[Silverlining_m2]

Manual. My bmw's so far have been

Automatic-2013 328i, 2015 435i, 2022 228xi, 2024 m235xi

Dct- 2016 m4

Manual- 2020 m2c, 2023 m2.

Cars I LOVED DRIVING the most? The M2'S. Nothing feels like properly rowing through gears while you accelerate, nailing a perfect heel-toe downshift entering a turn, and winding out the gear as you shoot out of the corner. Physically downshifting to pass . And even being able to rev the motor rolling down the street for the kids. I guess it's a little harder to do a burn out if that's your thing or you're running 1/4 miles.

The zf transmission is sick though. Snappy as heck in my girl's m235i. Maybe more than it was in my 435i...

I didn't care for the dct...

[Fastfwd]

ZF8 Auto for me. If I can be honest about my 'experience' so far.... I'm not trying to flame anyone who owns the manual. The worst part about picking the ZF8 has been the never ending moaning I've had to listen to from others about how I should have chosen a manual. I am in utter disbelief.

Frankly, it makes me aspire to own a PDK. Whatever campaigns there may be promoting to save the manual transmissions are being done a disservice by those who I've had to listen to be so utterly annoying about the manual G87.

It doesn't make me want to 'join the club' of manual transmission owners. It turns me off the idea of it frankly. Honestly, I see people on here and elsewhere who have never owned a manual and this is their first manual transmission vehicle. I personally can't believe they are learning to drive stick on such an expensive vehicle.

I have owned 4 manuals... from my first car when I was 16 (1970 911T Targa) until I was into my early 30s. I just don't miss it at all. I can't say I might not change my mind in the future, but all of the bellyaching that I've had to endure about my choice has turned me off.

[OldButSmooth]

Two reasons, driving involvement and possibly the last chance to own a three pedal car (times are a changing).
OBS

[JABCAT]

Originally Posted by OldButSmooth

possibly the last chance to own a New three pedal car (times are a changing).
OBS

It's not as if all manual transmission cars have disappeared.

[RootsTootsMagoots]

Originally Posted by Fastfwd

ZF8 Auto for me. If I can be honest about my 'experience' so far.... I'm not trying to flame anyone who owns the manual. The worst part about picking the ZF8 has been the never ending moaning I've had to listen to from others about how I should have chosen a manual. I am in utter disbelief.

Frankly, it makes me aspire to own a PDK. Whatever campaigns there may be promoting to save the manual transmissions are being done a disservice by those who I've had to listen to be so utterly annoying about the manual G87.

It doesn't make me want to 'join the club' of manual transmission owners. It turns me off the idea of it frankly. Honestly, I see people on here and elsewhere who have never owned a manual and this is their first manual transmission vehicle. I personally can't believe they are learning to drive stick on such an expensive vehicle.

I have owned 4 manuals... from my first car when I was 16 (1970 911T Targa) until I was into my early 30s. I just don't miss it at all. I can't say I might not change my mind in the future, but all of the bellyaching that I've had to endure about my choice has turned me off.

Same, man. I commuted in a 1982 911SC Targa for a while, and the magic of the manual transmission dissipated quickly that year. I can still appreciate manual transmissions on older cars where the automatic is suspect. But given the option of a manual and a competent auto, I'll take the auto every time. It's just superior, particularly if you ever go a track (which you should, it's an M2).

And while it's not completely analogous, the more cantankerous manual lovers come across the same way that snobby audiophiles do. Surely, their measurably inferior, overpriced tube amplifiers and $1,000 silver plated cables sound better. So if you need a third pedal for engagement, go for it-- but don't try and shame the people who disagree.

[Carefree]

Originally Posted by RootsTootsMagoots

Same, man. I commuted in a 1982 911SC Targa for a while, and the magic of the manual transmission dissipated quickly that year. I can still appreciate manual transmissions on older cars where the automatic is suspect. But given the option of a manual and a competent auto, I'll take the auto every time. It's just superior, particularly if you ever go a track (which you should, it's an M2).

