SMG v. Six Speed Manaul Transmissions
07-21-2005, 06:36 PM
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Originally Posted by markt540i' date='Jul 21 2005, 10:21 PM
SMG drivers: do you ever lose track of what gear your in?
Using the steptronic (I am driving an e39 steptronic), I feel more out of touch than with a manual and have concerns about this relative to getting an SMG transmission. The SMG matched rev downshifts are awefully tempting though. I am leaning toward a manual if they offer it in the 550 soon enough. With a manual tranmission (3 series) I never lost track of what gear I was in. Its like I could feel the torque through the shift lever and tell what gear I was in or needed to be in as well as being able to feel what position the shift lever was in to know what gear was engaged. Maybe the action of having to shift constantly makes one more aware or connected since the manual transmission won't shift for you.
Do you feel that same connection with the SMG or do you feel like you give that up with SMG? Or does this make absolutely no sense at all?
Using the steptronic (I am driving an e39 steptronic), I feel more out of touch than with a manual and have concerns about this relative to getting an SMG transmission. The SMG matched rev downshifts are awefully tempting though. I am leaning toward a manual if they offer it in the 550 soon enough. With a manual tranmission (3 series) I never lost track of what gear I was in. Its like I could feel the torque through the shift lever and tell what gear I was in or needed to be in as well as being able to feel what position the shift lever was in to know what gear was engaged. Maybe the action of having to shift constantly makes one more aware or connected since the manual transmission won't shift for you.
Do you feel that same connection with the SMG or do you feel like you give that up with SMG? Or does this make absolutely no sense at all?
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That said, because they can, my request to BMW for having a gear indication in the HUD still applies!
07-21-2005, 07:31 PM
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Like said you'll get use to it. There are times when I'm not 100% sure what gear I'm in but a quick glance down will tell me. Its not a problem at all... plus you can feel basically what gear you're in by how responsive the throttle is and what engine noise the car makes.
07-24-2005, 09:25 AM
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Is there anyone out there that is a former stick driver, that has switched to smg and regrets such that if they had it to do again they would have gotten a stick rather than an smg?
thanks,
edl
thanks,
edl
07-24-2005, 05:34 PM
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Originally Posted by edl' date='Jul 24 2005, 12:25 PM
Is there anyone out there that is a former stick driver, that has switched to smg and regrets such that if they had it to do again they would have gotten a stick rather than an smg?
thanks,
edl
thanks,
edl
[snapback]152478[/snapback]
07-24-2005, 06:49 PM
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Originally Posted by edl' date='Jul 24 2005, 01:25 PM
Is there anyone out there that is a former stick driver, that has switched to smg and regrets such that if they had it to do again they would have gotten a stick rather than an smg?
thanks,
edl
thanks,
edl
[snapback]152478[/snapback]
Owned only sticks my entire life. Thought I'd never get anything but sticks the rest of my life. Drove a friend's SMG M3 and couldn't stop thinking about it for at least a week. After about a year of his SMG ownership, I asked him if he'd buy another one and he said "in a heartbeat" so that was good enough for me. Now, after driving mine for over a year, if you ask me if I'd get another SMG, I'd say "in a heartbeat!"
07-26-2005, 08:40 AM
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Originally Posted by Rudy' date='Jul 21 2005, 09:36 PM
That said, because they can, my request to BMW for having a gear indication in the HUD still applies!
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07-26-2005, 09:08 AM
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Originally Posted by Rudy' date='Jul 21 2005, 09:36 PM
That said, because they can, my request to BMW for having a gear indication in the HUD still applies!
07-26-2005, 09:26 AM
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Originally Posted by JDN' date='Jul 26 2005, 12:40 PM
Me, too, Rudy, because I'm not as adept as you. I am always giving a useless flip of the paddle when already in 6th. Mebbe I'll start running up to over 30 mph in 2nd and then giving four quick paddle shifts.
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Even funnier, I used to try to find 7th on my E39 every once in a while...
07-26-2005, 02:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Rudy' date='Jul 26 2005, 12:26 PM
[quote name='JDN' date='Jul 26 2005, 12:40 PM']Me, too, Rudy, because I'm not as adept as you. I am always giving a useless flip of the paddle when already in 6th. Mebbe I'll start running up to over 30 mph in 2nd and then giving four quick paddle shifts.
[snapback]153252[/snapback]
Even funnier, I used to try to find 7th on my E39 every once in a while...
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[/quote]Been there, done that. There was so much torque in 6th that it baited my subconscious or unconscious
into trying another shift. That always left me feeling flatter than the useless SMG flip.
07-26-2005, 06:46 PM
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Originally Posted by JDN' date='Jul 26 2005, 03:30 PM
[quote name='Rudy' date='Jul 26 2005, 12:26 PM'][quote name='JDN' date='Jul 26 2005, 12:40 PM']Me, too, Rudy, because I'm not as adept as you. I am always giving a useless flip of the paddle when already in 6th. Mebbe I'll start running up to over 30 mph in 2nd and then giving four quick paddle shifts.
[snapback]153252[/snapback]
Even funnier, I used to try to find 7th on my E39 every once in a while...
[snapback]153269[/snapback]
[/quote]Been there, done that. There was so much torque in 6th that it baited my subconscious or unconscious
into trying another shift. That always left me feeling flatter than the useless SMG flip.[snapback]153369[/snapback]
[/quote]HAHAHA I've done it... ummm I'm afraid to say... some of you guys will call me an idiot... I've tried that in my MINI, a 6 speed manual... Move out of 6th and then go OH SHIT its was in the tallest gear!
I think its time to move up to a M5... 7 gears... perfect for those of us thats always in search for 7th gear.
