Manual transmission questions

[RealStig]

Hello,

I'm a prospective M3 owner and have a question regarding the manual transmission. I realize that this is an M5 forum, but it looks like M5 has the same/similar manual transmission with rev matching and so on and I'm guessing in terms of how manual transmission work with HUD and tachometer, M3 and M5 should be pretty close.

My question is :

- Do you get the tachometer visualization in HUD which consists of blue, yellow, and read areas and a horizontal line that keeps going left and right (which is what DCT gets in manual mode)?
- Do you get flashing lights getting close to the redline indicating you need to shift?
- Do you get optimum shift points visible in HUD?
- If the answer to the above question is yes, does the optimum shift point change depending on what mode you are in economy, sport, or sport+

Many thanks for your help!

[uhn2000]

Hey bud..

1) Yes you get RPM green, yellow, red just no #s for the gear your in.
2) Yes you get flashing lights.
3) No optimum shift points in HUD only in dash but only for certain modes like efficiency etc.
4) It doesn't change its either there or not. Know what I mean?

DCT is definitely better suited to the engine and turbos but I still love the MT and wouldn't have the car any other way.

[RealStig]

Originally Posted by uhn2000

Hey bud..

1) Yes you get RPM green, yellow, red just no #s for the gear your in.
2) Yes you get flashing lights.
3) No optimum shift points in HUD only in dash but only for certain modes like efficiency etc.
4) It doesn't change its either there or not. Know what I mean?

DCT is definitely better suited to the engine and turbos but I still love the MT and wouldn't have the car any other way.

Thanks for your responses, very helpful.

M5 is a totally different beast with massive torque, so you are right MT is probably not suitable for it given the car's weight and the enormous engine which is why ///M is probably not going to offer it again.

M3 is much more manageable though, in fact, I'm a firm believer of MT being more suitable for this car than it was the last one. Last car had a high revving NA engine that had very different gear ratios that required you to shift all the time, so DCT made a big difference. This time around, it's the other way around, I don't think I'll miss DCT. I'm currently using a DCT and find it very boring and easy.

[uhn2000]

As long as they keep MT I am buying . Think I will also opt for a MT M3 depending on the luxury and space inside the cabin. Going to try and go individual or something.

[bradone1]

Originally Posted by uhn2000

Hey bud..

1) Yes you get RPM green, yellow, red just no #s for the gear your in.
2) Yes you get flashing lights.
3) No optimum shift points in HUD only in dash but only for certain modes like efficiency etc.
4) It doesn't change its either there or not. Know what I mean?

DCT is definitely better suited to the engine and turbos but I still love the MT and wouldn't have the car any other way.

+1 on very word he says

Even the opinion on Dct. I thought I wrote all that

[uhn2000]

K well today I sat in a M6GC, stunning ride. Just might have to entertain that car as well.. LOL. I am all over the map… M3 or M6GC ..hehehe, big price difference between the 2. If I go M6GC I will need to tame down the exotic car a bit.. if I go M3 I can throw the remaining funds at a nice exotic.

[secksman]

Originally Posted by RealStig

Hello,

I'm a prospective M3 owner and have a question regarding the manual transmission. I realize that this is an M5 forum, but it looks like M5 has the same/similar manual transmission with rev matching and so on and I'm guessing in terms of how manual transmission work with HUD and tachometer, M3 and M5 should be pretty close.

My question is :

- Do you get the tachometer visualization in HUD which consists of blue, yellow, and read areas and a horizontal line that keeps going left and right (which is what DCT gets in manual mode)?
- Do you get flashing lights getting close to the redline indicating you need to shift?
- Do you get optimum shift points visible in HUD?
- If the answer to the above question is yes, does the optimum shift point change depending on what mode you are in economy, sport, or sport+

Many thanks for your help!

personally, i've never used the HUD tach, i think its annoying. i mean you kinda know when to shift--and if your really trying to push it to the very top, then go with DCT woudl be my thing
uhn2000--yeah me too, my problem is the f30s dont--the seats are a huge step back imo, and so while im thinking hey wouldn't it be neat to have an f80 m3, because of the weight difference, if the seats aren't different, i don't think i'm a buyer

[RealStig]

I'm getting quite worried about this "turbo engine is not suited for MT" comment that I have now seen multiple times in multiple threads. I hope it's just an M5 thing and M3 is different.

[hinckley]

Originally Posted by RealStig

I'm getting quite worried about this "turbo engine is not suited for MT" comment that I have now seen multiple times in multiple threads. I hope it's just an M5 thing and M3 is different.

