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05-28-2008, 02:07 PM | #1 |
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Ultimate guide to M-DCT
Ultimate guide to M-DCT
This thread is for you members with DCT M3s to post comments on ownership with the newest most advanced transmission from BMW. Please post comments that not only explain what is exciting about living with the system but also what annoys you about the system, as after all this thread's purpose is to help would be customers pick the right transmission for them. Feel free to write as little or as much as you like but please keep to the facts of what's good and bad and please put a summary of the plus and minus points at the end of each post. Thanks for your support. Footie. |
05-28-2008, 06:00 PM | #3 |
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once i get my car in I'll post every little thing I like and don't like about mdct... too bad I can't compare it to smg.
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05-28-2008, 10:00 PM | #4 |
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I have not received my M3 yet but I have driven Swamps as posted in the General Section.
I have driven both the 6MT and the MDCT As stated in my other thread, I did not notice a lag in throttle response, I did not notice a lag in the time between hitting the paddle and the actual shift (although I was in S5), and the cars acceleration was brutal and ridiculous. I am not sure I can find something that I do not like thus far. However, ownership may bring with it some issues. I guess make sure you do not get your tranny fluid changed when you get your 1200 mile service! So far all postive!!! Jason
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05-28-2008, 10:26 PM | #6 |
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Things I love about DCT:
1. Smooth take up (acceleration) from a dead stop 2. Can start out in second gear from a dead stop if you so choose, like when the engine is cold 3. Smooth upshifting in S2 and S3 4. Nice tug when upshifting in S4 or S5 5. Rev matched downshifts aways smooth regardless of rpm or gear 6. Can shift to neutral at any time regardless of speed 7. Perfect feel of the paddle shifters and gearshift selector 8. Low speed assist works great in first or second gear 9. Automatic mode works even better than a real automatic 10. Engine braking is significant in all gears, can easily drive and maintain position in traffic without need for the brake. Downshifts are so smooth, that progressively downshifting down to 3rd gear when approaching a stop light or stop sign means the brakes don't need to be used until about 30 mph, depending on conditions. 11. Shifting is so easy to do that I can always be in the right gear for any situation 12. Seven gears = always a good gear for any situation (eight in you include reverse) 13. Launch control (and I haven't been able to use it yet) 14. 6MT drivers in my rear view mirror Things I don't love about DCT: 1. Slight delay from actuation of the shift lever until the rpm drops on upshifts (easily compensated for by driver adjustment) 2. Uneducated people think it's an automatic transmission and therefore think you're not a serious driver if you're driving DCT (very, very small on the "give a shit" scale) 3. I have to put my foot on the brake to shift into first gear from neutral or reverse. (Liability issue I'm sure) 4. Because the gear selection indicator is below the time/temp in the dash, I lose the option to select a third data point as 6MTs can. (minor grip) Actually, the time is displayed on Idrive, so all I lose by selecting another data point is temperature.
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05-28-2008, 10:39 PM | #7 |
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05-29-2008, 01:24 AM | #8 |
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Bravo skierman64, that is exactly the kind of comments we are requiring in this thread, accurate and straight to the point.
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05-29-2008, 02:44 AM | #9 | ||||||||
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General: (source)
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Last edited by swamp2; 05-29-2008 at 03:03 AM.. |
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05-29-2008, 03:03 AM | #10 |
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Likes:
1. Works and feels like driving a manual transmission. You can feel the car using the clutches just like it would for a manual. 2. Difference in driving modes D & S. 3. Difference in shift times 1-5/6. 4. Throttle blip on down shift (only really noticeable at higher rpms, but it's a nice bark) 5. Rev protection from down shifting too far. 6. Speed of shifts in S5 (probably S6 too, but I'm still in break in). 7. Being able to switch from S to D and D to S seamlessly. 8. Paddle shifting so I can always keep both hands on the wheel during aggressive driving and also change gears. 9. Regular size brake pedal. 10. Automatic shift down in S mode when coming to a stop. Dislikes: 1. Shifting from Reverse to Neutral to Drive seems slow. I feel like if I do this transition too fast or while the car is rolling I might ruin something. 2. Starts in S3 each time you start the car. Sometimes I forget and I end up revving the engine a bit high especially when the engine is cold. 3. Uncertainty that there might be mechanical issues. Other: 1. Lag is there in D3 w/o power on, but seems to disappear in S5 with sport plus. I don't even know why people think this is a problem. As you can see there isn't too much wrong with DCT so far. *knock on wood* It is a sick device and all you need to convince yourself is S5 on a straight with sport plus. I've never hit such high speeds so fast and so smoothly. MDCT completes the high revving V8 of the M3. Simply amazing.
