# Manual or Steptronic Transmission?



## C-Los (Dec 12, 2008)

I have my ED delivery date for April 1 for a 328i sedan, pre-ordered with a steptronic transmission. Lately, I have been thinking wether I should change it to a manual transmission so that I can really feel the power of the car. Some friends have also recommended the same as they are big fans of manual transmissions. As for me, living in Los Angeles, the steptronic makes it more of a convenience factor. It's like being hands-free in a way. I would like to hear what people think about this. Are there certain advantages or disadvantages with either steptronic or manual? I still have time to change the order as I have not done the PO yet. Also, changing it to manual would save me about $1200.


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## claud 3 (Jun 27, 2005)

I love my manual, but it only takes me 15 minutes to get to work. If I lived in LA, I would go steptronic. It just depends on how much stop and go traffic you have on your daily work drive, and how experienced you are driving a manual trans. There were several times when I was on ED that I wished I had an automatic, Rome, Florence, Munich,...........................


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## Stratus650 (Sep 28, 2007)

claud 3 said:


> I love my manual, but it only takes me 15 minutes to get to work. If I lived in LA, I would go steptronic. It just depends on how much stop and go traffic you have on your daily work drive, and how experienced you are driving a manual trans. There were several times when I was on ED that I wished I had an automatic, Rome, Florence, Munich,...........................


+1

i have an auto, it takes me 20 minutes of driving to reach work with an average speed of 50mph, so i still think that a manual whould've been a better choice.

if this is ur case and you wanna feel the car a bit more, then manual for sure :thumbup:


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## former (Apr 5, 2005)

I live in what I'll call suburban Los Angeles (Thousand Oaks) and ordered the manual. I pretty much order every car I get with a stick. The BMW has a very good manual - it has a light engagement, good action action and most importantly makes me feel like I'm connected to what the car is doing in a way that the auto does not. I did test drive the auto in the 135 as well, and it was pretty good for an auto - not a lot of slop at all.

A few weeks ago, I decided to surprise my parents on their birthday. They live in Henderson, NV. So, I ducked out of work a little early on a Friday and stupidly tried to cut through the middle of the valley rather than go around. Three hours later of stop and go I finally got onto the 15 (it normally takes an hour to get that far). I'll admit by then that I was a little tired of working all the pedals, but 3 hours of stop and go is far outside the norm for anywhere I drive -even in L.A!

Either choice is a good one, but as to which one is _better _would depend on your commute, your driving style, etc.


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## chaz58 (Sep 11, 2007)

Well, I have never bought an Auto in decades of driving, so I am a bit biased. Traffic doesn't bother me with the trasmission.

The auto in the 335 seems to get good reviews, but the one in the 328 is more of a slushbox. Having 6 gears does help though! The manual is also going to have much longer life span. The "lifetime fluid" in the automatic does nothing to help increase its shorter lifespan either. If you post on the e90 forum here, you will get lots of opinons. 

Either way, it boils down to a personal preference. Driving fun, vs ease of use.


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## BickUW89 (Apr 18, 2008)

C-Los said:


> I have my ED delivery date for April 1 for a 328i sedan, pre-ordered with a steptronic transmission. Lately, I have been thinking wether I should change it to a manual transmission so that I can really feel the power of the car. Some friends have also recommended the same as they are big fans of manual transmissions. As for me, living in Los Angeles, the steptronic makes it more of a convenience factor. It's like being hands-free in a way. I would like to hear what people think about this. Are there certain advantages or disadvantages with either steptronic or manual?


I had the 6MT in my 2000 E39, but ordered the SAT in my '08 550i (WAF required it). I was a little reluctant to give up the stick for all the same reasons everyone wants a stick, but I can't say I'm missing it as much as I thought I would.

The fact is, when you gotta get on it in a hurry, the SAT simply shifts faster and more precisely than a MT ever will. Today's SATs are governed by electronics, not vacuum, so they don't suffer the same lazy delay of yesteryear's automatics. A BMW knows that when you mash the go-fast peddle what you expect it to do, and it readily complies. Boo-yeah!

