AT vs MT
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From: Long Island
You do know why they called it an automatic manual gearbox, right? See 99% of the population in the USA has NO idea how to drive a manual transmission. By advertising it as a fully automatic manual, you just bumped your car sales by including everyone who cannot. It's just advertising. The M3 using the SMG has the automatic mode, and the fully manual mode. The M3 transmission manual or SMG is the SAME exact transmission. The manual has the third pedal, the SMG has the little green man actuating the clutch for you electronicly with steering wheel padels.
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From: Long Island
Originally Posted by Escobar
Do the AT transmissions grind at all?
If you want to hear a mechanical F**K YOU come out of your automatic transmission then either rev it up in neutral and drop it into drive, or be in drive and then just throw the shifter into park. Works like a charm if your aiming for grinding noises. :P
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From: Haverhill, MA
Originally Posted by ceddyluv82
Shankie what is your budget, what transmission do you want, what do you want roof style coupe/vert, and what are your two favorite colors? Also what zipcode are you at? I will do a search for you with my methods and PM you a few nice cars tonight.
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From: Long Island
Originally Posted by Escobar
99% of the USA has NO idea how to drive a manual? How do you figure that? I don't think its that hard...
Originally Posted by ceddyluv82
Maybe I am exagerating a tad by saying 99% lol... but you take everyone of us in the car enthusiast hobby driving manual and we really are just a tiny fraction of the car owners in America.
Originally Posted by ceddyluv82
If you want to hear a mechanical F**K YOU come out of your automatic transmission then either rev it up in neutral and drop it into drive, or be in drive and then just throw the shifter into park. Works like a charm if your aiming for grinding noises. :P
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Granted that most Americans don't own a MT is far but I think you're a little bit hard in saying that they can't drive a MT. It's not that difficult. Driving one as good as some egos think they can, is actually pretty hard, though.
It's the other way around. The US is the only country that markets the SMG as the "Sequential Manual Gearbox" because they can sell more if Americans think that it's a manual transmission.
Everybody else calls the SMG the "Sequential M Gearbox" after the M Series BMWs that originally had them. BMWs official name is "Sequenzielle M Getriebe Drivelogic". Loosely translated that is Sequential M Transmission w/Drivelogic.
It's the other way around. The US is the only country that markets the SMG as the "Sequential Manual Gearbox" because they can sell more if Americans think that it's a manual transmission.
Everybody else calls the SMG the "Sequential M Gearbox" after the M Series BMWs that originally had them. BMWs official name is "Sequenzielle M Getriebe Drivelogic". Loosely translated that is Sequential M Transmission w/Drivelogic.
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From: San Francisco Bay Area
Originally Posted by Escobar
Ha, thanks for that info brother, I was wondering more on the lines of normal everyday shifting
BTW you wouldn't do a Neutral Drop to launch an AT. On a TC based transmission you would do what is called a Brake Torque Launch. On a friction based AT, many of those come with some sort of launch control. Chances are you won't find it in the owner's manual. You'll just have to ask someone or do a search on launch control.
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From: Haverhill, MA
Originally Posted by Aggro_Al
Granted that most Americans don't own a MT is far but I think you're a little bit hard in saying that they can't drive a MT. It's not that difficult. Driving one as good as some egos think they can, is actually pretty hard, though.
It's the other way around. The US is the only country that markets the SMG as the "Sequential Manual Gearbox" because they can sell more if Americans think that it's a manual transmission.
Everybody else calls the SMG the "Sequential M Gearbox" after the M Series BMWs that originally had them. BMWs official name is "Sequenzielle M Getriebe Drivelogic". Loosely translated that is Sequential M Transmission w/Drivelogic.
It's the other way around. The US is the only country that markets the SMG as the "Sequential Manual Gearbox" because they can sell more if Americans think that it's a manual transmission.
Everybody else calls the SMG the "Sequential M Gearbox" after the M Series BMWs that originally had them. BMWs official name is "Sequenzielle M Getriebe Drivelogic". Loosely translated that is Sequential M Transmission w/Drivelogic.
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From: Hell, Michigan
aggro al, why do you love 5at so much. 6mt is a no brainer. Much better performance an mpg. TIpronic only allows you to suggest when to shift. Its still an auto and its downshifts are slow and unpredictable. In a sequential manual you actually shift. big difference!!! 
