SMG OR MANUAL FOR TRACK CAR
Discussion
Personally, I think I'd use the manual for track duties.
I have an SMG, love it to bits, and did 5 track days last year.
However, the SMG on mine does seem to become unhappy when things get REALLY hot. I've had a couple of funny gear changes at the very end of the day. And once it stuck in 4th when I started the car straight after lunch. (Heat soak issue I imagine)
I love the SMG on track, but for a pure track car I think the manual will give you less to worry about.
I have an SMG, love it to bits, and did 5 track days last year.
However, the SMG on mine does seem to become unhappy when things get REALLY hot. I've had a couple of funny gear changes at the very end of the day. And once it stuck in 4th when I started the car straight after lunch. (Heat soak issue I imagine)
I love the SMG on track, but for a pure track car I think the manual will give you less to worry about.
Dont worry about which gearbox is best decide whats best for you and your driving . Use the manual and become God of heel and toe , fast/ correct timed gear changes , thinking ahead etc etc .
Those skills will always be of use .
Of course if you are already God of heel and toe , fast/ correct timed gear changes , thinking ahead etc etc , then please ignore my post
Those skills will always be of use .
Of course if you are already God of heel and toe , fast/ correct timed gear changes , thinking ahead etc etc , then please ignore my post
w9lje said:
I have two e46 M3s sitting on my drive, one of which i am going to turn into a track car,
cant decide which one is going to be better and more reliable, the manual or the SMG,
Show off! cant decide which one is going to be better and more reliable, the manual or the SMG,
Forgetting any kind of consideration, speculation, conjecture, or opinion on which system is "better" from a drivers point of view:
I'd want to use the manual for the track car, simply because there is less to maintain and go wrong. At some point in time, every nut and bolt on a well prepared track car will need attention. I'm a great fan of minimising number of these nuts and bolts, and potential for failure, loss of track time, and expense.
This shouldn't be misinterpretted as an indication that the SMG is a weak point of the car, and not up to track use. The SMG system in the E46 M3 is more than up for track use. BMW didn't select it for the CSL for a laugh. Just a step to reducing the potential overall servicing and running costs of the cars.
Convert it to a distributor and triple weber DCOEs for maximum simplicity
Signed,
A.Luddite!!!
I might be getting this wrong but I find the smg slow to change gear, even on the CSL, its the one thing which puts me off the CSL. It could be a problem with that specific car of course. Isn't it meant to be 0.4 of a second for gear changes, felt much longer to me on a recent test drive
Gunk said:
Considering track days put bigger strain on the engine and drivetrain, I would use the manual car, it's more robust.
The SMG cars have exactly the same engine and drivetrain. Only the method of actuating the clutch and gear selection differ. Pedantic? Yeah, I guess so. A case could be argued for the SMG protecting the engine and drivetrain, by preventing accidental mis-shifts whilst on the track ....... but of course us PH driving gods have never done that have we ???
mat205125 said:
The SMG cars have exactly the same engine and drivetrain. Only the method of actuating the clutch and gear selection differ. Pedantic? Yeah, I guess so.
A case could be argued for the SMG protecting the engine and drivetrain, by preventing accidental mis-shifts whilst on the track ....... but of course us PH driving gods have never done that have we ???
I stand corrected.A case could be argued for the SMG protecting the engine and drivetrain, by preventing accidental mis-shifts whilst on the track ....... but of course us PH driving gods have never done that have we ???
Good point about the SMG box preventing accidental up-chages, I had an instance with a Porsche 915 gearbox (5th to 1st) on a trackday, the box survived, but an experience I would not want to repeat.
Porscheplayer said:
I might be getting this wrong but I find the smg slow to change gear, even on the CSL, its the one thing which puts me off the CSL. It could be a problem with that specific car of course. Isn't it meant to be 0.4 of a second for gear changes, felt much longer to me on a recent test drive
It gets faster and more agressive, the higher the revs that you attempt to change at? Might feel a bit ponderous on a test drive if not ringing it's neck.Porscheplayer said:
I might be getting this wrong but I find the smg slow to change gear, even on the CSL, its the one thing which puts me off the CSL. It could be a problem with that specific car of course. Isn't it meant to be 0.4 of a second for gear changes, felt much longer to me on a recent test drive
You haven't experienced S6 on a fullbore upshift then...A friend with a C63 AMG Black was laughing his socks off at S6 on the way into London a while ago.
Nords said:
Porscheplayer said:
I might be getting this wrong but I find the smg slow to change gear, even on the CSL, its the one thing which puts me off the CSL. It could be a problem with that specific car of course. Isn't it meant to be 0.4 of a second for gear changes, felt much longer to me on a recent test drive
You haven't experienced S6 on a fullbore upshift then...A friend with a C63 AMG Black was laughing his socks off at S6 on the way into London a while ago.
TEKNOPUG said:
Porscheplayer said:
I might be getting this wrong but I find the smg slow to change gear, even on the CSL, its the one thing which puts me off the CSL. It could be a problem with that specific car of course. Isn't it meant to be 0.4 of a second for gear changes, felt much longer to me on a recent test drive
It gets faster and more agressive, the higher the revs that you attempt to change at? Might feel a bit ponderous on a test drive if not ringing it's neck.
Iggy, stop eating people's socks! However I accept some of the blame for blowing them off in the first place with an S6 upchange. The funny thing is, Shimster was pulled by the Rozzers for looking dodgy, driving a car which he didn't look like he could afford and 'he' was blasting away from the lights while socks were blasted out of the windows. What a hooligan!
Gassing Station | M Power | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff