E90 330i manual vs auto
Discussion
Just pondering getting an E90 330i (or a touring) and wondering what the thoughts are on the gearboxes?
Is getting an auto going to defeat the object of the free revving n52 engine? Is there a semi-manual mode with flappy paddles (like the later DCT gearboxes)? E. G. Auto up change / manual downchange.
Is the manual particularly slick? I'm used to a very nice Type-R manual and tend to be disappointed when I have to drive other cars.
I'm assuming the Msport versions don't have any particular gearbox tweaks?
Cheers
Is getting an auto going to defeat the object of the free revving n52 engine? Is there a semi-manual mode with flappy paddles (like the later DCT gearboxes)? E. G. Auto up change / manual downchange.
Is the manual particularly slick? I'm used to a very nice Type-R manual and tend to be disappointed when I have to drive other cars.
I'm assuming the Msport versions don't have any particular gearbox tweaks?
Cheers
I had a E90 330i(N52) auto for 4 years and a day never went by when I wished that it was a manual! 
I personally think that the N52 engine is wasted when it is matched to the auto, but it does make the car feel like a lovely cruiser though.
The auto is pretty old fashioned feeling for me and it is slow to respond in drive...and it hangs onto the revs too long in sport. If you take it steady the auto works really well, but if you start to push on it falls to pieces a fair bit.
I personally think that the N52 engine is wasted when it is matched to the auto, but it does make the car feel like a lovely cruiser though. The auto is pretty old fashioned feeling for me and it is slow to respond in drive...and it hangs onto the revs too long in sport. If you take it steady the auto works really well, but if you start to push on it falls to pieces a fair bit.
The only time I've ever wished mine was an auto is sitting in slow moving traffic on the M25
No idea what, if any, the downside is but it is possible to get the autos remapped for quicker changes etc.
Random link from the Internet:- https://www.darksidedevelopments.co.uk/bmw-transmi...
No idea what, if any, the downside is but it is possible to get the autos remapped for quicker changes etc.
Random link from the Internet:- https://www.darksidedevelopments.co.uk/bmw-transmi...
Manual ones are out there - I bought my 55 plate Manual 330iSE last month and love it!
OK so like all BMW manual boxes the shift quality isn't perfect, but I've never liked autos.
Which suits you better may depend on how you intend to use the car - I do a few short trips to shops, etc. but 95% of my mileage is a trip of 30+ miles on dual-carriageways or motorways outside of the rush hour so a manual works just fine.
OK so like all BMW manual boxes the shift quality isn't perfect, but I've never liked autos.
Which suits you better may depend on how you intend to use the car - I do a few short trips to shops, etc. but 95% of my mileage is a trip of 30+ miles on dual-carriageways or motorways outside of the rush hour so a manual works just fine.
Fore Left said:
Random link from the Internet:- https://www.darksidedevelopments.co.uk/bmw-transmi...
XHP software is very good! I put it on my 330d. As standard, the auto is a bit meh, but with XHP stage 2 its just as fast a shift as more modern stuff, plus you get a gear display, faster torque converter lock-up etc. Great upgrade for a couple hundred quid & an android phone.
The manual is typically BMW, which i guess you either love, or hate lol.
We've had an N52 E91 M-Sport auto for 4.5 years. It is a superb 'swiss army knife' of car. It cruises in silky smooth six luxury, and then when you need to get past someone flick the gear lever across to sport and the car takes off like a scalded cat!
For my stag do the four of us rented two Caterham 7s for a tour of the Forest of Dean. Collection was from Gloucester, requiring a four up drive over in the BMW from our place in Devizes. Not wanting to be late, and feeling in the mood we made decent progress. All three of my passengers were visibly impressed and all took a second glance as we got out of the car. Of course not much was said, but this was my brother and my two best mates...
