Quote:
Originally Posted by F1 fan
I wasn't looking for a perfect answer. I was just curious if anyone has gone from one to the other and what their experience was. When I watch videos on you tube I am just amazed at how quick the dct shifts. I almost wish it wasn't able to be a automatic at all and you had to shift manually all of the time. That way you couldn't get lazy and put in drive an go.
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I owned a 6MT M3 and went to a DCT M3.
Loved the 6MT.
Love the DCT.
My DCT has never once been in D mode. I treat the car as though it is a clutch pedal manual. It is a lot of fun and, to me, more fun than the 6MT because... (1) the car is noticeably faster without any delay on acceleration, (2) I can drive the car faster into corners and the car will always heel-toe perfectly for me, (3) the gearing of the DCT makes the car feel like it has more torque to me, (4) the rev matched downshifts are awesome and I never get tired of them, (5) the car feels and acts like a 6MT minus the clutch pedal.
The 6MT was more "involving" and when I heel toed on my own, it was fun. This is the first non 6MT I have owned in 23 years of driving and I will now always own a DCT or equivalent. It isn't because I'm lazy or getting old, it's because I find the car is more fun with this transmission (my opinion only), faster, easier to drive hard and fast (i.e. I focus on driving the car and I know the car will get the shift perfectly when, and only when, I tell it to) and I don't need a false ego boost from a clutch pedal because I was already a fairly good 6MT driver and don't need to prove that to myself or anyone else any longer.
I miss my 6MT 5% of the time and really love and appreciate the DCT the other 95%.
The only downside is that I find I am much harder on the car at the track (brakes and tires) because I carry more speed into corners because I can brake and shift later in the straights. Another DCT driver that spends time at the local track has the same issue. In my opinion, the only people that can drive a 6MT as hard and deep into a corner and then nail a heel toe downshift to get through the corner as well as a DCT car can on a consistent basis are semi pro drivers/instructors. The rest of us, even good 6MT drivers, are a distant second.
Having said all of that... I still love and respect the 6MT and for many it is the better transmission for a variety of other reasons.