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From: Haverhill, MA
Originally Posted by ceddyluv82
Maybe I am exagerating a tad by saying 99% lol... but you take everyone of us in the car enthusiast hobby driving manual and we really are just a tiny fraction of the car owners in America.
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From: Long Island
Originally Posted by Aggro_Al
There is no grinding in the AT. The computer won't let you do it.
Try what I wrote up top on your automatic car and see if automatics can't grind...
I never said that's how to launch an automatic.. I just said that's how to get grinding noise to come out of it. To launch an automatic just hold gas and brake until the torque converter doesn't let you rev any higher and let it go when you want. Very easy no brainer.
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From: Long Island
Originally Posted by shanki456
I msg'd you again
Going to do that search for you right after dinner.
So your budget was 90 thousand... I can find you a nice Z for that price.. maybe even new! 
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From: Las Vegas
Maybe the op needs to define his/her question again.
The choice of tranny would depend on the use of the car. If for a roadcourse, then a MT would be preferred. If drag racing, then an AT would be better (not saying the stock Z tranny, but an AT nonetheless).
A MT would assist with handling tight turns at higher speeds, whereas an AT can shift faster than any human alive and also provide more consistent 1/4 times than any MT would be able to (again, not talking about the stock transmission).
If you plan on using your car for neither, then drive what you desire. For street driving, the stock AT is more than adequate for enjoyable driving, as is the MT. Don't listen to the haters on both sides though, they are merely compensating. Driving a MT is not hard at all (regardless of what you hear). Driving a MT good is another story. There are only a few that can do that (Alberto, etc.). And for at least 03-04, the AT is more reliable than the MT.
The choice of tranny would depend on the use of the car. If for a roadcourse, then a MT would be preferred. If drag racing, then an AT would be better (not saying the stock Z tranny, but an AT nonetheless).
A MT would assist with handling tight turns at higher speeds, whereas an AT can shift faster than any human alive and also provide more consistent 1/4 times than any MT would be able to (again, not talking about the stock transmission).
If you plan on using your car for neither, then drive what you desire. For street driving, the stock AT is more than adequate for enjoyable driving, as is the MT. Don't listen to the haters on both sides though, they are merely compensating. Driving a MT is not hard at all (regardless of what you hear). Driving a MT good is another story. There are only a few that can do that (Alberto, etc.). And for at least 03-04, the AT is more reliable than the MT.
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From: Haverhill, MA
Originally Posted by ceddyluv82
Going to do that search for you right after dinner. So your budget was 90 thousand... I can find you a nice Z for that price.. maybe even new!
So your budget was 90 thousand... I can find you a nice Z for that price.. maybe even new! 
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From: Haverhill, MA
Originally Posted by HDPD350Z
Maybe the op needs to define his/her question again.
The choice of tranny would depend on the use of the car. If for a roadcourse, then a MT would be preferred. If drag racing, then an AT would be better (not saying the stock Z tranny, but an AT nonetheless).
A MT would assist with handling tight turns at higher speeds, whereas an AT can shift faster than any human alive and also provide more consistent 1/4 times than any MT would be able to (again, not talking about the stock transmission).
If you plan on using your car for neither, then drive what you desire. For street driving, the stock AT is more than adequate for enjoyable driving, as is the MT. Don't listen to the haters on both sides though, they are merely compensating. Driving a MT is not hard at all (regardless of what you hear). Driving a MT good is another story. There are only a few that can do that (Alberto, etc.). And for at least 03-04, the AT is more reliable than the MT.
The choice of tranny would depend on the use of the car. If for a roadcourse, then a MT would be preferred. If drag racing, then an AT would be better (not saying the stock Z tranny, but an AT nonetheless).
A MT would assist with handling tight turns at higher speeds, whereas an AT can shift faster than any human alive and also provide more consistent 1/4 times than any MT would be able to (again, not talking about the stock transmission).
If you plan on using your car for neither, then drive what you desire. For street driving, the stock AT is more than adequate for enjoyable driving, as is the MT. Don't listen to the haters on both sides though, they are merely compensating. Driving a MT is not hard at all (regardless of what you hear). Driving a MT good is another story. There are only a few that can do that (Alberto, etc.). And for at least 03-04, the AT is more reliable than the MT.
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From: Las Vegas
Originally Posted by shanki456
Its not a matter of not knowing how to drive a stick, because I know how to. Its a matter that I've heard alot about the MT not being reliable in the 03-04's. So therefor I see nothing wrong with buying an 03 with an AT.