Manual or SMG E46 M3

[ANiMOSiTY]

I've driven both.

Honestly, the SMG gives such an involved feel when driving the car.
It frees up the "effort" required when manually shifting, giving you the ability to better concentrate on driving.
You pay more attention to cornering/apexing, entry speeds, exit speeds etc, than worrying about clutch work.
NO human can change gears that quickly either.

Technologically, SMG is far superior.
Its the same physical gearbox as the Manual, but with a few solenoids fitted to it.
The changes are lightening quick and there will be no mis-shifts.
This means no gearbox damage or excessive clutch abuse.

SMG is a little rough though. The gear changes are a bit on the harsh side.
You need to learn how to drive the car smoothly if it's your daily drive.
A simple well timed partial lift-off of the throttle during changes is all that's needed in most cases.
(Even in S1, if you don't do this the changes still feel a tad rough)

The only gripe I have with SMG is the harshness during a mid-corner change.
The trick is to stay smooth while cornering - the harsh gearchanges can upset that smoothness.

For straight line drags.. nothing comes close.
Foot flat and let the box do the rest.

That said.. a manual is still my personal choice for a daily drive.
Ideally I'd have a manual for the road and SMG / DCT for the track.

 

[AryM]

It's personal preference @ the end of the day folks!
Drive both and then decide....

M3_FTW - I challenge you to a launching competition bro.....

 

[STREETRACER]

It's personal preference @ the end of the day folks!
Drive both and then decide....

M3_FTW - I challenge you to a launching competition bro.....

Can i please join???

 

[Theo D]

This is a great thread as I'm facing this decision myself, SMG or Manual :banghead:
Please keep the info rolling in, I must admit that I am a victim of the reliability rumours regarding the SMG:thinking: However I guess I'll have to drive n SMG before I can open my mouth. :thumbsup:

 

[ANiMOSiTY]

Exactly.. it IS a personal choice.

@ Theo..
The only extra components to the SMG, are the solenoids and the pump for the solenoids basically.
It's the same Getrag 'box - but with extra bits to make it change gears for you.
It's really not going to break.
The only semi-common issue with the SMG box, is the relay for the solenoids.
It's a R50 part if it dies.

 

[M3_devil]

So why do I hear of stories of SMG gearbox failures. Why does BMW replace the whole box? My friends SMG box was replaced at a cost of 120K on motorplan.

I'll die if I must get a SMG and that happens. Are there approved gearbox places that can fix the SMG box and where do they source there parts from.

Thanks for the info once again guys

 

[AryM]

Thats the only issue after M/Plan with the SMG boxes!
They are pricey to fix and even worse to replace!

 

[333wez]

Its all about personal preference. you need to drive the car for a while to understand how it behaves but after that its an absolute pleasure. It is really fun to drive. Had my e46 m3 smg for 3 1/2 years and not a days hassle wit the box!
Put a skilled driver in each car and the manual should be faster off the line but the smg will be quicker through the gears...

 

[Sankekur]

Personally I would perfer a manual for if I have to drive on a day to day basis, but on a track it would definitely take an SMG for its consistent gear changes and better downshifts, this of course is my just opinion.

 

[M3_FTW]

So why do I hear of stories of SMG gearbox failures. Why does BMW replace the whole box? My friends SMG box was replaced at a cost of 120K on motorplan.

I'll die if I must get a SMG and that happens. Are there approved gearbox places that can fix the SMG box and where do they source there parts from.

Thanks for the info once again guys

Thats because BMW SA's policy is to replace and not fix. The SMG box is exactly the same as the manual gearbox, same part codes, etc. The only difference is the Accumulator's, relays, solenoids, and hydraulic pump.

Any place that can fix the manual box can fix the SMG box. Go onto www.m3forum.net and have a look there. 9 times out of 10 its the relay that pops and thats a R100 part at worst.

 

[///mpowah]

I personally prefer the manual. The biggest reason is due to the fact the SMG restricts the amount of launches during a period of time.. also if you look at the AT -> manuals seem to have a better resale..

 

[Douglas]

Based on personal experience, I prefer a manual on the track but as a daily driver the SMG is more fun.

As a daily driver, somehow to me it feels as if you are more involved with an SMG as compared to a manual. Your driving style can be adapted to get the most out of an SMG. The blip on the downshift is awesome and when you want to have some fun you can change the speed of the gear change settings. I prefer an SMG in traffic whether you choose to change with the levers or allow the car to drive in "auto" mode. On the freeway there is nothing better than downchanging from 6th to 4th with 2 simple clicks on the steering wheel lever - you feel and hear the car respond immediately.