550i Paddle Shifters or Manual

cant decide
or take 2008 550i Paddle Shifters M Sport with almost all options
or
take 2008 550i Manual M Sport with limited options

limited means
no shades
no head up display
no night vision

Depends on your driving preference. You can live without those added options. I have HUD and sometimes use it at night on a long trip. That's about it, -nice to have but not essential. I have paddles but almost never use them because the transmission is so intuitive. I just press the gas pedal a bit harder and it downshifts and tears away.
All my previous cars were manual, so at times i do miss it. But it's so easy with the SAT that you get used to it. The auto shifts quicker anyway, so it's a faster set-up. There's also a sport button btw.

Manual all the way. You won't use the Night Vision, likely won't use the shades (get a tint instead). HUD is the one option I wish my car had, but I'd take a manual transmission over the HUD any day.

Assuming everything else is the same? Logic7 sound system, heated seats, etc.???

Keith

actually i have this car in Europe for one month and i do like all these options

+ cold weather pkg and shades is a must to have for me ( i have 4 year old kid )

what is Logic7 ? if you run VIN decoder its always show HI-FI or HI-FI with DSP
Even on these cras where dealer said Logic7 all i see is HI-FI with DSP in car options ..

I think Logic 7 is Hi Fi with DSP. It's just Digital Sound Processing which I think gives you theater mode, etc. I don't have it, but I have heard it and it doesn't really do anything for me. The regular stereo is more than adequate for me. To answer the original question, I'd go with the Paddle shifters. I've driven manual trannys in almost all of my previous vehicles, and I agree with Oceans10. I still have my previous manual vehicle, but for long distances I would rather take the 550. Want to go faster, push the pedal a little more and she pulls. A little harder and once she downshifts, she'll pull like a bat outta hell!lol

Originally Posted by 6ICEMAN9

I think Logic 7 is Hi Fi with DSP. It's just Digital Sound Processing which I think gives you theater mode, etc. I don't have it, but I have heard it and it doesn't really do anything for me. The regular stereo is more than adequate for me. To answer the original question, I'd go with the Paddle shifters. I've driven manual trannys in almost all of my previous vehicles, and I agree with Oceans10. I still have my previous manual vehicle, but for long distances I would rather take the 550. Want to go faster, push the pedal a little more and she pulls. A little harder and once she downshifts, she'll pull like a bat outta hell!lol

Logic7 also adds 3 more speakers and has DSP and more wattage outta the amps...

It has DSP so in that regard you're correct but also has more speakers and more power.

this is what i think as well
HiFi with old DSP system
they changed name just to get more money ...

Find a manual with all the options you want!

never see manual 2008 550i with all options this why i think about Paddle Shifters as a second option

The Nightvision in the e60 isn't perfect, you'll find you'll never use it (I have it and just to illustrate how useless it is I didn't even remember I had it when listing the options my LCI 550i Sport has on Bimmerfest), the HUD on the other hand I use daily. I turned it on the day I bought the car and have not turned it off since. I haven't even looked at the Tach in a long while...

The Manual on the e60 is a great manual, terrific in fact, don't get me wrong, but the clutch delay valve (CDV) overrides what a really good driver would want when it comes to engaging the gear instantly and according to your foot and nothing else. It can be removed but there are mixed feelings about doing so, you can read up on it on many posts here and on 5series . net

The paddle shifters are effortless and the ZF gearbox is a tank, literally. It has been rated at being able to handle up to 500+ hp and I've heard it was partially developed with testing at Nurburgring.

Some people will ONLY drive a manual and there is nothing wrong with that. I am essentially that person, this is the first auto I've ever owned and actually enjoyed. Only a few times have I wished I had a manual, but I know from 7 of the other 8 cars I've owned being manual that there were more times than that I wished I had the ease of a great auto with a legit sport mode and a super legit manu-matic mode...

my $0.02

Originally Posted by NOTORIOUSe60

The Nightvision in the e60 isn't perfect, you'll find you'll never use it (I have it and just to illustrate how useless it is I didn't even remember I had it when listing the options my LCI 550i Sport has on Bimmerfest), the HUD on the other hand I use daily. I turned it on the day I bought the car and have not turned it off since. I haven't even looked at the Tach in a long while...

The Manual on the e60 is a great manual, terrific in fact, don't get me wrong, but the clutch delay valve (CDV) overrides what a really good driver would want when it comes to engaging the gear instantly and according to your foot and nothing else. It can be removed but there are mixed feelings about doing so, you can read up on it on many posts here and on 5series . net

The paddle shifters are effortless and the ZF gearbox is a tank, literally. It has been rated at being able to handle up to 500+ hp and I've heard it was partially developed with testing at Nurburgring.

