twobeemers

I have an '07 550i SMG that's pretty loaded up as well. Good stuff. Anyway, if you have it in auto mode ("Dn" in the display where 'n' is the gear) all you have to do to get it back to manual mode is use one of the paddles and you're back in manual. It doesn't go back to auto until you push the gear selector on the console over to the right again.

As far as "rough", the SMG in standard auto (or standard manual for that matter) shifts smoothly and evenly, if not particularly fast. You get used to it, though. It's not an M3 after all. You'll figure out what the car wants, but it takes awhile. I've heard people say 1000 miles, it was easily twice that for me. In the lower gears, the car shifts much better well below redline. If you let it run all the way up the tach it seems to take forever to catch the next gear and you go from being pressed firmly into your seat to having the front end dip down, you float a bit, and then you get slammed back into your seat when the clutch finally engages. Shifting sooner in 1st and 2nd will net much smoother results, and there's still plenty of torque to keep you rolling.

In sport mode, the shifts are appreciably quicker - which I like, but the throttle - in my opinion - is simply too sensative. When you try to be a little aggresive with the throttle off the line, the car JUMPS off the line but then the touchiness of the throttle means anything less than full throttle causes the car to lurch and jerk until you shift into 2nd. In my humble opinion, I'd love to able to forgo the increase in throttle sensativity and switch the trans to SPORT all the time. But I haven't seen anything out there that does that.

A word to the wise - it will take some time to get used to the SMG. Coming from a manual I understood all the principles but it took a little while to get used to the way the trans thought vs. how I drive a manual. But it's all good now. The wife drives it in auto mode most of the time, and almost never do. Kinda nice in that regard. Just take some time and get to know the trans and how it reacts to the throttle and you'll be fine.

Enjoy it. Don't crash it.

twobeemers

Ahhhhh, yes and no - you CAN skip gears with an SMG. If you pull one of the paddles twice quickly, the trans will skip a gear entirely. And I believe you can go up OR down in the gearbox this way. The paddles are easier than the stick, but both work.

C's Bimmer

SMG RULES!!!!!!!!!! LAUNCHING RULES!!!

ODOYLE RULES!!! LOLOL!

skunkd

SMG for the win! lol unless you have a wifey that gets car sick u'll never hear the end of it...

ET7

I am coming from a manual to an auto world and I don't want manual anymore honestly. Have had 8 yrs of it and tired of it for the mean time.

So with SMG, I can drive it without ever using paddles, pushing up on the shift etc right? meaning, its auto like an automatic where it shifts on its own, than if I want to use the paddles myself, I move the shifter to the side and it becomes manual mode? (obviously iwthout the clutch peddle)

twobeemers

So, if you don't want a manual, then why would you want an SMG? I mean, in all honesty, the Steptronics and Sport-Auto transmissions in the E60's are probably going to suite your tastes better than an SMG. And SMG was built to be shifted manually, just without the clutch pedal. It does auto mode just fine, but it's no better than an automatic and if you're never going to shift it manually, then there is the added step of pushing the stick over to the right TWICE every time you get in the car.

From the comments above, I'd say you're barking up the wrong tree and that you should look for a car with an Steptronic gearbox and be done with it. I've been driving manual for 30 years and I'm not tired of it, but I do like the ability to put the car in "Auto" when my hands are full, in heavy traffic, or on the way home from a nice dinner with my wife when my mind might be on...."other" things....

So the question is back to you - are you sure you want an SMG?

socale39

SMG is great but as others have said it doesn't feel as smooth as an auto and you'll have the slight delay between gears, just like a manual. Put it in auto mode and you don't have to shift but as soon as you hit a paddle shifter it will go to manual mode. For me, SMG is the perfect solution for those who like the feel or control of a manual but dont want to beat the left leg to death in traffic. It all comes down to your driving style.

ET7

I ask because I randomly ahve seen more 535i Sports in SMG than in regular Auto and its already impossible finding an 08' 535i since its fairly rare as 528s dominate the market.

I would use the paddles just not every time.

uheenada

SMG was discontinued at the end of 2007 models. 535 was introduced as 08 model which have only 2 options: Auto or Manual. No smg was produced in 535. A shift paddles behind the steer wheel is not an indication of smg.
SMG on 5 series are very rare that it would be very hard to find one with all the options, in/exterior colors, mileage, etc to your taste.
I have never seen 5 series with smg tranny since 2008.

No disrespect, after reading the posts you made so far, I would recommend you to get an auto tranny. Buying a sport auto tranny(an option on 08+) would suit you better.

skylolow

Never been a 535 with SMG.

Your seeing the Sport auto tranny(comes with the paddles). I agree with uheenada it sounds like the Sport Auto Tranny is more up your alley then SMG.

If you love shifting the car and are sick of pushing down the clutch then SMG would work for you. But if you think your going to go throw SMG in auto and be happy, your not going to be. It isn't anywhere near as refined as a auto tranny because its truely a manual in every since of the word except a clutch pedal in the car. Can you drive a tradtional manual as smooth as an automatic, no. So you can't expect SMG to do it. Then on top of that SMG gear change speeds are programmed for wide variety of drivers. Nobody is ever happy with the auto mode of SMG because it isn't geared towards you. It really is meant to be driving in manual mode 99% of the time and if you know your going to want to use auto even 20% of the time your driving I'd say go with the Sport Tranny you'll be much happier.