On those days when I'm feeling I want to be "connected" more to my car, I just push the lever to the left (manual mode), hit the "sport" button, and paddle-shift to my heart's content. You can get the same satisfying high-torque low gear compressed engine readiness to go in the SAT as you can with an MT. All in all, I'm totally satisfied with the SAT. 

Having said that: the last three years I owned the E39, I mastered shifting without the clutch, even in Seattle's heavy stop-and-go traffic. Except for a start from a dead stop, it's possible to make almost every single shift up or down smoothly with proper awareness, RPM control, and timing, even when the car is almost imperceptibly rolling at a snail's pace. Learning this technique reduced the hassle of rush hour traffic considerably, and spared my left leg and foot.

So, in a nutshell: if stop and go is a fact of life for you, I'd say get the MT only if you can learn the no-clutch technique; otherwise spare yourself and get the SAT. You're still going to get all the "freud am fahren". :thumbup:

Besides, BMW is making a concerted push to make MTs go the way of the dinosaur, and they're making a VERY compelling case with the current SATs. My vote: get on the train that's going forward. SAT.


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## Hammerwerfer (Aug 8, 2003)

Manual. Accept no substitute.


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

Hammerwerfer said:


> Manual. Accept no substitute.


+1
Could not have said it better.


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## soledoc (Feb 5, 2007)

JSpira said:


> +1
> Could not have said it better.


+2. I am so excited to drive my first BMW which will be a stick. That is why I left volvo because they didn't offer my car in a stick. But it all comes down to personal preference and your driving habits.


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## beewang (Dec 18, 2001)

Hammerwerfer said:


> Manual. Accept no substitute.


Don't be redicullous!


Get the Steptronic:thumbup:, you'd be stupid not to.


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## beewang (Dec 18, 2001)

C-Los said:


> ... Lately, I have been thinking wether I should change it to a manual transmission so that I can really feel the power of the car. ....


Look pal, if you* REALLY *want to "Feel the Power of the car.." you need to step up to 335i. There is just no other way...


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

beewang said:


> Don't be redicullous!
> 
> 
> Get the Steptronic:thumbup:, you'd be stupid not to.


Nah, get the spell checker


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## Hammerwerfer (Aug 8, 2003)

I remember test driving a Grey Market E21 320i. I had a US spec 320i at the time. 

I was impressed to say the least.

Damn, that was a while ago now!


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## vocalthought (May 5, 2008)

+1 for manual.

I don't think I could get used to manual shifting without my left foot going for the clutch.

Only exception being DCT. For that, I'll force myself to try.


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## bimmer_fam (Apr 16, 2007)

I think this topic has been kicked around plenty of times on this forum and other sections of bimmerfest... I liked one statement that I can relate to: "If you have to think whether or not to get MT or AT, go with AT".

For me it's not really a question... MT all the way for my bimmers... :thumbup: My wife's bimmers are an entirely different matter... :bigpimp:


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## C-Los (Dec 12, 2008)

claud 3 said:


> I love my manual, but it only takes me 15 minutes to get to work. If I lived in LA, I would go steptronic. It just depends on how much stop and go traffic you have on your daily work drive, and how experienced you are driving a manual trans. There were several times when I was on ED that I wished I had an automatic, Rome, Florence, Munich,...........................


My commute is a 7 minute walk to work. I'm lucky enough to be a block away. This car will be my fun-to-drive car on the weekends. My current car, an accord, will be my long distance car. Mostly to Las Vegas where my family lives. Having said that, I'm now thinking that the manual would be a better fit for me. To make sure of this, I think I will visit my dealer and test drive a manual transmission to feel the difference. Thanks for all of the comments.


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## brainiac37 (Aug 20, 2008)

The 335i AT + paddles is pretty good, but this is the 328i. Get the manual. If you are even thinking about getting the MT, then you should.

