Manual or DCT?

[sleestak]

Fellow Bimmer Geeks-

I know, I know, but this is not a new or debatable thread about one versus the other.

Instead, I bought an immaculate 2013 E92 DCT Jerez black in/out with competition package, 46k miles with upgraded M exhaust about three months ago.

I have the opportunity to trade it for a 2013 MANUAL E92 with 38k miles, NO COMPETITION PACKAGE, no upgraded M exhaust. Except that, both have nearly identical packages. In Fact, they were built just two months apart.

Do I go for the manual or stay with the DCT? The DCT is fun but the manual could be "funner". Both are one owner cars.

Both the DCT and MANUAL are completely stock. My DCT has black interior and the MANUAL has the two tone silver seats with black interior (see attached pics).

What would you do? Stay with the DCT or go for the manual?

Please do not reply and say - "Oh, it's your decision and personal preference!" No! I want to hear what people actually think about this scenario I'm in.

I love everything about my DCT but can live with it. So the question is - Stay with DCT or pay $4k more to make the switch to MANUAL. Not a daily driver - 3000 miles/yr

[Yoko22R]

Doesn't look like youll be putting a lot of miles on it. I'd say if you daily drive the M go DCT. If not go manual.

[Helmsman]

Sleestak, haven't tried the M3 manual but had only manual cars (incl BMWs) till my current M3 DCT. Assuming the M3 manual of some reason would do wonders that others don't I'd say stick with the DCT. The box as you know by now works fantastically well with the S65 engine, having the need to shift constantly in order to have the right rpm in place. The DCT in my mind also make the car ferocious in a way I can't see the manual do. On top the down shift blips are always welcome. With a more low grunt engine I certainly wouldn't mind going back to manual.
However you mentioned the main reason to stay your self: You loved the first three month with it. Why cough up 4k just to invest in uncertainty mate?

[Lunker325]

You'd be giving up the M exhaust and comp package, something to think about. I'd stay with the DCT car.

[BOOF-M3]

Helmsman always makes good points and gives good honest commentary and he has not disappointed here. If money is not an issue you could own two, a DCT and a manual.

[Bimmed Out]

Unless it's a daily driver in heavy traffic, I couldn't even imagine going with the DCT. The only automatic transmission sports car I've owned is a 911 Turbo S with PDK. I kept it for two months. That's how long it took for the novelty of the torque to wear off and the reality of the boring transmission to set in. The car cost four times as much as my M3s and wasn't even half the fun to drive. I think you'll quickly regret it if you pass on the 6MT. I agree that the absence of the competition package in the manual is a serious negative, but it's easier to do modifications that adjust for that than it is to convert a DCT to 6MT!

[R3dliner]

#savethemanuals

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by BOOF-M3

Competition package miles ahead of non competition package car. Performance exhausts blows away stock exhaust. No offense to the two tone silver owners but I can't sit in a vehicle with that color for more than five minutes without thinking where are the emergency exits. Black is beautiful. For me there is no other interior color. If you really want to throw $4,000 at something I suggest you donate some of it, go on a nice vacation, put it towards the kids/grand kids education, start modding your vehicle to make it "funner". So in my opinion you own the superior vehicle of the two so I wouldn't care if I were receiving $4,000 I'm not trading your vehicle in for the one mentioned. Now as to your question on DCT vs Manual. I have never owned an "automatic" sports car before. Typically automatics are sluggish and geared differently than manuals. You however do not own an "automatic". Your transmission has two clutches and is therefore superior to a standard run of the mill automatic. We know the DCT is faster to all speeds than the manual. The manual does not have the button that changes the shifting points like the DCT does. The throttle blips on downshift and upshift are awesome and sound even better with an exhaust. I drove several manual M3's when looking for both of my cars. Each time they left me wanting for the DCT experience. In my opinion BMW made an inferior manual transmission which makes the whole experience inferior to the DCT cars. Go out and drive several 6MT cars. Check for sale ads and set up test drives all over the place. I'm not talking about one or two test drives, I mean drive every manual in your part of the world. I think eventually you will get it out of your system and always wanting to get back into the DCT. And just to recap, overall your car is far superior to the one your are wanting to purchase in my humble opinion. I do understand the need for change as we all go through it, but sometimes old/familiar is just right. I am interested in reading some comments from members like Dparm, Philippe, deansbimmer, roastbeef, Syt shadow etc... Helmsman always makes good points and gives good honest commentary and he has not disappointed here. If money is not an issue you could own two.

Exactly my friend

[carenthuziast]

E9X 6MT's are rare in the used car market while DCT's are plentiful.

When I was looking for my E93, I only considered 6MT b/c I don't plan on tracking it and driving a manual for a sports car makes you feel more involved.

