M2 Owners - Manual or DCT?

M2 Owners - Manual or DCT?

Author
Discussion

Billy_Whizzzz

2,006 posts

143 months

Tuesday 16th May 2017
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JNW1 said:
Billy_Whizzzz said:
What's the gearing like in the manual? I have a manual m140i and the gearing is annoyingly short in 6th. I love the car with the gearbox - just wish 6th was longer. Been wondering about an M2 so keen to know about final drive in 6th compared with auto in top...
Can't help with the gearing on the M2 I'm afraid but how short is short on the manual M140i - roughly how many revs is it pulling at 70mph in top?
2500rpm at 70 vs 2000 for the slush box. I'd still take the manual anytime (the gearbox is great) but I do a lot of long fast cruising and would welcome a longer final drive. I may consider fitting the LSD from the slusher, but suspect I'll not bot bother. I've now done 16,000 miles since September in the 140 and generally, it gets better and better.

bennyboysvuk

3,491 posts

248 months

Tuesday 16th May 2017
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xjay1337 said:
Same issue on audi a4 etc. Causes me a lot of knee pain.

Id have to have an auto in those models.
My wife's A4 has a weird driving position. The steering wheel is about an inch off centre to the right.

Back on topic, I'd have the manual all day long. Many BMW salesfolk that I've talked to seem to be swept along by the BMW machine that pushes all their latest tech and are surprised when I've asked for a manual. But I see that Porsche are selling manuals again in the GT3 after not supplying them in the last version, so the demand for a much more engaging drive is still out there.

Billy_Whizzzz

2,006 posts

143 months

Tuesday 16th May 2017
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bennyboysvuk said:
My wife's A4 has a weird driving position. The steering wheel is about an inch off centre to the right.

Back on topic, I'd have the manual all day long. Many BMW salesfolk that I've talked to seem to be swept along by the BMW machine that pushes all their latest tech and are surprised when I've asked for a manual. But I see that Porsche are selling manuals again in the GT3 after not supplying them in the last version, so the demand for a much more engaging drive is still out there.
Quite. I know slushers are faster and easier if you're old or lazy but I have never, ever heard of them being more fun, in any application.

SebringMan

1,773 posts

186 months

Tuesday 16th May 2017
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Not this question again....

If there was an award for the most themed question...

Gruber

6,313 posts

214 months

Tuesday 16th May 2017
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Slightly off topic, but a pal and I were having a chat with one of the Renault Alpine engineers at the Geneva motorshow. We asked him whether there was a plan to fit a manual. He said "You're English, yes?" and laughed. He was clear that this predilection for 3 pedals is a curiously British thing, and that we all fancy ourselves as Button / Hamilton wannabes.

I suspect he had a point.

Anyway... if I were getting an M2 it would be manual. smile

SebringMan

1,773 posts

186 months

Tuesday 16th May 2017
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Gruber said:
Slightly off topic, but a pal and I were having a chat with one of the Renault Alpine engineers at the Geneva motorshow. We asked him whether there was a plan to fit a manual. He said "You're English, yes?" and laughed. He was clear that this predilection for 3 pedals is a curiously British thing, and that we all fancy ourselves as Button / Hamilton wannabes.

I suspect he had a point.

Anyway... if I were getting an M2 it would be manual. smile
He does.

Alot of my mates prefer manuals. IMHO only a handful actually know how to 'drive' a manual ; i.e be in the right gear at the right time, and even rev-match, and heel and toe ; half can't even do that!

Despite people saying it gives more control I still reckon it's a dick length thing of trying to be a 'driver'.

But then again I'm happy to confess that I am no Hamilton by a long shot.

plenty

4,680 posts

186 months

Tuesday 16th May 2017
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Gruber said:
Slightly off topic, but a pal and I were having a chat with one of the Renault Alpine engineers at the Geneva motorshow. We asked him whether there was a plan to fit a manual. He said "You're English, yes?" and laughed. He was clear that this predilection for 3 pedals is a curiously British thing, and that we all fancy ourselves as Button / Hamilton wannabes.
Not just the Brits, but there are many vocal supporters of manuals in a little market called the U.S., where autos have always been the norm and manuals are considered the enthusiasts' choice. The U.S. was the only market where the E60 M5 and F10 M5 were offered in manual.

Of course, Renault cars aren't sold in the US so I'll excuse that particular engineer's ignorance smile

bennyboysvuk

3,491 posts

248 months

Wednesday 17th May 2017
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SebringMan said:
Despite people saying it gives more control I still reckon it's a dick length thing of trying to be a 'driver'.
It does give more control.

