Manual v Auto

S

Sportbilly

Member
Hi,

Currently perusing the classifieds for a 2003-05 Z4 and had my heart set on a manual but there seems to be a lot of autos in the 3 litre version. Anyone ever driven both? Wondered what your thoughts would be on this? To me it seems a bit mad to have a sporty car in anything but manual but I don't know if it's noticeably different in the Z4? I've driven 987 Boxster S's and it's night and day.
 
I've driven both a number of time and in terms of performance there is little difference. I would say if you do a lot of in traffic stop and go driving then an auto might be the best choice otherwise a manual.
 
I've had the pleasure of driving and owning various powerful beemas including the last mcoup, a 540, and a 330 and have always gone for manual. I recently bought I an auto coupe (3.0) and quite like it although it took some getting used to. The first niggle was going into a corner one likes to be in the correct gear for exit speed/acceleration away. If braking hard on the way in the auto box wouldn't change down with decrease in speed so there would be a slight delay when from the apex and u dialing the power back
In the box has to change down at that point whereas in a manual it would clearly have been in the correct gear before that point. This is solved though by changing down manually on the flappy padles or touring car style sequential stick function on ur way in. Next niggle (only happened a couple of times in sports mode) was the car changing down unexpectedly when balanced on the revs through long sweeping corners. Car obviously thought revs to low but I disagreed. No big deal. Just a bit of a surprise. The final niggle is that when u start using manual changes it doesn't leave you to it. i.e. No input from u for a while (seems like 1 minute or so) and it will revert back to auto mode. This is a bit annoying when for instance hooning down country roads in sports mode. When I get to a village/30 zone I change up so I'm not pootling through town with the engine at high revs on the bottom of the power zone (which is where sport auto keeps it). The car will automatically switch back to sport auto if I don't touch the box for long enough and change down one unnecessarily and without instruction. U get round this by switching sport off on entering village and back on when u leave. All minor niggles to be fair outweighed IMHO by otherwise lightening quick upshifts using full power band (sports mode) and general convenience intuitive shifts round town/in traffic in non sports mode. In all given the choice I'd get an auto again. Just wish when u put it in manual mode it would stay there until told otherwise and not switch back to auto of it's own accord. Test drive both and see what u think. Bear in mind will need to get used to auto chatacteristics but once used to the auto it's a good bit of kit IMO. And this from someone who has never touched an auto before on principle.
 
Thanks for the replies. I'll try to get a test drive in both to see if I can spot any differences. It sounds to me from whats been said that there is little difference as far as performance is concerned. I already drive an auto although it's a Toyota Landcruiser which is great but it's a 4x4. What I wouldn't want to give up is the performance in the Z4, something the 987 Boxster S definitely suffers from as an automatic IMO.
 
Meant to add that kick down in either sports or normal auto is the business. In sports if u really plant it say in 5th it'll drop down two cogs (if necessary) to squeeze every last drop out of the 3rd gear power band before wringing the neck of the 4th gear power band by which time ull probably have backed off because ur outta road.
 
Its horses for courses IMO
I have driven both and much prefer the Auto and have been looking for the right Z4 now for last last few months without success

I must say tho that having driven two 07 cars one with paddle shift and 18" alloys and the other with no paddles and 16" alloys the the one with out was more subtle and less rushed but not as thrilling to drive.

I have driven auto's for over 20 years in my own cars but still driven manual boxes for work and in my wifes cars and my trusty MR2 which is making way for a Z4 and it is an auto every time for me. Lets face it most of the time you will not be pushing the car so an auto makes for a better drive, again IMO

If you decide on the auto just don't buy the one I am looking at.....
 
Test both and see what you like. I have driven both, love the auto and think in 3.0i guise it's a perfect combo. One of the best auto boxes ever made.
 
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