Coupe question - auto or manual?

I won't get into the "which is better" debate as it is entirely subjective. Try both and see what you prefer. For me, I just fancied a change after years of manuals, and a slightly dodgy back after a car accident made the auto a more comfortable proposition for me.

But I'm not sure if anyone has explained the auto box, so allow me.

You have a few driving options...

With the stick in Drive, the box will take care of the gears for you. Without the sport button pressed, the drive is more leisurely and perfect around town. Hit the Sport button and each gear will be held for longer, gear changes are quicker, steering is heavier; this can feel a little jerky around town but you can get used to it.

Whilst in auto, you can up/down shift using the paddles. If you then stay at a constant pace and don't make any more gear changes the car will revert back to auto mode, and change back into the gear it thinks you should be in.

Push the stick across into manual mode and you have the choice of up/down shift on the stick or using the paddles - the car will never go into Auto mode.

It's worth mentioning that there is an up and downshift paddle on each side of the wheel (pull the paddle with your fingers on either side to upshift, push the paddle with your thumb to down shift) - not like other cars I've driver where the left paddle downshifts and the right upshifts.

If MPG is important I get anything from 320 to 400 miles from a tank from my 3.0si Auto, depending on the type of driving.

HTH
 
wiggy001 said:
Push the stick across into manual mode and you have the choice of up/down shift on the stick or using the paddles - the car will never go into Auto mode.

HTH
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Maybe the N52 box is different to the M54 but mine always intervenes if you exceed the established parameters. In other words it does auto shift in manual mode if you forget to and go beyond the set rev limit for a particular gear.

In summary on the auto vs manual debate I would just say that pretty much everyone who owns an auto now and has contributed an opinion to this thread has also owned a manual previously and is therefore very well placed to speak from a fully informed position. On the other hand those with manuals.......

Bottom line is once you've tried both the auto just makes much more sense. For 6 cylinder lumps at 2.5 litres and above I'd go auto all day long. Not sure about smaller engines though (Father in law runs a 4 pot toyota Rav 4 auto and it always seem a bit jerky).
 
'Those with manuals' have tried autos which confirmed their suspicions that it's alright but not as fun or involving.
 
GreyZed said:
wiggy001 said:
Push the stick across into manual mode and you have the choice of up/down shift on the stick or using the paddles - the car will never go into Auto mode.

HTH
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Maybe the N52 box is different to the M54 but mine always intervenes if you exceed the established parameters. In other words it does auto shift in manual mode if you forget to and go beyond the set rev limit for a particular gear.
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Yes, you're right. The box won't let you rev too high or stall regardless of which mode you are driving in. I was just trying to highlight the behaviour in auto mode when you start using the paddles, and that wasn't obvious to me when I first got the car and having not owned a car with paddles before.
 
GreyZed said:
Bottom line is once you've tried both the auto just makes much more sense. For 6 cylinder lumps at 2.5 litres and above I'd go auto all day long.
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I don't agree, I have the N52 engine in my 330i and its mated to an auto and I think the auto gearbox ruins the car as a package because it doesn't utilise the sweet rev nature of the silky six engine like a manual gearbox would for me and I think the ZF6 gearbox is a bit of a turd to be honest.

I do like the fact that it will kick down in sport at high revs and wind around to the redline with vigour but for everything else I don't like the gearbox at all, cant comment on a 3.0 Zed though but I would imagine that the auto is better in that because the car is lighter and it will feel like a far faster car too.

I have owned a ZF6 and ZF8 auto and a twin clutch gearbox, I have driven a M3(DCT) and all those gearboxes pale in comparison to how a three pedal manual gearbox feels for me and agree with others that its personal preference and you either love one or the other I think...I really don't like two pedal cars no matter how fast they change gears and its the old school way that I love.
 
All these men in autos :o

:wink:

I've had both.

Previous car - 3.0 roadster auto - I didn't expect to like the auto box but to be fair it is excellent and it does suit the car. I didn't like the fact 'it' choose the parameters as someone else on here has rightly said, slightly missing out on the epic nature of that straight 6 engine. Sports mode was fun, and I did use the manual shift but in a way it was actually better just left in D. It took more work cornering to set it up, or risk it changing up at the wrong moment which somewhat spoiled it. I thought the auto was a good auto, but it took away from the real nature of the car.

Now - manual coupe - I did test an auto coupe first, and the flappy paddles were a step up from my roadster, but having lived with an auto for a year I just felt the car, especially a Z4C, would be even more brilliant with a manual, and it is! :D The howl to the redline, really using the gears to suit whatever type of drive you're on in that moment, and the involvement if you rate that aspect is fantastic. The gearbox could be slicker, and it definitely needs the stupid clutch delay valve taking out, but I feel this is how it's meant to be and I really love it now. The roadster I "liked a lot" but with this I'm head over heels (appreciate there are other differences between an R and a C too).
It's my daily driver through 50% heavy town centre traffic on my commute. Even as a small and quite light female, the clutch is not heavy to me.

This is of course totally subjective. The auto is good, the flappy paddles are great and you will get 100% smiles and pleasure whichever you choose :thumbsup: Personally I wouldn't go back, but then neither would the auto fans who have posted. Horses for courses but thought I'd wade in having owned both!
 
I hate to say but there will never ever be an answer to the auto v manual question!
You may as well ask which is nicer. Red or Blue !
Everybody and his wife have a choice and nobody is wrong :D
 
Agreed.

I was a bit worried nobody with a manual was posting beforehand but 3.0Lady sums it up well for me. Corner control is important.
 
Auto vs manual is just a matter of taste and generally based on what sort of mileage and driving you do. However, I find the argument that the manual is quicker a bit false. It's 0.3 seconds quicker to 62mph, but surely that figure was attained by a professional BMW test driver, flat-shifting to rinse every last drop of power out of the engine.

I bet if you stuck two average drivers in a manual and an auto and made them race to 60mph, 9 times out of 10 the auto would win as there would be no fluffed gear changes and the launch in 1st gear is easier.
 
STUBOY2UK said:
I bet if you stuck two average drivers in a manual and an auto and made them race to 60mph, 9 times out of 10 the auto would win as there would be no fluffed gear changes and the launch in 1st gear is easier.
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I agree with this too.
 
It's easier and more consistent to do a lot of things with a computer but you don't go to play football with an automatic foot because it's no fun. Same here for those that enjoy being involved in driving.
 
Steve84N said:
It's easier and more consistent to do a lot of things with a computer but you don't go to play football with an automatic foot because it's no fun. Same here for those that enjoy being involved in driving.
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My point was that people are saying the manual is faster whereas in real life, with an average driver at the wheel, it's probably actually slower than the auto.

When it comes to fun I agree with you, a 'spirited' drive on some A roads is a lot more involving in a manual.
 
Driving a manual really isn't hard and whilst your average driver won't heel & toe they also won't fluff every other gear change. Besides it's not all about changing gear, the auto uses a torque converter which has more transmission losses which apply ALL of the time. On a flowing road you might only use 3rd & 4th with few actual changes but in gear performance plus throttle response is better in the manual.
 
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