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      11-04-2012, 06:26 AM   #1
is300wrx
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DCT and downshifting to 1st

Got a question for all the DCT owners. I have driven manual transmission cars all my life and I decided to switch over to DCT for the performance advantage. Now when you shift in a manual car, you always recall what gear you're. I sometimes worry that I might click one too many times and downshift into 1st in this car.

Has anyone else have this issue?
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      11-04-2012, 06:28 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by is300wrx View Post
Got a question for all the DCT owners. I have driven manual transmission cars all my life and I decided to switch over to DCT for the performance advantage. Now when you shift in a manual car, you always recall what gear you're. I sometimes worry that I might click one too many times and downshift into 1st in this car.

Has anyone else have this issue?
DCT has imbedded protection that will not allow a downshift that would cause an overrev. So no money shift with a DCT. No need to worry .

Further, as you get used to DCT, you will start remembering what gear you are in or develop the reflex to quickly glance at the cluster. I also struggled a bit at first where I felt disconnected with the transmission. No more issues, it feels natural.
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      11-04-2012, 07:10 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CanAutM3 View Post
DCT has imbedded protection that will not allow a downshift that would cause an overrev. So no money shift with a DCT. No need to worry .

Further, as you get used to DCT, you will start remembering what gear you are in or develop the reflex to quickly glance at the cluster. I also struggled a bit at first where I felt disconnected with the transmission. No more issues, it feels natural.
+1. Just as with a manual transmission, over time you'll learn what the engine sounds like at various rpms, and based on your road speed, you'll know what gear you're in without looking down at the indicator in the instrument display. Plus, as you leave a stoplight and go up through a couple of gears, you'll remain aware of where you are even a few minutes later. Brain farts do happen from time to time, and you'll downshift instead of upshift, or go down into first by mistake, but as CanAutM3 points out, the car protects itself from overrevs and will prevent you from downshifting if it would result in too high of an engine speed. The worst that happens is that you go down into first, the engine revs to 6000-7000, engine braking makes you jerk like someone threw an anchor out, and you look around at your fellow drivers, thinking "I meant to do that."

More of a concern is putting on the wiper wash or flashing your high beams when you meant to hit the shift paddles instead. I can tease because I've done it before.

And in case people tease you for having an "automatic" M3, just reassure them that, all else being equal, it's faster on the track than a traditional manual. I also drove manual transmission cars all my life until this car and the E60 M5 SMG I had before it. Over 3 years and 24,000 miles in the M5, and so far almost 2 years and 21,000 miles in the M3, I've never driven in D mode. Manual control all the way!
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Last edited by paradocs98; 11-04-2012 at 07:16 AM..
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      11-04-2012, 07:29 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CanAutM3 View Post
DCT has imbedded protection that will not allow a downshift that would cause an overrev. So no money shift with a DCT. No need to worry .

Further, as you get used to DCT, you will start remembering what gear you are in or develop the reflex to quickly glance at the cluster. I also struggled a bit at first where I felt disconnected with the transmission. No more issues, it feels natural.
+2 - DCT won't let you select a lower gear if it results in an over-rev condition.

Just like when driving a MT, with more time the DCT will start to feel very natural and "2nd nature".
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      11-04-2012, 07:34 AM   #5
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As sais above, in time you will learn to hear the sexy sound and will know which gear you are in
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      11-04-2012, 07:35 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by is300wrx View Post
Got a question for all the DCT owners. I have driven manual transmission cars all my life and I decided to switch over to DCT for the performance advantage. Now when you shift in a manual car, you always recall what gear you're. I sometimes worry that I might click one too many times and downshift into 1st in this car.

Has anyone else have this issue?
I will say it..... the American way.....
Don't worry....it's a piece of cake

Last edited by ///M Power-Belgium; 11-04-2012 at 07:44 AM..
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      11-04-2012, 10:19 AM   #7
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I just keep downshifting until I hear a RAARRR and see the needle fly up in my periphery then I know I'm in a good gear, preferably without getting up into shift light territory on the downshift.
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      11-04-2012, 10:26 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Transfer View Post
I just keep downshifting until I hear a RAARRR and see the needle fly up in my periphery then I know I'm in a good gear, preferably without getting up into shift light territory on the downshift.
+1. Those downshifts scare little kids
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      11-04-2012, 12:45 PM   #9
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^^ If I had a dollar for every time some unsuspecting pedestrian whipped their head around...
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      11-04-2012, 01:57 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by paradocs98 View Post
More of a concern is putting on the wiper wash or flashing your high beams when you meant to hit the shift paddles instead. I can tease because I've done it before.
Even *more* of a concern is doing so with the top down on an E93. I've given myself a light shower of that potent factory wiper fluid twice now in my first 8 days with the car
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      11-04-2012, 03:34 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcnulty View Post
Even *more* of a concern is doing so with the top down on an E93. I've given myself a light shower of that potent factory wiper fluid twice now in my first 8 days with the car
Ha, I haven't had this problem but I could definitely see how easy it would be.

To the OP, as others have said, in a manual you just get used to hearing the engine and judging your speed against the RPMs and that tells you what gear to pick given the situation.

