delirium

I got to test drive an SMG M3 today, and it was really fun.. fast car & solid! The SMG did not impress me though.. it seemed to drive like a novice driver on stick shift... every time I changed gears, it would jerk the car & seem to press on teh clutch for too long... In auto mode, it would suprase me when it shifted because it was very abrupt, not smooth like a person driving stick smoothly or an auto tranny... I dont think I will get SMG on my E60.

darkside

I drove an M3 SMG for 3 years. It takes a while to get the hang of the SMGII - about a month. The automataic mode is not good and will rarely be used. The only real issue I had was the lurching issue at slow speeds, especially when going over uneven pavement which had the effect of modulating the accelerator pedal.

jet190rs

If you think the E60 SMG would feel like the M3 SMG, you're wrong.

I test drove the M3 SMG before getting my E60 and it felt completely different. SMG is rougher in the M3 because you want to feel what's going on in an M car. In the E60 it is so smooth that I couldn't even tell if it was changing gears the first time I drove it.

I don't know if the E60 SMG is right for you, but you shouldn't base your opinion by driving only the M3 SMG. They feel very different. Go test drive an E60 SMG.

delirium

If you think the E60 SMG would feel like the M3 SMG, you're wrong.

I test drove the M3 SMG before getting my E60 and it felt completely different. SMG is rougher in the M3 because you want to feel what's going on in an M car. In the E60 it is so smooth that I couldn't even tell if it was changing gears the first time I drove it.

I don't know if the E60 SMG is right for you, but you shouldn't base your opinion by driving only the M3 SMG. They feel very different. Go test drive an E60 SMG.
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I wish, but there are none at any dealer in So. Cal. I dont there is any possibility of me test driving an E60 SMG.

joepoole

I wish, but there are none at any dealer in So. Cal. I dont there is any possibility of me test driving an E60 SMG.
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Delirium, if you are coming from driving nothing but "Automatic" Transmission cars and you expect to use the Auto function in the SMG, forget it and go for the Steptronic. But, if you are a conditioned "Stick Shift" driver and are used to having to coordinate throttle movement with shifting, then you would appreciate the SMG. As stated before, it takes getting used to and a fair amount of practice. You have to plant your left foot on the floor and not move it, but everything else is the same. The SMG has all of the advantages of the Manual, absent the clutch pedal. No creep, and absolute engine braking with total control.

Good Luck on your future purchase.

Joe

delirium

one thing that I noticed is that the SMG had better response when starting froma stop... the SMG responded right away, while the step has some "Lag" when you start from a stoplight... but the SMG was an M3 so I dont know if that his a M3 specific trait of SMG specific... anyone else notice that the step E60 starts kinda slow off the line?

jet190rs

Well there is no automatic for the M3, so we'll never be able to compare. But generally, all automatic transmissions are "slower" than manual or sequential manual transmissions.

0700700

hahah ! everyone i ever let drive my m3 , always said that it takes a lot of time and effort getting used
to it, until you can drive it very fast and very smooth

subterFUSE

No.... the SMG did not drive like a novice on a stick. It drove like a novice on an SMG. You are just an SMG novice, that's all. The SMG is a true manual transmission, not an automatic with paddles. People who are unfamiliar with it commonly make this mistake of assuming the car has something wrong with it, or is designed poorly.

It requires a skilled driver, with the proper technique to operate it smoothly. But I assure you... the SMG can be driven just as smoothly as an automatic if you know what you are doing. I am not saying you are not a skilled driver.... but I am saying you did not use the proper shifting technique for smooth shifts.



The trick?

Before shifting up gears, gently release some of the pressure off the accelerator pedal. Don't lift your shoe off the pedal, but think about lifting your foot inside your shoe. Personally, I just think of curling my toes up a little bit. Then, you click the shifter or paddle, the car shifts.... and you can then apply gas to accelerate in the next gear. It will be smooth as silk if your timing is correct.

0700700

imo you should try to release the accelator pedal completely when you are changins gears, its more manual than automatic the m3 otherwise there is some jerkiness.. i mean if you raced ok but otherwise why settle for a jaggy ride