[Rons335i]

I drove manual for about 10 years and just recently got an auto 335i.

What a difference when it comes to being smooth. Most notable from first to 2nd gear without the slight bob or jerk.

Will they ever make a manual transmission where this isn't a slight gerk while switching gears.

I consider myself a pretty good manual driver.

[vince217]

10 years and you were never able to make smooth gear switches from 1st to 2nd??!

[VTECaddict]

It's a manual transmission. Smoothness is entirely up to the driver.

[mbferrari]

Originally Posted by VTECaddict

It's a manual transmission. Smoothness is entirely up to the driver.

I loved Senna with all my heart, but try to drive as smoothly as Prost. He once said when he was learning how to drive he would think about having a glass of water on the front of his car and trying not to spill a drop.

Smooth = Fast.

MB

[CJ421]

It is possible to drive these cars smoothly. Getting a CDV delete will help but smoothness is a direct result of timing shifts. The revs in a 335 hang noticeably especially 1>2 so you have to compensate for it aka be patient. I like to think I am pretty smooth.

[GChase]

I think the real question is will an auto ever be as fun to drive as a manual

[BrazilianBimmer]

Originally Posted by mbferrari

I loved Senna with all my heart, but try to drive as smoothly as Prost. He once said when he was learning how to drive he would think about having a glass of water on the front of his car and trying not to spill a drop.

Smooth = Fast.

MB

Why do you love Senna so much?

[BabyrayS2k]

Originally Posted by GChase

I think the real question is will an auto ever be as fun to drive as a manual

No it won't. But the real question is will a manual ever be as quick as an auto.

[jvsxn]

Originally Posted by vince217

10 years and you were never able to make smooth gear switches from 1st to 2nd??!

Originally Posted by VTECaddict

It's a manual transmission. Smoothness is entirely up to the driver.

Originally Posted by mbferrari

I loved Senna with all my heart, but try to drive as smoothly as Prost. He once said when he was learning how to drive he would think about having a glass of water on the front of his car and trying not to spill a drop.

Smooth = Fast.

MB

The water part reminded me of Initial D's tofu runs

[sammy_0559]

driver mod

[theblackmamba]

my auto isnt smooth.

then again i dont drive like a pansy.

[JoeyBananaz18]

Originally Posted by BrazilianBimmer

Why do you love Senna so much?

With a use name like yours, do you really have to ask?

As for the smoothness, i had a 535gt as a loaner and loved the way the 8 speed changed gears. later on I had an auto 335 as a loaner and hated the way it changed gears.

[ndog14]

Originally Posted by VTECaddict

It's a manual transmission. Smoothness is entirely up to the driver.

+1

[BrazilianBimmer]

Originally Posted by JoeyBananaz18

With a use name like yours, do you really have to ask?

As for the smoothness, i had a 535gt as a loaner and loved the way the 8 speed changed gears. later on I had an auto 335 as a loaner and hated the way it changed gears.

Just wanted to see if the guy's brazilian

[mashimarho]

I was able to drive REAL smooth when I disabled my turbos with MAP 8. LOL

[gds52]

Originally Posted by JoeyBananaz18

With a use name like yours, do you really have to ask?

As for the smoothness, i had a 535gt as a loaner and loved the way the 8 speed changed gears. later on I had an auto 335 as a loaner and hated the way it changed gears.

good one !!!
The name SENNA is enough !

[ChipB]

The premise of this thread is entirely wrong. I find the shifting on the 335i with tiptronic to be much jerkier than my old manual tranmission E36. It's really annoying taking off from a stop light the way the car hesitates as you hit the gas and then it shifts to 2nd too soon, causing a jerky hesitation. I have found that the best way to make a smooth launch from a stop is to hold the brake witjh my left foot, goose the gas slightly with my right to get the revs up a bit, then release the brake.

I miss my E36 manual tranny!

[weaksauce]

Originally Posted by Rons335i

I consider myself a pretty good manual driver.

I am glad at least one person on this forum considers you a good manual driver.

[weaksauce]

Originally Posted by BabyrayS2k

No it won't. But the real question is will a manual ever be as quick as an auto.

Only recently did autos become faster then manuals, so the answer to this question would be 40 some odd years ago.

[mbferrari]

Originally Posted by BrazilianBimmer

Why do you love Senna so much?

He was my first favorite driver when he came into F1 back in the 80's. I saw him race in Detroit when he was in the McLaren MP-4/4 and it was a sight to behold.

I still think he is the best F1 driver to ever walk the face of the planet.

MB

[NoTempoLimitN54]

Originally Posted by BabyrayS2k

No it won't. But the real question is will a manual ever be as quick as an auto.

What??? You're talking about Dual Clutch Transmission, and calling that an "auto" right? Otherwise that's pure car salesman B.S.

The only E9x that have a transmission that will allow for faster accelleration than the 6 speed manual transmission are the 335is and the M3 with 7 speed DCT. It's about 0.1 second faster 0-60 mph. I believe you have to use Launch Control to get those numbers too (not that you are babying the 6MT's clutch to get it's best 0-60 and 1/4 mi times).

If you are talking about the ubiquitous 6 speed conventional (torque converter) "steptronic" automatic that's in 99%+ of the 328's and 335's, its about 0.5 second SLOWER than the manual 0-60 mph.

Conventional automatic transmissions usually have a first gear ratio comparable to second gear in an equivalent car with manual transmission, and use the torque converter slip to get started with torque multiplication in that tall first gear. That's one reason why they are slower off the line.

What I have noticed is that we now have cars where the automatic gets better gas mileage. I would expect this is because of 2nd gear starts in the default "econo" mode (like 3rd gear in a manual car) and upshifting at very low rpm. Most people would not enjoy driving in that mode anyway and would switch it off, loosing the small mpg advantage it would give.

The 8 speed ZF automatic (also torque converter, but very advanced) in the F30's is getting good reviews though even from the gearhead press. But that tranny was never available in our cars.

[redline2001]

Originally Posted by NoTempoLimitN54

What??? You're talking about Dual Clutch Transmission, and calling that an "auto" right? Otherwise that's pure car salesman B.S.

The only E9x that have a transmission that will allow for faster accelleration than the 6 speed manual transmission are the 335is and the M3 with 7 speed DCT. It's about 0.1 second faster 0-60 mph. I believe you have to use Launch Control to get those numbers too (not that you are babying the 6MT's clutch to get it's best 0-60 and 1/4 mi times).

If you are talking about the ubiquitous 6 speed conventional (torque converter) "steptronic" automatic that's in 99%+ of the 328's and 335's, its about 0.5 second SLOWER than the manual 0-60 mph.

Conventional automatic transmissions usually have a first gear ratio comparable to second gear in an equivalent car with manual transmission, and use the torque converter slip to get started with torque multiplication in that tall first gear. That's one reason why they are slower off the line.

What I have noticed is that we now have cars where the automatic gets better gas mileage. I would expect this is because of 2nd gear starts in the default "econo" mode (like 3rd gear in a manual car) and upshifting at very low rpm. Most people would not enjoy driving in that mode anyway and would switch it off, loosing the small mpg advantage it would give.

The 8 speed ZF automatic (also torque converter, but very advanced) in the F30's is getting good reviews though even from the gearhead press. But that tranny was never available in our cars.

Your stats maybe correct but those time were with professional drivers. In the everyday world with everyday drivers the auto will be faster. I'm a manual driver for the past 22 yrs but must admit autos have come a longgg way.