Reasons for your choice of transmission....???

[mtla4]

I dont care if the car on the picture is his or not. That chick on the picture made a change from the chick that served me my donuts and cofee this morning. You made my day thanks

[GT3]

I spend a lot of time on the track so MT has always been my first choice. Never driven anything else (except my wife's cars).

[Random Sample]

If you ain't shiftin', you ain't drivin'. You're just ridin'.

[1ToBeOn2Wheels]

I chose manual for the same reason I find riding my motorbike so invigorating: All my limbs are actively involved in the driving of the vehicle. More so with a bike, in that you have a rear and front brake, but in a car it's really about control for me. I don't think a computer should select a gear or how long I stay in a gear. It's a level of disconnect that just isn't part of a passionate motoring experience. Isn't that what the 135i is all about then?

[atr_hugo]

I have a hell of a commute (30 feet each morning) so I went with a manual. ; -)

[968PORSCHE]

I like performance so an AUTO is the only way to go. I've been caught napping in the wrong gear too many times when I needed to GO. Let me see 2,200 RPM I'm in 5th or is that 3rd? do I go to 2nd or 3rd? ARRRG too many to choose from! God damn Sentra blew me off! Sh!## . Not that we ever get competitive out there. I'll take an auto next time, it's been about 20 years since the last one. Better MPG too, (like I care) .

[imported_Katera]

I was talking with my wife tonight about my change from Auto to Manual, just bouncing it off her if I made the right call and she said this. "This is your and our families sports car, sports cars should be a stick...period. Get the stick and don't worry about me, you will love it and it's what you should get."

lol she is awesome! 20 years and we still have the heat...:w00t:

[imported_volsfan0911]

Stick. Autos bore me to tears. That it's cheaper and lighter makes it a bonus IMHO. I could care less that my pathetic granny shifting would send any professional driver or instructor into seizures. I've driven in the worst traffic Jersey, NYC, the parking lot known as I-95 and DC can dish out, bad left knee and all (literally having it scoped in 5 weeks). As in another post, I thought a GTI with DSG, although technically very impressive and damned fast, was the most boring thing I'd driven lately. If surgery goes well (and it should as I was lucky enough to get the same orthopod who works on the Ravens along with the University of Maryland athletic department - if you've got a bum knee, she's your girl at Hopkins) then the 135i will be coming mit drei pedals

[04__STi]

Manuals are faster and fun to drive...Autos are boring and alittle slower....Unless you have a bum knee i would never buy an automatic in a performance car.

[TP 135i]

This question is way too easy.
Manual Transmission = More Fun to Drive

[aus_buster]

Auto for me unfortunately. I begged, I pleaded, I even got on bended knee BUT she still refused anything else....

[BMW Dreamer]

Also costs $1350 with sport pkg and paddles.

Plus I have read about MANY BMW auto's having problems. This is a fact. Even on other BMW forums they say "before buying a BMW" there are 10 things to know. One of them was the reliability of BMW automatics being worse then manuals....

[Nice1]

Originally Posted by Jeff1962

Also costs $1350 with sport pkg and paddles.

Plus I have read about MANY BMW auto's having problems. This is a fact. Even on other BMW forums they say "before buying a BMW" there are 10 things to know. One of them was the reliability of BMW automatics being worse then manuals....

can you post a link? that would be great info for those contemplating on purchasing their first bimmer. too late for me, i chose stick but have to say that the auto is fantastic.

[BMW Dreamer]

I DON'T know how to copy and post links. I am computor illilerate. But I have done tons of research on the auto problems. I know there is a class action law suit for BMW automatics. MANY MANY people with auto problems. FACT. Look it up. I will not get a BMW auto. Plus a manual is all I want anyways.

Believe it or not, I don't care. But I have no reason to lie.

[Nice1]

no one's calling you a liar... just thought the info would be helpful..

[Tom K.]

Originally Posted by Nice1

no one's calling you a liar... just thought the info would be helpful..

