Want an M6 but never driven an Auto!

Want an M6 but never driven an Auto!

Author
Discussion

pvogue

Original Poster:

628 posts

113 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
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Hi all,

I want to buy an M6 (sepang bronze if anyone has one for sale) but I never driven an auto/smg car before. How hard is it to drive one of these, I want test drive one soon but abit nervous about trying one out.
Any help please?

Cheers

Mattt

16,661 posts

217 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
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Really hard, you've got to press go and stop.

RichardM5

1,733 posts

135 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
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Are you looking at the previous E63/E64 V10 M6 with smg or the current F06/F12/F13 V8TT M6 with dct? Neither are really automatics, they are more automated manuals.

Bebee

4,678 posts

224 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
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Mattt said:
Really hard, you've got to press go and stop.
Bit more to it than that.......steering wheel whistle

pvogue

Original Poster:

628 posts

113 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
RichardM5 said:
Are you looking at the previous E63/E64 V10 M6 with smg or the current F06/F12/F13 V8TT M6 with dct? Neither are really automatics, they are more automated manuals.
Previous, all about the NA V10

Schermerhorn

4,342 posts

188 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
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The V10 is awful as an automatic and I mean REALLY awful.

The new ones work very well though

RichardM5

1,733 posts

135 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
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With the SMG box you need to get used to shifting using the paddles, auto mode works of course but it's not the best experience. Manoeuvring at slow speed, especially reversing takes some practice, best do it where there is lots of space to start with!

pvogue

Original Poster:

628 posts

113 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
Just a shame we didn't get the manual, no idea why the America's bloody got them!

Maff H 90

4 posts

114 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
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Despite what everyone else says I don't think they are that bad to live with at all. It may take a couple of days to get use to things and as long as the software is updated to the latest version they are fine to get along with.

skeeterm5

3,328 posts

187 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
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pvogue said:
Just a shame we didn't get the manual, no idea why the America's bloody got them!
Wrong.The manual is awful. The car is much much better with the SMG, like anything different you need to learn how to use it, but when you do it is good.

Echo previous comments, dont use it as an auto, it is dim witted. Use as a manual with paddles, lift slightly on the up change and you can make smooth progress.

Trickiest thing I found was trying to reverse park, uphill into a parallel parking space....

S

Truffles

577 posts

183 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
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First time I drove one I left it in Auto. Hated it. Three months later I got curious again and tried one in manual. Still have it after 2 years. It is fine in manual, but treat the paddle shift like a manual rather than a tiptronic.

Shaoxter

4,048 posts

123 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
pvogue said:
Just a shame we didn't get the manual, no idea why the America's bloody got them!
No shame, manual would not suit the car at all.

As long as you remember it's not an auto and treat it like the manual (albeit with automated clutch pedal) it is then it's actually a great box IMO, especially at 8250rpm smile

skeeterm5 said:
Trickiest thing I found was trying to reverse park, uphill into a parallel parking space....
Never parallel park on a hill or in a tight space for that matter, surefire way to burn the clutch. Find a flat surface and walk!

pvogue

Original Poster:

628 posts

113 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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skeeterm5 said:
Wrong.The manual is awful. The car is much much better with the SMG, like anything different you need to learn how to use it, but when you do it is good.

Echo previous comments, dont use it as an auto, it is dim witted. Use as a manual with paddles, lift slightly on the up change and you can make smooth progress.

Trickiest thing I found was trying to reverse park, uphill into a parallel parking space....

S
So when using the paddles just lift off the throttle before pulling? What about when trying drive it abit "quickly" say on track? what setting is best for both type of driving?

Shaoxter

4,048 posts

123 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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If you want to really scare your passengers, set it in S6, DSC off, no lift and change up at 8250rpm wink

For track or general quick driving I would suggest S5, MDM mode and a little lift if you want a smoother shift. You'll soon get the hang of it.

pvogue

Original Poster:

628 posts

113 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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Alrighty, cheers fellas

MitchT

15,788 posts

208 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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pvogue said:
How hard is it to drive one of these?
Not remotely in my experience. I can't comment on the M6 but I drove a Ferrari 360 F1 having never driven a Ferrari and only ever having driven conventional manuals. It was so intuitive that I took to it instantly. It didn't even feel weird not using my left foot. The only slight bugbear was that the paddles on Ferrari's semi-auto don't rotate with the steering wheel, but on a BMW they do so you don't even have that issue to contend with.

pvogue said:
So when using the paddles just lift off the throttle before pulling?
I just kept it planted in the F360 - gearchange was seamless. If you lift off you might experience some unwanted engine braking as the clutch will still be engaged.

Shaoxter

4,048 posts

123 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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p.s. lifting does not mean lift off the throttle completely, it's from say 80% to 50%. Watch the fifth gear E60 M5 review and see what Tiff does.

skeeterm5

3,328 posts

187 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
quotequote all
pvogue said:
So when using the paddles just lift off the throttle before pulling? What about when trying drive it abit "quickly" say on track? what setting is best for both type of driving?
Yes, as said, a slight lift as you pull the paddle. In normal driving I ran in S3 and fast driving depending on the mood either s5 (with MDM on) or s6 with everything off.

S

Broadoakboy

48 posts

121 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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So as many have already said the Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) is exactly that, a manual but .......with an auto mode......and the auto mode is not very good!

Using the paddles all the time does take a little getting used to but both you and the car adapt to each other and after a while all is good and it becomes second nature.
I regularly commute in & out of central LDN and it isn't a problem, especially as there is no clutch pedal!

I find the gearbox really suits the engine. When pushing on hard I do not lift off of the accelerator and the gear changes are wonderful........especially after having the PLCD changed.

My car used to bang and clunk a little but now all is smooth, I imagine some drivers negative experiences of the SMG may because the PLCD or some other SMG related bolt-on is slowing failing but the creep effect is happening as opposed to a complete failure.

Good luck.

pvogue

Original Poster:

628 posts

113 months

Saturday 4th October 2014
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Thanks for the info guys.

Looking for a Sepang Bronze one now with full leather, under 50k, although not sure if its a good time to buy as the prices seem to be up and down like a yo-yo!