Is an auto BMW as fun as a manual?

[cOlDFuSiOn]

I agree with the comments, in the "stop, wait around, finish an episode of top gear and then go" JHB traffic the auto boxes are the best option. Never had an auto before but the ZF box is very nice. For absolute hooliganism on the weekend the manual is the way to go.. :thumbs:

 

[NavZ]

I prefer my Manual E90 I6 330i over my dads 654Ci V8 because its Auto.
I get bored easily in an auto :fencelook:
I was chasing a M3 once in a spirited drive & the entire time I was thinking, I wish I was in my car. There's really not much to do in an auto...

 

[Philip Foglar]

I prefer my Manual E90 I6 330i over my dads 654Ci V8 because its Auto.
I get bored easily in an auto :fencelook:
I was chasing a M3 once in a spirited drive & the entire time I was thinking, I wish I was in my car. There's really not much to do in an auto...

+1! :thumbs:

 

[torque24]

Never driven a car with DCT but think that the 6 speed auto in the E90 is really good.

 

[Caddy101]

I do spend a fair amount of time in traffic and right now, in a manual, its not too bad. The hill-hold assist feature makes it much easier.

Also, I've spent some time with a VW/Audi DSG box... Its amazing!!
I just love how in sport mode, it lets you redline it, f#cking fantastic.

I just wonder if the BMW steptronic box will do the same without tearing anything apart and bankrupting me in the process.

But I will test drive one and have a feel for it

 

[osiris]

I prefer my Manual E90 I6 330i over my dads 654Ci V8 because its Auto.
I get bored easily in an auto :fencelook:
I was chasing a M3 once in a spirited drive & the entire time I was thinking, I wish I was in my car. There's really not much to do in an auto...

+ 10000000000

Racing in an auto is really boring, in steptronic mode it really makes no difference because it changes for you anyway if you get close to redline, you could basically put it in steptronic and put your foot down and everything is taken care of for you. :thumbdo:

 

[ASH]

Ok, the Steptronic box is nowhere near as quick as a DSG box, remember the DSG is dual clutch, BMWs equivalent is DCT, Steptronic is a conventional torque converter gearbox.

I think with the Steptronic box, you do get smoothness and a quiet gearchange. The DSG/STronic boxes I've driven tended to have a bit of transmission noise and sometimes the changes can be a bit harsh, but its a fantastic gearbox, and it really surprises you how quick the changes are.

I still think that if your daily trip to work doesnt involve racing every vehicle that you see at the robot, an auto makes sense, as it makes life so easy in traffic etc. Manuals are always the driver's choice, but I dont think everyone sees every robot or quartermile as an opportunity to race other people. So in the real world driving situation, an auto does make sense, with an auto you'll never have that odd missed gearchange or grinded gearchange which can happen with a manual.

I do spend a fair amount of time in traffic and right now, in a manual, its not too bad. The hill-hold assist feature makes it much easier.

Also, I've spent some time with a VW/Audi DSG box... Its amazing!!
I just love how in sport mode, it lets you redline it, f#cking fantastic.

I just wonder if the BMW steptronic box will do the same without tearing anything apart and bankrupting me in the process.

But I will test drive one and have a feel for it

---

 

[Falcon]

330i you need to go manual,the auto is quite dull to be honest and not what you expect a 330i to feel like.

On a 320d however its a whole different ball game and the manual would leave you hunting for the power band all day long,the auto makes this car feel very nimble and a pleasure to drive.

 

[osiris]

I went to go test drive 2 different 330ci Convertables last week, both were Auto, I dont want to buy an auto again but just thought I would give the car a test drive to see how it felt, Keeping in mind that I have driven the manual version of these cars too.

The cars felt very slugish, Slow to rev up and slow to change gears, they were smooth ill give it that but the power delivery was damn aweful compared to the manual version, Not to mention how insanely high the petrol consumption was. :thumbdo:

A 320d or 330d in auto is still ok as they have enough torque to push that autobox properly and make the car feel light, but the NA petrol just feels slugish. These are E46 BMW's that im talking about, I know the E90 has a better autobox, My step mom has the E90 330i steptronic and it does feel better than the E46 but still no where near as cool as the manual version.

In my humble opinion, if the car has a turbo then it makes the autobox feel alright (But still better in manual in my opinion) but if its a NA car and its not something like a V8 then the auto feels slugish and sucks up fuel like nobodys business.

 

[RAArmstrong]

I went to go test drive 2 different 330ci Convertables last week, both were Auto, I dont want to buy an auto again but just thought I would give the car a test drive to see how it felt, Keeping in mind that I have driven the manual version of these cars too.

The cars felt very slugish, Slow to rev up and slow to change gears, they were smooth ill give it that but the power delivery was damn aweful compared to the manual version, Not to mention how insanely high the petrol consumption was. :thumbdo:

A 320d or 330d in auto is still ok as they have enough torque to push that autobox properly and make the car feel light, but the NA petrol just feels slugish. These are E46 BMW's that im talking about, I know the E90 has a better autobox, My step mom has the E90 330i steptronic and it does feel better than the E46 but still no where near as cool as the manual version.

In my humble opinion, if the car has a turbo then it makes the autobox feel alright (But still better in manual in my opinion) but if its a NA car and its not something like a V8 then the auto feels slugish and sucks up fuel like nobodys business.

+1 I think an autobox is best suited to a diesel, keeps you in the torque...

Driving my dad's E Class petrol with the autobox sometimes makes me want to kill myself, at no point does the car feel alive and if you really hammer it, it makes a wonderful noise but the gauge thats moving the fastest on your instrument cluster is the fuel gauge :rollsmile:

 

[shanej]

Absolutely agree, and so much better for the twisties:thumbs:

Get a 3 pedal before 2 pedals rule the world!

Nothing beats driver involvement of a manual.

:rollsmile: