That's a longggg straight too at Mugello. What speed were you seeing before the braking point?
Why didn't M's come as Auto?
- Thread starter Stark
- Start date
it just looks so good 
I know there's always going to be this banter back and forth, and hate getting in the conversation. I tend to get ragged on from time to time by friends as well for not having a manual. For me the decision came on two things, availability and price. Picked up my 03 two years ago, was looking at an 08 but fell out of price range when wife lost her job. Being looking for older years to keep in the budget there's not much room to say I want it manual and there isnt one availible, not like you can order it lol. Would have prefered manual but oh well.
One thing I love hearing is the side of if you want to be in control, more connected and so on. A great video I've seen of an auto crosser driving an auto shifting the auto box at entrance of a corner and utilizing left foot braking. See his techniques is what got me into left foot braking before ever getting my z. Remember shifting in a manual box is only 1 part of driving, yes a big part but only one. Also a lot of auto crosses I've been to are very tight and in other cars I've had you barely get out of 2nd, so not a ton of shifting going on. One particular one I was at an auto heavily modded plymouth neon had better times than a manual vette.
A great piece of advise I've heard someone say about moding and tuning to get more bhp is that you better be able to stop first. So a lot going on to say the least.
One thing I love hearing is the side of if you want to be in control, more connected and so on. A great video I've seen of an auto crosser driving an auto shifting the auto box at entrance of a corner and utilizing left foot braking. See his techniques is what got me into left foot braking before ever getting my z. Remember shifting in a manual box is only 1 part of driving, yes a big part but only one. Also a lot of auto crosses I've been to are very tight and in other cars I've had you barely get out of 2nd, so not a ton of shifting going on. One particular one I was at an auto heavily modded plymouth neon had better times than a manual vette.
A great piece of advise I've heard someone say about moding and tuning to get more bhp is that you better be able to stop first. So a lot going on to say the least.
Piper1 said:
On the other hand, an auto such as the one in the E85/E86 Z4 might shift up to a higher gear for you when you least expect it, even in manual mode, as it doesn't allow you to hit the rev-limiter like a manual (or admittedly many modern "sporting" auto transmissions. Imagine heading into a corner in second gear and the car shifting to 3rd for you right before your braking point!
Eek so it takes even more talent to predict what your cars going to do than to do it all yourself. Lol but point also we taken 
in the end I think it's a big personal preference it's how I noticed a major difference with that little sport button pushed rather than not having it on, as with it off the exact scenario you describe happened on me the first day I drove my z, the sport button/auto shift combo on we go! 
in the end I think it's a big personal preference it's how I noticed a major difference with that little sport button pushed rather than not having it on, as with it off the exact scenario you describe happened on me the first day I drove my z, the sport button/auto shift combo on we go! Piper1 said:Eek so it takes even more talent to predict what your cars going to do than to do it all yourself. Lol but point also we taken
"Personal preference" is a perfectly valid reason as far as i'm concerned. I was just playing devil's advocate.
original guvnor said:
As I recall 120+ but towards the end of the straight too busy trying to sort out brakes, gears turn in point etc to look at the speedometer.
The way BMW ran the course was with cars in convoy at first following the instructer (BMW Z4 endurance racer Claudia Hurtgen) lapping on the first day and then each driver taking lead slot with the instructor following on the second day, tended to swap placeson the main straight so rarley flat out.
I managed to stay on track but one Spanish guy (younger and braver than me) went a long way into the kitty litter no harm done but he was very unpopular with the instructors.