Ordered a M2 today....need to decide which transmission!

[KERMIT1970]

Good question ! I don't think there's that much of a difference. I think it's the noise off it that a few of my friends think it's much faster,if any. I know what the zed can do to certain fixed points & I don't think the M4 is that much quicker. The handling & brakes Are the big improvement over the zed. It was a itch I had to scratch,but don't think I'll be ordering a M4 at the moment. Saying that if I go into the dealer today & he gives me a fantastic deal lol

 

[goldbcfc]

DCT all day over manual with a clutch if its anything like DSG its a winner over any manual and that's from someone who owns a manual. These new auto boxes are so good it make shifting annoying. Does the new DCT have torque converter or is it like a SMG system?.

 

[toledo]

Manual for me every single time. Personally I love the sound of a proper old fashioned gear change, that half a second or so when you roll off the throttle, engage the clutch, shift and then floor the loud pedal! While I totally accept that DCTs are quicker and more efficient all these new DCTs and similar in BMWs and other marques just do nothing for me, sound like automatics and don't have the magic sound of an old fashioned manual gear change. I also prefer the extra control and feedback that I get from a manual and also the satisfaction of mastering a perfect heel/toe downshift without a machine doing it all for me.

This video, while on the M3/M4 rather than M2 is interesting to watch. Two friends, one with a manual and one with a DCT swap cars and then decide if they could buy their car again if they would still make the same choice...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e02K1pLfMeE

 

[GuidoK]

This video, while on the M3/M4 rather than M2 is interesting to watch. Two friends, one with a manual and one with a DCT swap cars and then decide if they could buy their car again if they would still make the same choice...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e02K1pLfMeE

Somewhere in the efford to make that 14min video trying to highlight all the differences they forget to mention that the manual box is about 30kg lighter or so than the dct. Or they simply just dont know.

 

[goldbcfc]

I think for every reason not to buy auto there's always a reason to buy its same with manual really they both have pros and cons. I've been a pro manual bmw owner for many years. Although my last bmw was auto I couldn't wait to return to another manual bmw this year. My next bmw will most defiantly be auto again though their just so much more relaxing to drive and you always get that perfect gear change which sounds sweet. I've had my last bit of fun on track with manual I think now in the z4. For 95% of normal driving auto just suits driving much better these days just to much traffic about. It always feels like I can drive autos quicker than my manuals too as your not messing about with gears and are more focused on steering. Most the best performance cars in the world are auto now not manual.

 

[GuidoK]

It always feels like I can drive autos quicker than my manuals too as your not messing about with gears and are more focused on steering.

I dont understand why you cant shift and steer at the same time?
I mean isnt that in your muscle memory? Or do you still have to think: now press the clutch, move the lever, depress the clutch....
For me that's like an automated reaction, almost subcontious.

The thing about auto boxes is that they cant do any anticipated driving. they are still dumb machines. And that also generally shows on things like brake wear. They can manage themselves fine when speed or acceleration is constant but when not, they can't compete with the human brain because they have no eyes.
Obviously all modern automatics are also either manumatics or semi-automatics so you can shift manually, but still.....then you're shifting again :lol:

BMW is looking into possibilities on having automatic boxes communicating with satnav to try and make some kind of anticipated driving possible, but that is still a long long way from happening. And that is still only gps input. Traffic anticipated driving is a whole other thing.

 

[goldbcfc]

The latest autos really ain't like the old autos we compare them too modern autos are more precise now even diesel auto is fun to drive. I recently drove an audi TT dsg, then Ferrari 458 with paddle shift and Porsche 911 turbo with tiptronic on track and the cars took my breath away to be honest you loose so much momentum shifting gears but paddle is almost instant before you hit a corner. For every thing wrong with a manual you will find right in an auto and for everything wrong in an auto u will find right in a manual. Its really down to preference I just feel I can drive autos quicker than any amnaul as your more focused obviously having one less thing to do and 100% is on steerin,acceleration and braking when your going so fast on track shitfting deff slows u down. Even the best racecars don't have normal clutch will be some sort of sequential box. The famous M3 CSL didn't have a manual clutch either infact unless you go back to e30 and e36 m3's there isn't many manuals you can really say out preform SMG or DCT (DSG) etc