SMG V's Manual

BiGFK.com · #1 (**permalink**) 01-24-2005, 02:43 AM

Hi Guys,

I would like your opinion please. I currently drive a Convertible 330ci Sport and am going to buy the New M3.

What in your opinion is the better option - The SMG or the Manual.

Also, any idea which is faster ?

Thank you in advance.

Barry
BiGFK.com (current car)

--ANTON-- · #2 (**permalink**) 01-24-2005, 04:14 AM

do a search on the forums, there have been many discusions about this topic.

just a little descusion on the forums SMG or 6 Speed?

and also check out www.m3smg.com very informative site on the SMG gear box.

i know that over here in australia, SMG M3's are very common and about 80% of sales that BMW records for the year have the SMG gear box. and over here manual M3's are not worth as much on the second hand market.

personaly i love the SMG, my brother has it in his, it can be extreamly fun, despite what people say that it is jearky and not as good as a 6-speed, u just have to get use to it, my brother and i can shift the gears exactly the same way as in a manual. it feels the same, but when u really get driving u can notice that the smg is faster than a maual, u have to be an incredibly good driver to keep up with an smg if u were in a 6-speed. and the smg is easily worth a few seconds around the track.

the car can be so fun to drive, just cruising along, and just with 2 flics of the down shift paddle, the box blips the throttle and with a bit of gas, ur off, all within 1 second and so easily done, and deffinatly faster than most people could do it in a 6-speed. and is deffinatly good whilst in traffic, or in the city, a 6-speed can get a little anoying at that point.

so yea i would go with the SMG. but as many people will say, its all up to personal preference, so test them out, take both for a drive.

Blackwidow · #3 (**permalink**) 01-24-2005, 10:07 AM

Here we go agian.

Take a drive in each, and see whats best for you, your not gonna see a consensus on any BMW forums.

bob(NJ) · #4 (**permalink**) 01-24-2005, 02:41 PM

I have been wonderin this to as i plan to start looking for a 2001-2002 m3 as soon as spring hits. I love driving stick, but its actually hard to find a 6 speed.

Bartosz · #5 (**permalink**) 01-24-2005, 02:56 PM

Dont buy 2001-2002 bmw M3 they got the engine failure

MD318is · #6 (**permalink**) 01-24-2005, 03:25 PM

test drive

BeeEmDubAU · #7 (**permalink**) 01-24-2005, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bartosz

Dont buy 2001-2002 bmw M3 they got the engine failure

Thats what warranties are for.

--ANTON-- · #8 (**permalink**) 01-24-2005, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bartosz

Dont buy 2001-2002 bmw M3 they got the engine failure

my brother has a 2002, and there was no problem with it. BMW rang us up asking us to bring the car in because there may have been problem with a few M3's at the end of 2001 and begining of 2002. the mechanics said that BMW all over the world were replacing some bearings and bolts in the engine, they said that they havnt encountered any cases of the problem, and they were only doing it as a precausion. when we picked the car up they said that there was absolutely no problem with ours and the mechanic was saying that the parts didnt even need to be replaced. BMW was doing this cause they found out that there may have been a problem with the bolts and bearings in a few of there production lines.

so yea, if u r buying second hand dont think that u cant buy a 2002 because of the reported problem. but still ask the owner about it, as he would have been asked by BMW to bring the car in to have the parts replaced.

bob(NJ) · #9 (**permalink**) 01-24-2005, 04:01 PM

ahhh well i wanted to keep it under 40k and its hard to find a 2003 for under 40k. I see your point but as long as the service was performed i don't think there is anything to worry about.

Howies · #10 (**permalink**) 01-24-2005, 04:22 PM

smg... best of both worlds

Bartosz · #11 (**permalink**) 01-24-2005, 04:28 PM

From what car will SMG fit into E30 M3 ??

Howies · #12 (**permalink**) 01-24-2005, 09:00 PM

none?

gears are proly too big for the power on the e46 m3 and way to big on the m5

E36DJ · #13 (**permalink**) 01-24-2005, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bartosz

From what car will SMG fit into E30 M3 ??

None, everything is wrong.

I remember when SMG first came out, there were all kinds of threads about ricers claiming that SMG was an automatic transmission and that manual will always be the fastest. It's pretty much common knowledge now that SMG II/III is the fastest shifting production transmission you can buy. It will make your car go faster, plain and simple. It's also nice to have MUCH longer clutch life, a nice soft auto mode for traffic/bad weather. It STILL has a huge "wow" factor as well.
Mechanically speaking I think a peaky engine like the S54 does much better with a computer controlled tranny like SMG II, manual really isn't as much fun in a car with very little torque/high redlines. Those higher engine speeds make things a little more complicated and a LOT more dangerous as well.

Bartosz · #14 (**permalink**) 01-24-2005, 11:52 PM

Quote:

None, everything is wrong

hey E36DJ why none ? what do you mean everything is wrong ??

E36DJ · #15 (**permalink**) 01-25-2005, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bartosz

hey E36DJ why none ? what do you mean everything is wrong ??

Seems pretty obvious to me, SMG transmissions are incredibly advanced (electronically) you would need to get the engine to communicate with the transmission. E30s have incredibly simple engines compared to something like the S54, there would be nothing to connect the SMG tranny up to. Besides, all of the gear ratios are totally wrong.