I don't like the silver seats in the car you are looking at, so I suggest you keep looking for a 6MT unless you like that interior color.

[New2Roundel]

If you need to ask the question, why make the change? As you state in your OP, most people are pretty black and white on this topic. I prefer a manual transmission in performance cars. I've driven an f8x DCT on track and it's a wonderful transmission and it makes life easier, particularly on a track. However, easy /= fun for me. Having to concentrate on the whole experience makes the act of driving a sporty car fun.

Sorry, but if I spent the time and money on one transmission choice, I wouldn't jump when a car with a different transmission comes on the market. $4k isn't worth it to me. I would keep the what you have, not because I think the DCT is better, but because that's what you have. If you were that interested in having a manual M3, you would have gotten that in the first place. I do like the lower miles on the manual car, but that also depends on the how the car was maintained.

[Prefontaine]

Firstly, the point that your current car is superior to the one you're considering has already been addressed...and I'm sure you know that. That part has nothing to do with the transmission.

However, I've been in spots in the past (mostly with motorcycles) where I just need something that another car/bike offers, regardless if it's an overall "step down" or not. So, I get it.

What I'm about to say next will probably get me flamed, but that's ok. I currently own a manual and, despite listing it for sale (for reasons unrelated to the joy the car provides), I do really enjoy it. I've driven manuals for 15 years exclusively and have always viewed anything without a clutch pedal as inferior. Even my winter beater (a 98 Jeep Cherokee XJ) is a manual.

With that being said, I think this is the one car out there where I could definitely see myself considering a DCT the next time around (ok, maybe a GT3 with PDK if I could afford it). The way this engine behaves and builds power just begs for a dual clutch IMO. I know many other sources have said that in the past, and I never believed it, but I (somewhat) do now. The manual is still very fun and engaging, and you can certainly downshift into the power band on your own as often as you'd like, but if you're at all a fan of modern day (i.e. in the last 15-20 years) F1, you may derive just as much enjoyment from a DCT as you do the manual. There definitely is just something special about the relationship between our high revving NA V8 and the DCT -- something of a "greater than the sum of their parts" scenario.

If it were me, and all I cared about was the transmission (and not the ZCP vs non-ZCP), I'd do the following:

- Test drive as many manuals as possible, periodically getting it out of my system (like another poster suggested). Whenever I've wanted another car in place of what I'm driving at the time, a few test drives (not just one, but a handful spaced out over a few weeks) has typically made me realize that the grass isn't greener.

- If you still find yourself longing for the manual, get one. The litmus test for this will be do you walk out to your DCT car every time wishing it was a manual.

- If you're still on the fence but don't want to commit, considering tuning your DCT -- it'll wake the transmission up and may help bridge the gap between the manual you think you want and the DCT you think you know.

Either way, I'd probably wait for a different 6MT that is similarly spec'd to yours while simultaneously incurring less of a financial impact.

Hope this helps.

[jlo0109]

Originally Posted by Yoko22R

Doesn't look like youll be putting a lot of miles on it. I'd say if you daily drive the M go DCT. If not go manual.

+1 on this.

Congrats on your recent purchase, first of all and welcome to the M world. I think the answer to your question depends on two main factors.

1. What is your daily driving condition like? Do you spend a lot of time going in low speed around the city? Do you spend most of your commute through freeway or more open road?

2. Is this going to be your daily driver? Or is this going to be your weekend car?

I have recently acquired a 2013 M3 as well. I went with manual since there was never the thought of ever touching a DCT as I've always had manual sports cars and the M3 was not going to be an exception. I've been told by many that the M3 is a rev-happy monster. As such, it is the happiest when you have the ability to rev it. And by revving, I do not mean you have to chirp tires or WOT through every single light. By revving, I meant that the car is very smooth and responsive when you are in the higher RPM range.

With that being said, driving it in the city where congestion dominates the road more than half of the time is going to be a bit bother some and let me explain. Driving in the city means that your chance of being able to rev the engine high is obviously less likely than if you were on a more open road. I have found the sweet spot of shifting to be around 3.5k to 3.8k. Anything below this, the shifting is often a bit more notchy (this is known for e92 M3 and its transmission).

I spend about 2 hours a day on the road in traffic traveling from North Dallas to Downtown Dallas. As much as I love and have no problem with the manual. If I had the opportunity to re-do this, knowing this is my daily and the commute that I have ahead of me, I would actually go with the DCT.

I never thought much of the DCT because of all the horror stories we've heard about the SMG. But the DCT, time over time, has proven itself to be a very reliable transmission. Many people have clocked well over 180k on the transmission around the world. The idea of not wanting to deal with expensive repair or maintenance ultimately steered me away from the DCT. I do see them differently and now that I've driven one. I would definitely consider one on my next purchase, either on the F10 M5 or the M6.