And while it's not completely analogous, the more cantankerous manual lovers come across the same way that snobby audiophiles do. Surely, their measurably inferior, overpriced tube amplifiers and $1,000 silver plated cables sound better. So if you need a third pedal for engagement, go for it— but don't try and shame the people who disagree.

It’s clear you have very little understanding of the “audiophile” world. There are many transistor components that measure fantastic (THD) and sound awful. Conversely, there are dozens of tube components that measure lousy and sound terrific. This is mostly a function of tube’s second harmonics.

Now cables. Silver cables or copper cables or combination of them, don’t send “better”, they sound different due to many factors including metal purity and the dielectric employed among others. To that point it depends all on the listener.

Unless you deeply understand all the variables involved in a very complicated hobby, as I do, I suggest you stay in your lane.

[Drhoyle]

Why do people keep asking this question??

[Sculpin]

Originally Posted by Carefree

It’s clear you have very little understanding of the “audiophile” world. There are many transistor components that measure fantastic (THD) and sound awful. Conversely, there are dozens of tube components that measure lousy and sound terrific. This is mostly a function of tube’s second harmonics.

Now cables. Silver cables or copper cables or combination of them, don’t send “better”, they sound different due to many factors including metal purity and the dielectric employed among others. To that point it depends all on the listener.

Unless you deeply understand all the variables involved in a very complicated hobby, as I do, I suggest you stay in your lane.

Can't quite tell if that's sarcasm or not. Either way, you really drove home his point so well done.

[Albator_IIII]

Originally Posted by Drhoyle

Why do people keep asking this question??

A combo of everyone loving a little confirmation bias and starting the usual disagreement on a car's enthusiasts forum. E-dick measuring contests.

[apez]

Originally Posted by Fastfwd

ZF8 Auto for me. If I can be honest about my 'experience' so far.... I'm not trying to flame anyone who owns the manual. The worst part about picking the ZF8 has been the never ending moaning I've had to listen to from others about how I should have chosen a manual. I am in utter disbelief.

I don't blame you here. The righteousness in some of the posts are about as bad as the F87 vs G87 threads. I can't figure out how having two great choices for different people is a bad thing. I also can't figure out why anyone would think they know someone else's situation so well to tell them they made the wrong choice.

Enjoy your car, fuck any haters.

[Carefree]

Originally Posted by Sculpin

Can't quite tell if that's sarcasm or not. Either way, you really drove home his point so well done.

Audio has been a lifelong hobby of mine. Like wine or cars or memorabilia it’s a complicated but mostly personal endeavor. I guess he stepped on my toes.

[c1pher]

I got the automatic because of the following:
-I was not happy with the manual on the pre sold car I got to check out. I felt I would be disappointed compared to the Porsche manual transmissions I’ve gotten used to.
-I wanted adaptive cruise control for DC area traffic
-Reviews and forum feedback further reinforced my thoughts on the auto vs manual considerations
-I owned a Cayenne Turbo with Tiptronic S….similar transmission….and was very impressed with its responsiveness and performance and how well it matched the engine characteristics.

[DutchBoysRacing]

I ended up with an auto. My M2 is going to become a time attack / track car only and I have a 2013 Mini GP that is a manually for my daily driving. I also get the benefit of anyone being able to drive my car (after a long track day, the wife cruising me home as a passenger princess seems nice).

I really wanted to get a manually but in each bmw i've owned (e36 m3, e92 m3) I always ended up with an after market shifter.

[OldButSmooth]

Originally Posted by JABCAT

It's not as if all manual transmission cars have disappeared.

No they haven't, however, the ability to buy a 3.0 twin turbo with a 6MT pretty much has come to an end in Australia (outside of the Supra). I came from a 2022 Porsche with PDK which was a truly an excellent transmission, but, driving the G87 with 6 MT has turned every drive into an enjoyable occasion, something that was missing in the Porsche.

