First, I'd like to apologize if this question has been asked 100 times before and I am asking it again. I've been searching around and I still have not been able to find some reliable performance numbers of smg and manual comparisons. Does anyone have some numbers from 0 - 60, 60 - 80, etc. ? perhaps a link.. Also, I'm really stuck if I should buy smg or manual.. I like driving a manual, but the smg seems cool..especially in traffic (which I drove in quite often) since there' s no clutch. Will the SMG be as fast 0 - 60 as I would be in a manual? Are there any drawbacks and what about maintenance.. will the smg require more work later on or will it encounter problems.. any pros/cons would be appreciated since I'm going to be purchasing an m3 soon..thanks!!
SMG vs. Manual
- Thread starter Gr8ful
- Start date
SMG does have a clutch and is NOT and auto; it is a computer shifted manual tranny.
To decide which to buy, you need to drive both. I was in your situation about which way to go so I set up a day with the dealership to test drive both a couple times. I went back again and drove them again. The last time, I only drove the manual and that is what I ended up with. I suggest you drive each at LEAST once.
The best way to describe the sensation of driving and SMG (My Opinion), is that it gives you that feeling of being in the passenger seat of a manual while someone else is doing the shifting. All the while you're sitting there second guesing or thinking to yourself when YOU would shift and how YOU would shift. SMG is just a manual being shifted by the computer.
To answer your 0-60 question, an average stick driver will more consistently post a faster time due to the launch control feature of SMG.
This probably won't help much because again, you really need to drive both.![[drinking]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_drinking.gif "Drinking Pals [drinking]")
To decide which to buy, you need to drive both. I was in your situation about which way to go so I set up a day with the dealership to test drive both a couple times. I went back again and drove them again. The last time, I only drove the manual and that is what I ended up with. I suggest you drive each at LEAST once.
The best way to describe the sensation of driving and SMG (My Opinion), is that it gives you that feeling of being in the passenger seat of a manual while someone else is doing the shifting. All the while you're sitting there second guesing or thinking to yourself when YOU would shift and how YOU would shift. SMG is just a manual being shifted by the computer.
To answer your 0-60 question, an average stick driver will more consistently post a faster time due to the launch control feature of SMG.
This probably won't help much because again, you really need to drive both.
I will state only this:
Driving a SMG equipped M3 for a day, even a week is not enough time to fully understand the driving dynamics of the SMG II transmission. It takes longer to fully get the feel.
You need to drive both and make your own decision., but many that have purchased the SMG II do not regret it. This is coming from someone who has only owned manual transmission cars (except the current SUV) all his life.
Driving a SMG equipped M3 for a day, even a week is not enough time to fully understand the driving dynamics of the SMG II transmission. It takes longer to fully get the feel.
You need to drive both and make your own decision., but many that have purchased the SMG II do not regret it. This is coming from someone who has only owned manual transmission cars (except the current SUV) all his life.
SMG. I love it. You can shift manually if you want, or if you are in bad traffic, you can have it shift "somewhat" automatically.
I have read many articles (mainly in deutsche Magazine) that states SMG is theoretically more reliable/less maintenance than a tradt'l manual.
IMO you will hate the SMG in the Z4, but in the M3, 645 and 545 you will love it.
My 2 cents.
I have read many articles (mainly in deutsche Magazine) that states SMG is theoretically more reliable/less maintenance than a tradt'l manual.
IMO you will hate the SMG in the Z4, but in the M3, 645 and 545 you will love it.
My 2 cents.
launch control.. if you opt to get the smg ii, i suggest you get the software patched to euro version, where you'll actually have "launch control" of course if you do it more often than not, you'll kill your smg system, but wth right? (in euro spec, i think you get like 10 such starts allowed per clutch, in the states, thanks to lawsuits and such, there is no restriction.)
i've chimed in on the manual v smg issue before, in the death of manual thread but since i havent' driven the m3 in either form, my opinion is a mute point. but is an worthy debate for a potential buyer.
smg ii at fastest will shift at 80ms. the best drivers on their good day will get this shift time. (according to top gear's m3 review) smg iii.. now there's a beast, 60ms shift times? could even be faster, but was slowed down? amazing!
big question i think boils down to is how anal you are about control. SMG is hell lot better than an automatic at selecting the gear that you want, and will prolly do a better job than you on a consistant basis, but if you want total control, there's nothing like having a third pedal.
i've chimed in on the manual v smg issue before, in the death of manual thread but since i havent' driven the m3 in either form, my opinion is a mute point. but is an worthy debate for a potential buyer.
smg ii at fastest will shift at 80ms. the best drivers on their good day will get this shift time. (according to top gear's m3 review) smg iii.. now there's a beast, 60ms shift times? could even be faster, but was slowed down? amazing!
big question i think boils down to is how anal you are about control. SMG is hell lot better than an automatic at selecting the gear that you want, and will prolly do a better job than you on a consistant basis, but if you want total control, there's nothing like having a third pedal.
i didn´t know that you have a restriction on a number of launches for the launch control. interesting. i mean, how could they restrict that? whether manual or SMG, the clutch is always, was always and will probably always be a wearing part. why restrict that? the driver knows about it as he knows about brakes. i wonder when BMW resticts my braking then?
It wouldn't be at all hard to write a software script that would disable launch control after a specified number of uses, but why would BMW do that? The better way is to simply warn SMG owners that regular use of SMG launch control will cause premature clutch wear that will not be covered under warranty.
well that's just in europe. since smg is has many electronic elements to it, and is run by a software, so they can keep count and limit access to that function, since it does cause extra wear and tare on the clutch.
in the states however, as i mentioned earlier, there is no such counting mechnism in place, so you can do the special launch, as much as you want, until you kill your clutch. (but i'm sure they'll blame you for the early ware, since they can prolly look at the log.) just my thought on it.
so its not bmw trying to restrict your driving habits, its about making sure the equipment will last. i seems to make common sense to me..
in the states however, as i mentioned earlier, there is no such counting mechnism in place, so you can do the special launch, as much as you want, until you kill your clutch. (but i'm sure they'll blame you for the early ware, since they can prolly look at the log.) just my thought on it.
so its not bmw trying to restrict your driving habits, its about making sure the equipment will last. i seems to make common sense to me..
that´s all clear, i just can´t think of bmw restricting the number of launches you have. if one has real big money and wants to do it, well then for good launch sake let him, he´ll pay for it. another one who has not will watch it automatically.
long story short, i don´t believe that the system locks after the 10th launch. still, i don´t know, it´s just thinking.
long story short, i don´t believe that the system locks after the 10th launch. still, i don´t know, it´s just thinking.
Gr8ful said:
btw nice car deutsch100 ! im jealous.. really cool color, that's the blue i was looking at as an option.. i wish i could afford a brand new 2005 
this was from 2003. Richard, or big daddy posted a link to poplular science which described the feature. iirc the article did state that european models had some sort of restriction, but they couldn't impose it over here in the states. but i could be wrong. (no real way to verify.. in another forum, the euro manual states using LC will cause pre-mature failure, but nothing of warrany being void.
so maybe i spoke a bit too loud on the issue? and Tim, i get your point also.. just relaying what i thought i read.
so maybe i spoke a bit too loud on the issue? and Tim, i get your point also.. just relaying what i thought i read.