely in two very separate minds on this issue but I will just have to drive both and see how I feel. I have not been out off / persuaded either way.
On that note, what is the best way to get out and test drive some of these bad boys? I have not seen any local dealer with one of the forecourt and private sellers may be a bit nervous of time wasters.
Isn't just a case of waiting until something shows up at a dealer and getting in there to drive it? I have some time as per my original post.
If there are any local members I would really appreciate just coming over to have a proper look around the car if nothing else.
I'm in the Richmond area of West London.
Cheers all
I ummed and ahhed about buying an automatic as I was formerly a 'sports cars must be manual'
dinosaur (that's why they use them in F1 cars eh ? ....not ! ). After five months of driving an auto I would never go back to a manual version of the car. The modern auto boxes are very, very good and so much fun. Put your foot down and the auto-coupe will pull like a train , kick down is like a hyper-space button
As for the flappy paddles I never used them after the novelty wore of. I find them a little awkward to use. I DO however love the sequential shift and sometimes use this for some fun. I must be honest though it mostly stays in 'D' . It's so much easier than a manual around town. The only thing that concerns me is that come the wet and slippy/snowy weather I'll lack that little extra bit of control from a clutch.
dinosaur (that's why they use them in F1 cars eh ? ....not ! ). After five months of driving an auto I would never go back to a manual version of the car. The modern auto boxes are very, very good and so much fun. Put your foot down and the auto-coupe will pull like a train , kick down is like a hyper-space button
As for the flappy paddles I never used them after the novelty wore of. I find them a little awkward to use. I DO however love the sequential shift and sometimes use this for some fun. I must be honest though it mostly stays in 'D' . It's so much easier than a manual around town. The only thing that concerns me is that come the wet and slippy/snowy weather I'll lack that little extra bit of control from a clutch.Newer autos are slightly quicker in a drag race but on a road drive you wouldn't really have any advantage. The manual pulls just as hard when you floor it in the right gear.
The main reason newer autos are getting better acceleration and fuel economy is that they have more gear ratios, so there's less between each one with top gear being longer for lower rpm at a cruise. The other economy reason is people not knowing how to drive and cruising in a lower gear with more power than necessary for the situation. Mimic what the autos do by getting into top as soon as possible and the figures will be very similar unless the ratios lend a big enough advantage. With the Z4 I believe the ratios are the same or at least very similar.
Round town I tend to use 1st, 2nd and 6th mostly as it's quite happy in top gear at 30mph. This doesn't therefore require that many shifts. I get enough bone idle seat time on my sofa so moving my clutch leg is no great hardship.
Having an infinitely variable choice between performance and economy in any given gear simply by choosing when to shift from each one is far more appealing to me than two modes and button pressing.
The main reason newer autos are getting better acceleration and fuel economy is that they have more gear ratios, so there's less between each one with top gear being longer for lower rpm at a cruise. The other economy reason is people not knowing how to drive and cruising in a lower gear with more power than necessary for the situation. Mimic what the autos do by getting into top as soon as possible and the figures will be very similar unless the ratios lend a big enough advantage. With the Z4 I believe the ratios are the same or at least very similar.
Round town I tend to use 1st, 2nd and 6th mostly as it's quite happy in top gear at 30mph. This doesn't therefore require that many shifts. I get enough bone idle seat time on my sofa so moving my clutch leg is no great hardship.
Having an infinitely variable choice between performance and economy in any given gear simply by choosing when to shift from each one is far more appealing to me than two modes and button pressing.
Steve84N said:
Then it's nearly as good as a real auto :wink:
Steve84N said:
Then use the sequential shift if you like and leave the flappies alone.
My coupe is an auto. I actually never wanted an auto but I test drove it anyway and was amazed with how it went. Yes a manual is supposed to be a drivers car but the auto can be driven manually aswell. I use the paddles when driving a spirited way but when in town I leave it in auto mode. Also you can't thrash an auto like the manual. But what you need to do is try both, see how you feel driving them and what you prefer to drive everyday. Mines a daily drive and love it.
I guarantee that you can drive a manual more smoothly than an auto Z4. Tapping a stick is less fun than a full manual and it still overrides what you ask it to do sometimes.
If you don't enjoy being more in control and the rewards that come from knowing you made that perfect downshift then you may as well get the auto.
It's no secret that the majority of the world's best drivers still prefer a manual though...
If you don't enjoy being more in control and the rewards that come from knowing you made that perfect downshift then you may as well get the auto.
It's no secret that the majority of the world's best drivers still prefer a manual though...
Steve84N said:
My auto is very smooth compared to other autos I've driven. Unless the auto is in bad condition it should be very smooth. I see the paddles as a good thing as my hand are on the wheel at all times of driving as I never really use the lever to change manually. Granted the best driver may prefer manual but I wander how many own a auto for everyday driving.