Manual vs. steptronic

I've had a Steptronic for many years - soon after they first appeared. And after the 'fun' of playing with it you soon forget about it and just let the auto get on with it.

The difference with a true manual box and clutch is it requires skill to use properly. And that can be fun if you like such things. The fuel consumption on a well driven manual will be slightly better in stop start conditions as there's no torque converter to 'waste' power.

durability alone - manual. Steps have "issues" that a manual will NEVER encounter how long do you plan to keep it? Lease or purchase?

Manual boxes have clutches that poor driving can wear out. Synchromesh cones too.

In the UK most town delivery vans are autos - they are more reliable than manauals, and less open to abuse.

Yes, but it's a whole lot easier to rebuild that manual (even the six-speed) than the simplest auto.

A major advantage of the manual in the US is that kids don't know how to drive them, and your chances of having the car stolen are greatly reduced. The disadvantage comes when the valet parking guys don't know how to drive them....

--scott

That really isn't so. To rebuild a broken manual properly involves changing near all the internals. You can't mix and match part worn gears and get a quiet as new box. When an auto breaks it is usually consumable parts - clutches and seals etc that go. I've done both and a basic auto is just as easy and likely to be more successful.

I have a manual E30 325 and an auto E46 330. Both are good but if I had to chose it would be the manual. The auto is better (smoother) for the passenger. Interestingly Alpina only offered only auto for the E46. The auto boxes are very good but if you really enjoy driving for maximum involvement and control go for the manual.

In the UK most still learn to drive on manuals. The sort of cars most chavs aspire to are manual. But as regards stealing, they won't get very far with a modern BMW unless they have the keys. ;-)

Valet parking is virtually unknown in the UK. Apart from perhaps some very expensive venues.

I've seen quite a few "complaints" about these new "automated manuals"

1) You loose gear after about 10mins in a queue - Just sense really - you are clutch slipping and should be in neutral!

2)reversing slowly up into a parking space /problems with too many/too few revs - for this I've not had or seen a reasonable answer

The Steptronic is a conventional auto - but with slightly more sophisticated manual over-ride of the gear selection.

You're thinking of an SMG or DSG box.

Dave, my bro is looking at a '02 325xiT with steptronic... 115k miles.... you said you have a steptronic... what is your opinion of durability? is it safe to say it is still good, or ?? The guys on a particular site named the tranny as the most likely failure if he buys it. I suspect the owner has NOT changed the tranny fluid in the 115k miles. Is doing a "smell and visual" test on the tranny fluid any indicator, or could there be deeper things ? thanks

I have an X3 with the auto and it has that option. I used to drive manuals and find that in New York City traffic, the auto makes more sense. However, Check the one are planning to buy, I found that the auto has two modes. One allows the transmission to shift into neutral when you are not on the gas and the other keeps it firmly locked in gear. (By moving the shifter left in to the manual position but not moving forward or backward - you are "sport" mode.) This sport-mode is good in the city as you have immediate power when you step on the gas. The X3 will jump when you stand on it. :-) Personally, it depends on the car and your driving environment. My humble opinion is to get a manual if you are A) getting a 2 seat sports car B) primarily driving in low-traffic areas

Get the auto if you spend a lot of time sitting in traffic

Someone mentioned security but if you really want to keep the car, get the lo-jack option. they recover 95% of stolen cars and that enough gives me piece of mind. (Plus, they catch the thief in the car.)

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.. Squat

Considering that our '91 525i is nearing 200K miles, and still has it's

*ORIGINAL* clutch (and tranny of course) and most autos from that era were lucky to reach 125K, I'd always want a manual.

There's a *LOT* of difference between the autos in commercial vehicles and cars. The old C6 tranny in Ford pickups would go

500K. No car auto would be likely to go that far - in fact most go by 125K-150K.

FloydR

If you are getting a BMW with a small engine and live out of town then get a manual.

If you are getting a BMW with a big engine (or a diesel) and live in town then get an auto.

Married to a small engine (e,g, 320i) a manual is a delight and an auto would inflict unacceptable losses on performance and economy.

Married to a big engine a manual is heavy and cumbersome (especially in traffic), moreover a modern auto will actually produce better performance and economy than most drivers and be far less likely to break the engine or the transmission.

I am >2m tall and back in the 80's I had two manual Rover 3500SD1's followed by two 735i's mainly used for long distance driving. Compared with the 'cooking' auto's of the time (3 gears in the Rovers and four in BMW) their five speed manuals were a far better drive and gave better performance and economy. They all had heavy clutches, which needed work in town - fine for me at the time, but unlikely to be much fun for an older and / or slightly built (e.g female) driver.

You haven't been able to get a manual 7 series for years and years (two options remain in the 6 series though) and the tectonic boxes are now arguably better than the manuals for all but the most over enthusiastic driver.

I'd say the Steptronic makes no difference to the durability of the box.

Dunno. My last car with the same box was ok at 140,000. This one is not yet at 90,000.

Difficult to do a test on the fluid - there's no dipstick.

I have heard no firm evidence about the life of a 4HP18/20. They don't fetch much on Ebay here in the UK so I'd guess they are no better or worse than any auto.

My '92 525 auto - the first model fitted with the ZF 4HP18 - was sold at

140,000 miles with the auto still fine.

FWIW, 200,000 miles on a clutch is exceptional with average use.

No there's not. We don't have V-8 pick up trucks and vans here.

Your experience is very different from mine. Especially the 200,000 mile clutch. If you are that gentle a driver or do mainly top gear miles I'd expect an auto to last longer than the average with you too.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote i

Better example: The auto trannies in our postal delivery vans last hundreds of thousands of miles. If you used a Chevy Cavalier or Ford Escort tranny in one, it would last less than 150K. All are powered by 4-cylinder engines.

FloydR

Well yes. Ford and GM now make crap car autos - which is why no other maker uses them, unlike years ago.

That should of course been 5HP18/20. Must go to bed.

I think you can just leave it at that ;)