I'm a life-long MT driver and bought the M5 MT because BMW said it was the last of the MT M5s. BMW also said the F10 M5 was specifically engineered for the DCT. They were right. Doing it again, I either would have got the DCT or not purchased an M5 at all (probably the latter).

However, BMW has also said that there will always be an MT M3/M4, so I'd be hopeful that the MT will better suit the car than it does in the M5. But I'd be sure to test drive one first.

[uhn2000]

Originally Posted by hinckley

I'm a life-long MT driver and bought the M5 MT because BMW said it was the last of the MT M5s. BMW also said the F10 M5 was specifically engineered for the DCT. They were right. Doing it again, I either would have got the DCT or not purchased an M5 at all (probably the latter).

However, BMW has also said that there will always be an MT M3/M4, so I'd be hopeful that the MT will better suit the car than it does in the M5. But I'd be sure to test drive one first.

I got to do a test drive and frankly speaking you are so excited to be just be in such a rare beast you can't really push it or pay close attention to the experience. For the most part its a hit, especially with a short shifter. What is not to my liking is the rev match; because of the lag its almost like it gives too much punch at the beginning and so the engine almost speeds up too fast and the car lurches forward and then comes down to the point it should have been (like a delayed engine brake). You need to anticipate this and drive around it or else its messy and you could do some serious damage. Also I find heal/toe pretty hard to nail every time - the only way you can do a proper match yourself is to be in sport plus and then again you need to driving around the turbo charges to get the perfect match. BMW's engineering might gave us one last salute to the MT ///M5 - a car that was known for it! Right or wrong Porsche was not even able to accomplish this in the new GT3 - which in my opinion would be an epic salute to the H pattern of driving! In the end if you like rowing gears, need 4 doors, surrounded by tech, luxury, power, etc. there really is no car like it. I took my business partner's DCT (2014) for a few days and yes it all works better but I still missed the gear rowing, there something very euphoric and almost addictive to me.

Finances aside, I hope to always have a MT in the stable just not sure what the next one will be! M3? Targa4S?

[Stuartlogan77]

I'm a m3 and m5 MT driver the M3 V8 required a lot of gearing to keep in the best spot. The M5 with all the torque you could actually be 3 gears and would be the easiest grand tourer. 2nd 4th and 6th for the economy.

Regarding track lets be honest the dct will be the best by far.

Now the 99.9% time on the road I enjoy my own gearing. It pulls in all gears. I was worried about commuting as the m3 could be a pain I do 80 miles round trip a day. This car is a dream to commute in as a manual and anyone worrying about the hassle in stop start should not be worried.

The only issue I've had is when you really aggressively drive the car is such a beast it can catch you out at the limiter. This is a skill issue and not the car.

The one issue the m3 had that the m6 does not is the sticky 2nd gear shift and all in all the gear box is better than the old m3s.

The new m3 is a different proposition. With a Turbo and all the torque and light weight all the description of issues above May make it the perfect car.

My only issue with the m5 is the weight in the corners. However the harder you drive it the better it gets.

[uhn2000]

Originally Posted by Stuartlogan77

My only issue with the m5 is the weight in the corners. However the harder you drive it the better it gets.

Great points and I love the one I quoted above - it just gets better the harder your drive. Agreed, the weight is of concern and maybe with that addressed in the M3 it might be the best option couple with luxury/comfort of the M5. Would be great news for me as I really want to keep a 4 door in the BMW family!

[chong0]

I don't find the rev match to be too intrusive and overall I think it's a nice touch. The only time I have utilized heel-toe in the M5 is at the track under sport+. I find sport+ too aggressive in the MT for everyday driving unless I really, really need to get somewhere fast.

[hinckley]

Originally Posted by uhn2000

In the end if you like rowing gears, need 4 doors, surrounded by tech, luxury, power, etc. there really is no car like it. I took my business partner's DCT (2014) for a few days and yes it all works better but I still missed the gear rowing, there something very euphoric and almost addictive to me.

That's it exactly. You get an M5 MT because you want it, not because it's "better". Nothing wrong with that.

uhn - what do you think of the new Targa?

[uhn2000]

Originally Posted by hinckley

That's it exactly. You get an M5 MT because you want it, not because it's "better". Nothing wrong with that.

uhn - what do you think of the new Targa?

I love the new Targa, stunning ride! I am a huge Targa fan having owned the 997.2 and desperately wanting to get into another one. I am struggling to know my stable for the future. I keep going back and forth between (M3-MT, GT3) or (M6GC, Targa4SMT) or (C4MT, R8GT)..

Anyhow time will tell .. back to work now!