jalanson

I love my black/black 6 speed E60....I am just as particular as you are!

DD_545i

+1 for Black/Black 6 speed !!! (As long as it's an Automatic 6 speed of course )

bradleyjs

I wanted a 6-Speed Manual but the dealership didn't have any in stock -- and said they were very rare -- when I got mine (got used to the 540i/6 over the years). However, I'm very happy with the 6-Speed Auto -- no regrets...

kscarrol

It is small but dedicated group that buys the manual transmissions. I know my dealer does not order any manual cars for their inventory, auto and Sport auto only. They are too hard to sell... Of course you are free to order a car with the manual transmission!

andy535xi

What I'm about to say has nothing personal towards you, its an argument towards your opinion.

You described Manual Transmissions like they are the burden of the world. Why is it that 98% of cars in Europe are manual? and no one complains? In fact, they feel akward about driving an auto.

You say that "they are" clunky, slow, and a pain to drive. Yes, some manual transmissions (like a Chevy Cavalier) are clunky, they have no feel and they are a pain to drive. In the case of BMW, I find the transmission smooth, short, and a joy to drive. Let me explain: People who buy Manual cars, have a completely different criteria about driving experience. They want to "feel the car" as they drive to work or wherever. Clicking through the gears (even in traffic) gives them some kind of "therapy" from the real world. Its almost like a meditating.

You say it takes an effort to reach 0-60 in manual, yes, it does take more effort with a manual, but you have more fun doing it. I don't think you have to treat the car like a complete asshole to quickly sprint 0-60. In any case, I see more automatic transmissions breaking down than manuals. By hitting the gas pedal and holding it down (in auto) you are creating just as much stress for the engine/tranny as in manual. In any case, I see more automatic and SMG transmissions breaking down, than manuals ... and the manual ones that do breaks are 99% due to driver error.

I had a 535i loaner (auto) from the dealership, what a nighmare that was. 1st - 2nd shifts sometimes spilled the coffee from the cupholders, and I was accelerating 20%throttle. I almost purchased a auto transmission because my wife is about to take up driving, but I'm glad I didn't. The auto transmission have come a long way from the early 90's, but I still prefer a manual. Perhaps, when I'm old, and all my joints will hurt, I will consider and auto.

vwvwvw

The manuals are rare in these cars. It makes buying cars a hassle for me, as I only like manuals and really I only like wagons. I got really really lucky that they had an E61 like this on the lot here, that someone ordered and they couldn't get rid of it.

It's true what DD said about performance. A good modern automatic will perform at least as good as a manual. But I like the simplicity, driver involvement and longevity of a good manual. I'm a little more comfortable having a 200k mi car with a MT.

You know, no one understands automatic transmissions. They were left here by aliens.

DD_545i

I'll have to dispute those numbers. Maybe it's 98% of the small and cheap front wheel drive cars (Fiat's, Ford Fiestas, Nissan Micras and so on) but they're all about making things as cheap as possible (hence the FWD) and adding the complexity and electronics of an automatic box bumps up the price too much. That amount on a luxury brand is a much smaller percentage of the price. So a cheap small car that costs say $15k, a $2k automatic option is a lot, and won't be taken up by many. Now when that $2k automatic option is on a $60k or a $100k car, it's a different story.

I just did a quick search on the main German second hand car site for E60 cars. I specified only that it was a BMW 5 series, 2004 or newer, and then I specified the gearbox. The manual gearbox search gave 4,534 cars for sale. Theautomatic car search gave 11,253 cars for sale. It sounds like a similar search for 5ers in the states would indeed give a 98% figure, but it would be on the automatic side.

Yeah I've done that too. Lesson 1 - leave the top on the coffee cup In my case it was diet coke and it came out at such an angle it reached the seat. Luckily I had something on the seat so it didn't touch the leather

It's all about preferences really. For those wanting manuals though on luxury cars, you need to get used to the idea that there's no future in manual boxes. Those 5er search figures I gave showed that (in Germany at least), only one third of cars are ordered in manual. I assume it's on the decline. At what point will BMW consider the engineering effort of designing and building the manual box too high compared to the amount of manuals they're selling.

andy535xi

You're right, manuals are on a decline, and its a shame (at least in my case) that people will not have the option of manual transmission in their next car.

Yes, it is preference, and yes, automatic transmissions are easier to drive, and yes I like shifting gears. I love the involvement and the "feeling" of MY car with manual transmission, and I love a perfect toe-heel downshift on a sunday afternoon with not traffic, just before a nice turn.

To each his own, I love my stick.

DD_545i

Maybe the F10 will be the last 5er with the manual option. It's already happening on some cars (Audi RS6, Mercedes S class I believe, some Aston Martins I think too). Those are great examples of the manufacturers not putting in the effort of engineering a manual option due to low take-up of it.

Perhaps in 10 years time if you want a manual, you have to look to the cheaper end of the market to get one.

JAY'545

I have an 04' 6 spd an dI love it.