While I haven't heard of any lawsuit, a number of BMW owners have complained on the Roadfly forums that the lifespan of previous BMW automatics is significantly shorter than that of the manual gearboxes. Also the cost of a fluid change with approved BMW AT fluid is quite expensive and not covered under the 50,000 mile free maintenance period.

Personally, I haven't owned an auto since my '73 Fury and don't plan to start now - especially as the BMW gearboxes make driver involvement so enjoyable. And the $1,200 + tax will still buy a fair amount of other goodies, to say nothing of gasoline.
Tom

[DTLoughlin]

I have owned several "performance" cars with 4,5 and 6 speed manual transmissions. These have included (2) Z 28's, a Formula Firebird, '64 Corvette roadster, '65 GTO and several others that escape my memory. More recently I owned a Nisson 350Z 6 speed. I loved all of them, but last summer I test drove two GTO's, one 6 speed and one auto. I hate to admit it, but the auto seemed faster. And remember...today's 6 speeds have a short first. Unless you really know how to shift (and most guys don't), an auto is quicker. The modern automatic is not what it was a few years ago. Once you learn the process, an auto becomes quite conpetitive.

[Nice1]

Originally Posted by Tom K.

While I haven't heard of any lawsuit, a number of BMW owners have complained on the Roadfly forums that the lifespan of previous BMW automatics is significantly shorter than that of the manual gearboxes. Also the cost of a fluid change with approved BMW AT fluid is quite expensive and not covered under the 50,000 mile free maintenance period.

Personally, I haven't owned an auto since my '73 Fury and don't plan to start now - especially as the BMW gearboxes make driver involvement so enjoyable. And the $1,200 + tax will still buy a fair amount of other goodies, to nothing of gasoline.
Tom

if true, then +1 for stick shifts. that sucks that the cost of the at fluid isn't included. personally, i always wanted to go back to stick, having driven auto the past 10 years. previous to that, i've driven stick since i learned to drive and only did auto when borrowing another car.

[BMW Dreamer]

Originally Posted by DTLoughlin

I have owned several "performance" cars with 4,5 and 6 speed manual transmissions. These have included (2) Z 28's, a Formula Firebird, '64 Corvette roadster, '65 GTO and several others that escape my memory. More recently I owned a Nisson 350Z 6 speed. I loved all of them, but last summer I test drove two GTO's, one 6 speed and one auto. I hate to admit it, but the auto seemed faster. And remember...today's 6 speeds have a short first. Unless you really know how to shift (and most guys don't), an auto is quicker. The modern automatic is not what it was a few years ago. Once you learn the process, an auto becomes quite conpetitive.

Very true. An automatic 135i will be fast and consistant. Where a manual needs a great driver who knows how to use a clutch and how much to rev it. I think the choice should be what you want, not to pick because you think one or the other is faster. In the old days most manuals were faster and got better MPG. Not today in many cases. Especially when both transmissions have the same amount of gears.

[spudw]

Manual for me. I simply enjoy shifting manually. Auto is convenient in heavy traffic, but boring everywhere else. DSG and other quick-shifting performance-oriented automatics with paddles, launch control and all that are interesting, but I'm really not looking to squeeze an extra quarter second off a lap time. Day-in, day-out, manual is simply more involving and more fun to drive.

[sadu77]

6 speed man. go big or go home.

[The Chad]

If for my extra money, it came with the DSG-style box with Launch Control, then I would consider it. The ZF box is amazing, but the paddles are retarded laid out (c'mon, left downshift, right upshift should be the sequence).

However, considering I don't care either way, and do think the manual is more engaging day-in, and day-out, I'd (if I get this car) opt for the manual and save that cash for other options.

NOW: If the automatic was a no-cost option, then it'd be interesting. For awhile GM was charging MORE for manual Corvettes than autos. If that were the case with this car, then I'd probably go automatic.

All things being equal, it'd be a tough decision. But since the manual is cheaper, it'd be what I'd pick.