If you are thinking about getting an..

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E89 when they are available ex demonstrator you must try and buy one with the DCT it is fantastic, I run my car in two weeks ago and I gave it max revs yesterday, you cannot hear it changing gear nor feel it, it is just linear acceleration also it is very good in traffic. :driving:

If you can get the iS, the feel of the 500nm torque is something else, and if there is an M model introduced it will not be enough of a step forward in performance over the iS to warrant the extra cost etc
 
It may be something that I, at some time in the future, would have to get used to if there is no alternative, but I prefer a manual box.

During my test drive in the 35 with DCT, it was in the wrong gear for me at roundabouts even in manual and me trying to force it in second gear. I am sure with practise I could live with it in the end, but I am not ready for that yet.

That is why I hope that if/when an M would be introduced, that a manual gearbox would be one of the differing factors with the iS.
 
pvr said:
It may be something that I, at some time in the future, would have to get used to if there is no alternative, but I prefer a manual box.

During my test drive in the 35 with DCT, it was in the wrong gear for me at roundabouts even in manual and me trying to force it in second gear. I am sure with practise I could live with it in the end, but I am not ready for that yet.

That is why I hope that if/when an M would be introduced, that a manual gearbox would be one of the differing factors with the iS.
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I had been using manual gearboxes for the last 47 years and I did think a DCT would be a bit boring not changing gear (it's not) but I would not go back to a manual.

Don't know what you mean by "in the wrong gear for you at roundabouts" :) in the iS there are no such problems no matter how you drive it's always in the correct gear :)
 
I had the M3 DCT, and unless I was on the motorway with it I was simply using the flappy paddles to change manually (downshifts were great). It was one one the few things about it that I wished I had on the Z4.
 
On the few occasions I've used a DCT (35i S-Drive twice and E92 M3 once) I'm like mmm-five and used the flappy paddles and treated the car like a clutchless manual.

Still not 100% sure I would specify it if buying an E89 (although no choice in the 35iS) but it's much better than the old SMG which I thought was terrible. The E89 DCT makes a lovely noise on downshifts as well.... :P
 
I think DCT is great. Why do people want manual gearbox if DCT can change gears faster and sometimes even give better fuel economy and lower emission? This is why M3 use M-DCT, old M3/M5/M6 use SMG. SMG is only good on the track, but DCT provides smoother and faster gearchange than steptronic automatic gearbox.
 
My problem was in the following situation, which I replicated over and over:

Approach roundabout in third gear, I am in Manual mode on the DCT and want to pull away from the roundabout in second. So slow down before the roundabout, put in second, but the moment I let the brake go, it shifts into third just when I am about to go around the roundabout and pulls away in third from the roundabout.

It was working against me at that stage as I wanted something different and even in Manual it overrode me (low revs as well, about 3k revs in second on the downshift before the roundabout).

I am sure I could get used to it eventually. I have no issues with the speed it changes, the smoothness etc etc but I am missing the overriding control (I actually feel more in control with the auto box on my X5 as I can just move the leaver to the gear I want).
 
pvr said:
My problem was in the following situation, which I replicated over and over:

Approach roundabout in third gear, I am in Manual mode on the DCT and want to pull away from the roundabout in second. So slow down before the roundabout, put in second, but the moment I let the brake go, it shifts into third just when I am about to go around the roundabout and pulls away in third from the roundabout.
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That's different than the set-up in the M3 & M5 then, as they'll stay in whichever gear you've selected if you're in full manual mode - as I found out in the M3 when pulling away once :oops:
 
Never driven either M3 nor M5 so I can not compare.

I drove the original SMG in a 2003 Z4 which I could not get on with either, and I removed that option from my order at the time as I had ticked the box. In those days the Z had a different box from the M3 as well, so perhaps that is still the case now?
 
On the track, the DCT shines. I think it would be the only thing to get me out of a traditional manual transmission. It's ever so much better than the SMG.
 
F1 race cars all have sequential gearbox. Are Button and Hamilton not real racing drivers? Manual gearbox may become history in 20 years time. Most race cars (WTCC, BTCC, GT) don't have manual box.
 
pvr said:
My problem was in the following situation, which I replicated over and over:

Approach roundabout in third gear, I am in Manual mode on the DCT and want to pull away from the roundabout in second. So slow down before the roundabout, put in second, but the moment I let the brake go, it shifts into third just when I am about to go around the roundabout and pulls away in third from the roundabout.

It was working against me at that stage as I wanted something different and even in Manual it overrode me (low revs as well, about 3k revs in second on the downshift before the roundabout).

I am sure I could get used to it eventually. I have no issues with the speed it changes, the smoothness etc etc but I am missing the overriding control (I actually feel more in control with the auto box on my X5 as I can just move the leaver to the gear I want).
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I actually got the car to do what you are saying but I had it in Auto and shifted with the paddles (S on the display, not D or M), so it wasn't really in true Manual mode. It could be my imagination but it seems a little sloppier shifting with paddles in Auto than the same shifts in Manual....... I can't get it to do it any other way...... We only have one roundabout within 20 miles so I don't have a lot of chances :D
 
ksher said:
F1 race cars all have sequential gearbox. Are Button and Hamilton not real racing drivers? Manual gearbox may become history in 20 years time. Most race cars (WTCC, BTCC, GT) don't have manual box.
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But they have to initiate the gearchange by hand, it's not done for them by a computer in the car. That's why and SMG box is the best of both worlds. The DCT & VW's DSG are just dual-clutch versions of SMG.

man·u·al [man-yoo-uhl]
–adjective
done, operated, worked, etc., by the hand or hands rather than by an electrical or electronic device.
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AlanJ said:
Manual gearboxes are for REAL drivers...... :poke: :rofl:
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But real men know when they are beaten and no person on this planet can shift as fast or as smooth as the DCT.

Maybe that's why F1 cars use this style of tranny and put the manual ones in the bin... :poke: :poke: :poke: :poke: :poke:
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
 
mcbeee said:
But real men know when they are beaten and no person on this planet can shift as fast or as smooth as the DCT.

Maybe that's why F1 cars use this style of tranny and put the manual ones in the bin... :poke: :poke: :poke: :poke: :poke:
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
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Agree. :)
 
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