Some people will ONLY drive a manual and there is nothing wrong with that. I am essentially that person, this is the first auto I've ever owned and actually enjoyed. Only a few times have I wished I had a manual, but I know from 7 of the other 8 cars I've owned being manual that there were more times than that I wished I had the ease of a great auto with a legit sport mode and a super legit manu-matic mode...

my $0.02

+1. I was in same boat and never owned an auto before this one.

This was my dilemma last year when I was looking for either an M3 or 550. I eventually found and traveled about 1000 miles this past summer to purchase an e60 550 sport MT in pristine condition with only 24k miles. I have very much enjoyed the manual transmission and not regretted it once. Right now I'm in the process of doing some tasteful mods. Just eliminating the clutch delay valve and putting on a performance exhaust can make a huge difference in the feel of the car.

One thing that may or may not matter to you is that although there may be less individuals looking for a manual transmission, those that would prefer one will travel from anywhere to get it so resale is fairly decent.

You'll have a nice ride either way

I don't even have the sport automatic (2005 model) and I go around thinking that there's no need for a stick. I get the argument in favor, but I think the downside of dealing with a manual outweighs the upside with these modern automatics. You really give up little or no performance, bottom line.

I don't drive a manual for extra performance. I drive a manual for the enjoyment of driving, for actually participating in the driving experience. Every time I make a smooth up shift, or do a nice double-clutch downshift, it's pure enjoyment to me. And, with the BMW, since the clutch and shift linkage is so incredibly good, the enjoyment is magnified. Yes, I know the auto is smoother, gives better mileage, and likely is faster, particularly off the line. I drive 40 miles one way to work every day, through some of the worst traffic LA has to offer (anybody who lives in LA, try the 210 East through Pasadena on Friday evening!!!), and I still wouldn't trade for an automatic. I know I'm in the minority here, and when it comes time to buy my next car, I may struggle to find something I really want with a manual, but until that happens, it's three pedals for me!! PS - really wish I had the HUD though.

Now, it's off to search for info on this "clutch delay valve".....never heard of that before, so want to find out what it's doing to me!!

Keith

Originally Posted by Campfamily

I don't drive a manual for extra performance. I drive a manual for the enjoyment of driving, for actually participating in the driving experience. Every time I make a smooth up shift, or do a nice double-clutch downshift, it's pure enjoyment to me. And, with the BMW, since the clutch and shift linkage is so incredibly good, the enjoyment is magnified. Yes, I know the auto is smoother, gives better mileage, and likely is faster, particularly off the line. I drive 40 miles one way to work every day, through some of the worst traffic LA has to offer (anybody who lives in LA, try the 210 East through Pasadena on Friday evening!!!), and I still wouldn't trade for an automatic. I know I'm in the minority here, and when it comes time to buy my next car, I may struggle to find something I really want with a manual, but until that happens, it's three pedals for me!! PS - really wish I had the HUD though.

Now, it's off to search for info on this "clutch delay valve".....never heard of that before, so want to find out what it's doing to me!!

Keith

I have a manual and want to know more about this clutch delay value. I heard of some kind of thing you put under the dash to take out the dead space from when you start to press down the clutch.

wow
nice feedbacks guy so the ratio on this forum is 50/50 where on bimmerforum its 100 !! for manual haha

I had a 540 Msport (manual) and a 550 w/ SAT and now I own a DCT M3 so you can guess what my response will be. 1/2 of my driving has been done on manuals and one car was a DD which I also I ran 1/4 mile racer for many years. In my opinion, manual vs. auto is completely a personal preference. I did enjoy the 540 M-sport and did miss it when I went to the 545 but when I got the 550 SAT I found it to be a perfect medium for me. If I wanted to thrash it using the manual option i could. Just hit the sport button and switch it to DS and you have extremely fast and responsive shifts while giving you complete gear control(except for red line auto-shift). The 550 SAT is what lead me to compare the 6mt vs DCT in the M3 and I felt the DCT was by far the best choice. If you look at the 550 as a luxury race car, then the 6mt is your choice. If you want a sporty luxury car which can turn into a race car the the SAT is the choice.

I have HUD in my X5 and I love it but my M3 does not have it but then again the engine is worth not having the HUD. I drove my dad's 650 many times and he had night vision which I used once and that was about it. I would never pay to have this in my car. I had shades in the 545 and 550 and in my X5 but I don't miss the shades in my M3.

I voted for auto sport, but I'm still trying to convince myself it's better than my old 540i6spd. There's just something I miss about being connected to the car with both feet. My left foot is very bored and just kinda hangs out with nothing to do when I'm driving my automatic. It needs purpose, not a foot rest.

