[JustinHEMI]

I'm sure it's no different than my Z4MC. But influencers says it sucks so ymmv.

[zero21]

Originally Posted by jas165

I went from a manual Mazda 3 to a manual G80, and while the shifting in the Mazda was way smoother and easier, about 300 horsepower separates the two cars, so it’s not really a fair comparison.

That's fair

[Rx-7ames]

I can't read all the blah blah blah blah blah. If you like manuals then get the manual. I'm getting the manual. Not willing to compromise.

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by jas165

I went from a manual Mazda 3 to a manual G80, and while the shifting in the Mazda was way smoother and easier, about 300 horsepower separates the two cars, so it’s not really a fair comparison.

That's a good point.

Have owned a number of manual equipped cars from a 90hp VW Golf TDi to a 485hp Dodge Challenger Scat Pack.

All transmissions shifted very well. But the transmissions fitted in the lower powered vehicles shifted much faster.

Since I owned a Boxster and Turbo concurrently and alternated between the two cars almost every other day, I had ample opportunity to compare them.

In the transmission department no way could my 420hp Porsche 996 Turbo 6-speed shift as fast as my 217hp Porsche Boxster 5-speed.

Based on my experience with my 400Ghp GTO, 420hp Turbo, 485hp Scat Pack the 453hp M2 6-speed in my opinion shifts with the speed commensurate with the engine's output.

[Laguna Seca Blue]

Originally Posted by Moflow

I don't have a G87, but IMHO there are worse things than some turbo lag in a fast car. A manual really allows you to interact with the character of an engine in a way that always feels a lot more genuine. Autos are great for flattening everything out and masking deficiencies in a powerband. Great for timed contests of speed, but one of the funnest parts of a performance car is experiencing it, warts and all. Just enjoy the character of the engine, nobody is timing you, it's fine if you aren't going as fast as possible in your car at all times.

It's all about that character.

This. If you’re having to think about it, get the auto. It’s objectively better in every metric

However, the only reason I’m ordering a M2 over say a Tesla Model 3 Performance, is because there is no better feeling than that perfect shift. Any pilot will tell you that a computer can land an airplane a lot better than a human, but when we grease that landing, gimme some of what Meg Ryan’s having

[M2PDX]

Get the manual. If you're not entirely satisfied ...

Spend $10 on a Burger Clutch Stop, and ...

....a few hundred bucks and an easy install of a short shift kit. Auto Solutions, Rogue, Dinan all make good ones.

You'll get quicker shifts and get rid of any rubbery feel.

[Ravenseal]

Originally Posted by M2PDX

Get the manual. If you're not entirely satisfied ...

Spend $10 on a Burger Clutch Stop, and ...

....a few hundred bucks and an easy install of a short shift kit. Auto Solutions, Rogue, Dinan all make good ones.

You'll get quicker shifts and get rid of any rubbery feel.

Good to know DINAN has a solution. It’ll be my first mod.

[LCDRJohn]

Regarding shift feel, for years I drove an R8 gated 6-speed. It is a very polarizing experience. And I was coming from an E92M3 with the older BMW shifter feel, which was about 20% more rubbery than the latest.
My experience with the Gated shifter was that one could call it "slow", and "notchy", because by definition, nothing is "notchier" than gates. Nor slower. You have to place the lever in each slot. Was it inferior to my next car, a GT3? Hard to say. I miss the crackity noises it made, but they could be annoying too. I remember wishing once or twice that I had my old E92 again! haha!
But in the end, I considered that each company had a certain design philosophy too, which makes the car have its character. Surely John Wick could get a better haircut, but then he would be Tom Cruise.
And BMW could copy any shifter it wants, but they want that connection to the past. Its not a cost-issue, as the new Civic or Miata demonstrate. I actually felt at-home with the new shifter, having owned all of the early M3 type cars, all with the same sort of feel. I swap daily between the GT3 and Miata, and I prefer the GT3 shifter, but the Miata is not "inferior"....just more of a "strawberry" Vs "raspberry" decision.

[kyrix1st]

Originally Posted by cmgbk75

Wonder what that’s all about.
I’ve been driving manuals my whole life, as had my parents and sister, they never rev match(ed) and I only do every once in a while, nobody in my clan has even damaged a transmission. I do it on my motorcycles mainly for safety and stability reasons and now one of my bikes has an autoblip which I hardly use.

You may already be doing it for upshifts, as it will result in constant jolts and bucking otherwise. If not, you are using up your clutch and synchros every time you are not in the correct rev for the next gear, whether up or down.

[kyrix1st]

Originally Posted by RockCrusher

Have put around 250 miles on my M2. Bought the M2 yesterday and drove it home 200 miles. Ran some errands in it after getting home last night and ran some more errands this AM.

Clutch feel is well, different. But I'm adapting.

Quite a change to get out of the M2 and in to my 2023 JCW with its 6-speed. The JCW clutch is very easy to work for a smooth take off. Really and no pun intended the action is automatic.

One other notable difference between my 230i and its 8-speed freeway cruising RPMs were lower compared to my M2. In the M2 on the freeway at first I kept wanting to up shift but the gear box was already in 6th.

However, I soon got used to the M2 engine turning a bit more RPMs.

Up shifts and down shifts are ok. There is rev matching on down shifts which I tend to screw up because I have a long time habit of rev matching when down shifting. But I'll unlearn that habit.

Shifter doesn't feel vague or wobbly.

So far I'm quite pleased with the manual transmission.

