BMW 1 Series Coupe Forum / 1 Series Convertible Forum (1M / tii / 135i / 128i / Coupe / Cabrio / Hatchback) (BMW E82 E88 128i 130i 135i)
 





 

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      04-14-2010, 04:38 PM   #1
msos
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Smile 2011 DCT 135i Review- less than 50 miles

Picked up..........finally my car yesterday (originally had 2010 6MT ordered that was to be here in March). After fumbliing with the auto stick to get it to the M (Manual) setting where the DCT is then fully engaged using the paddles, I was off. I say fumbled as my salesman asked me to pull it out of the showroom and little did I know how tough it is to figure this out without any instruction.

Initial thoughts: Unlike my other car (Ferrari 360 with F1 tran) the stalks on the steering wheel are closer than is ideal to the paddles... but I think that is simply gonna be a matter of getting used to. Now the good news.........smooth as silk are the shifts and although I have only 50 miles logged to date its as good as any paddle shift tranny I have used. Only shifting at 3k-4.5K (during breakin) its very quick and ultra smooth but it DOES feel like you are shifting unlike some systems from other manufacturers where the shifting is more muted like an autobox. A buddy of mine who is very involved with PCA who has driven several of their PDK transmission cars drove my car for 2 miles today and loved it also for its smoothness and thought it similar.

Another feature I like is that even if you have it in AUTO mode you can start using the paddles whenever you like and it overrides the current setting of the tranny. System does revert back to AUTO mode as soon as you stop shifiting.

General fit and finish is excellent. I came from Audi for last 3 years and BMW is very nicely done. Will post some pictures and further updates later..........So far NO REGRETS over switching to the dark side (away from manual transmission)........
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      04-14-2010, 05:12 PM   #2
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Thats great to hear. Can't wait til I get mine, next month.
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      04-14-2010, 05:47 PM   #3
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Sounds great! I am definitely going with a DCT next time around.

When you are coming to a stop, do you have to downshift through the gears via paddles, or can you simply step on the brake - putting you back to 1st?
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      04-14-2010, 10:07 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by msos View Post
Picked up..........finally my car yesterday (originally had 2010 6MT ordered that was to be here in March). After fumbliing with the auto stick to get it to the M (Manual) setting where the DCT is then fully engaged using the paddles, I was off. I say fumbled as my salesman asked me to pull it out of the showroom and little did I know how tough it is to figure this out without any instruction.

Initial thoughts: Unlike my other car (Ferrari 360 with F1 tran) the stalks on the steering wheel are closer than is ideal to the paddles... but I think that is simply gonna be a matter of getting used to. Now the good news.........smooth as silk are the shifts and although I have only 50 miles logged to date its as good as any paddle shift tranny I have used. Only shifting at 3k-4.5K (during breakin) its very quick and ultra smooth but it DOES feel like you are shifting unlike some systems from other manufacturers where the shifting is more muted like an autobox. A buddy of mine who is very involved with PCA who has driven several of their PDK transmission cars drove my car for 2 miles today and loved it also for its smoothness and thought it similar.

Another feature I like is that even if you have it in AUTO mode you can start using the paddles whenever you like and it overrides the current setting of the tranny. System does revert back to AUTO mode as soon as you stop shifiting.

General fit and finish is excellent. I came from Audi for last 3 years and BMW is very nicely done. Will post some pictures and further updates later..........So far NO REGRETS over switching to the dark side (away from manual transmission)........
Thanks so much for the review, I've been an audi guy for 10 years so I too am switching to the dark side. Please continue when the break in is over. I have driven a Maserati Gransport (love the fixed paddles) and a PDK'ed 911. Its great to hear that this trans is in the same performance league. Also can you tell a difference in the shifting with the sport mode on? I am not a fan of the F1 trans in auto mode or paddles without sport on, just really sluggish.
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      04-14-2010, 10:30 PM   #5
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all good questions

As its in break in mode.......80 miles now I am leaving it in auto about 50% of the time. I have not yet noticed when in Manual mode if at a stop you have to downshift but I would guess NO as even in my 2000 Ferrari it knows to do that........so I am sure with 11 year newer technology it will downshift for you but I will look for that..........I have not even opened the owners manual to understand the sport button.....only read that I need 1200 miles to break in so I am looking to take it to the track hopefully some time mid May.....now I need to find a good set of track tires and wheels to use for track...... here are some early pictures sorry for the quality...........
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      04-14-2010, 10:33 PM   #6
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beautiful, it looks like the paddles are not lit?
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      04-14-2010, 11:10 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by msos View Post
I have not even opened the owners manual to understand the sport button.....
I've been wanting to hear about this ever since I noticed that button. How does it differ to pushing the shifter to the left into "S/M" mode?

Looking forward to hearing more about this because deciding on the DCT vs the MT was really difficult for me, and I really want someone to justify my decision for me!
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      04-14-2010, 11:57 PM   #8
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any aftermarket replacements for that silver trim on the dct?
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      04-15-2010, 12:17 AM   #9
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Please tell me right is for upshifts and left is for downshifts.....
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      04-15-2010, 12:26 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SlicktopTTZ View Post
Please tell me right is for upshifts and left is for downshifts.....
If you look closely you can see a + on the right paddle and a - on the left paddle. It's been confirmed that they've fixed the horrible paddle layouts from previous cars.
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      04-15-2010, 01:26 AM   #11
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Id love to see a photo of the paddles from a side profile if thats possible MSOS, just curious to see the size etc and if they are any different to the steptronic paddles physically.

Apart from that congrats and I look forward to getting my car down under in Australia in June.

Jr
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      04-15-2010, 07:02 AM   #12
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Yes there is Launch Control..................

try to anwer all quetions...........

Older question.........at a stop transmission automatically returns to 1st gear and tranny will "think" for you if the gear you are in does not result in what owners manual (page 55) says is plausible combination of engine and vehicle speed.....which if you think about it makes sense....in a MT car you cant roll along in 5th at 20 mph the car may stall....

you do have to physically move the shift stick (center console) from AUTO "D"-Drive mode to the left to get it into "gear shifting" Manual mode............by doing this (pull stick to the left about 3 inches). Here you also have the "option" of the stick (push stick forward for up downshifts, pull back for upshifts) but I have not tried that as it just doesnt seem logical to me.......I prefer to use the paddles.........

Paddles (+ on right side and - on left side for downshifts)........they are NOT illuminated and at any time you can override the AUTO system and start using paddles however if you dont keep using paddles (and you leave center console stick/selector level in D- AUTO mode the system will revert back to AUTO very quickly)....

Launch Control...............YES WE HAVE IT........page 57 of owners manual describes how to engage but as I have only 83 miles on my car its not gonna be tested and in fact it says it is NOT available during break in period..... some notes it says only available after car has reached optimum temp (about 10 miles of driving) and you MUST engage both DTC (traction control) and Sport button to have this option work.........then a FLAG symbol will appear in the instrument cluster..........it appears that after using the system it is not immediately available again (clutch probably has to cool down)....also notes in the owners manual say that double clutch tranny has overheating protection built in....yellow warning lt shows its getting hot (avoid high engine loads/heavy acceleration) and red warning light will indicate overheating and power to engine will be interupted
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      04-15-2010, 07:21 AM   #13
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Very nice color combination!
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      04-15-2010, 07:50 AM   #14
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Looks good! - How does the N55 feel compared to the N54?
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      04-15-2010, 08:20 AM   #15
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Good stuff, yeah also interested if the N55 is noticeably more responsive than the N54?
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      04-15-2010, 08:22 AM   #16
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I'm skeptical of the DCT and want to drive one myself before I make a call. I'm not doubting the technology, etc., but my only experience with it was on a 2008 M5 and that thing was a terrible car to drive slow. Gear changes where rough, etc.

I realize it is a different car with twice the power and weight, but unless you were on the open road the DCT was kind of annoying...
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      04-15-2010, 08:26 AM   #17
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The M5 never had the DCT from my knowledge. It had the SMG which isn't even in the same league as DCT transmissions.
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      04-15-2010, 09:11 AM   #18
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Yes the DCT and SMG is like comparing Apples to Eggs. Its completley diffrent on how they work and the as most double clutches is a 100 times smoother then a Single Automated Clutch. I can vouch that the M5 SMG as refined as it was from the old M3s it still was very jerky and unsmooth. I have yet to drive a DCT car but i have a GTI with a similar Double Clutch Tranny which they call DSG and let me tell you its amzaing. Now its not as smooth as a regular automatic but its lightyears ahead of the SMG.
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      04-15-2010, 09:29 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by msos View Post
try to anwer all quetions...........

Older question.........at a stop transmission automatically returns to 1st gear and tranny will "think" for you if the gear you are in does not result in what owners manual (page 55) says is plausible combination of engine and vehicle speed.....which if you think about it makes sense....in a MT car you cant roll along in 5th at 20 mph the car may stall....

you do have to physically move the shift stick (center console) from AUTO "D"-Drive mode to the left to get it into "gear shifting" Manual mode............by doing this (pull stick to the left about 3 inches). Here you also have the "option" of the stick (push stick forward for up downshifts, pull back for upshifts) but I have not tried that as it just doesnt seem logical to me.......I prefer to use the paddles.........

Paddles (+ on right side and - on left side for downshifts)........they are NOT illuminated and at any time you can override the AUTO system and start using paddles however if you dont keep using paddles (and you leave center console stick/selector level in D- AUTO mode the system will revert back to AUTO very quickly)....

Launch Control...............YES WE HAVE IT........page 57 of owners manual describes how to engage but as I have only 83 miles on my car its not gonna be tested and in fact it says it is NOT available during break in period..... some notes it says only available after car has reached optimum temp (about 10 miles of driving) and you MUST engage both DTC (traction control) and Sport button to have this option work.........then a FLAG symbol will appear in the instrument cluster..........it appears that after using the system it is not immediately available again (clutch probably has to cool down)....also notes in the owners manual say that double clutch tranny has overheating protection built in....yellow warning lt shows its getting hot (avoid high engine loads/heavy acceleration) and red warning light will indicate overheating and power to engine will be interupted
THIS is gonna suck...
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      04-15-2010, 10:00 AM   #20
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Correct my friend drove old SMG on prior generation M3 and hated it.....but when he drove DCT said it was HUGE improvement. I only had brief test drive experience with 2010 engine and with my 2011 still in break in mode (under 4500 rpms) its hard to tell if engine has a difference. Initial feel is no power loss/gain, but cant be sure.........I am noticing HEAVY gas useage which I am hoping is just for break in as my full tank of gas is below 3/4 already with only 83 miles!
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      04-15-2010, 10:24 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 135 Jie View Post
The M5 never had the DCT from my knowledge. It had the SMG which isn't even in the same league as DCT transmissions.
You're right, my bad.
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      04-15-2010, 10:32 AM   #22
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So if you push the lever to the left and then don't manually shift at all, does it still shift for you (like how the auto works)? If so, then that's what I thought "sport" mode on the transmission was. If not, then that explains the need for the extra sport button.

Also, I agree with dextran - someone needs to release a fix for that silver trim, quick.
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