Smg Or 6 Speed

04turboM3

New Member
Messages
8
Likes
0
Location
houston
#1
im in the process of getting a brand new m3 but i really dont know much about how smg package works. my question is if your at a light can you still rev up ilke any manuel car and take of with high rpm's without breaking nothing or forcing it to do so. Also which one from a smg and a 6 speed will win in a 0-60 mph and all the way through and is the smg still have 6 speeds? [rolleyes]
 
Last edited:

flashinthepan

Active Member
Messages
802
Likes
0
Location
Oregon
#4
04turboM3 said:
also what would most people pick if it didnt matter if it was a smg or 6 speed???
- SMG's outsell conventional manual's
- Straight line Professional drivers get 4.8 sec's 0-60 Manual, 5.0 sec's SMG. Track events I hear raves about the SMG.

Picking one is like picking Black or Red, which do YOU prefer.
 
Messages
112
Likes
0
Location
New Jersey
#6
i love my smg

absolutely go with the SMG.. its the best of both worlds.

first... yes, you can rev the engine by doing the hack - (put car in sport mode, turn off dsc, adjust smg to S6, hold the stick in the forward position, rev the engine to about 3k rpm, drop the stick back and mash the gas pedal) there- you've essentially dropped the clutch.

honestly though, i'm sure that doing the above isn't the best thing for your tranny but that's the closest you'll get to replicating a stick for that.

personally, my favorite is to just put the car in sport mode, turn off dsc, S6 mode it and just stomp the pedal. you get nearly identical results, plus not nearly as much wear on the transmission. the car has enough power that either way you do it you'll light the tires!!

also, smg lets you shift a few different ways, 1 being the automatic mode - love this for traffic, or just times i feel lazy. 2. you can shift with the stick - up for downshifts and down for upshifts, no moving the stick around into the H pattern but close enough feel so that it feels like you're driving a stick. lastly, 3. the paddles. this is typically how i shift the car 95% of the time. i love having them, especially when you're in some twisties, you don't have to take your hands off the wheel.. just click with the left hand to downshift when you're in a corner and for power or click on the right one to fly through the gears on a nice straight.. it just does not get any better. plus!!! lots of appeal to everyone who is lucky enough to be riding with me - it has a very big WOW factor. especially when i'm on a hill and i show them that the car will roll if i'm not on the brake - just like stick, or if i'm on an uphill elevation.. i can show them the little trick of holding the left paddle for about 1.5 seconds and the clutch engages to hold me in place... just a little touch that adds to the coolness of this thing.

also... yes. it is a 6 speed. its the identical trans used in their 6 speed gearbox for manuals, just tricked to the next level. plus, from my understanding - its supposed to be lighter than the regular manual trans.

just so much tech and coolness associated with it, visually its worth the extra dough and mechanically and ergonomically - its completely functional. i wish all cars had it. but then some of the coolness would be lost...

only question i hate when people ask me about it is... "Ohhhh!! its one of those tiptronic / steptronic transmissions right? - like the one from that pontiac grand prix commercial or (insert any manufacturers name that makes one)". at which point i have to explain that tip/step are basically automatics with a feature to shift when you want... but there is still a torque converter and no clutch... on MINE, there is a clutch.. just no clutch pedal... same as the F1 cars... i get that one a lot... and i always explain it because otherwise people's idea of the car is somewhat devalued when you lump the bmw tranny into the same category as a mass produced domestic vehicle worth less than half of my car.

i'm kinda rambling... so i'm gonna leave now... get SMG, you won't be disappointed.
 
Messages
139
Likes
0
Location
Bothell, WA
#7
BTM3 said:
also... yes. it is a 6 speed. its the identical trans used in their 6 speed gearbox for manuals, just tricked to the next level. plus, from my understanding - its supposed to be lighter than the regular manual trans.
SMG add 18 pounds to the conventional 6-speed transmission.

http://m3.madrussian.net/faq.shtml#34

BTM3 said:
only question i hate when people ask me about it is... "Ohhhh!! its one of those tiptronic / steptronic transmissions right? - like the one from that pontiac grand prix commercial or (insert any manufacturers name that makes one)". at which point i have to explain that tip/step are basically automatics with a feature to shift when you want... but there is still a torque converter and no clutch... on MINE, there is a clutch.. just no clutch pedal... same as the F1 cars... i get that one a lot... and i always explain it because otherwise people's idea of the car is somewhat devalued when you lump the bmw tranny into the same category as a mass produced domestic vehicle worth less than half of my car.
I would not bother explaining the SMG details to those who don't know what it is to begin with. Those who matter already know. I wouldn't care how people "devalue" my car. I know how much my car is worth, and that's all that matters to me.

