DCT vs. 6MT

[Halogen]

Hey fellow 1addicts. After reading and trolling the forums for the past few days I thought I'd make a legitimate post for some opinions. I'm in he market for a 135i, currently drive a manual. I wil say I haven't driven a 6speed though. However, the GF struggles with driving manual, she's fairly short and feels to close to the steering wheel. I don't have any problems with getting another manual or an automatic. I question to you all is: What do you like about yours (either auto or manual)? Which is more fun to drive? How do you feel about the DCT? Also anything else you would like to add. Not looking to be persuaded, I'm fine with either. Just looking for some opinions.

[MPowerF1]

[the1andonly]

I bought a manual and never ONCE did I say...gosh, I wish I bought an automatic...if that answers your question

[cooler2442]

Depends where you live. If you are in an extremely congested city such as LA or NY it may be worth getting the DCT just for the convenience, if not then get the stick.

[Gnip Gnop]

Originally Posted by the1andonly

I bought a manual and never ONCE did I say...gosh, I wish I bought an automatic...if that answers your question

I bought a 2011 dct and never once did I wish I bought a manual...

I came from an m coupe. I think it comes down to the car somewhat. I would never drive an m coupe or an older m car if it was not a manual. But the 135, imo is a perfect car for the dual clutch.
I test drove both numerous times, and I had much more fun driving the dual clutch. The speed of the shifts when your in manual sport mode is unbelievable.

[tracer bullet]

This is your car, not her car, right? Get what you prefer.

Someday down the road if she's your wife and finances only allow a single car to be shared between you, *then* ask this question. Is she going to choose the color for you as well?

If your'e looking for opinions on what each of us prefers, I prefer stick. I'll have an automatic the day my car only gets me from A to B. Until then I want to drive the thing myself and have fun. I can't give up that connection. If I stop wanting to shift gears, i'll stop wanting to steer and brake too. May as well take the bus.

(no offense to automatic owners)

[Ender_]

Personally I found DCT boring, 6MT was the only way to go for me.

Teach the GF how to drive stick, she'll be a better driver for it. My GF (now wife) didn't drive manual until she met me and she just bought her first car in a 5spd! She's felling automatic would be boring.

[BimmerEnthusiast99]

I'd have a 6MT in a second if not for the wife. If your GF at least can drive one fairly well, get an MT and never look back.

[Halogen]

Thank you all for your opinions. I prefer manual myself. Was looking for more information on how the DCT performs and the quickness of it. I'll stick to the manual, Hopefully find some really fun roads in the Houston area to enjoy the car even more.

[mEekos]

Originally Posted by tracer bullet

This is your car, not her car, right? Get what you prefer.

Someday down the road if she's your wife and finances only allow a single car to be shared between you, *then* ask this question. Is she going to choose the color for you as well?

If your'e looking for opinions on what each of us prefers, I prefer stick. I'll have an automatic the day my car only gets me from A to B. Until then I want to drive the thing myself and have fun. I can't give up that connection. If I stop wanting to shift gears, i'll stop wanting to steer and brake too. May as well take the bus.

(no offense to automatic owners)

SO TRUE

[1VOM]

Originally Posted by Halogen

Thank you all for your opinions. I prefer manual myself. Was looking for more information on how the DCT performs and the quickness of it. I'll stick to the manual, Hopefully find some really fun roads in the Houston area to enjoy the car even more.

Having driven both the DCT is a phenomenal work of engineering and it is going to be quicker than a manual. If you truly enjoy driving a manual then stick with IMO. I personally believe the added connection between the car and the driver outweighs the few tenths of a second the DCT may shave off. Will you get beat in a straight line? Yes, but in the end manual will most likely bring you more enjoyment as it does myself. Whichever you choose the 135i is one hell of a car!

[BrokenVert]

This is going nowhere good

[BFD99]

I feel so much more involved in my manual car vs. the 128 loaner I drove that was an auto, just wasn't near the level of fun, I think it was more the fact of auto vs. manual instead of 128 vs. 135 power. I just LOVE shifting my own gears in this car.

[uberschnell]

Today it really comes down to preference as neither has a distinct performance advantage over the other.

As for stick, within a month almost anyone can be decent at it, so your gf could learn.

On another note, this is a gf and not a wife, right? Who makes these kind of decisions based on a gf?

[Vigilante375]

I test drove a DCT 135i but bought a 6spd 135i. I've always loved the connection of a manual trans, it make's you feel just that more connected to the car and more aware. Some people don't believe this but you can get better mpg in a manual, but if you live in a place where stop and go traffic is a daily thing then you're better off getting a auto. If I lived in a place like that then I would get a auto for sure, I've dealt with that lots of times but not much anymore.

Plus, the wife can't drive a manual so that's another reason why........I just teached her how to start it up while I'm deployed.

