Lol wut.
E46 M3 - SMG?
- Thread starter pepsilol
- Start date
Lol wut.
The E46 M3 manual vs SMGII debate is as old as the E46 M3 itself. There's no sure fire answer on either side, it is one of those that really comes down to preference.
HAVINGSAIDTHAT
Consider the only transmission BMW made available in the E46 M3 CSL...
HAVINGSAIDTHAT
Consider the only transmission BMW made available in the E46 M3 CSL...
Manual of course.
The engines are bullit proof.
Next month for 540GBP I am getting valve clearances done, all vanos bolts replaced and some other Service items, supplying my own oil. Vanos bolts can Stretch and snap causing knocking or even failure, so whilst doing valve clearances make sense to get bolts done for peace of mind.
If engine does go they come up regular for sale in the 1.5k-2k Region.
Agreed - a new engine is around £2k.
I'm taking my car in for some preventative work too Gibbo - will get the Vanos filter changed and get some seals changed to fix the diff leak/engine oil leak (think it's the oil relief valve which has been weeping for years).
Is there anything else you'd recommend doing engine wise?
Re. SMG v Manual - it was SMG for me, I always felt that it suited the car better. Had no issues with it in 4 years.
I'm taking my car in for some preventative work too Gibbo - will get the Vanos filter changed and get some seals changed to fix the diff leak/engine oil leak (think it's the oil relief valve which has been weeping for years).
Is there anything else you'd recommend doing engine wise?
Re. SMG v Manual - it was SMG for me, I always felt that it suited the car better. Had no issues with it in 4 years.
My VANOS went on my first M3 just after the major service where all the clearances were done. I am still convinced it was due to this work that it failed so it makes sense to have them done at the same time when the top is off the engine.
I have a 2002 M3 with SMG.
How I sum it up to people who ask:
SMG can be a pig at slow speed and when it's cold, especially if the clutch wear hasn't been adapted for. I've had a few crap experiences putting my foot down to take a gap on a roundabout just as it decides to drop into 1st: even on the highest shift speed low-RPM shifts in N, 1 or 2 are so slow: it feels like you have a learner driver shifting for you.
*But* when you drive an M3 like you're supposed to it's magic. Instead of fighting the gearbox it feels like fits the car perfectly. The upshifts are brutal and the downshift blips still make me smile. Even a relatively inexperienced driver like me can perform perfect heal-toe downshifts on every corner within a few hours of driving it, something that took me a while to get right in a manual.
My boss has a Carrera GTS with PDK which is sublime, but the last time I gave him a lift he said he loved how much character the SMG has and was envious of the downshift noise.
How I sum it up to people who ask:
SMG can be a pig at slow speed and when it's cold, especially if the clutch wear hasn't been adapted for. I've had a few crap experiences putting my foot down to take a gap on a roundabout just as it decides to drop into 1st: even on the highest shift speed low-RPM shifts in N, 1 or 2 are so slow: it feels like you have a learner driver shifting for you.
*But* when you drive an M3 like you're supposed to it's magic. Instead of fighting the gearbox it feels like fits the car perfectly. The upshifts are brutal and the downshift blips still make me smile. Even a relatively inexperienced driver like me can perform perfect heal-toe downshifts on every corner within a few hours of driving it, something that took me a while to get right in a manual.
My boss has a Carrera GTS with PDK which is sublime, but the last time I gave him a lift he said he loved how much character the SMG has and was envious of the downshift noise.
