CarlssonCRS

i think the only way in hell i would do it is if this weekend while im at vegas i happen to win ten grand.... even then i would probably just get a porsche turbo and get rid of my c-class!

FrankW

u can ask brabusCclass for details too...he's got a kleemann on his 240

tberry

just wanted to recap on the diff tranny. AMG F1 shift or whatever is still an auto tranny as it has a torque converter. From my understanding its the same tranny as C320 and all others except for AMG software for more aggressive shifts and in this case someone like Renntech, Kleeman, etc should copy the software and do it for the other c class vehicles.

SMG(2) is sequential manual gearbox which doesnt have a torque converter. Although it sounds pretty complicated and with the computer controlled clutch supposedly able to shift faster then a human u can see that the SMG M3 is slower then a manny M3 in 0-60 and 1/4 mi (of course when u're doing rolling start or auto-xing this shouldnt matter). Also, SMG has all these settings like you can only do so many 5k RPM clutch drop launches, cant do another one for like 30min and can only do like 30 for the lift-time of the clutch, etc.....

I'm also looking forward to the new audi 32TT which has DSG (direct seq gearbx?) with dual clutch something or other :p yes technology is a wonderful thing indeed. Personally i'd want a manual if i get a mid-engine RWD roadster of some sort...otherwise the auto suites me fine.

PerfectionSe7en

Will the new Audi TT 3.2 (i think that's the new engine) also have a manual version, or strictly just the new DSG? I'd personally like to see both options available. Also either way, I'm still really happy to see that even though the manual transmission is not the main transmission of choice for many vehicles, I'm glad to see lots of Audi TT drivers. Glad to see that a manual trans. only, didn't hinder their sales. This DSG thing might boost their sales (hehe now that automatic junkies can start driving this car.


Does anyone have any official numbers comparing the SMG(2) M3 and a manual M3? It's hard to think that with all that computer technology BMW has pumped into the SMG, you say that it's slower. I know some people who compared their M3's (man & SMG) and the SMG guy definitely could shift way faster and beat the manual M3.

In my opinion, it think the SMG would be a nice toy to have (hehe if i knew that I had another traditional manual car), but if ever got a cabrio or roadster, it's gotta be a good 'ol manual all the way!

tberry

Hi, I rem reading some british bmw mag with extensive SMG2 testing. I think the diff in 0-60 was like .4 or .5 sec. Like i said this is straight line stuff but on track it shouldnt really matter and smg could perform possibly better b/c less possibility of human error. although i think to drive an smg car u gotta understand how manual tranny work

PerfectionSe7en

Yeah, I think you need to know how to, especially know the behavior of the car. I just think the SMG is just so sophisticated that I think it's a shame that many will buy it, b/c they might not know how to drive a manual. Some girl in the HS I graduated from, she was a junior this year, and just has a white E46 M3 SMG. New driver + young girl + spankin' new M3 = utter disaster.

tberry

got a sad story about a guy in my high school (this is back in 1995/96?). He just got a brand new white targa top twin turbo supra (automatic of course). Everyone was wowed, he drives around for a few months and one day the car died. It turns out he never changed oil, he didnt know that CARS NEED OIL CHANGE!

kaneman

Uh, well... that ain't necessarily so. The tranny was fine on the M5 but the clutches sure as hell weren't... even with normal driving and ZERO abuse, they'd wear out in 20k miles or even less. Combine that with the lack of interest 95% of MB buyers have in a stick and you have the current glut of automatics.

jpb5151

Reminds me of our neighbor way back. He had a spiffy, sporty new full-size pickup truck. He _did_ change the oil, but during his very last oil change with that truck, he drained the old oil but forgot to add the new stuff.