This is my very first post in this forum, I recently joined and to be honest I enjoy reading everyone comments and pictures, I am a huge M3 fans before all.
Well, I just wanted to put some comments concerning the M-DCT vs 6MT discussion I often see and I found sometime a little bit sad to see people "fighting" for this.
I am a happy owner of a E90/M3 2010Y 6MT (Melb Red) that I really really enjoy driving, that's my second M3, the first one was a E46/SMGII Phoenix Yellow that I really enjoyed too. Between those 2 cars, so before buying the E90 I was driving an Audi RS4.
To come back to this 6MT remorse, needless to say I have NONE ! But it does not mean M-DCT is better or worse than the Manual transmission at all. We have to take in account that we are very lucky to have the choice of transmission between a 3 pedals MT and a 2 pedals MT. I remember when I was a young driver, I always dreamed about driving a car having a F1 like transmission, not an AT but this semi-automatic one. And now almost all sport cars are providing this type of transmission that are extremely well made. That's the reason why I've owned an SMGII M3, and even if it was not as good as the M-DCT or PDKs it was truly fun to use, and I still like it (in spite of been less smooth than the M-DCT).
Anyway my point is, after trying the 2 pedals MT, I found myself preferring the 3 pedals MT because playing with the clutch pedal and the stick shift provided more fun and in the same time challenges to brush up my driving techniques (rev-match, H&T etc...).
BUT, the M-DCT is a great mechanism and I understand people choosing it, this is just a question of preference, needs and nothing else.
I test drove several M-DCT M3 and I thought it was an amazing transmission and fun too. The rev-match is perfect and I am sure in a track or a twisty mountain road, allowing the driver to keep both hands in the steering wheel while down shifting is a great plus, more secure and it keeps the Manual type feeling because it is not a traditional AT or CVT, that's a big difference ! In spite of those big Plus I decided to go 6MT because I wanted to and that's it. Pure personal preference
Not because of more or less involvement with the car, I think you all know it, driving an M3 requires quite some involvement whatever it is an MT or DCT !
So for me, MT or DCT ? No big deal, it's an M3 and the fun is the same ! If BMW provided a traditional AT (torque conv type) for the M3 then I think it would be an issue but DCT is like an MT afterall. The M3 magic is still there.
Truly, aren't we lucky to have this type of transmission as an option ?
Sorry for my sudden posting a long comment...
Best,