However, as much as I like my old manual... if you're going to have an auto, the ZF is the best trans made for any car less than 75k. It's the cleanest, fastest shifting transmission you'll find.

This Summer I drove (over 1100 miles) up the PCH from Santa Barbara through northern Oregon and couldn't have been happier using my paddles. Shifts from 2 to 3, back and forth were a breeze. It's quick shifting gives you the time to focus on driving, not which gear I need to slam it into, or forget to find. Everything is at your finger tips. Even when not using the sport shifting, it finds the right gear.

Now if I had an M5, that's a much different story, there's no way in hell I'd take an auto. That's just plain crazy.

Here's a Wikipedia list of cars that use the ZF 6 speed auto we have in the E60.
Bentley, Jag, Maserati, Rolls Royce, Audi, VW Phaeton (12 cyl). It's a statement of build quality and power rating.

ZF 6HP26

Two-wheel drive version:
2001–2008 BMW E65/E66 7 Series
2002–2005 Jaguar XK8/XKR
2002–2008 Jaguar S-Type
2003–present Jaguar XJ
2003–present BMW E63/E64 6 Series
2003–present Range Rover
2003-2012 Rolls-Royce Phantom (2003)
2007-present Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé
2004–2006 BMW E53 X5 V8
2003–present BMW E60 5 Series
2005–present BMW E90 3 Series
2005–present Land Rover Discovery
2005–present Ford Falcon (BF, FG)
2005–present Ford Territory (AWD Versions)
2005–2008 Lincoln Navigator
2006–present Jaguar XK/XKR
2006–present Range Rover Sport
2007–present BMW E70 X5
2007–present Maserati Quattroporte
2008–2012 BMW F01/02 7 Series (except 760i/Li and Hybrid 7)
2008–2011 Kia Mohave
2009–present Hyundai Genesis V8 4.6L
2009–present Jaguar XF

[edit] 6HP26A

Four-wheel drive version used in Audi, Volkswagen Passenger Cars and Bentley marques of the Volkswagen Group:
2002–present Volkswagen Phaeton (Typ 3D)
2003–2009 Audi A8 (D3, Typ 4E)
2003–present Bentley Continental GT
2005–present Bentley Continental Flying Spur
2006–present Audi S6 (C6, Typ 4F)
2008–2010 Audi RS6 (C6, Typ 4F)

nice
how about gas
is it really so heavy on gas as 23 MPH on a HW for SAT and 22 MPH on a HW for manual ??

Originally Posted by champaign777

nice
how about gas
is it really so heavy on gas as 23 MPH on a HW for SAT and 22 MPH on a HW for manual ??

I track my mileage every time I fill up. I drive 80% of the time on the freeway, but a lot of that is stop and go (I live in Los Angeles, go figure!!), and I'm averaging about 20.5 mpg. My dashboard tells me I'm getting 22.4, but the math says different. I've gotten as high as 25 indicated (figure 23 calculated) on a long freeway trip at 75 mph, and as low as 16 mpg on mostly city driving. I'm typically pretty light on the throttle, with an occasional blast up through the gears just to blow the cobwebs out (both the car and me).

Keith

I like toys, and because of that I like paddle shifters! My company sells paddle shifters for classic cars, your fingers are MUCH faster than a whole arm movement. Either way you go you're going to get a great car, it just depends on what toys you need. But one thing to keep in mind is resale value. Quick story, I watch true 1967 Camaro RS models go for $55,000+, but base model 67 Camaros for about $25,000, and that was only a few hundred dollar option back in 67. Do you think when you go to sell it, you'll get more out of a fully loaded, or limited option model? That's rhetorical, obviously the fully loaded model. If you're ever planning on selling it, resale value should always be a consideration.

Originally Posted by MSHax

But one thing to keep in mind is resale value. If you're ever planning on selling it, resale value should always be a consideration.

This is actually a really good point. A manual transmission will greatly limit who will buy your car when it comes time to sell. You'll have to find a fanatic (like me) who will only buy a manual trans car, and there aren't too many like me (although, there are more than I thought, watching these threads).

Keith

Originally Posted by Campfamily

This is actually a really good point. A manual transmission will greatly limit who will buy your car when it comes time to sell. You'll have to find a fanatic (like me) who will only buy a manual trans car, and there aren't too many like me (although, there are more than I thought, watching these threads).

Keith

I imagine those of us who appreciate manual transmissions are overrepresented on Internet boards.

When I had an automatic, I always wished I had a clutch pedal instead. I never wished I had an automatic when I am driving a clutch pedal. I think having the third clutch is a key distinction, since the new clutchless transmissions are so advanced.

Another thing to consider is that a clutch is less complicated and will require less expensive repairs.

So personally I like manuals with a clutch.