"newton" (newton)
06/19/2014 at 14:35 • Filed to: smg, e46 m3
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"newton" (newton)
06/19/2014 at 14:35 • Filed to: smg, e46 m3 | 18
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!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! this morning once again reminded me how quick some enthusiasts are to vilify any transmission that’s not a traditional three pedaler. Hell, even an excellent automated system such as the Porsche PDK gets crapped all over by some of the purist purists. Well, I’d like to take this moment to clarify a few things about BMW’s “awful” SMG II transmission featured in the E46 M3 that so many avoid like the plague.
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First things first, I daily drive a three pedal BMW and I love them as much as the next row-your-own purist. That said, I think it makes no sense to mandate that a traditional manual is the only way to go for all enthusiast cars.
What exactly is the SMG II?
The SMG II Drivelogic is BMW’s second generation of their Sequential Manual Gearbox offered in the E46 M3 (and possibly some other models that don’t come to mind at the moment). It’s not a different transmission though. It’s the same manual gearbox that, instead of having the clutch foot operated, has the clutch electrohydaulically operated via a pump and wired to computers. I want to say it’s similar to Lamborghini’s original E-Gear system, but I don’t know enough about Lamborghini’s system to say for sure (please chime in if you know).
So if I dyno an SMG car, it would put down the same power?
Yes.
Is it as fast?
Independent testing suggests that in the most aggressive S6 setting, it shifts faster than even the fastest manual driver. However, real world comparisons tends to have SMG and manual cars neck and neck. So pretty much.
Does an SMG car weigh more?
From what I was able to find, SMG cars weigh about 18 lbs more.
So why does everyone hate it?
Because when the system does have issues it’s headache inducing and wallet draining. However, problems are always easier to understand when investigated and broken down (as opposed to pointing in the general direction of an SMG and simply saying “all that is one big clusterfuck”). The transmission itself usually holds up fine, it’s the hydraulic pump, the solenoids, and the relays that fail (and if you really want to get technical, the pumps tend to hold up fine, it’s the motors within that fail). These items can get expensive.
And it’s not nearly as involving as a manual right?
That’s all opinion. Would you think the 458 Italia and 991 GT3 are also cars that aren’t involving? I drive both a manual car and an SMG car and I find the SMG car to be fun in very different way.
What’s your point anyway?
My point is that a manual E46 M3, assuming identical condition and option specs, is not worth many thousands over the SMG variant. However, I will attest that manuals should be valued higher. For about $2-3k more, I’d go with the manual. Any more than that seems like it would be too much of a premium.
Above all, my point is to consider these points before blindly defending the manual transmissions. I love manuals and I would drive them for the rest of my life, but they’re not the end all be all of fun driving.
Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
> newton
06/19/2014 at 14:42 |
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I think the fact that its cost prohibitive more-so causes the SMG to get vilified, than the fact that it's lacking a third pedal. It simply makes sense to go for the manual.
I'd almost argue that while all of us are manual-enthusiasts, many of us aren't afraid to own or appreciate a good auto-box or other alternative means of rowing gears, such as a sequential gearbox.
All this does make me wonder, if it's essentially the same trans, can the SMG easily be converted to a traditional 3-pedal manual?
Shady Balkan Subject, Drives an Alfa
> newton
06/19/2014 at 14:44 |
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How much I hate the electric rear windows on the post E36 coupes. Why you add weight and need to repair another thing BMW?!?!?!?!?!? Nobody use those except when you ferry some people in the back, you don't need electricity to operate those tiny windows.
RazoE
> newton
06/19/2014 at 14:46 |
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Are these switches broken? They stick out so much..
R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet
> Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
06/19/2014 at 14:47 |
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This I want answers to this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
efme
> Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
06/19/2014 at 14:53 |
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its a ton of work. the gauge cluster is different and you probably have to do a ton of rewiring to make it not scream at you for smg errors. there is a completely separate SMG ecm for the transmission too.
I had a e46 m3 w/ the smg transmission, it was a ton of fun but the DCT on the e9x was so much smoother. the e46 had a raw feeling to the shifts as they had a clear delay and abrust engagement. definitely something to experience.
that being said, I loved the vert, hated I couldn't track it so I sold that and my speed6 and got another manual car.
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newton
> efme
06/19/2014 at 14:56 |
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It's a lot of work, but from what I understand in terms of electronics, it's all in the coding. You code the ECM to tell it that it's now a manual car. Gauge cluster stays the same.
That aside, you're looking at about $1k in parts (IIRC) and the bellhousing needs some modifications too. DIY, it's doable for about $1500-2000 while a professional swap will run around $3500.
jvirgs drives a Subaru
> newton
06/19/2014 at 14:58 |
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At least they got the direction correct
E92M3
> newton
06/19/2014 at 14:59 |
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I learned to love the SMG so much I got a DCT this time around. It's worth the possibility of extra repair costs when you get stuck in stop and go traffic for 2+ hrs.
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newton
> RazoE
06/19/2014 at 15:01 |
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That's how they are.
KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
> newton
06/19/2014 at 15:22 |
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Pre 2006 Z4s also had the SMG gearbox. The issue with it was that it just didn't have quickness and the smoothness of either more current automated manuals or dual clutch transmissions.
The standard automatic mode has been described to me as "Riding with someone who's never driven a manual before"
I'm of the same thinking (*gasp*) as The Clarkson. A single clutch automated manual is fine on the track, but usually not that great just tooling around town.
For the Life Cycle Impulse (facelift) E85, the SMG was unceremoniously dropped from the option sheet.
Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney
> newton
06/19/2014 at 15:46 |
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I don't think the problem is one of purism or expense, it's a matter of being a fairly awful transmission when not being driven with gusto. It simply doesn't function particularly well as an around-town gearbox; a torque converter auto and a manual are both much better around town, i.e. 90% of the driving that even a track-rat does.
Manuél Ferrari
> newton
06/19/2014 at 23:34 |
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SLOWCLAP.GIF
Thank you for the write up. Having SMG doesn't make you an idiot. And it doesn't force you to turn in your Jalop/man card.
It's all about having options. Yes SMG is more expensive to maintain. Yes it's safer to buy the stick shift car if you can find one for the same price or a reasonable markup. I think the $3K figure you listed is a good one. It's not worth $12K more for an M3 with the same miles in the same condition just because it has the stick. At that kind of crazy markup why not just take the risk of SMG crapping out and fix it?
One common misconception is that you absolutely have to pay BMW to fix SMG. If it's your only car then yeah, you'll need it fixed right and in a hurry. But if it's your weekend car and you're mechanically inclined you can attempt to diagnose the issue yourself. I know this because my old man has made it his mission to fix issues with single clutch robotized manuals himself. Tomorrow we find out if his latest repair to a Ferrari F1 transmission will work. If an expensive part breaks then yeah you have to replace it. But sometimes the transmission isn't broken. Sometimes there is air in a hydraulic line or something needs to be adjusted.
I can guarantee you that anyone who says SMG is a jerky piece of crap has either A) never owned one or B) did own a car with SMG but failed to be patient with it and learn how to drive it properly.
I have 3 cars with 3 different types of transmission. A 6 speed stick, 6 speed SMG II, and 7 speed DCT. They all have their pros and cons. I like the stick the most in most situations. But it's not the best in grueling traffic situations. The DCT is fun when driving near the limit but boring the rest of the time. If I could only have one car I swear I'd pick a transmission like SMG. I like how it downshifts for you when slowing down in stop and go traffic. And I like that driving it is engaging.
A DCT feels like a true automatic transmission around town as there isn't really any point in shifting yourself when you're commuting. It only makes sense to shift yourself when you're going for a spirited drive. But you basically always need to shift SMG yourself to get the smoothest possible driving experience. And once you get good at it it's kind of fun. You time your shifts based on the situation and modulate throttle like you would a stick. While SMG has an auto mode it's best not to use it. You really need to drive SMG manually. And like a stick shift car it will roll back on you when stopped on a include. Which is also kind of fun.
callmelazy
> newton
03/13/2015 at 17:32 |
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I drive manual most of my life and I tell you The SMG is much better. On track I actually like using the paddle shifters. It gives me more time to be engaged with the driving and fully experiencing the fun of the "speed factor" of the car. Even in turns I dont have to worry about manually shifting or the obligation of having to heel to toe. Sure manual is more engaging only because you have to "engage". You have no choice. I don't know if there are others out there that agree but hey that's just my opinion from my experience and from what my views of fun is. I'm not trying to knock off the manual loving drivers, I can understand their point of view but, call me lazy, I just prefer the SMG.
One more thing, and this goes for any car, if you maintain your car and do the proper checks before and after using your car on track day, and operate the car without over abusing certain aspects of the car (like over revving and improper shifting) then the chances of having problems with parts, seals, gaskets whatever the complaint is will be fewer and far between. If your vanos fails or your engine blows a gasket or anything that most likely was the result of improper use than you can only blame yourself or the previous owner for not taking care of the car or learning how to drive it properly. There will be wear and tear stuff but anything more than that is just poor care and use of the car by the owner.
TheKarMann
> newton
07/02/2015 at 13:57 |
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I agree that the SMG is not an automatic. However, it’s still terrible. If I’m going to lose my third pedal, I might as well move up to a double clutch transmission.
Dejan
> newton
09/27/2015 at 01:16 |
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I have my SMG and love it. Easy to drive not jerky. And i dont drive it like a stick. I dont lift my foot off the gas when shifting and i dont have a problem with jerky shifts. I adjust the shift setting to 4 and it doesnt have any issues. Its not smooth like an auto but like a stick, small hrad jerk but nothing big. I can drive it like an auto but thats if i release the gas during shift but its a small change that i find it useless. Just an fyi i love manual clutch i can drive it like an auto, everyone who rode with my complement how their head didnt jetk with my old e36 m3 5spd., and my old 525i 5spd. But again the smg is great for city and track, and canyon driving. You focus more on driving part. And from what i read making a smg into a manual clutch us not hard. But again for most driving smg is better. And i seen many smg m3 that have ocer 150k miles with no smg issues ever. Only few bad apples. And a great benefit of a smg is you can get it for much lower price.
TooMuchGun
> efme
03/29/2016 at 17:19 |
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It’s really not as hard as you’d think. It can be done for around $1500 in parts (less if u sell smg parts). Car throttle wrote a whole story on this.
kgman
> Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
05/30/2016 at 09:00 |
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Tavarish wrote and article on the front page about the conversion. http://thegarage.jalopnik.com/how-to-own-a-b…
superdave847
> newton
07/07/2019 at 00:00 |
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In hindsight, the manual E46 is in fact worth tens of thousands more than a similarly equipped SMG. This perspective just didn’t bear the test of time.
MachtSchnell
> efme
01/10/2020 at 22:23 |
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Requires recoding the DME to manual specifications. Probably $800 by s hop that has done it.