Michelle,

There is a 4 page thread still on the first page here that discusses auto vs manual. Please reference that thread.

 

Hi everyone,

This is my first BMW. All things being equal - and they mostly are - I have two cars to consider today.

Both are 2001 325 i
One has 77,000 miles and a 5 speed manual
One has 105,000 miles and a standard automatic

Car Faxes are identical. Both original owners.

The experience I have with manual transmissions are limited to the Subaru and that was an awful ride.

Could I get someone to describe the difference between the two trans??

Aside from the obvious difference (one requires you to do the shifting while the other does it automatically) between the two is there any specific thing you'd like to know?

Off hand the automatic provides a manual mode which allows you to control the shifts in a manner similar to a manual. While not exactly the same experience it provides the benefit of an automatic with some of the benefit of a manual.

There is the idea the automatic is more failure prone than the manual. IMO the jury is still out on that one.

As to which one to choose that's a personal preference decision only you can make.

 

IMO the jury is still out on that one.

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

 

The differences can be summed up as such:

-The manual is significantly faster (especially in the 325)
-The manual is more fuel efficient
-The manual is more durable/reliable (it'll need a clutch, eventually, but that costs a fraction as much as a new automatic transmission)

The rest can be viewed as a matter of perspective. Most of us here would agree that the manual transmission is substantially more fun to drive, though some would regard it as a hassle and prefer the convenience of the automatic (despite all of the disadvantages listed above). That's something you have to decide.

 

Thanks!

Exactly the type of feedback I was looking for. I like to hold my coffee when driving to work and I think this fact may tip the scales to the automatic. Nothing worse than trying to shift and put your coffee down while you're driving.

 

Exactly the type of feedback I was looking for. I like to hold my coffee when driving to work and I think this fact may tip the scales to the automatic. Nothing worse than trying to shift and put your coffee down while you're driving.

This brings up another advantage to the manual. It makes it harder to multi-task, smoke, drink coffee, apply make up, talk on your cell phone etc... which in turn allows you to focus on the most important task at hand. DRIVING.

I see this much too often on the roads around here and it's just plain unsafe.

 

Stop for coffee....

LOL!! Not a luxury I have most days. I'm the mom..

 

LOL!! Not a luxury I have most days. I'm the mom..

My mom never drank anything beyond water in her car(s) when I was a kid. I found that out the hard way when I tried to bring some snacks into my parents' Volvo when I was 7 or 8.

Then again, my mom always drove a clutch when I was a kid, too.

 

My wife wouldn't steer an auto. Your call.

 

I would recommend test driving both cars and see what you prefer. Also, if you decide to go w/ automatic, I highly recommend going for a 330i.. the 330i handles the parasitic loss associated w/ an automatic much more gracefully than the 325

 

No longer an issue... I bought a 2004 330 xi -

automatic with 50,000 miles from someone I work with. I'm excited to be able to drive and drink (coffee) after all.. lol!!

 

just be aware that autos are prone to failure around the 100k mark
that being said, i personally think that auto is better for you, especially since you had a bad experience with manual subarus... and u lke to drink and drive (coffee)
i think subaru manuals are too hard to drive... sooo annoying.

 

On a spirited drive last Sunday morning I discovered how ill-suited these cars are to 'drinking while driving'. Accelerating out of a tight turn, a bottle of Coke Zero tucked in the cup holder popped out and landed in my lap. Fortunately there isn't any sugar in that stuff so cleanup only took a minute.

 

I won't bother with the personal attacks. No reason trying to address your insecurity.

Contradiction?

Sunny...Perhaps you could let go of the "Driving experience" argument and comment on the points made earlier in this thread regarding:

1) the manual is faster - 3/4 of a second to 60mph
2) cheaper to maintain/repair
3) more fuel efficient

 

I agree with the first and third items. As for the second item I'm not convinced the automatic is as failure prone as the manual gearbox club would have us believe.

 

We do recognize that automatic transmissions are essential to some buyers, so we certainly don't exclude them from our search despite our druthers. The automatic transmission is BMW's Achilles heel, however, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the E46 3 Series. Regardless of manufacturer-E46s used automatics by GM and ZF-E46 automatics fail left and right, largely because BMW doesn't change the ATF and filter during the initial five-year free maintenance warranty period.

If you buy an E46 with more than 100,000 miles that still has its original (and unmaintained) automatic transmission, you should fully expect to replace the transmission unless you get very lucky. You can be lucky for less by buying a car whose automatic transmission was already replaced with a remanufactured unit from BMW-these cars are not old enough to junk just because the automatic goes bad.

On the other hand, you can forestall that inevitability by buying a relatively low-mileage example and performing preventative transmission maintenance. (I recommend fresh ATF and a new filter every 60,000 miles.) Even when you're willing to pay for this service yourself during the free maintenance period, some dealers may give you a hard time about it. Tell them it's your car and you can maintain it how you want; if they refuse, find an independent BMW shop that wants the business.

Miller is the technical editor for the Roundel in addition to writing for Bimmer Magazine. I scanned the complete article and posted a link to it in this post: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5300439&postcount=5

 

Gentlemen.

The thread will be kept polite, cordial and on topic, or Bad Things will happen...Savvy?

Thanks...

 

Michelle - Welcome to the 'fest.

My most recent two cars were and auto (MB) and a stick (330i).

When I drove my MB, I experimented with the "gearstick" on the auto, but gave up as it was most unsatisfying.

On my Bimmer, one of the things I enjoy most about driving it is the feeling of winding through the gearbox, selecting gears in turn, feeling the engine spin up to 6K+, as well as the simple mechanical pleasure of operating a finely honed machine. Kind of simple, but as an Engineer I like mechanical things. I feel kind of like I'm a part of the car, at times.

Oh, and I don't drink coffee when I drive, but I totally respect mom's who do.

From reading your responses it sounds like maybe an AT would be the best bet for you, but honestly, it's totally your call.

Good luck.