Z4 - Manual or Automatic?

[pauljc]

For a day to day road car, which would be better - a manual or automatic? (Not too much city driving). Any advantages between each like resell value or problems etc?

Thanks in advance

[Sortie 10]

Controversially, I quite enjoy my SMG - which falls between the two.
SMG is not available on the facelift cars, and it is not programmable as on the M3.

That said I enjoy the option of the automatic mode when in city traffic, and then when the roads open up and there is a chance to press on the ability to change gear (with both hands on the wheel) in a fraction of a second is fantastic. I miss the tactillity (?) of a good manual box, but I am an SMG convert.

When buying SMG make sure the car has all the software upgrades - mine went through a spell where you would get a box full of neutrals; this has long been sorted.

[niva441]

The automatic gearbox on the 120d was high on the list of problems I experienced with it, before I sold it for a decent car. It frequently refused to kickdown when really necessary.

[Andrew D]

I've never driven an automatic Z4, but auto's are pretty popular on 3-Series coupes so they can't be all bad. The post-facelift Z4 auto's got the steering wheel paddleshift from the discontinued SMG box, but pre-facelift cars don't have them. As such you're stuck with using the stick to shift in semi-manual mode, and I've often found (non-BMW) boxes like that to be pretty sloppy. That said, the auto was obviously good enough to push the SMG box out of the non-manual market.

It goes without saying that the auto will be better for traffic or cruising, but will sanitise the driving experience a bit, moreso than SMG does. However there are plenty of good automatic sports cars about like the SLK and Boxster with Tipronic S, and I can't see an automatic Z4 being an inferior drive to them.

[taffyracer]

I would never consider an auto in a car like this, its wrong just plain wrong IMO

[pauljc]

Thanks for the replies guys.

[Garlick]

My manual is lovely, perhaps not quite as fast a change as my old Boxster but it's loosening up as the miles go on. Personally, when I see/hear an auto Z slur it's way up the road I think the owner is missing a big part of the cars character.

[jezzaaa]

I thought it was SSG on the Z4...SMG only being available on M cars, but not the Z4M interestingly. SSG as I remember is just an automatic gearbox with a tip-tronic type function. SMG is a semi-automatic manual gearbox, and so hugely different.

[Andrew D]

jezzaaa said:

I thought it was SSG on the Z4...SMG only being available on M cars, but not the Z4M interestingly. SSG as I remember is just an automatic gearbox with a tip-tronic type function. SMG is a semi-automatic manual gearbox, and so hugely different.

The transmission available for the Z4 is indeed SMG (specifically "H-SMG" ) and is a semi-automatic, but is a different transmission to the "SMGII" unit offered on the E46 M3 (and the SMG transmission from the E36 M3). It is based around the H-pattern manual gearbox (hence the name) from the Z4 and uses a hydraulic system to actuate the clutch and gear selection. It lacks the "drive logic" adjustment features of SMGII, but does have differing shift patterns linked to the Z4's "Sport" mode button.

SSG was offered on the E46 3-Series and was also a semi-manual, although I've heard it was fairly sloppy. Early Z4 literature refered to the semi-automatic transmission option as "SSG", but to my knowledge it was rebranded prior to launch.

Edited by Andrew D on Tuesday 17th July 16:57

[jezzaaa]

Thanks Andrew...I stand corrected! ;-)

[GW65]

pauljc said:

For a day to day road car, which would be better - a manual or automatic? (Not too much city driving). Any advantages between each like resell value or problems etc?

I've got a 2004 Z4 3.0 Auto. The auto box is OK if you treat it as a clutchless manual, but a pain if you leave it in Drive - although this is probably as much to do with having a fairly small, peaky engine as it is with the box itself. If you shift manually it changes gear fairly swiftly, although it's not really manual - it'll change down itself at low speeds and change up at the redline. If you leave it in Drive, in normal mode it changes up too early and doesn't kickdown readily, whereas in sport mode it has an aversion to shifting into 5th so you end up cruising along in 4th all the time...

As for resale, I haven't tried to sell mine yet but the resale for Z4s is pretty dismal anyway.

Gary

[CooperS]

GW65 said:

If you shift manually it changes gear fairly swiftly, although it's not really manual - it'll change down itself at low speeds and change up at the redline.

Gary

I've got a pre facelift model (2.5 si) and it has the SSG box i would say that its ok and its great around town not having a clutch but past this u need to manual shift otherwise it does become tiresome. This isnt a problem with the box its just not a real automatic and buyer must understand that. As someones pointed out its just a clutchless manual which to me is acceptable not perfect but i can live with it?

Someone said to me the new SMG boxes used in the new models are smoother but not noticabley?

The only advise i would give is get sports seats! I havent and i slide around like no business, i've got M suspension as well which is pretty hard and although std seats are comfy they dont support you. I think the std seats are degined for fat people (at a guess the american market) and so the slimmer figured M seats for me would be a must.

lol i highlighted gary's post as i was going to comment on the box upshifting, i was going to add my car doesnt? It bounces and doesnt shift up at all, not that i try and do that, but it has never up shifted in manual mode before?

Edited by CooperS on Friday 20th July 17:26

[NickB12]

I've had an 04 Z4 3.0 auto from new with no regrets. Ues, I'd thought sports cars just don't have auto boxes, but it's the best of both, or all, worlds.

As has been said, drive it as a clutchless manual for fun, or just in Sport mode, which sharpens up throttle response and weights up the steering, and think of Drive as 'economy, can't be 4rsed today, or stuck in traffic' mode.

It should 'learn' your driving style too, but if (buying used) this leads to not responding how you'd like eg kickdown, the dealer can easily reset factory settings.

Try as many as you can and see what you like.