SMG 2 Gearbox advice

[Ali M]

Hi there, I have been looking at buying an E46 M3 for a while now. I just test drove one this evening and wasn't sure about the gear box. When changing between 2nd, 3rd or 4th gear i would come off the accelerator a little and pull stick to change up. I then pressed the pedal down again to accelerate. The engine started to rev freely(like a clutch on a manual had not been released)for approx 0.5 - 1.0 secs before the gear engaged and all went back too normal. This happened while pottering about in town traffic, because it was slow speed it still seemed smooth enough(there was not crunch's or jolts) but certainly didn't seem right to me. Unfortunatly it was random as well, only happened 4/5 times in a half hour drive.

The car hasn't been though it's dealer checks yet as it has just come in but is due too tomorrow. I was intending putting a deposit down tonight but obviously havn't now. The car is a 04 with 30000 miles from a BMW dealer with full 1 years warranty.

I don't really know anything about the Smg box so any advise or opinions would be greatly appreciated, Could i have been doing something wrong in the way i was driving it?


Thanks in advance

Ali

[Chessers]

Have you checked that the shift speed button is set to fastest (or fast) setting?

I think there are 5 options.

You'll see the button behind the actual gear stick and as you increase / decrease selection speed it will be indictated on the right hand side of the dash where gear selection information is shown.

[jeffm3]

manual IMHO didn't like the smg takes getting used to but for me manual if you want to be in total control of the gears!!!

I will say they are solid and doubt there's anything wrong with it just the speed setting as mentioned or just the way you were driving it like i said takes getting used to,

good luck with your purchace

[JKay]

Yes shift it to S6 and you shouldnt feel it anymore

[Ali M]

Thanks guys. I'll give that a try next time after they've put it through the workshop.
The SMG box is strange, takes a good bit to get used to. I'm going to take a test drive of a manual over the weekend before i choose what one to go for.

Thanks again

Ali

[f13ldy]

Sounds pretty normal to me.

When higher up the rev range (and in s5) was the gear change nigh on instant?

Lower down the rev range I think the computer senses that a quick gear change isn't required and you get the riding the clutch symptom. This mainly happens to me on round-abouts and is for all intents and purposes, pretty annoying.

But then factor in the other aspects of SMG2 and I can live with it.

You will get used to it, i.e. you'll know when it is about to do it and not press the go pedal...