MACK said:Taz said:
Two forum wars in one there.
Coupe vs Roadie
and now Manual vs Auto
This thread's bound to run and run now
dont worry Taz also prefers the coupe
Is an automatic Z4 a NO NO, might go auto.
- Thread starter G-A-R-Y
- Start date
dont worry Taz also prefers the coupe
Personally I love the auto! BMW have done a great job. It really depends on whether you are going to be stuck in much traffic whilst daily driving. The autos are bullet proof unlike Audis and you can switch to manual if that's what you want. I'm surprised they are cheaper though as they were a £1k premium when bought new.
I've had the N85 3.0 auto and now an sdrive 3.0 auto and both are great!
I've had the N85 3.0 auto and now an sdrive 3.0 auto and both are great!
nfbr said:Go and road test one.
I normally only go for Manual cars, but my Coupé is an auto and I love it
It's all down to personal preference.
Make your own opinion based on experiences, don't bother with other peoples opinions.
I had the same experience, I was VERY worried about getting an auto, so much so I went to test drive one with the assumption that I wouldnt like it and I wouldnt buy it.... its now sitting in my driveway
This is my first auto and it is brilliant, the manual sequential mode sold it for me, I hated previous auto's that I drove (Yeah Audi TT V6 DSG... im looking at you! :telloff: ) they change gear too often and I didnt like not having control however the MS mode in the Z4 gives me back control of the gears so no jumping up a gear mid corner!
Nfbr's advice is spot on, go try one, I did, now its mine and I love it
Most have already said go try, and it's true. Everyone has a different opinions on this subject. But I can certainly say that the auto is an amazing piece of kit. Yes manuals are more involved while driving but the auto is better suited day to day running, especially in town. The auto today is better than that of 10 years back, and my coupe is better than my 36 auto in my last car. But do try both as you will only be the one who knows what you like for day to day driving or just a weekend car.
My dad used to say to me, you want a manual, buy a BMW, you want an auto buy a Mercedes. I think that was probably true until the early 2000s but isnt the case anymore.. BMW autos are as good as if not better I would say than the Mercs and obviously each marque sells to a different target audience..
Flyingfifer said:nfbr said:Go and road test one.
I normally only go for Manual cars, but my Coupé is an auto and I love it
It's all down to personal preference.
Make your own opinion based on experiences, don't bother with other peoples opinions.
I had the same experience, I was VERY worried about getting an auto, so much so I went to test drive one with the assumption that I wouldnt like it and I wouldnt buy it.... its now sitting in my driveway
This is my first auto and it is brilliant, the manual sequential mode sold it for me, I hated previous auto's that I drove (Yeah Audi TT V6 DSG... im looking at you! :telloff: ) they change gear too often and I didnt like not having control however the MS mode in the Z4 gives me back control of the gears so no jumping up a gear mid corner!
Nfbr's advice is spot on, go try one, I did, now its mine and I love it
I've never driven a 'Manual Sequential' box. Can you explain how this works in an auto in terms of the actual driving experience?
Never thought I'd like autos (long history of performance cars/kit cars/sports cars all manuals) but when I got my Z4 I became a total convert! For anything with upwards of 220bhp they make total sense. Wouldn't have one in a small engined/low powered car but for me it really makes the Zed feel like a top end GT. Makes the stop start bo11ocks in the all too common queues on our roads almost bearable.
In addition to making town driving effortless, the things that really pleasantly surprised me when I first got mine were the quick take offs with no stalling or missed gears, almost impossible to roll backwards even at junctions on steep banks and cruise control works properly as it can shift gears if it needs to on inclines which it cannot in manuals.
As others have said there is no right or wrong answer go try one it's just a choice.
In a world where we are beginning to design out the driver in cars it does make the argument of manual vs auto box seem somewhat dated!
In addition to making town driving effortless, the things that really pleasantly surprised me when I first got mine were the quick take offs with no stalling or missed gears, almost impossible to roll backwards even at junctions on steep banks and cruise control works properly as it can shift gears if it needs to on inclines which it cannot in manuals.
As others have said there is no right or wrong answer go try one it's just a choice.
In a world where we are beginning to design out the driver in cars it does make the argument of manual vs auto box seem somewhat dated!
Marlon said:
Might be wayyy off with the "manual sequential" part but there is a mode on the box called M/S and I guessed hahaha, basically it lets you chose when to change gear (unless the revs dip too low and being honest I havent revved it to the limiter) it also changes the auto gear stick into a +/- gear changer although you can still use the flappy paddles. When driving... "enthusiastically" I far prefer that mode to letting the autobox decide when to change
The SMG gearbox is a totally different beast to the auto. Quite rare quite complex and quite risky on the pocket if they go wrong.
Just because a Zed has paddles it does not mean it has an SMG.
The standard E85 auto has a semi manual 'steptronic' mode which gives more control over up and down shifting but the SMG models were a pricier option and totally different.
Just because a Zed has paddles it does not mean it has an SMG.
The standard E85 auto has a semi manual 'steptronic' mode which gives more control over up and down shifting but the SMG models were a pricier option and totally different.