DCT M3 Or Manual M3?

[E90305]

hi guys im thinking of getting a new m3 coupe i want an smg but which is faster the smg trans or the 6 speed?

[RatchetM3]

E46 M3 has SMGII
E9X M3 has DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission)

So I'm guessing you want a E46? Honelstly, SMG didn't last as long as I thought it would. Hopefully DCT will last longer

I'd say 6MT for an E46 but on a E9X DCT is amazing! Waaay better except that it doesn't downshift 2 gears at a time like SMG did. It was more involved in downshifting yourself.

[E90305]

im sry i thought the new one had smg so ok dct or manual?

[richardbb85]

personal preference


not everyone is the same....

[TurboFan]

DCT is faster. They say it drops 0.2 off the 0-60.

However, I can't differentiate 4.5 vs. 4.7 driving the car, or whatever it is. I can appreciate a well-executed heel-toe downshift with hard braking into a corner. I'm doing the 6MT, but it's a very personal preference. I'm also not making any money racing this thing on Sunday either.

[Eccentric]

both are great choices- If youre all about performance, the DCT is phenomenal and shifts like no manny tranny can. However, with that said you can never go wrong with a stick from bwm. Is it your DD? if so, you might want to consider the auto... but then again, my M coupe is my DD and i dont mind driving stick everyday at all

[TurboFan]

Agree on the DD. Mine is not. If I had to sit in stop-n-go traffic every day for 30 minutes, DCT it would be.

[kibosh]

I've driven stick all my life but I'm thinking of going DCT when I order my M3... it somehow seems wrong, but I can't see myself being able to shift faster than the technology, and in stop and go traffic a stick is irritating...

[BMWMFAN27]

I think DCT is a bit better for daily driving, but it really is a preference thing.

[kaykay]

This car was engineered with DCT in mind

The purists will argue otherwise, but DCT is the gearbox this car is meant to have. No question.

And since you thought the E9x has an SMG transmission, probably not a bad idea to start doing some research, reading, educating yourself and driving the car before you clunk down nearly $80k on a car.

[sehrgut]

personal preference!

I've driven both and just happened to choose the m-dct. Something new and it shifts pretty damn fast with the right settings!

[e1000]

Originally Posted by kaykay

This car was engineered with DCT in mind

The purists will argue otherwise, but DCT is the gearbox this car is meant to have. No question.

And since you thought the E9x has an SMG transmission, probably not a bad idea to start doing some research, reading, educating yourself and driving the car before you clunk down nearly $80k on a car.

This is good advice.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by RatchetM3

I'd say 6MT for an E46 but on a E9X DCT is amazing! Waaay better except that it doesn't downshift 2 gears at a time like SMG did. It was more involved in downshifting yourself.

Sure it does. Do you have the DCT in your car? If so, I can probably help you with an issues you might be having with multigear downshifts.

[Radar10]

City driving = DCT
But if you like/want to whip the ass end around every where and go through tires = Man

I have always had a manual and felt wrong about the DCT.....kept trying to find the clutch, but i love the DCT, really rips through the gears with ease.

[donovan]

Research, seriously, because the best thing on a DCT in my point of view is the ability to do more with out doing more.

1. Drink coffee while shifting gears, lol.

[Radiation Joe]

Originally Posted by sehrgut

personal preference!

I've driven both and just happened to choose the m-dct. Something new and it shifts pretty damn fast with the right settings!

personal preference!

I've driven both and just happened to choose the 6sp manual. I spent 50k miles with the DCT, BTW.

[RatchetM3]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Sure it does. Do you have the DCT in your car? If so, I can probably help you with an issues you might be having with multigear downshifts.

I have a DCT. But what I meant was that the car is quick to downshift one gear at a time for me. In the SMG for example, if I were in 6th gear and i started slowing down, it will not downshift to 5... you have to go slow enough for the car to drop to four, then again to 2. SMG dropped 2 gears at a time so it makes the driver downshift more often. Nothing wrong with that. Sorry for the confusion. But man is DCT amazing!

to the original post:
DCT is faster and easier for daily driving. Just your preference. I know this question was asked many times but I tried posting a link and couldn't find one myself lol

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by RatchetM3

I have a DCT. But what I meant was that the car is quick to downshift one gear at a time for me. In the SMG for example, if I were in 6th gear and i started slowing down, it will not downshift to 5... you have to go slow enough for the car to drop to four, then again to 2. SMG dropped 2 gears at a time so it makes the driver downshift more often. Nothing wrong with that. Sorry for the confusion. But man is DCT amazing!

Oh, ok, you are talking about D mode behavior. I don't use that mode.

I suspect that if SMG operated the way you are describing, its because the transmission just wasn't fast and robust enough to drop gears sequentially in some cases. That said, I would be surprised if DCT was not also able to drop multiple gears if you mash the brakes while in a high gear at a relatively low speed in D mode. In other words, to the extent that a multigear downshift makes sense in a given situation, I suspect the DCT in D mode would execute it. And conversely, if speed in dropping slow enough, I suspect it will run thru each gear as RPM dictates.

[3M TAPE]

Mmmmm S.M.G

[sid33]

Thats easy .... MANUAL ! ! !

But im biased ...

[sehrgut]

Originally Posted by donovan

Research, seriously, because the best thing on a DCT in my point of view is the ability to do more with out doing more.

1. Drink coffee while shifting gears, lol.

+1. I can finally to do some multitasking when i wanna take it slow!

[Tony B]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Sure it does. Do you have the DCT in your car? If so, I can probably help you with an issues you might be having with multigear downshifts.

Funny - every DCT car I have driven - and that must be about 15 now - does not downshift 2 gears if I ask it to, the transmission always selects the intermediate gear first before getting the gear I ask for. Watch the rev counter, you can see it doing this.

Having had SMG as well I would definitely say that this is one thing that SMG does do faster than DCT.

And in answer to the OP - this is a really difficult question! I am struggling with it myself now. 75k miles with SMG, which I did enjoy, most of the time, despite, or maybe because of its little flaws. Now in a manual E92, and sometimes missing the convenience, and sheer speed of DCT, but also enjoying the challenge of the perfectly executed manual downshift when in the mood.

I believe that with DCT you do miss some of the interaction with the engine, because you have no particular need to be precise with the throttle, and because it is so easy and instantaneous to be in the "right" gear, you tend not to exploit the huge usable rev range of the engine. I love squeezing open the throtle at 2k and feeling the surge grow for 6400 revs. Who does that with DCT? Most will just flick down a couple of gears, than click, click,click through the speed range. Quicker, easier yes. But more enjoyable?

On the other hand, if you want to get the absolute best performance on the Ring, then DCT it is, beyond doubt.

I said I was struggling with it, and I am!

ZCP DCT, ZCP manual.....

I dont know