One really basic example is to compare getting the thing off the line using launch control in the DCT version vs doing it with the manual gearbox and no launch control. The latter is almost infinitely variable and much more interactive. The former is like lighting the taper and sitting back to let the car deal with the fireworks.

nwates

376 posts

184 months

Sunday 21st May 2017
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DCT is amazing , noise on downshifts is awesome

Patrick Bateman

12,172 posts

174 months

Sunday 21st May 2017
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Have driven the DCT, not the manual.

DCT, though objectively better, takes a lot away from the driving experience for me.

JNW1

7,770 posts

194 months

Sunday 21st May 2017
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Patrick Bateman said:
Have driven the DCT, not the manual.

DCT, though objectively better, takes a lot away from the driving experience for me.
I've (sadly!) not driven either a manual or DCT M2 but I think your comment above can be applied to many modern autos; very few drivers are able to change gear consistently as well as a good auto can and around a track I'm sure most of us would be quicker with DCT. However, for many involvement is an important part of the driving experience and in that respect I think a manual is more satisfying to use; for a weekend toy, therefore, that's still what I'd choose.

However, for a daily driver I have to admit I'd probably now go auto, especially if the commute involved a reasonable proportion of stop/start traffic; might just be me getting old but after a long day at work there are times when I don't really want to be that involved!

James_B

12,642 posts

257 months

Monday 22nd May 2017
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I got mine in DCT, the same as my C63 had, the same (sort of) as my R8 has. In London, where unfortunately I do much of my driving, ai prefer it in stop-start traffic.

P.Griffin

382 posts

114 months

Wednesday 24th May 2017
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Gruber said:
He was clear that this predilection for 3 pedals is a curiously British thing, and that we all fancy ourselves as Button / Hamilton wannabes.
Quite the opposite..... Hamilton, Button, and in fact all modern race car drivers, use flappy paddles. This was the problem in the first place when Ferrari introduced the F1 gearbox with flappy paddles, helping said owner believe he was an F1 driver. Marketing department BS.

JMBMWM5

2,283 posts

198 months

Wednesday 24th May 2017
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Ursicles said:
Had a test drive in an M2 today and really rather liked it.

Dealer was trying to convince me to jump into one of their cancelled orders (Stephen James Ruxley if anyone looking have a black and white one coming in both cancelled orders) but both were DCT.

When i said i would prefer a manual, he said i was crazy, so wondering what people have bought here?

(And glad i held out as came back to find out about the M2 updates - minor, but still prefer the newer LCI car smile )
They are canceled for a reason, way overpriced.

homerdog

244 posts

231 months

Wednesday 24th May 2017
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JMBMWM5 said:
They are canceled for a reason, way overpriced.
Give it a rest.

Edited by homerdog on Wednesday 24th May 20:08

FocusRS3

3,411 posts

91 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
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Sorry to dog up an old thread but how do people feel about these cars and their gearbox choices two years on?

I'm looking at these cars now at ;low 30's for s decent car....been some price retracement by the looks of it

ST66N

72 posts

84 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
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I went for a manual, very happy with it.

TuonoPants

278 posts

144 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
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P.Griffin said:
xjay1337 said:
you feel like your feet and legs are going to the right.

Same issue on audi a4 etc. Causes me a lot of knee pain.
Please forgive me if you have a genuine disability but I find this statement a ridiculous over exaggeration. If not I'd consider going to the gym or seeing a physio.

Edited by P.Griffin on Friday 12th May 14:23
+1

After I got it I read about the offset pedals which I had never noticed, checked the next time I was in the car and sure enough they are offset, and then forgot about it. It's not an issue unless you really focus on it but I'm having too much fun to do that hehe

I went for the manual as I prefer the engagement, the M2 is my DD and I love it. Use it to commute and have done a few track days. It can pootle in traffic and go nuts when you want it too. The rev-matching on down-shifts can be annoying (blipping the throttle in town can make you look like a knob) but works well and not a massive issue.

Buy want [i[]you[/i] want, not what the sales guy says you want.

xjay1337

15,966 posts

118 months

Wednesday 14th November 2018
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I guess it depends on you as a person.
It caused me a lot of back pain.

I've bought a M135i recently and bought an auto, because the manual box is not "that" good and in combination with the pedal position which I personally found uncomfortable.

mikeN54

607 posts

181 months

Wednesday 14th November 2018
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Find a car that doesn't have a offset of some sort between seat / column / pedals. The fact is the front wheel arch or transmission tunnel encroaches on the footwell in most cars except very wide vehicles.

Never seen it as an issue..