The following year we fitted a quick release Witter/BMW swan neck tow bar, did a lap of north western Scotland, then collected a sailing dinghy and towed it back south from Glasgow: Fun on tight Scottish roads, and bloody quick on the open ones. Even with all our camping kit there was room for us to fold the seats flat and sleep inside on a loch shore for two nights using Thermarests. Of course it took it all in its stride, and my wife loves it.
If you only have space in your life for one car I really cannot imagine a better option.
But this is Pistonheads so I have a mk1 MX5, and a Honda NSX; my wife has a 6 speed R50 MINI and the company I am a director of owns two expedition pick up trucks with demountable expedition campers. Sadly I can't think of anyone who would describe me as powerfully built though
As a consequence the BMW is tough to justify and I have just advertised a
Le Mans Blue with Dakota Lemon Swiss Army Knife
Today is a sad day.
For my stag do the four of us rented two Caterham 7s for a tour of the Forest of Dean. Collection was from Gloucester, requiring a four up drive over in the BMW from our place in Devizes. Not wanting to be late, and feeling in the mood we made decent progress. All three of my passengers were visibly impressed and all took a second glance as we got out of the car. Of course not much was said, but this was my brother and my two best mates...
The following year we fitted a quick release Witter/BMW swan neck tow bar, did a lap of north western Scotland, then collected a sailing dinghy and towed it back south from Glasgow: Fun on tight Scottish roads, and bloody quick on the open ones. Even with all our camping kit there was room for us to fold the seats flat and sleep inside on a loch shore for two nights using Thermarests. Of course it took it all in its stride, and my wife loves it.
If you only have space in your life for one car I really cannot imagine a better option.
But this is Pistonheads so I have a mk1 MX5, and a Honda NSX; my wife has a 6 speed R50 MINI and the company I am a director of owns two expedition pick up trucks with demountable expedition campers. Sadly I can't think of anyone who would describe me as powerfully built though
As a consequence the BMW is tough to justify and I have just advertised a
Le Mans Blue with Dakota Lemon Swiss Army Knife
Today is a sad day.
Based on my experiences finding straight 6 petrol E9* Series BMWs of any description is getting difficult - I think by the mid 2000s most sales were diesels.
Still I'm very pleased with my manual E90 330i - just glad that for once I had the patience to wait until I found one instead of compromising!
Still I'm very pleased with my manual E90 330i - just glad that for once I had the patience to wait until I found one instead of compromising!
sassthathoopie said:
As a consequence the BMW is tough to justify and I have just advertised a
Le Mans Blue with Dakota Lemon Swiss Army Knife
Today is a sad day.
PM Sent!Le Mans Blue with Dakota Lemon Swiss Army Knife
Today is a sad day.
Auto, but I’m lazy haha. I don’t see the point spending so much on a car and having to change gears yourself. That’s what sports mode and flappy paddles are there for!
Hate it when I’m looking for a car and I see a nice one at a good price, look through the pics to see a manual gear stick staring back at me
Hate it when I’m looking for a car and I see a nice one at a good price, look through the pics to see a manual gear stick staring back at me
If you do low miles and don't deal with the traffic much, maybe the manual would win it for me.
But, after driving around in a mate's (which is now my dad's) E61 535d, and travelling through rush hour more often on the motorway, the auto wins hands down for me. I do sometimes use the Sport mode or manual in the 535d whenever I use it, but it's a rarity that I do that, despite the good results.
Man, I feel like a muppet for turning down that car from my mate. As soon as I drove it back from my mate's for my dad to test drive, I was regretting the decision. A decent car at £3k too, but that at the time was £2k too much for a daily, despite me selling an S124 E320 the week earlier.
But, after driving around in a mate's (which is now my dad's) E61 535d, and travelling through rush hour more often on the motorway, the auto wins hands down for me. I do sometimes use the Sport mode or manual in the 535d whenever I use it, but it's a rarity that I do that, despite the good results.
