[boostinsidewayz]

I\'m looking for a 335xi, I\'ve found a couple that are what I\'m looking for but I cant decide what Trans I want. If I could afford the newer model with the dct I would. I test drove a 135i with it, and it was by far the best auto Trans I\'ve ever felt.
I love driving manual, almost every car I\'ve ever had was stick.
But of my recent cars is an auto Trans am.
It\'s kind of nice having an auto for commuting to work tho.
I want this car for daily driving, and I\'m getting the xi for winter and bad weather. But I know whatever car I get it will see autocross a few times and the drag strip also. My z06 is my main fun car, but I want to enjoy the power of the 335 sometimes too.

Since I\'m still on the fence about what Trans, I was wondering who is seeing faster 60\' times. And what Trans is holding up to launching and bigger power. I never plan on upgrading turbos, just bolt ons. I have searched and I have checked drag times, but a lot of the times there don\'t list the Trans.

[pits200]

Originally Posted by boostinsidewayz

I\'m looking for a 335xi, I\'ve found a couple that are what I\'m looking for but I cant decide what Trans I want. If I could afford the newer model with the dct I would. I test drove a 135i with it, and it was by far the best auto Trans I\'ve ever felt.
I love driving manual, almost every car I\'ve ever had was stick.
But of my recent cars is an auto Trans am.
It\'s kind of nice having an auto for commuting to work tho.
I want this car for daily driving, and I\'m getting the xi for winter and bad weather. But I know whatever car I get it will see autocross a few times and the drag strip also. My z06 is my main fun car, but I want to enjoy the power of the 335 sometimes too.

Since I\'m still on the fence about what Trans, I was wondering who is seeing faster 60\' times. And what Trans is holding up to launching and bigger power. I never plan on upgrading turbos, just bolt ons. I have searched and I have checked drag times, but a lot of the times there don\'t list the Trans.

60 times - even but only if you brake boost the auto, if not manual is faster.

1/4 - auto due to gearing

Comfort aspect - auto, no shifting

Fun - Manual

Reliability - Even from what we've seen so far


I have an auto being this is my daily driver and I'm happy with the compromise of paddle shifters and a fast shifting transmission. I've had plenty of manuals before this car and it was time for a change.

[Chrisred]

I say get an i. For the 10 days of bad weather just put up with it. I had my diff

[Chrisred]

Originally Posted by Chrisred

I say get an i. For the 10 days of bad weather just put up with it. I had my diff

...and transfer case go. Too much power now. I'm manual btw

[boostinsidewayz]

ive got the z06 for rwd fun. my work doesn't get canceled for snow and missing a day of work just costs me money. i hate the idea of being stranded in the snow, good tires or not, its not as good as awd. i pulled a rwd bmw last winter up a bridge for about half a mile in my jeep. i dont want that to be me

[undisclothesed]

This car's manual transmission is way too good not to get. If DCT was offered for this model then it might be a tough choice, but with a traditional auto vs. manual it was a no brainer for me.

For straight line acceleration neither a 6mt or Automatic is all that thrilling. The real fun is braking downshifting and turning into corners. A double clutch tranny can come close to that kind of fun, but a traditional auto can't even touch it.

This car is my daily as well. My last car (R32) had a double clutch tranny. It was extremely convenient and provided a good amount of fun factor, but my 335 w/ 6mt still blows it away.. even though it's 500 lbs heavier

The 335 will still be a fun car to drive regardless of transmission, it's the nature of the beast, but if you're a manual guy at heart the auto will probably leave a little more to be desired.


And as far as RWD vs. AWD, you don't necessarily have to be driving through a blizzard to enjoy all wheel drive. I see it as a sort of safety net for spirited driving. You never know when you'll drive through a patch of gravel or even oil at high speeds. Not to mention how much more confident I feel driving through rain, wet pavement, cold/salty pavement and even roads with scattered leaves in the fall. If you ever drove through a windy back road and hit a patch of wet leaves then you know what I'm talking about.

[redwinger]

Mines a manual. I've only driven manuals. If I had to do it again w/ this car I'd get an auto. I think the manual in the Xi kind of sucks compared to my previous experience (WRX and S2000.)

Especially if you already have a fun car and this is just a DD.

