!st time SMG

I drove my first Competition Package M3 with SMG Sunday. I found the SMG was very easy to drive like a regular manual...pull lever, lift than back on throttle, I also drove in auto mode and it wasn't as bad as I've heard people complain about on this forum. I truly was amazed at how easy it was to adapt too.

weird, you shouldn't be lifting off the throttle on the shifts, it confuses the computer which bases it's shift program partly on the throttle position!
the smooth shifts occure when you just feather or lift slightly on the throttle, not get off like you would shifting a 3 pedal car.

Originally Posted by Cowboy Bebop

weird, you shouldn't be lifting off the throttle on the shifts, it confuses the computer which bases it's shift program partly on the throttle position!
the smooth shifts occure when you just feather or lift slightly on the throttle, not get off like you would shifting a 3 pedal car.

Same thing as I've found. Playing around with it I've also experienced completely smooth shifts with no lift whatsoever if you shift at the point where the computer apparently thinks you should for the rate of acceleration and RPMS.

Originally Posted by Cowboy Bebop

weird, you shouldn't be lifting off the throttle on the shifts, it confuses the computer which bases it's shift program partly on the throttle position!
the smooth shifts occure when you just feather or lift slightly on the throttle, not get off like you would shifting a 3 pedal car.

Sounds like he's got it right. Hard to tell the difference between his "lift than back on throttle" and your "lift slightly on the throttle". Come on now, give the new SMG guy a break!

Break Let me clear this up some. I was lifting but not coming off the throttle completely. I must have either done something correct or I fooled the computer because everthing was very smoth. IMHO the SMG is very easy to drive. I remember reading the posts about how jerky and horrible the SMG was. This drive has convinced me to consider SMG in the future.

most of the Jerky stuff is one of two things.
the drive by wire throttle, or driving with the sport mode on.

sometimes it can be a combo of the two.

the throttle is very sensitive and if you don't brace your foot on the tunnel it can "micor-fluctuate" the throttle and that will caose the bucking brono effect.

e36mer, I was not tryinf to split hairs or criticize what he was doing, just making sure that he was not lifting completely off the throttle... hard to tell from his decsription whether he was or not.

CB: Good points.

The main thing I've found is as stated: "the SMG was very easy to drive like a regular manual...pull lever, lift than back on throttle"

Two key points here: First you must drive it "like a regular manual" so initial throttle application from a standstill must be smooth and progressive, like a manual, and not just mash the throttle like you might do with an automatic. The best thing to do is just imagine the clutch being released as it would be by your foot. (Same with switching from/to reverse)

Second, there was a very perceptive subtlety there... "pull lever, lift" very well said. It is the reverse of driving with a clutch pedal and some new timing one should learn, the lift comes after initiating the switching of gears (pulling the lever) rather than before pulling the lever in a clutch pedal car.

Of course as CB said, we don’t always need to lift, especially when driving spiritedly, just leave your foot in it and click…great fun.

Love SMG and would be very hard pressed to go back. And this is my first car ever without a clutch pedal.

Originally Posted by Cowboy Bebop

most of the Jerky stuff is one of two things.
the drive by wire throttle, or driving with the sport mode on.

sometimes it can be a combo of the two.

the throttle is very sensitive and if you don't brace your foot on the tunnel it can "micor-fluctuate" the throttle and that will caose the bucking bronco effect.run on sentence

e36mer, I was not tryinf to split hairs or criticize what he was doing, just making sure that he was not lifting completely off the throttle... hard to tell from his decsription whether he was or not.

Now really, can't you spell at all? I am suprised you got whether right!

SMG on the non-M E46 is the same as on the E60, E90 etc. And it is a TOTALLY different system than the M version. SMG III on the Mnew M5/M6 and upcomng M3 will have the same paddle arrangement as the current M3. Just like the one on Ferrari, and F1 cars, and WRC cars, etc.

On the track one for up, one for down is much better. It is much easier to deal with right hand upshift, left hand downshift than whether to push or pull or rotate or whatever. There is a reason teh true performance cars use the system they use.

Originally Posted by Pinecone

SMG on the non-M E46 is the same as on the E60, E90 etc. And it is a TOTALLY different system than the M version. SMG III on the Mnew M5/M6 and upcomng M3 will have the same paddle arrangement as the current M3. Just like the one on Ferrari, and F1 cars, and WRC cars, etc.

On the track one for up, one for down is much better. It is much easier to deal with right hand upshift, left hand downshift than whether to push or pull or rotate or whatever. There is a reason teh true performance cars use the system they use.

Not sure why they would do this. Why not have a choice? There is no reason it can't work both ways and the driver can decide.

Driving on a city street would be better if you could up/down shift with one hand.

Originally Posted by chuck92103

Driving on a city street would be better if you could up/down shift with one hand.

Why?

Originally Posted by bren

Why?

Well not better, just convenient at times if you are drinking a cup of coffee or on the phone, etc.

I know people will laugh, but it would be funnier seeing someone trying to reach the opposite paddle in the same situation.

Of course I guess you could put the car in auto mode.

It just does not make sense to have two shift styles.

M3 is a track/race oriented car you can drive it on the street. So the paddles are set up for best rrack use.

If you want a commuter car to drink coffee and talk on a hand held phone, don't buy an M3.

Originally Posted by Pinecone

M3 is a track/race oriented car you can drive it on the street. So the paddles are set up for best rrack use.

If you want a commuter car to drink coffee and talk on a hand held phone, don't buy an M3.

Most M3's never see a track. They are simply viewed as a 3 series with a sport package to most consumers.

But I see your point.

if you are drinking a cup-a while driving (not that you would ever drive without both hands on the wheel or anything) you can always use the stick, that's one of the reasons it's there...

Originally Posted by Pinecone

M3 is a track/race oriented car you can drive it on the street. So the paddles are set up for best rrack use.

If you want a commuter car to drink coffee and talk on a hand held phone, don't buy an M3.

I remember that the next time I see an M3 convertible.

Just because most never see the track doesn't mean that the car is not aimed at that market. If you want a car you can drink your coffee, talk on teh cell phone, read the paper, and shave on the way to work, buy a different car.

Well to ME, an M3 Cab is an aberration and abomination, in about the same league as an automatic one, the sedans are barely tolerable.

Originally Posted by Pinecone

Well to ME, an M3 Cab is an aberration and abomination, in about the same league as an automatic one, the sedans are barely tolerable.

Originally Posted by Pinecone

Just because most never see the track doesn't mean that the car is not aimed at that market. If you want a car you can drink your coffee, talk on teh cell phone, read the paper, and shave on the way to work, buy a different car.

Well to ME, an M3 Cab is an aberration and abomination, in about the same league as an automatic one, the sedans are barely tolerable.

The M3 is a great car in any form IMO. However, even to adequately track the car, it needs a lot of work. The stock M3 is good for running around town but on the track it definately needs some tweaking. i.e. roll cage, tires, suspension, etc.

Bull. It is a very nice track car totally stock. OK, change the pads if you are running pretty fast, but I have tracked it fine with stock pads, you just have to take an easy lap every so often.

Yes, mods do make it better, but basically stock, on Sumitomo street tires (cheap to eat up at the track) the car is good for about 145 into the bus stop chicane at Watkins Glen.