wolverine

6 sp manual with UUC short shift kit installed. Driven manuals for 30 years, done some track time. Nothing like a smoothly executed heel and toe, and yes I like to smoke the tires every once in a blue moon.

To paraphrase Chuck Heston,

"You'll have to pry that manual out of my cold dead hands"

Mercy

good one Rudy, you are so right and by 2024 computers (nanobots) will have replaced most of the things we still do today. Maybe by then exercise will be automated too (Americans dream come true)

just think: 19.99 for just one single dose of nanobot a week you can be kept in chape and looking good and have the body you always wanted

JBOO

I do not think nor do I hope that the manual transmission ever goes away.

Like it or not, some cars better driven with them than not.

Rudy

I wonder if Montoya or Schumacher agree...

530E60NL

Iceman

Good one Rudy !

I have never ever heard of anybody who regrets having SMG.

Rudy

I think the SMG regrets come from people who made an uniformed decision. That's why I've spent so much time stating (and restating, and restating) my experiences and findings about it.

Key points to remember (as if anyone forgot them):

It's a high-tech manual (not an automatic) that's more than likely here to stay.

You CAN shift it as smoothly as a traditional manual if you want to but only after much practice. (Forget about trying to shift it as smooth as an auto -- you can do it but it would be like saying I can shift a manual as smooth as an auto -- who cares?)

You can downshift it perfectly (like a well executed heel-toe) every time. The need for heel-toe becomes moot.

If SMG's were invented first, would anyone have ever invented a manual clutch? I don't think so. Progress is progress.

Many people are resistant to change (as am I). Most people that think the manual is "the only way" are probably very comfortable with a true stick shift and clutch. I was one of those people for 25 years. I'm not praising the SMG now because I'm old and tired, etc. I'm simply stating the bigger picture here I guess.

Again, please don't think I'm telling people that bought whatever they bought that they made a mistake. If anything, my passionate posting about the subject is more about helping others make an informed decision. I've seen too many posts from people that say they test drove an SMG and didn't like it because it was too jerky, etc. so they bought something else. I bought one based on the passion of a friend who had an M3 SMG for a few years. He explained how hard it was to adjust to at the beginning, etc. but once he got it down, he said he'd never go back to a manual again. (This is a guy who races and is very adept at shifting, heel/toe, etc.)

Time for dinner!

Iceman

Good post, Rudy.

I thought about buying the SMG but I am too lazy and my wife was too scared...
You are definately right... If the SMG would have been there first, no one would have ever thought about the manual...
Enjoy dinner!

speedracerF4i

Thanks for your sincere input Rudy,

I think you nailed one thing dead on, that is "fear of change." I admit it.....
You have given many of us, who are considering SMG a truthful, complete, and accurate expectation of it. This is a part of what this post is all about.

The second part of this post is really to find out about what circumstancial changes, after purchasing their vehicle, are making you regret that transmission you've chosen. For example: Having a kid, moving to a trafic prone area (vice versa), depreciation factor, divorce (no-stick-shift-driving wife or husband to consider)...........etc.

This information will be most influential for us to weight our usage, present and future.

I believe that the ability to adapt has served human evolution well. Therefore, don't be afraid to choose new technology, just make sure it serves your need.

JDN

Two things motivated me to move to SMG. One was the always present risk of missing a down speed shift with the manual and over revving the engine. Been there and done that and, believe me, it's scary. Also, the son has reported one missed downshift around Aspen with my E39 that was passed down, and it scared him.

The other thing was my wife. She can drive a stick, but completely forgot the 540-6 had a clutch when pulling into a rest stop and crunched to a mind jarring stop. Funny thing is that three and a half months into this one, and she still has not tried the SMG, not even in D mode. OTOH, that really doesn't bother me.

All is well here in SMGville. The trick is ripping around Dallas in Sport mode (so easy) and not getting any tickets.