[IllLojik]

I've driving though blizzards with my RWD and Blizzack Snow tires. It all comes down to the driver. A dummy in AWD can get into as much trouble as a RWD with Summer tires. The driver and tires make that difference. I never had an issue during all those snow storms last year.
Also...Honestly if it gets that bad, 5+ ft of snow, no drivetrain is gonna help you in a 3 series unless you have a truck/SUV.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Originally Posted by boostinsidewayz

I\'m looking for a 335xi, I\'ve found a couple that are what I\'m looking for but I cant decide what Trans I want. If I could afford the newer model with the dct I would. I test drove a 135i with it, and it was by far the best auto Trans I\'ve ever felt.
I love driving manual, almost every car I\'ve ever had was stick.
But of my recent cars is an auto Trans am.
It\'s kind of nice having an auto for commuting to work tho.
I want this car for daily driving, and I\'m getting the xi for winter and bad weather. But I know whatever car I get it will see autocross a few times and the drag strip also. My z06 is my main fun car, but I want to enjoy the power of the 335 sometimes too.

Since I\'m still on the fence about what Trans, I was wondering who is seeing faster 60\' times. And what Trans is holding up to launching and bigger power. I never plan on upgrading turbos, just bolt ons. I have searched and I have checked drag times, but a lot of the times there don\'t list the Trans.

OT but what year Z06 do you have. I traded my 09 C6 Z51 for the 11' 335xi auto. It's not a bad auto at all- when you are shifting with paddles. It's very slow on the upshift after the tune/dp. It's almost like the rpms hit redline so fast the cpu doesn't know what to do.

I'm currently shopping for an 08-09 Z06 for "fun" car!

[kiwi29]

i always seem to get better launches and roll take offs on a 6mt than an auto. but them again, it could just be me?

[boostd92]

Originally Posted by pits200

Reliability - Even from what we've seen so far

Disagree.

Being an SA, I probably replace 2-3 auto trans pan gaskets and sealing sleeves a day. EVERY DAY. That's a several hundred dollar repair that I've never had to do for any of the manual gearboxes. I also see a lot of griping about shift delays, bogging, etc that really aren't trans issues, but adaptation and "wrong mode" issues that people don't complain about in DS. Again - nonissues for manual trans cars.

That being said, I have a 2011 6MT 335 RWD, and my father has a 2009 Auto 335Xi. Both cars are bone stock. My car feels faster in every condition except off-the-line torque. Sometimes I wish I had auto but the manual transmission makes me smile big at least once every drive to work. When I'm driving his car I pretty much forget .... that I'm driving a car.

[B-737]

i replaced my former manual car (old porsche) with my current 328xi Auto....
honestly... i regret it!

i wish i had gotten stick. I miss it DEARLY. While the paddle shifters are fun, its just not the same.

I use the car for commuting and touring. I got the auto because the car was an XI and i figured it would help in the snow, i typically end up using my truck in the snow anyways. besides someone whos good with a manual can prob do a better job in the snow than an Auto can anyways...

i really enjoy my 328 very much, but my failure to buy it with a MT may lead to me getting something else sooner than i had originally planned...

Originally Posted by boostd92

.... When I'm driving his car I pretty much forget .... that I'm driving a car.

that about sums it up, well said

[pits200]

Originally Posted by boostd92

Disagree.

Being an SA, I probably replace 2-3 auto trans pan gaskets and sealing sleeves a day. EVERY DAY. That's a several hundred dollar repair that I've never had to do for any of the manual gearboxes. I also see a lot of griping about shift delays, bogging, etc that really aren't trans issues, but adaptation and "wrong mode" issues that people don't complain about in DS. Again - nonissues for manual trans cars.

That being said, I have a 2011 6MT 335 RWD, and my father has a 2009 Auto 335Xi. Both cars are bone stock. My car feels faster in every condition except off-the-line torque. Sometimes I wish I had auto but the manual transmission makes me smile big at least once every drive to work. When I'm driving his car I pretty much forget .... that I'm driving a car.

Well to compare an automatic to a manual isn't really fair in terms of reliability. A six speed auto is a lot more advanced than a six speed manual. I don't discount the small issues with the auto but in terms of reliability vs a tuned car this tranny is more than adequate to hold 350-400 whp from what we've seen so far.

As for forgetting its no doubt that an auto is less connected but I can almost guanatee my auto will be faster than almost all manual drivers if both driven properly. This isn't the age of slow shifting slushboxes

[meeeshoz]

manual i say

[MJR63]

6 speed for sure! 6 speed for sure!

[Canadian 335xi]

I've always thought of it like this:

When you have a MT you're driving, when you have an AT you're just steering and pressing the gas.

+1 for MT