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05-29-2008, 06:05 AM | #11 | |
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05-29-2008, 06:44 AM | #12 |
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I agree with Skierman64 and Swamp2 on all points. While I understand why some will prefer a MT, M-DCT is truly a revolutionary step forward. All the advantages of MT (full control over engine speed and gear selection) with faster, smoother shifting than is humanly possible AND it works better than any automatic that I have driven.
Upsides: Everything that has been listed so far + 1. Ability to customize how it works 2. 7th gear for cruising at highways speeds 3. Really nice paddles Downsides (all minor): 1. Slight worry about early adopter issues (this forum and warranty help this alot) 2. One more reason not to valet (not that I would anyways) 3. Cost - IMO it's worth it, but it did add a hefty chunk to the bottom line. I think it's a must have for this car. If I had a M5 or M6, I'd be unhappy. |
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05-29-2008, 07:00 AM | #13 |
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I will only take delivery next Tuesday.
So, my first comments will be after that. I´m starting not to be able to sleep. Meanwhile, i think this is a good thread. Best Regards, Maika
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05-29-2008, 10:18 AM | #14 |
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I think most has being said already .... for me, its one of my favorite things I like about the car.
Positives: 1. Best of both worlds, drive it like a manual when you want, and when you want a brake, put it in auto mode. 2. Lots of different modes to suit different driving tastes 3. Customizable through M-Drive 4. Love the shifter and paddles Negatives: 1. Slight lag when switching between 1 and Reverse 2. Slight lag when moving off from stop (when cold) 3. Pricey option |
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05-31-2008, 01:12 AM | #15 |
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A couple more minor observations:
To get into neutral at any speed simply press and hold the lever into N for a second or so. If you just click into N it will not do it, perhaps a safety thing to avoid going into neutral if the level is accidentally jabbed. Great for the occassional coast on a hill or manual throttle blip just for fun. When going down a reasonably steep hill the transmission uses input from the tilt sensor in the car to guide the shift programing. Basically the transmission has a propensity to stay in a lower gear for some engine braking if you keep the throttle very low. Pretty cool IMO. |
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05-31-2008, 02:54 AM | #16 |
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my personal opinion thus far
My previous cars were, 98 E36 M3 3.2, 6spd MT, 99 M-Coupe 5 spd MT, 01 M3 E46 6spd, 06 325 E92 AT, E93 335i 6spd MT ... i have only had manuals, and i knew how to drive my cars! ... PS: the 325 was bought to sell ... and you know what? ... i love this DCT box and would not trade my car for a manual! the shifts are smooth, with the bars all up on the box you get a thump rather than a "kick" that smg gave you ... its just an awesome box ... what I do need to get use to is the lag when upshifting with the pedals ... but need to drive the car in and hope this gets better .... but it aint no deal breaker .... In auto mode the car gets to 7th gear so quickly, it amazing ... i have driven the 6spd E92 and prefer my DCT, no regrets ...
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06-06-2008, 03:51 PM | #17 |
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I'll be more general since most has been covered.
Why I think DCT is PERFECT 1. Performance (Fast) 2. Ease of use (clutchless and diff modes) 3. Really Versatile (Multi adjustments) 4. Fun (Launch Control) 5. Efficient (7th gear) 6. Comfort ( smoothness in S1-S2 ) 7. Technology minded |
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06-08-2008, 09:32 PM | #18 |
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Drive program
Does the drive program reset to "3" when you start the car up, or will it stay in the last program you were using?