It is a popular belief that this will be the last M car with 6MT....should make for a future classic/collectable car.

In the meantime, if you have an auto G87 enjoy it and be reassured it was the right car for you.

OBS

[kyrix1st]

M-DCT was a perfect compromise of racecar-like shift speed and decent feedback that made replacing 6MT justifiable.
Now that's gone, and because zf8 slush auto is a downgrade from M-DCT in nearly all aspects, MT was the only way to go.

[OUGrad05]

Originally Posted by kyrix1st

M-DCT was a perfect compromise of racecar-like shift speed and decent feedback that made replacing 6MT justifiable.
Now that's gone, and because zf8 slush auto is a downgrade from M-DCT in nearly all aspects, MT was the only way to go.

The ZF8 is pretty damn good. Just as fast up shifts, smoother around town, lower maintenance....but...slower on downshifts

[aerobod]

Originally Posted by OUGrad05

The ZF8 is pretty damn good. Just as fast up shifts, smoother around town, lower maintenance....but...slower on downshifts

Except in certain very annoying circumstances. Our Macan S PDK has terrible lag (as with all dual clutch transmissions I’ve driven) when the car has been accelerating and has the next highest gear pre-selected in anticipation of continued acceleration and then you need to select the previous gear again. In these circumstances it is much slower shifting than a conventional automatic transmission, or even a novice manual transmission driver.

The selection of first gear is also very slow when almost coming to a stop in second, with third pre-selected it seems in most circumstances due to the program logic, so is slow to change into first, even with manual selection.

I find the PDK transmission the least likeable feature of our Macan.

[M2BOT]

Originally Posted by JABCAT

It's not as if all manual transmission cars have disappeared.

This is the reason I finally pulled the trigger too.
Within 10 years, we won’t have any options for a performance car with a manual. JDM may continue to make them, but I did not want a Honda Civic. I also didn’t want a truck or SUV.

This was my last chance to own a new sub-100k sports car with a manual.

[BRAKE!]

I do most of my driving on the streets and there is nothing else that comes close to the responsibility that gets put on you to actually make the car go than a manual. It raises the stakes higher and forces you to concentrate because the risk of stalling the car, etc. is looming in the background. I akin it to playing a traditional instrument, no matter how good you get, there is always something to learn, a challenge to face, and that is continuously rewarding.

Whereas in an auto car (or any of its variants) there is no risk of stalling the car, so the responsibility to keep it going decreases dramatically. It also prevents you from making a lot of mistakes as the car will intervene beforehand. I hate it when you put an auto car in full “manual” mode and yet when you’re slowing down it will automatically intervene and put you into 1st gear for you (if you fail to do so yourself to prevent lugging the engine). In this way, an auto is like a self playing piano, it’s cool when you first get it, but you get used to the theatrics pretty quickly and there is no challenge.

However, however… when driving fast out on a track (or just fast in general), I have found I enjoy auto a thousand times more than manual. There is already too much to focus on when driving fast that a manual becomes a nuisance in this environment rather than engagement. When I am looking out at the next corner apex, getting my braking done and turning in, I want to hit my paddles to downshift and then hit the throttle at track out. The last thing I want to do here is heel-toe-downshifts and taking my right hand off the wheel. Case in point, idk of any high level Motorsports racing series with manual transmissions.

Ultimately, I have found manuals to be the most enjoyable in a backroads setting where the speed is manageable. Otherwise, if I was interested in going fast or driving on the track, I would 100% buy auto.

Disclaimer: I do have a manual as it fits my use case for now.

[DrewNewM2]

As long as I can still use my left foot and they build manual cars, I will buy manual cars. The only automatic vehicle I’ve bought in the last 30 years was a beater 91 4Runner like 10 years ago. Save the manuals!

[02M3ForMe]

I’ve owned both. I prefer the automatic and its shorter gears.

[Lawsoc]

Originally Posted by 02M3ForMe

I’ve owned both. I prefer the automatic and its shorter gears.

Can you elaborate please