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Fanch said:
I find it very jerky, as a passenger in the Beemer and as a driver in the Maser and that was in Auto mode. It's better at high speed and also in auto sport mode but there's no doubt in my mind that the F1 gearbox (let's call it like this for argument's sake) was designed to be used at high rpms for spirited driving, and only then, is is actually fun.
Now one solution for town driving would then be to drive it in manual mode as at low rpm, you release the throttle to allow for a smooth greashift, but then, you hit another problem, as a driver, you cannot control the clutch slippage between the racks!
With a normal clutch pedal, you can modulate via the pedal how much friction you put on the clutch, now an F1, it's either on or off and hence, jerky! Damn!



I only drive the M5 using the paddles. I don't use the automatic mode as it's the dumbest automatic ever (so sad). Even at low speeds shifting up and down, I can drive just as smooth as my automatic X5. It's all about learning how to use the system. Learning curve!

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69bossnine said:If you like the F1 style gearboxes, then that's fine. But can't we all be honest with ourselves? Don't pretend that it doesn't take away an aspect of driving, WHEN IT DOES. Funny how everybody can talk about how lame an automatic tranny is, but HEY..if you toss out the torque converter, add clutches, a robot to engage them, and put the shifters up by the steering wheel, and then use all this stuff in race cars...OH BOY, now it's COOL!!!! But I hate to burst your boyish bubbles, it's just automatic shifting, using a different method, that's all... Admit it. Otherwise it's like saying that a microwave isn't really an oven, because it doesn't get hot. F1 trannies are more involving than a fluid-drive auto, but to say it's MORE involving than manual, because now you can pay more attention to other things?? Talk about throwing the baby out with the bath water. That's not more involving, that's just making it EASIER for you to concentrate on steering. I'm all for things being a bit easier, when it comes to driving. Trust me, it's a hell of alot easier to go fast in my 997S than it is to go fast in my old cars. Technology is good. But whether the car was built in 1965, or 2005, certain things remain constants. You control the car, you are the hub, through which all control flows. You have the same "elements".



I don't find SMG to take away from the driving experience like you've mentioned. I have to ask, have you used an SMG transmission and if so, how long did you use it? I could see how it would seem inferior from the standpoint of someone who used it for only one day or was pessimistic about it before they even drove it, which no offense, sounds like you. SMG is not an automatic transmission; it's actually closer to a manual transmission in terms of mechanical components. It's a manual transmission with a robotic clutch. But I understand what you're getting at. You still are the "hub" of the car with SMG. SMG won't do anything you don't tell it to in manual mode; aside from downshift when your RPMs go so low that the engine will stall. It will bounce of the rev limiter all day if that's what you're worried about. So you say that you don't have enough control of the car with SMG? I know when I started out driving a manual car; I was scared out of my mind. I felt like I had no control with so much more to do. I think of SMG the same way. Initially you feel out of control, but with time you learn to how use the system and things fall in line. Just because something has been in place for a long period of time (aka the manual transmission) does not mean that it is the best solution.

FYI, a microwave is not an oven. A microwave emits wavelengths at the resonate frequency of water, which is why you can only heat items with water in them. Try and microwave cake mix, nothing happens. An oven on the other hand uses actual temperature change to heat food.