Man, I feel like a muppet for turning down that car from my mate. As soon as I drove it back from my mate's for my dad to test drive, I was regretting the decision. A decent car at £3k too, but that at the time was £2k too much for a daily, despite me selling an S124 E320 the week earlier.
sassthathoopie said:
We've had an N52 E91 M-Sport auto for 4.5 years. It is a superb 'swiss army knife' of car. It cruises in silky smooth six luxury, and then when you need to get past someone flick the gear lever across to sport and the car takes off like a scalded cat!
For my stag do the four of us rented two Caterham 7s for a tour of the Forest of Dean. Collection was from Gloucester, requiring a four up drive over in the BMW from our place in Devizes. Not wanting to be late, and feeling in the mood we made decent progress. All three of my passengers were visibly impressed and all took a second glance as we got out of the car. Of course not much was said, but this was my brother and my two best mates...
The following year we fitted a quick release Witter/BMW swan neck tow bar, did a lap of north western Scotland, then collected a sailing dinghy and towed it back south from Glasgow: Fun on tight Scottish roads, and bloody quick on the open ones. Even with all our camping kit there was room for us to fold the seats flat and sleep inside on a loch shore for two nights using Thermarests. Of course it took it all in its stride, and my wife loves it.
If you only have space in your life for one car I really cannot imagine a better option.
But this is Pistonheads so I have a mk1 MX5, and a Honda NSX; my wife has a 6 speed R50 MINI and the company I am a director of owns two expedition pick up trucks with demountable expedition campers. Sadly I can't think of anyone who would describe me as powerfully built though
As a consequence the BMW is tough to justify and I have just advertised a
Le Mans Blue with Dakota Lemon Swiss Army Knife
Today is a sad day.
That’s bloody lovely. If that had been for sale a bit ago, I would have bitten your hand off. I love the touring but most I’ve seen have been dogs. Plus it’s my favourite colour scheme (had that on my old 330). For my stag do the four of us rented two Caterham 7s for a tour of the Forest of Dean. Collection was from Gloucester, requiring a four up drive over in the BMW from our place in Devizes. Not wanting to be late, and feeling in the mood we made decent progress. All three of my passengers were visibly impressed and all took a second glance as we got out of the car. Of course not much was said, but this was my brother and my two best mates...
The following year we fitted a quick release Witter/BMW swan neck tow bar, did a lap of north western Scotland, then collected a sailing dinghy and towed it back south from Glasgow: Fun on tight Scottish roads, and bloody quick on the open ones. Even with all our camping kit there was room for us to fold the seats flat and sleep inside on a loch shore for two nights using Thermarests. Of course it took it all in its stride, and my wife loves it.
If you only have space in your life for one car I really cannot imagine a better option.
But this is Pistonheads so I have a mk1 MX5, and a Honda NSX; my wife has a 6 speed R50 MINI and the company I am a director of owns two expedition pick up trucks with demountable expedition campers. Sadly I can't think of anyone who would describe me as powerfully built though
As a consequence the BMW is tough to justify and I have just advertised a
Le Mans Blue with Dakota Lemon Swiss Army Knife
Today is a sad day.
Court_S said:
That’s bloody lovely. If that had been for sale a bit ago, I would have bitten your hand off. I love the touring but most I’ve seen have been dogs. Plus it’s my favourite colour scheme (had that on my old 330).
Yes, it is stunning but 330i Tourings seem to really hold their money. I bought my Sparkling Graphite with Lemon leather manual 325i Touring in March 2018 for just under £3K on 132K miles and it had full BMW SH.
But I found the 325i a bit lacking, so I sold it earlier this year and replaced it with a manual 330i Saloon, also in Sparkling Graphite, but with Beige leather and wood trim for just under £3.5K on 107K miles. My man-logic being it has the rare optional split/fold rear seats - plus a tilt/slide electric sunroof, power-fold mirrors and a DAB tuner!
The 330i just performs so much better than the 325i, even though on paper the difference doesn't seem that big - on the road it really is!
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