M3 has a shitty manual gearbox??

[d-domi]

I saw a test, and they said the car is great, but the manual gearbox is rubberized, soft and bad..

Is it true? or they are idiots?

thx

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by d-domi

I saw a test, and they said the car is great, but the manual gearbox is rubberized, soft and bad..

Is it true? or they are idiots?

thx

Not the best gearbox on the planet in terms of feel, but better than the E46 M3's (which I drove for 6 years), if that means anything. I think it's fine. Remember that it will get smoother after break-in, so if you drive a low miles demo you will not get the true picture.

[rai]

I test drove one and first time this has ever happened to me the car was in 1st gear and it jumped out of gear ? I mean it must not have been fully engaged. That has not happened to me ever in 20+ years of driving a MT car.

So I went back and test drove again just to concentrate on the shifting and the gearbox to see if I wanted the DCT instead. The MT is not that bad but I would say it's not the best feature of the car. For me the 4-5 shift is longish, I mean I have to reach way out and use my shoulder some cars can be shifted with wrist-elbow action.

I did change my order to the DCT. I was on the fence since I plan to keep my sports car (S2000) so the M3 is going to be a DD for me.

I was going for the MT for it's fun-to-drive and for being cheaper but after looking at it, the MT could have been better so the fun-to-drive was still there but not as much as I wished for.

[ersin]

I think the consensus is that it is a pretty darn good gearbox. It's up near the top but not quite as good as the Porsche, or as they say the S2000.

[M3Kevin]

Having come from a GT3 - it is definately not "good" like that.

Having come from a Corvette Z06 - it's way better than that.

Having driven a 335i - it's better than that.

As I get used to it - I am liking it. Even though it's not as tight as the GT3, and I can understand the "rubbery" comment - it seems to me to be precise, easy to shift, and easy to push and pull into each gear.

I believe "R" has a lockout if you are moving forward- which I think is great.

Kevin

[bobr2001]

i just drove the m3 today and imho the 6mt gearbox is top level in terms of how well it responded to me in the 30 mins i had the car.

[OC ///M]

There is a big difference after the clutch is bedded in. Gear changes are noticeably smoother as you move through the end of the running-in period.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by d-domi

I saw a test, and they said the car is great, but the manual gearbox is rubberized, soft and bad..

Is it true? or they are idiots?

thx

After a test drive I felt that a SSK will do wonders for the shifting feel in the E92 M3 as it did in my old E46 M3...

[GT3 Tim]

Originally Posted by M3Kevin

Having come from a GT3 - it is definately not "good" like that.

Having come from a Corvette Z06 - it's way better than that.

Having driven a 335i - it's better than that.

As I get used to it - I am liking it. Even though it's not as tight as the GT3, and I can understand the "rubbery" comment - it seems to me to be precise, easy to shift, and easy to push and pull into each gear.

I believe "R" has a lockout if you are moving forward- which I think is great.

Kevin

+1 Although my major complaint is a soft clutch pedal feel...the box, I thought, was just fine.

[M3Kevin]

Originally Posted by GT3 Tim

+1 Although my major complaint is a soft clutch pedal feel...the box, I thought, was just fine.

+1 - I would not complain if they stiffened up the clutch some....

[M3Kevin]

Tim - I think my major complaint at this time (600 miles so far) has to be the brake grab. It has a point where the brakes go from very soft and gentle to very aggressive.

I have a friend who's a engineer for a major car manufacturer - and he drove it and commented about it and basically said "I wonder why they did that?"

I asked if it could be fixed with pads - he said it could be "changed" with pads - but for the most part it's how the booster is designed/set that causes it.

He's also driven the autobahn and other places - and did comment that a 5 series that he drove - the brakes totally made sense in germany with the style of driving there.

Kevin

[OzStriker]

Originally Posted by M3Kevin

Tim - I think my major complaint at this time (600 miles so far) has to be the brake grab. It has a point where the brakes go from very soft and gentle to very aggressive.

I have a friend who's a engineer for a major car manufacturer - and he drove it and commented about it and basically said "I wonder why they did that?"

Interesting Kevin, I must say I have not noticed any 'grab' or non-linear braking whatsoever, and I have not heard this issue raised before on the forums. I remember feeling this in my old WRX...I wonder if this is a problem with your particular vehicle?

[skierman64]

If I was going to get a 6MT car I would certainly get a UUC short shift kit. I have one on my E36 and I think it makes all the difference in the world. There are many other manufacturers of short shift kits but UUC is the one I'm familiar with. It will shorten the gearshift throws and firm up the shifting.

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by skierman64

If I was going to get a 6MT car I would certainly get a UUC short shift kit. I have one on my E36 and I think it makes all the difference in the world. There are many other manufacturers of short shift kits but UUC is the one I'm familiar with. It will shorten the gearshift throws and firm up the shifting.

Don't think it needs it, myself, unlike the E46. Neither did the guy I talked with at Rogue Engineering, which makes some nice kits. They may not even bring one out for this car.

[skierman64]

Originally Posted by M3Kevin

I believe "R" has a lockout if you are moving forward- which I think is great.

Kevin

On my E36 this is no lockout for reverse but the reverse gear is syncronized (unlike many other cars) so you can actually select reverse while move (very slowly) forward. I'd be surprised if reverse was actually locked out.

[OzCarfreak]

The throw of the gears is a very very long way.

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by OzCarfreak

The throw of the gears is a very very long way.

I disagree--I think it's perfect. Get too short and effort goes up and precision goes down. Just MO.

[rvacha]

I'm with GregW - I don't think it needs an SSK. I think the throws are actually just about right. I find that my biggest gripe is that the shifter seems too far forward, and I don't have particularly long legs. This might partly be responsible for the impression of long throws. It will be interesting to see exactly what makes the shifter “rubbery” (which I have no problem with). It might be in the stick itself (to reduce NVH), but if it’s not then an SSK won’t be able to address it

[!Xoible]

throws arent long at all. they're pretty close to being perfect. maybe they're not s2k throws, but they're pretty good. no ssk for me, dont think is needed

[Pancho]

Gearbox improves drastically with use.

[kbk_75]

I don't think the throws are too long either! The 1st -> 2nd effort is markedly more than any other gears though.

[Hans Delbruck]

The clutch seems light and the shifter rubbery if you are sitting in a showroom shifting it.

Once you're actually driving it, the feel seems pretty natural to me.

I've never driven a BMW manual that wasn't at least a LITTLE BIT notchy.

M3Kevin, as far as brake feel, I know what you're talking about -- my Z4MC had that non-linear grabby feel, but the E92 M3 I drove did not -- the brakes were very easy to modulate. I wonder if there is some sort of adjustment at the factory that can influence the feel?