Don't you already own an E9X M3, why'd you test drive one?

"E90M3" (e90m3)
05/11/2018 at 19:29 • Filed to: unnecessary car shopping with E90M3

Simple, I had never driven a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

I’ve owned my manual E90 M3 since July 28, 2014, and in that time I’ve put ~29k miles on it. I feel like I know my car very well. Despite this, I still had no idea what the DCT drove like. I figured I should answer that question, so I went for a test drive.

I should probably start with how this is different than my M3. First of all this is a coupe. It also has the DCT, obviously, as well as the competition package, and adjustable suspension. It is also red, very red; !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Lets start with the elephant in the room, the transmission. When I got my M3 I didn’t even look at DCT cars, it had to be a manual. Years later, I know I made the right choice, but I wanted to what the other side was like. I have several hours of seat time in my dad’s DCT 135is, but I still wanted to know what the M3 was like. While the salesman was copying my license, I set up the M button. The transmission mode I chose was the most aggressive mode.

Starting off, if sort of feels as if you were engaging a clutch with a third pedal. After that, it didn’t feel like a stick. I wouldn’t say that shifts were lightning quick, they were quick, but it wasn’t so quick as to surprise me. Downshifting was another matter. The perfect rev matching was something to behold. Like with my car, it is glorious to hear the S65B40 rev on rev matching downshifts. The good news for me is that it sounded like me rev matching on my downshifts; when I get it right.

The transmission didn’t detract from the car, but at the same time, it didn’t add anything. I know why the manual cars command a premium, they’re just that little more engaging to drive.

I will say it was felt like it wanted to go around the interstate cloverleaf faster than my M3, but I think that’s down to the tires. I’m getting new rubber on Wednesday, so that should be rectified.

The ride felt about the same to mine, but then again I had the adaptive suspension in sport. My suspension is pretty rough, but the seats are so comfy that they absorb most of the impact.

Other than that, it felt a lot like my M3. I mean that shouldn’t be surprising. I still prefer the manual though.

DISCUSSION (6)

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > E90M3
05/11/2018 at 19:38

I’ve only driven the DCT(Dinan time though). It’s super aggressive and engages so rough. Guess I’ll have to try the Manual when you get t down here

E90M3 > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars
05/11/2018 at 19:41

I mean, I did drive your car for over 6 hours, so I think I owe you a drive.

Axial > E90M3
05/11/2018 at 21:50

Define “lightning quick.”

I’ve read around that VAG makes the best DCTs in the industry, and they also say things “lightning quick.” I have now had a month of living with one in the S3...and I have to say that descriptor seems like nothing but pure hyperbole to me. Unless your foot is really stuffed in it, it hangs. It’s super. Fucking. Annoying. When I pull that paddle, you change gears. Period. It’s not supposed to sit there and consider my input a suggestion, it’s a command. I love everything about the S3 except this transmission, which is making me feel bad for not just getting an A5 Coupe in manual and having APR tune it up.

Does this M3 hang while just puttering about? Or is it nigh-instantaneous every time no matter the speed?

Under_Score > E90M3
05/11/2018 at 22:21

How would it feel if you just put it into Drive like a regular car without adjusting any modes? The only time I ever messed with anything outside of PRND is when a friend was teaching me how it all worked.

E90M3 > Under_Score
05/14/2018 at 12:52

I didn’t really drive it around like that. I would assume it’s about the same as my dad’s BMW, so like any other automatic.

E90M3 > Axial
05/14/2018 at 12:55

If you put the DCT in the 135is into manual, it changes when you ask it to. I don’t really remember any hang up, so basically instantaneous. I didn’t really get enough seat time in the M3 to give a really good verdict. I drove it in manual, and there didn’t seem to be a difference in the shifting speed when I was puttering as opposed to getting deeper into the rev range.