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Originally Posted by F32Fleet
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Originally Posted by MiamiFan13
Saw this coming when the SMG's hit the market. Almost immediately they started outselling the manuals....and this was when the manual was superior. SMG's were pathetic...face it.
Was it the enthusiast/purists, for whom the first M's were built for, that were buying the SMG's?? HELL NO!!!!!!!!
Those SMGs allowed everyone to play. All the guys who couldn't drive stick or wouldn't buy a car if their wife couldn't drive it could now buy the top of the line model and not be stuck with a 330i or 545i. The amount of M cars on the streets multiplied exponentially it seemed.
Its obvious that the majority of M car owners are NOT the same ones who bought the first few generations of M cars. Those early owners were all-in on the ultimate driving experience....and half of the fun was rowing your own gears. They don't make up a large number of the population, but they had their niche and certain car companies obliged.
I respect the DCT. If I had to win a race, I would choose a DCT over manual. When driving at the limit, I'd have enough on my plate keeping the car on the track, a DCT is better. HOWEVER, on the street we cannot drive the car to its limit, so most of the fun is shifting the car ourselves.....it's what makes up most of the driving experience. At the same time, I'd bet that most DCT drivers don't shift their car manually anyway.
I get a kick out of the 6MT bashers who justify the DCT for being "better technology". It tells you everything you need to know about them. Don't they realize that most of the really fun cars to drive have the least technology?? Like I said, most of the current M owners are not who the breed was intended for, and if DCT's were on the way out, they would be too.
It's sad that BMW was forced to sell out. Pressure from the government and investors forced their hand. I wish they could have at least kept the M5 with a manual option. Maybe if they painted all of them black they could save a little bit of coin. Something tells me those buyers wouldn't mind that at all.
BMW still makes nice cars....but the " Ultimate Driving Machine" image has really taken a beating. Pumping fake engine noise thru the car's speakers and now dropping a manual gearbox option from 2 M cars is very hard to swallow.
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The manual drivers are a funny lot. Initially it was "Manuals are faster around the track than any slushbox", Then SMG and DCT came out and all of a sudden the manual drivers were going on about "I feel so much more connected to the road, so much blah blah blah." or "Cheaper to maintain". Gone was the "Faster on the track" argument. So which is it? |
well you can't deny the numbers. clearly the DCT is faster. it's about a lifestyle. Me, personally, I just think it's more fun. now mind you, my 340 is my first manual. I used to think that manuals are stupid and a waste of time but after an ex gf took the time to teach me I found myself bored with my auto...even with paddle shifters.
it's just engaging and you feel more in control of the car. no paddle shifter can give the same feeling, I believe anyways. hey to each their own.
I just think that our society as a whole has changed and sheer laziness keeps us from driving manuals. i get that industry demands have forced manufacturers to produce a more efficient auto out of necessity but reality is you can put a manual in any car if you want. we're not talking about track driving but real time driving. and why not a manual across all bmw lines...what bc a big heavy luxury car doesn't look good with a manual or doesn't drive well? bs. anyone who actually knows how to drive a manual well can make it a smooth ride. I might not be completely car savvy or know all the technical details behind the car but it seems to me the loss of the manual is far beyond just necessity.
as far as why people still want manuals, when it comes down to it, it's just more fun and engaging of a drive and I think all manual drivers will agree