(I have 6MT, by the way. [hihi])
 

flashinthepan

Active Member
Messages
802
Likes
0
Location
Oregon
#9
The best of both worlds ???

I think that is a bit of a stretch, Having drivin both the SMG and the 6-manual - I know the SMG does NOT replicate a manual foot clutch, in fact there is no way one could say they even feel the same, they dont, & I too, would have reservations about slamming the SMG into gear at high revs from a stop.

If you want a traditional Clutch style take-off, buy a foot style manual 6-speed, I like the SMG for what it offers.....but it does NOT even feel like a traditional manual at all imo.
 
Messages
681
Likes
0
Location
Chicago, IL
#10
I always thought SMG as being cool, shifting up and down by just flicking the stick. I'd get it, althought everyone would say only PROS' use real Manual Trans, but I dont care [headbang]. SMG is slower than MT then right?
 
Messages
127
Likes
0
Location
Corpus Christi
#12
BTM3 said:
just so much tech and coolness associated with it, visually its worth the extra dough and mechanically and ergonomically - its completely functional. i wish all cars had it. but then some of the coolness would be lost...

the 6 speed is 4.8 and smg is 5,0 seconds.. also you definitely dont get the feel, nor would you get the longevity of the simpler standard tranny.. I really enjoy the 6 speed, and it is the choice of most racecar drivers.. If you are on the cell phone a lot and need to be less in touch with what is going on then it might be ok.. Just my opinion... I really like to feel the car moving, and know where it is.. drive both of them.. before you buy.. and I mean REALLY drive them.. most sales people will let you get on it in the cars, if you are a serious buyer..

6 speed all the way
 
Messages
107
Likes
0
Location
Silly Valley
#13
R3LzX said:
I really like to feel the car moving, and know where it is.. drive both of them.. before you buy.. and I mean REALLY drive them.. most sales people will let you get on it in the cars, if you are a serious buyer..

6 speed all the way
By the way, this reminded me to warn anyone thinking about an M3 to order one from the factory and break it in according to your standards.

You *don't* want an M3 that's been test driven!
 
Messages
107
Likes
0
Location
Silly Valley
#15
PhatBimmer said:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54484&page=3&pp=25 for SMG stuff.

Oh and why not get an M3 test driven [80?] I know its more fun to brake it in yourself but what do they do? [:o]
I think the tendency of most test drivers is to "test the limits" of a car like the M3. During our test drive, the salesguy completely floored it. I was too busy hanging on for life to check the tach, but I'm sure it was well over 5500 rpm. My wife and I were more respectful of the next owner and drove it very gently. However, I can imagine many prospective M3 owners (you know who you are [;)] ) would tend to indulge in some "premature acceleration." [burnout]
 
Messages
112
Likes
0
Location
New Jersey
#16
the pro reference - just a thought

PhatBimmer said:
I always thought SMG as being cool, shifting up and down by just flicking the stick. I'd get it, althought everyone would say only PROS' use real Manual Trans, but I dont care [headbang]. SMG is slower than MT then right?

just a thought regarding the quote of 'everyone would say only PROS use manual trans'.

doesn't much of the professional automotive world use a similar transmission in the extremely high performance category?

1. F1 or Indy Cars
2. Pro Drag Racing
3. Touring car and Rally Series???

those are just off the top of my head... i've read that they use them, not only because the driver can concentrate more on the road and doesn't have to take their hands off the wheel to shift, but its safer and faster among other things.

i'm not putting down a manual by any means.. i've had several of them, three manuals in my previous three bimmers.. i loved them all.

But, I chose my present M3 with the SMG by choice.. I do not regret it one bit. Granted, manual or SMG is a personal choice... drive them both thoroughly before buying, don't listen to me.. i'm just one owner with an opinion.
 

flashinthepan

Active Member
Messages
802
Likes
0
Location
Oregon
#18
These threads SMG vs. Manual always end up the same way. Some like one better, others like the opposite better.

Manual or SMG...they both are competent & well thought out hi-performance cars, I could be happy with either personally & I am excited for anyone driving a Bimmer.

[thumb]
 
Messages
3,420
Likes
0
Location
Metuchen NJ
#19
heheh
i'd never buy a car with smg, and if u gave one to
me for free, i'd sell it =]

the british guy says it best in his review of the 612
the paddles are a great toy, but sometimes u want a
fast shift, other times u want a slow shift...sometimes
you want to slowly feel the syncros and the mechanical
touch of a 6spd tranny. not some electric mumbo jumbo
paddle shifter..

your car, you decide.
 


Top