But I could understand how the feel of the clutch might sour one on the 6-speed manual and have him/her long for the 8-speed automatic.

Quick question. If you disable rev match once, does it remember the setting next time you start the car? Or do you have to go back and do it all over again?

[jas165]

Originally Posted by kyrix1st

Quick question. If you disable rev match once, does it remember the setting next time you start the car? Or do you have to go back and do it all over again?

It’s the default setting, so whenever you turn on the engine, it’s on. You have to either disable it manually or program your M1 and M2 buttons with it disabled and then just press one of those buttons once you start the car.

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by kyrix1st

Quick question. If you disable rev match once, does it remember the setting next time you start the car? Or do you have to go back and do it all over again?

I don't know but I see jas165 replied with I'm sure the correct info.

[Laguna Seca Blue]

My first E92 335i that I owned in HK came with the BMW Performance SSK and weighted shifter. I was not a fan. In my hands at least, I couldn’t shift smoothly or quickly and I actually reverted back to the original setup which was brilliant.

I may get flamed for this, but don’t be in a hurry to switch things out straight away. Allow yourself to get used to the stock setup and then decide. Automotive journalists spend very limited time with the cars they’re reviewing and will always favor initial ease of use over actual teuntonic goodness. BMW engineers have spent countless hours developing the components that make up the manual shifter in the M2, give them some credit.

My first car was a brand new 2003 Mazda 6 V6 Manual (thanks mom and dad). Great car, and shift action was smooth and uninterrupted. If I were to test a BMW manual and the Mazda one side by side over the course of a few hours, I’d say the latter was better. However, driving the Mazda quickly became Vanilla, but I’ve never tired of BMW’s.

[Wheelwright]

Those short-shift kits and custom polyurethane bushings (which are much harder than stock rubber ones) noticeably increase Noise Vibration and Harshness, so much that many users end up reverting back to stock. So that's not a real solution.

[mzcp]

Originally Posted by (K)

I'm not sure if Ron offers it yet, but the AutoSolutions kit is what I'd vouche for. It's customizable and the customer service is top tier. Ron (the owner) is an enthusiast and is a wealth of technical knowledge.

20%-25% throw reduction, stock height, and the hardest to second hardest bushing will suffice for a majority of street driven cars. That combo would add a level of crispness that makes rowing your own gears a delight.

This ^^^. Auto Solutions (Ron) makes one of the best SSK for EX, F8X and G8X series. Unfortunately, because of Covid and supply chain issue, the SSK release for G8X has been delayed. The shifter on my G80 got better after a couple thousand miles. Being more precise and less rubbery. The trifecta is AS SSK, CDV delete and UCP.

[zero21]

Originally Posted by (K)

I'm not sure if Ron offers it yet, but the AutoSolutions kit is what I'd vouche for. It's customizable and the customer service is top tier. Ron (the owner) is an enthusiast and is a wealth of technical knowledge.

20%-25% throw reduction, stock height, and the hardest to second hardest bushing will suffice for a majority of street driven cars. That combo would add a level of crispness that makes rowing your own gears a delight.

I'll look into this when he's developed something.

[zero21]

Originally Posted by T_U_D

I like Rogue Engineering.

Care to elaborate for those of us w/out experience?

[M2PDX]

Originally Posted by zero21

Care to elaborate for those of us w/out experience?

I have Rogue in my e36 M3. Very direct.

AS, which I've driven in an e46 M3, is really sharp and short and mechanical.

You can't go wrong with either.

[sl0m0]

Originally Posted by M2PDX

I have Rogue in my e36 M3. Very direct.

AS, which I've driven in an e46 M3, is really sharp and short and mechanical.

You can't go wrong with either.

Which would you suggest? Where can I find pics of your e36?

[(K)]

Noise on my AutoSolutions setup (22.5% reduction, stock shifter height, 95A durometer bushings) was marginally increased. I had slight, occasional (but still noticeable) "buzzing" from the shifter on acceleration but that has, since, been mitigated with some damping foil tape. A strip of dynamat (or similar) would serve the same purpose. Ron recommends a softer bushing if you cannot tolerate the noise. Personally I didn't think it was bad and I consider myself sensitive to NVH.

There is a negligible increase in vibrations as well, as expected when stiffening up the shifter, but nothing beyond the realm of tolerance.

All-in, I wouldn't go back to stock despite these minor inconveniences. In fact I went a step further and installed the Rogue Engineering rubber transmission mounts, no discernable difference in NVH but a noticeable (positive) difference in engagement between gears. A smoother transition between gears; less crunch, especially from 2nd-3rd.

[GenXG87]

FWIW.

I'm a lifer manual guy. Former 1'er M6 owner. 40+ cars owned.

Lots of time in my past life drag racing and road racing.

The M6 M2 is pretty solid.

The gates are pretty easy to find. Shifter is a bit soft and rubbery. The clutch has a pretty narrow bite point (but my experience is pretty typical of BMW). I'm researching shifter options.

rev match is pretty impressive. Not sure if it is worth disabling.

Normal driving set to efficient is pretty easy. On sport plus a bit harder cuz the throttle is more sensitive. I think this thing needs a lighter flywheel

The BMW A8 is pretty impressive but if you want fun factor then you can't beat this car as an M6

[mzcp]

IMO if you have a chance order the Auto Solutions SSK when it's available. Ron will perhaps make a limited run on those. He is still selling a lot of EX and F8X SSK. You can always go CAE Ultra shifter but that's too hard-core for me daily driving