My 2 cents. Good luck with your decision.

[UPSROD]

The interior of the manual trans car is silver, not two tone silver and black, which was an option at $300.00 extra.

[dparm]

OP, this is almost entirely subjective. If you like the DCT, then stick with that. But if you miss driving a manual, get the other car.

Financially (meaning from a more objective perspective) I don't think it will be worth switching.

[carenthuziast]

Originally Posted by UPSROD

The interior of the manual trans car is silver, not two tone silver and black, which was an option at $300.00 extra.

Prior to me getting my space metallic gray exterior/fox red-black interior, I considered a lower mileage silverstone with a black/silverstone interior. I am so glad I didn't pull the trigger on that look as the one I have now became available.

[jaehshim]

Buying a used car is an interesting market because you can get a good deal considering what you get with the car (DCT, different options, comp package, M performance exhaust all are $$, you will have to pay $2~3K just for the M exhaust if you wanted it separately).

With that said, having driven both transmission and owned it for the past 5+ yrs,
is 6MT > Comp pack + M performance exhaust + other ideal options etc ? Hell yes.
It will cost you money if you want to get Comp wheels, suspension work, exhaust etc, but the driving experience you get with 6MT car (really any car) is priceless.
And when this is your weekend car and not a daily in the city car, 6MT M3 is the answer in my opinion.

What about the additional $4K? Don't make an impulse buy and get that car for $4K additional cash, i don't think it's worth it
6MT are still easily available, especially in the E92 form. Wait for a good one and make the purchase.

[spiderspider]

the DCT is just too quick for me to go back to manual on this car.

[Not Sure]

Originally Posted by jlo0109

+1 on this.

Congrats on your recent purchase, first of all and welcome to the M world. I think the answer to your question depends on two main factors.

1. What is your daily driving condition like? Do you spend a lot of time going in low speed around the city? Do you spend most of your commute through freeway or more open road?

2. Is this going to be your daily driver? Or is this going to be your weekend car?

I have recently acquired a 2013 M3 as well. I went with manual since there was never the thought of ever touching a DCT as I've always had manual sports cars and the M3 was not going to be an exception. I've been told by many that the M3 is a rev-happy monster. As such, it is the happiest when you have the ability to rev it. And by revving, I do not mean you have to chirp tires or WOT through every single light. By revving, I meant that the car is very smooth and responsive when you are in the higher RPM range.

With that being said, driving it in the city where congestion dominates the road more than half of the time is going to be a bit bother some and let me explain. Driving in the city means that your chance of being able to rev the engine high is obviously less likely than if you were on a more open road. I have found the sweet spot of shifting to be around 3.5k to 3.8k. Anything below this, the shifting is often a bit more notchy (this is known for e92 M3 and its transmission).

I spend about 2 hours a day on the road in traffic traveling from North Dallas to Downtown Dallas. As much as I love and have no problem with the manual. If I had the opportunity to re-do this, knowing this is my daily and the commute that I have ahead of me, I would actually go with the DCT.

I never thought much of the DCT because of all the horror stories we've heard about the SMG. But the DCT, time over time, has proven itself to be a very reliable transmission. Many people have clocked well over 180k on the transmission around the world. The idea of not wanting to deal with expensive repair or maintenance ultimately stirred me away from the DCT. I do see them differently and now that I've driven one. I would definitely consider one on my next purchase, either on the F10 M5 or the M6.

My 2 cents. Good luck with your decision.

there are 2 of you?? or have i just been trolled...

[OzCoE92]

Keep the DCT, better options since it has the Competition Package and MPE already, that's a winner in my book!

[Helmsman]

Originally Posted by Not Sure

there are 2 of you?? or have i just been trolled...

Haha, how funny, nice to see Im not the only one drinking away between the words!

[sleestak]

You guys are all great and thank you for your responses. BTW- This is actually my second DCT as I also had a 2008 E92 a few years back. I just really wasn't sure if the DCT in the M world was really that respected but apparently, was just me being naïve. Seems like it's even respected amongst the 6MTer's so that's nice to see. I also own a 2009 335i 6MT by the way so given that, I think I'll just stick with my DCT. Losing that ZCP package and that performance muffler would surely suck also!

By the way- the 6MT's are more rare I get all that. But it's coming shortly where it will be hard to find even a decent E9X pretty soon. I had to search far and wide and an immaculate preowned M3 in and out that was not ragged on/one owner and thrilled to have even found one!

[carenthuziast]

How much did you pay for your 2013 E92?

Also, the feel of driving a M3 6MT is a lot different than the feel of driving a 335 6MT.

In fact, it's estimated that a +70% of the M3 parts are different than the 335.