Same is true with DCT - you're usually within 2 gears of where you want but, if not, there's a short cut (more in a sec). Here are some examples:
  • You're freeway crusing at 80 and want to provide some engine braking and/or prepare for a casual pass: 2 clicks from 7 to 5. I do this one all of the time
  • You're on a 50ish MPH road and you want to power through a turn; that's usually one click from 4 to 3, sometimes 2 clicks from 4 to 2
  • You're taking a right sweeper like in a yield RH turn - this is almost always 2nd gear so I'll glance down (to the cluster) to find the # of clicks

Now here's the shortcut - you're on the track (or elsewhere ) and you want the absolute most power:
  • Ideally be in M-mode
  • pull in and hold the left paddle
  • right foot to the floor with the throttle (WOT, ie kick-down switch)
  • Make damn sure you have a lot of room in front of you and you're ready to upshift cause you're going take off like a bat outa hell (release the left paddle when you do)

This will take you from 80 to 130 in what will seem (to me) like zero seconds. Use with caution, look for the nearest petrol station
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      11-04-2012, 03:41 PM   #12
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^^ + 1

Impossible to over rev DCT, although they consistently can hit higher RPM's by slight variation of 6MT cars.

Most DCT cars that have bounced off limiter have been 8,5XX RPM. 6MT cars usually around 50 RPM lower. This has to do with the DCT control unit in conjunction with the DME programming.

And yeah.. just glance down at the cluster and tap it by the number of gears you need to drop.

A lot of people would have busted motors if DCT honored every downshift request it was given
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      11-04-2012, 03:43 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by is300wrx View Post
Got a question for all the DCT owners. I have driven manual transmission cars all my life and I decided to switch over to DCT for the performance advantage. Now when you shift in a manual car, you always recall what gear you're. I sometimes worry that I might click one too many times and downshift into 1st in this car.

Has anyone else have this issue?
The DCT is "idiot" proof with all its electronics and software nannies....what are you worried about?
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      11-04-2012, 03:45 PM   #14
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Even tough I am German/Canadian I will put it to the OP in the good old Italian/American way ....

"Forget about it"

Don't worry the ///M Team at BMW has you covered on that one.
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      11-04-2012, 04:10 PM   #15
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Losing what gear you were in was one of my biggest complaints in the beginning, but I agree that you just get the knack for it and it really isn't an issue anymore.

I think losing what gear you're in and searching for the right gear in part has to do with having 7 gears. I also do the 7th to 5th gear typically on the highway whereas with a regular manual in the same situation I'd probably be in 4th. Just little things you get use to.
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      11-04-2012, 04:16 PM   #16
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with the DCT you'll eventually hear the infamous blip noise, which is freakin awesome.
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      11-05-2012, 11:45 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GrussGott View Post
Ha, I haven't had this problem but I could definitely see how easy it would be.

To the OP, as others have said, in a manual you just get used to hearing the engine and judging your speed against the RPMs and that tells you what gear to pick given the situation.

Same is true with DCT - you're usually within 2 gears of where you want but, if not, there's a short cut (more in a sec). Here are some examples:
  • You're freeway crusing at 80 and want to provide some engine braking and/or prepare for a casual pass: 2 clicks from 7 to 5. I do this one all of the time
  • You're on a 50ish MPH road and you want to power through a turn; that's usually one click from 4 to 3, sometimes 2 clicks from 4 to 2
  • You're taking a right sweeper like in a yield RH turn - this is almost always 2nd gear so I'll glance down (to the cluster) to find the # of clicks

Now here's the shortcut - you're on the track (or elsewhere ) and you want the absolute most power:
  • Ideally be in M-mode
  • pull in and hold the left paddle
  • right foot to the floor with the throttle (WOT, ie kick-down switch)
  • Make damn sure you have a lot of room in front of you and you're ready to upshift cause you're going take off like a bat outa hell (release the left paddle when you do)

This will take you from 80 to 130 in what will seem (to me) like zero seconds. Use with caution, look for the nearest petrol station
You don't have to hold down the paddle. Just put the pedal down past the resistance point (floored) and tap the left paddle (or push the selector lever forward) once. It will drop down the the most appropriate gear for acceleration.

On a side note, I never see my shift lights anymore. I used to and it's set to "on" but they never light up in or out of M mode. Is there some other hidden setting where I may have turned them off while experimenting with stuff?
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      11-05-2012, 12:12 PM   #18
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I got the same issue. I always find myself having to turn it back on an it somehow ends up in the off mode as default. You can find this by scrolling through your menus using your left indicator.
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      11-05-2012, 12:18 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Transfer View Post
^^ If I had a dollar for every time some unsuspecting pedestrian whipped their head around...
haha, me too!
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      11-05-2012, 02:38 PM   #20
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I have driven auto all my life. So no matter what I do with the up shifts and down shifts won't hurt the car?
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      11-05-2012, 03:06 PM   #21
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Most times DCT won't even let me shift into first doing a rolling stop, kinda annoying cause I want first but it won't give it to me.
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