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06-14-2008, 03:02 PM | #19 |
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US cars default to S3 on start up. When you switch to D you get the last D mode used. Cars in EU (at least some locations) start up in D instead (2 or 3, can't recall exactly). Defaulting in D for various safety reasons seems the better choice to me. I just wish that all Drivelogic modes, all throttle, all DSC modes could be programmed to the key. Not quite sure why some are and some are not, probably legal...
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06-16-2008, 08:18 AM | #20 |
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I have my car now 13 days but have not driven it 6 of those days (out of town) and so I am still very new to the DCT. Just 600 mostly HW miles.
I will say, the break-in period does effect the preception of the tranny. What I mean, is the tranny will hold the gear for ever, meaning past 6000 easily so we are forced to drive part throttle or short-shift most times so it's not easy to get a true picture. What I can say so far is the tranny shifts smoother than I thought possible. It's the smoothest shifting tranny I have driven. I would prefer some more gravitas and have experienced some, but break-in (ie. short-shift) makes this hard to evaluate. Not only short-shift but the engine revs so quick that during break-in I am using less throttle since the rev-limit comes up too quick otherwise. So, I will say any pre-break-in evaluation from me is incomplete. One problem (slight) is the minor hesitation on take-off. Likely this is made worse by break-in procedure, I am not flooring the car at take-off and the tranny in lower shift modes likely make this worse than will be after. But the slight hesitation is there and something you have to factor in if you want either a smooth start or a quick start (mayby one or the other). I have some problem, just for the DCT to select 1st. Now or then, I am slowing down to 4-5 mph and want to take-off but the tranny likes to keep 2nd for as long as possible. I don't know the exact shift-down point but it likes to keep 2nd until you fully stop. It will shift to 1st if you are really slow but I wouldn't mind more aggressive use of 1st gear not only after a full stop. Overall, the DCT is the 'killer-app' of the M3. Meaning it's what sold me and what makes the M3 'better than the others' at least IMO. I have driven MT cars since 1988 so I am proficent at driving a manual but the DCT makes me not miss the clutch. IMO, by far the DCT is the best 'option' I ordered and well worth $2700. I'd pay $5000 for it without a second thought. Finally, the shift paddles are very cool and very well made (nice feel, looks and function). I drove a Gallardo and the shift paddles were pencil thin almost like a turn signal and in fact easy to get confused with the turn signal or wiper. The Ferrari F430 had much nicer paddles much like the M3. The shift-mode button on the other hand is a POS. It's the kind of crap BMW puts in to a $60K car that looks like it came from a Kia. The shift-mode button is a chicklet-like piece of plasic that is hard to modulate and hard to use in fact and IMO BMW should be ashamed to put it in the car. It would be nicer to have a small knob like a smaller i-drive module that you can turn to the desired number and leave it there. Also, how the car defaults to S3 is very dumb and this should be a key controled function or default to a D-mode (especially if you want to leave a Valet or have a novice drive the car). What's the reason to start in S3 when the tranny needs to be shifted? It is too easy for a novice to forget to shift. D-mode would make more sense, or better yet have it be key-dependent setting. I have the M-button to D-mode partly to walk around the car defaulting to S-mode. Last edited by rai; 06-16-2008 at 08:35 AM.. |
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06-16-2008, 09:53 PM | #21 | |
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If you want to take off in first, a quick downshift to first will put you were you want to be, but for me the vast majority of situations 2nd is where I want to be. This shift mode selector button is understated appropriately, IMHO.
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06-16-2008, 10:27 PM | #22 |
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As everyone mentioned, defaulting to S-3 is my only grip as well as not having Park on gear lever. When you let your family members or anyone else drive the car, you have to 'teach' them how to use the DCT since it's not a regular 'automatic'. Also, ppl think it's just a regular auto and don't appreciate the technology behind it. Oh well, I'm the one who's driving the car .
I love the fact that in D, the shifts are smooth and still fast. You can't even feel anything. It's creepy... On aggressive settings like S-5, you can feel the 'surge' or 'jerkiness' that are presented in SMG's which gives you more sporty feeling of the car. It's the best of both worlds.
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Last edited by RealSanaii; 06-17-2008 at 09:58 AM.. |
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