Z4 automatic vs. stick

Anybody have a preference of automatic over stick?

I will be buying a Z4. I want an automatic because 1) I will not be driving it like a race car and 2) the advances in automatic transmissions make them as reliable as manuals and 3) I have been driving autos for over 30 years and am ready for a change.

Reply to
grinder
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Sounds like an auto will make you happy. Go for it. Why does anyone else's opinion matter?

Reply to
Tom Scales

I would get the auto. From test drives, BMW autos seem pretty good to me. I would suggest staying away from the SMG. I had a 2004 Z4 3.0i with the SMG and although the technology was cool - I am a bit of a geek and like that kind of stuff - it was not very smooth shifting. I would say it is one of the reasons I traded the car in so soon (that along with troubles with the top and wanting room for more than 2 people). I now have a 2006 330i with a 6 speed manual and I think it is a much better automobile all around.

Reply to
Keith

They are two different cars. The Z4 is not practical but it will be a "weekend" car and not an everyday drive. The 3 series would be my second choice although there is not much room in the back seat. My third choice would be a X3 but I don't like the expense and maintenance associated with AWD regardless of the improved handling.

Reply to
grinder

You might want to at least drive an M3. Try the SMG too. Some people don't like it, as the previous poster said. I have it in my M3 and love it.

Definately not an automatic and if that is the 'feel' you want, the SMG is not for you. If you like a 6-speed, but want an auto mode in traffic, the SMG is great.

Love mine.

But I have a 540 when I need an auto

Reply to
Tom Scales

I have a preference for a stick, especially in a roadster. As you say in another post, the Z4 would not be your commuter car, so why worry about manners in traffic? An automatic demands less involvement of the driver in the actual driving. If you want a fun car, get a standard (with clutch) car. How could anyone consider a sports car with an automatic transmission?

Reply to
Fred W

"Fred W" wrote

I'm kind of the same way... If you just want to steer, get an automatic. If you actually want to drive, get a manual. But that's just me... automatics have their benefits too, so it all depends on what's important for you and what you enjoy. Hence, it's a personal preference, so I don't even see a point of asking what others think.

Cheers, Pete

Reply to
Pete

Get whichever makes you the most comfortable. If you want a manual transmission, then get one. If you want an automatic, get one of those. Whatever you do, do not get a transmission according to what somebody else thinks is good.

A BMW transmission in either form is going to give you excellent service.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

Now THAT is very good advice. I get the whole two-seater thing, and I drive a convertible so I even understand the attraction there. But, as much as I like the looks of the two-seaters (pretty much all of them), when I get to my retirement and can have such a toy, my choice will be another 3 Series with 4 seats. We rather enjoy going places with the top down, and storage space is handy with the back seat available.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

My wife and I took a trip in the convertible last weekend to the local Fry's Electronics store to get a monitor. While there, we opted to buy a computer for one of the kids for Christmas. I'm glad we had the 3 Series convertible because we could not fit the stuff we bought into the trunk.

Buy the 4-seater and use it for weekends. You'll spend about the same money, but you'll appreciate the extra space. Guarantied. Trust me, the 330 convertible is not a very practical car either, but it is more practical than the Z3 or the Z4. Frankly, the 325 or 328 convertible (whichever they sell these days) is as fun to drive as the 330, and it looks damn near identical. Personally, I prefer the tire package on the 330, but that's just me.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

The M3 would be too much money for a weekend car. And I am kind of old school. Automatic or manual. The SMG may be nice but I prefer tried and true technology.

Reply to
grinder

When I retire the choice will be made for me and I will have to abandon two seaters because I will not be able to get in and out of them. Right now the 2 seater appeals more to me. If I need to haul something I will use the

4-runner and if it doesn't fit in the 4-runner I will rent a pick-up. But if I am going for an overnight trip down the coast I will throw a bag in the trunk and take the Z4.

BTW, the new Z4 coups look tremendous.

Reply to
grinder

Ever drive in San Francisco? I have - with a stick and believe me it is not fun. I had to take my 4-runner in a few weeks back and there is nothing worse than climbing one of those hills and seeing the traffic light at the top turn red. Driving a stick in heavy stop-and-go traffic is not fun either. Over the years I have just gotten sick of them. Initially I chose a stick because it was more dependable than an automatic but that cannot be said anymore.

Reply to
grinder

I agree. Until BMW join the 21st century and use a twin clutch SMG the rough changes when in auto mode just ain't acceptable. It's one thing having 'punchy' changes when enjoying a country road, but not when trickling through traffic.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

"grinder" wrote

Why are we even having this discussion then? :)

Pete

Reply to
Pete

My original post stated I wanted an automatic and why. But I thought it would be interesting to hear other viewpoints. At first blush I can see why someone couldn't understand why someone would choose an auto over a stick for a sports car.

Reply to
grinder

My wife just bought a Z4si a couple of weeks ago with the automatic. The si version also has the "sports" mode and the 255 hp engine version.

To be honest, I was not overly impressed I first drove the car in the normal "D" mode. (I drive a Porsche 996TT manual, so the Z wasn't really a fair comparison) The Z4si was ok ... but goes through the gears quickly .... like an American built sedan, so at 45 mph on a back road it is in 5th or 6th gear at low RPM. If you give it a bit of gas, it's response was sluggish, IMO, unless you caused it to downshift. That is, until I tried the sports mode .....

We've had several BMW's before, some with a "sports" mode that makes subtle changes to the shift points and the suspension stiffness. In the Z4si the sports mode is not subtle at all. It causes the automatic shifts to behave very much like how you should drive a high revving, manual sports car. It selects a gear that keeps the engine RPM up and won't shift until it should ... rather than trying to get into a higher gear quickly. It also automatically downshifts when you are slowing down as if it were a manual, again keeping the engine RPM up in a sweet spot on the hp and torque curve. It really is effective and makes the Z perform like a European sports car.

I think the sports mode is only available in the si version .... it isn't offered in the Z4i as far as I know.

You can also shift "manually" with the BMW Steptronic (or whatever they call it) but I was very impressed with the auto/sports mode.

BTW ... this is an '06 model. I don't know about earlier years.

Eisboch

Reply to
Eisboch

You must be driving a different SMG than I am. I can choose the 'roughness' of the shifts. 1-2 means smooth.

4-6 means fun.

Tom

Reply to
Tom Scales

I have the step-tronic in my 740 and it makes the car a totally different animal so if you can get one with the manual option I'd recommend it. I often use it to lock the car in gear on twisty roads etc so it's not running away or doesn't kick down on a corner.

I have the regular torque converter and I'm sure one with a lower stall speed (like in the sport model) would reduce the slushiness feel.

Mine has the adaptive box and it's alright but it takes a while to learn. I'd prefer a manual override other than the full sports mode.

Reply to
adder1969

Well I'm buying a E92 335d and with the massive torque it has at low revs, the Steptronic is a standard option, since the MT can't handle it. I took the car out for a testdrive and really love it! DS mode really reads my thaughts, and you can always go in manual mode :)

F.

Reply to
Frank Lenaerts

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