BMW SMG box

Ring Peace · 6 May 2010 at 15:04

Had a test drive of a 2006 M3 yesterday with the SMG? gearbox does anyone have experience of this.

I ask because I found the gearbox to be diabolically bad, I have a history of VW DSG boxes and the difference between them is astounding.

I know the M3 has more power than I have tried in a DSG but the gearchange is woeful, it felt crude and cumbersome. I tried changing the settings but all it did was change it from lumpy and fast to lumpy and slow.

Did I just try a bad one or are they all this bad?

Fr0dders · 6 May 2010 at 15:05

the SMG is a robotized manual

its not really comparable to the DSG box from VW.

If you want to compare something similar you'll need an E90/E92 M3 with the DCT dual clutch transmission.

PMKeates · 6 May 2010 at 15:06

What MrLOL said. The M3 SMG feels like it's trying to tear the car apart. Suits it!

DCT is the BMW equivalent to Volkswagen DSG.

Ring Peace · 6 May 2010 at 15:10

I appreciate that the technology is different but the experience is so woeful that I wonder why BMW did it.

Firestar_3x · 6 May 2010 at 15:15

Its a hard gearchange when you floor it, but under normal driving conditions its not that bad at all, so i fail to see the issue.

Clarkey · 6 May 2010 at 15:31

PMKeates said:
What MrLOL said. The M3 SMG feels like it's trying to tear the car apart. Suits it!

DCT is the BMW equivalent to Volkswagen DSG.

No, it IS literally tearing the car apart

Fr0dders · 6 May 2010 at 15:34

Ring Peace said:
I appreciate that the technology is different but the experience is so woeful that I wonder why BMW did it.

its older technology that predated the DSG box.

the robotized manual in the vanquish got similar criticism among others.

PikeyPriest · 6 May 2010 at 19:06

I was reading about it a few weeks ago. A lot of comments were that it was a gearbox you had to get used to. IE if you want to change, you need to lift off the throttle for a smooth transition as if you were driving a manual still (so the revs drop to give a smooth change). BUT apparently if you are shifting at the red line the change is smoother as the revs drop better matches the gear change speed.

It's probably an acquired taste, but some people rave about it and others hate it from the start. I want to test drive an 06 M3, so i`ll get to see for myself hopefully.

PMKeates · 6 May 2010 at 19:11

Ring Peace said:
I appreciate that the technology is different but the experience is so woeful that I wonder why BMW did it.

BMW SMG was years ahead of DSG and so is a technologically less advance system. As with anything, if you use the best and most up to date version first, the older versions, whilst still potentially very good in their own right and for their time, will of course seem a little underwhelming.

NickXX · 6 May 2010 at 19:29

SMG can be very smooth if you're pootling around town but it does take a while to get used to.

It can also be used smoothly when pushing on, or it can slam through the gears getting you through them as quickly as possible.

You can't just jump in one and expect it to act exactly like an auto box.