While turning I still prefer shifting with 6MT than using the paddles. Some people say that manual shifting in the AT is similar or superior to the 6MT. I disagree:

-- In the 6MT, it's totally spatial (i.e. the 4th gear is always in the same spot. I don't need to think, I just shift.)

-- Manual shifting in the AT, on the other hand, is distracting for me because I have to think about pushing or pulling on the stick/paddles based on what gear I'm currently in. Way more thinking, and that to me takes away from pure driving involvement.


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## Corren (Sep 24, 2008)

I've often wondered why they haven't built an automatic transmission with discreet gear selection similar to a manual. 

Having to keep track of what gear I'm in, and which action I need to do based on that is definatley cumbersome compared to the psuedo-thoughtless manual transmission.

If you simply replicated the gear location with electronic sensors, would that be more effective?


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## beewang (Dec 18, 2001)

C-Los said:


> ... Also, changing it to manual would save me about $1200...


Alright... if you are leasing the car, then that would be your call.

If you are"Buying" the car, just remember that 3, 5, 6 or 8 years later... when you are ready to sell or trade-in the car... that beewang wish you "Best of Luck on selling or trading it on. As you'd be wondering whatever happened to all the ' Car Enthusiast ' that encouraged you to take the manual tranny.. How quickly they all evaporate and no one is calling you about your MT even with an asking price of $3k below what the lowest people are asking for on Autotrader Just remember that and I will ask you this question and you and I can laugh about it year later... ".. Dude!!! Whatever happened to that $1200 you Saved on getting the manual tranny??..."

Look, for the record... I "bought" my BMW w/ Manual tranny... but unless you are now prepared to do what I did back then (which is to vow to never sell this car and am prepared to have my car buried w/ me when my time is up), you will be better off w/ a 335i w/ Step. Take it from someone who has owed both cars (then some).

been there, done that!!

Cheers,

beewang


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## sdbrandon (Mar 18, 2006)

C-Los said:


> I have my ED delivery date for April 1 for a 328i sedan, pre-ordered with a steptronic transmission. Lately, I have been thinking wether I should change it to a manual transmission so that I can really feel the power of the car. Some friends have also recommended the same as they are big fans of manual transmissions. As for me, living in Los Angeles, the steptronic makes it more of a convenience factor. It's like being hands-free in a way. I would like to hear what people think about this. Are there certain advantages or disadvantages with either steptronic or manual? I still have time to change the order as I have not done the PO yet. Also, changing it to manual would save me about $1200.


Manual vs. step is a personal choice. However, when soliciting input form friends, make sure they have a clue.

i.e. 99% of the automatics in new cars are cheap 4 and 5 speed garbage from the 1980's.

BMW is one of the few companies with a 6 speed ZF sport transmission with lock up torque converter. This is what needs to be compared.

If you are asking a friend with a Honda civic, for example, he won't understand or appreciate modern transmission technology.


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## beewang (Dec 18, 2001)

Sorry Betsy..... you had the chance to step-up to the "FAST" BMW while you had the chance.

This is where I get to say ".. I told you so.."


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## C-Los (Dec 12, 2008)

beewang said:


> What really happend behind the scene is that your CA called BMW ED office and the folks made a change of allocatio seamlessly. Mostly because you provided them w/ sufficient time and all yoour stars aligned correctly.
> 
> Now you know...


That's true. I called the New Jersey ED office this morning (spoke with Michelle) to ask if I could do a model change to my production #-ED order, keep the same delivery date, April 1, and be price protected with the old price I received in December. Her answer, after verifying with her boss, was yes. She told me to remind the CA to do an update on the pre-reservation form with the new model.

I'm seeing my CA this friday where I'm going to test drive the MT on the 328i and Step on the 335i. I'm certain, if all the numbers fall into place, that I will be purchasing the bigger engine. I feel comfortable spending a bit more since this will be my first BMW ever, my first car purchase in 9 years and my fun-to-drive car on the weekends.

Just to be certain and prove my research was right, both the 335i coupe and 335i sedan have the 300 hp ZF step trans, correct?


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## chaz58 (Sep 11, 2007)

This place is just a wealth of information!


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