[Halogen]

I'm not basing my decision on what my GF wants or likes. I'm set on getting the manual. If the time comes where she must drive the car she will have to learn rather quick. I've driven a manual for almost 4 years now, my VW Jetta. I like having the control of what gear i want it in depending on my RPMs and speed.

[ejm3]

I also test drove the DCT and liked it but ultimately ordered a 6MT.
I have owned many manual transmission cars and I feel I can get better gas mileage if that's what I'm aiming for and I definately can make brakes last longer.

[TX78666]

I love the 6MT. I get the appeal of the DCT, but I didn't enjoy driving it as much. I think it is a HUGE improvement for the AT crowd, and probably would be an appreciable performance upgrade for many MT drivers, but it is just not as much fun (to me).

[Sinister Crayon]

I ended up with a DCT mostly because I can't drive a 6MT the way I'd like any more. I have suffered problems with my left knee for most of my life (soccer injury in my late teens) and it's finally reached the point where driving a manual for any length of time in stop-and-go or even carving up the twisties leaves me popping a couple of excedrin... though grinning like an idiot at the same time

Honestly though, it's a bit of a wash to me. Since I've had several MT cars, I actually drive my DCT like a stick. I back out of my driveway in the morning, flip the shifter into D, over to the left and flip it forward once to switch to full manual mode. Then of course I hit the sport button... and then I drive it by flipping the paddles or the shifter depending on which is most readily available to my hand at the time. In this way the car really does behave much like a manual and it gives me the satisfaction of actually having control of the shifts themselves. The car will hold redline all day long in this mode if you want it to.

I will also admit that there has been the occasion in really bad stop-and-go that it has been nice to flip the shifter back into the central gate and just have the car take care of it for me... thankfully that tends to be the exception rather than the rule.

Would I go back to a manual if I had the choice? Tricky to say. I think if the next generation of Bimmers lacks the DCT option and forces you into the torque-converter auto then I'll have to consider it... besides new treatments for my problems are coming out all the time and maybe my knee will be better in a few years, or at least more treatable. But if the DCT continues to be available in the 1'er (and maybe in the F30 3'er?) then I will find that very compelling having now put 5000 miles on my DCT-equipped rocket sled.

No, there's no replacement for the connection you get with a true manual and I do concern myself a little with ongoing maintenance costs of a DCT out of warranty. However, the DCT is pretty damned close... certainly the way I drive it, it's closer in feel and connection to a manual than a torque-converter auto but still has some of the convenience of the auto if you want it. If however you drive the DCT in standard "Drive" mode with no sport button... yeah... it's pretty much JUST like a slushbox... long lazy shifts and all.

[RoundelM3]

I like DCT or auto for larger cars, like the 5-series and I prefer a manual trans for the 1 and 3.

[BFD99]

Originally Posted by Sinister Crayon

I ended up with a DCT mostly because I can't drive a 6MT the way I'd like any more. I have suffered problems with my left knee for most of my life (soccer injury in my late teens) and it's finally reached the point where driving a manual for any length of time in stop-and-go or even carving up the twisties leaves me popping a couple of excedrin... though grinning like an idiot at the same time

Honestly though, it's a bit of a wash to me. Since I've had several MT cars, I actually drive my DCT like a stick. I back out of my driveway in the morning, flip the shifter into D, over to the left and flip it forward once to switch to full manual mode. Then of course I hit the sport button... and then I drive it by flipping the paddles or the shifter depending on which is most readily available to my hand at the time. In this way the car really does behave much like a manual and it gives me the satisfaction of actually having control of the shifts themselves. The car will hold redline all day long in this mode if you want it to.

I will also admit that there has been the occasion in really bad stop-and-go that it has been nice to flip the shifter back into the central gate and just have the car take care of it for me... thankfully that tends to be the exception rather than the rule.

Would I go back to a manual if I had the choice? Tricky to say. I think if the next generation of Bimmers lacks the DCT option and forces you into the torque-converter auto then I'll have to consider it... besides new treatments for my problems are coming out all the time and maybe my knee will be better in a few years, or at least more treatable. But if the DCT continues to be available in the 1'er (and maybe in the F30 3'er?) then I will find that very compelling having now put 5000 miles on my DCT-equipped rocket sled.

No, there's no replacement for the connection you get with a true manual and I do concern myself a little with ongoing maintenance costs of a DCT out of warranty. However, the DCT is pretty damned close... certainly the way I drive it, it's closer in feel and connection to a manual than a torque-converter auto but still has some of the convenience of the auto if you want it. If however you drive the DCT in standard "Drive" mode with no sport button... yeah... it's pretty much JUST like a slushbox... long lazy shifts and all.

Good review sir!

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by BrokenVert

This is going nowhere good

Never did, never will.

"I guess they'll never learn." - Little Rascals