Quote:
Originally Posted by CanAutM3
For sure they are not as smooth as a planetary auto, but if one buys an M3/4 primarily for traffic commuting, they are getting the wrong car. I’ve daily driven a DCT for the past 12 years and have nothing to complain about. The DCT shines on track though.
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Same here - I moved from 6MT to DCT (and RHD to LHD) when I moved from the UK to the US ten years ago.
I drive the DCT to work in stop-n-go Bay Area traffic
every day - I have no problem whatsoever with the DCT. Like
CanAutM3 I drive it in 'manual' mode all the time. I
never let the car choose when to shift or which gear to be in.
I have no problems whatsoever with "clunkiness" ... and perhaps this is because I drove manual transmissions for 30 years and treat this car the same way. I don't ask it to change gears at stupid times, and have some sensibility for the engine revs. And, much like driving an MT, I would never downshift to first unless the car is stationary (the car will do this for you just fine if you come to a stop).
The DCT puts a grin on my face every time I get the chance to drive it hard. Downshifts under braking just make the most wonderful sounds.
And I absolutely
love it on the track. It gives me more control than I ever had driving my 6MT M3s on the track. If I were confident enough to do fast, perfect heel/toe downshifts then an MT might come close- but I'm not that good and I don't want to take those risks learning.
In contrast, every experience I've had of a ZF8 (e.g. M335i, X3M Comp), and most trusted reviews of people driving ZF8 M-cars on a track (M5, M8) have pointed out that you just can't trust the transmission to change gear when you want it to - making them a nightmare to drive in manual mode.
And in full-auto mode, the car can't see the road ahead, so it will always be in the wrong gear. You only have to listen to any video of a G80 M3 on the ring to hear that the car often changes up on the way into corners as the driver lifts, and then has to do panic downshifts on the exits. This would drive me NUTS
(much like the feeling when my wife drives the current M4 in 'full auto' and I'm a passenger)
Basically, there's no fun/point driving an M car in full-auto.