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2Addicts | BMW 2-Series forum BMW 2 Series (F22) Forum BMW 2 Series Coupe and Cabriolet (F22/F23) General Forum When did the 6MT become optional?

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      10-26-2013, 01:15 AM   #1
Ramos
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When did the 6MT become optional?

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My last new BMW was an 08 335 E90 that I purchased through ED.

I had always had MT cars and even though I was momentarily drawn to the amazing 6 AT I had test driven, the decision was still a no brainer to stick with 6MT and the icing on the cake was the 1300 savings from skipping the AT "option" box on the order sheet.

I was looking forward to the same savings when I order my M235, only to find that the AT is now standard and the 6MT is a "no cost option" wth? Isn't the MT much cheaper to manufacture?

When did this change? And why is BMW now subsidizing the AT? Are they trying to sway the few undecided buyers away from MT and then further justify not offering MT's at all going forward.

While this might not be new, it's new to me and I saddened by it.

Rant over
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      10-26-2013, 04:43 AM   #2
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We in the UK get manual as standard and have to pay the equivalent of $2k to upgrade to an auto (prefer the auto for my current circumstances)

It's not like they rip out the manual and stick it in a box and give it to you when they replace it with the auto. Is it that much more expensive to make?

Should be a no-cost option in any market IMHO.
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      10-26-2013, 06:01 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ramos View Post
I was looking forward to the ... savings when I order my M235, only to find that the AT is now standard and the 6MT is a "no cost option"...

When did this change?
I believe it started with the F10. It is the case for all F1x and F3x sold in the US including the M vehicles although the latter get DCT instead of the auto obviously. It will very likely apply to the F8x as well. I believe the Z4 is the only model still offering standard MT as of MY2014, and we can expect that to be reversed for the next generation car.

Quote:
And why is BMW now subsidizing the AT? Are they trying to sway the few undecided buyers away from MT and then further justify not offering MT's at all going forward?
In general it is cheaper to manufacture products in the same configuration rather than different configurations. Similarly the more of some good you buy, the cheaper its unit price will be. For these reasons, there may be little to no cost savings for BMW to produce cars with manual transmissions given the dwindling consumer interest. Of course we cannot know that for sure one way or the other but it is not an unreasonable possibility. And, yes, the price parity of the two transmissions may drive sales of the manual even lower, even faster. But that's just how business works. BMW can't afford to make decisions on an emotional basis or with a personal agenda; they just sell what people want at a price that allows them to turn a healthy profit.

By the way, while it is not unrealistic to expect the MT to go away from BMWs altogether at some point, I think there's at least another generation left for the US. The next 5/6 will probably join the 7 and the SAVs as an auto-only offering (DCT-only for M), but I personally believe the Gxx generation of the 1/2/3/4 and two-seaters will continue with a manual option. After that it's too early to predict in my opinion.
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      10-26-2013, 09:16 PM   #4
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Before it disappears, I wouldn't be surprised if MT becomes an "extra cost" option. Even if it is simpler/cheaper, there is a cost to carrying a rarely ordered option.
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      12-25-2013, 09:52 PM   #5
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On the e9X 3-series, this happened 3/1/2011 in the US. BMW made the automatic standard, upped MSRP by ~$1000, and made the 6spd manual a "no-cost option". I snuck my car order in on 2/26 and got the old pricing. There were some minor spec changes as well, but I don't recall off the top of my head. There were a number of threads about it back then, which is how I knew I needed to get my order in - I did not pick my car up at the Welt until 7/28 of that year.
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      12-26-2013, 04:44 AM   #6
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As said in uk 6mt is standard and sports auto is a cost option. My m235i was £1500 more in 8at guise
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      12-26-2013, 05:10 AM   #7
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BMW sell probably 5-7% of their cars with manual. you should just be happy it's even still offered unlike other brands (yes I am looking at you, Audi). the US market, in general, wants boring slush boxes----as do most BMW drivers. it's been like this for a very long time. no surprises!

The manual gearbox is spiralling downhill with the advent of dual clutch gearboxes and will probably continue to dwindle its sales primarily for MPG reasons as well as lack of demand.
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      12-26-2013, 06:44 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ramos View Post
Are they trying to sway the few undecided buyers away from MT and then further justify not offering MT's at all going forward.
Yes, of course. And I'm sure BMW exec's have been trying to kill the manual for a while. Especially because high performance cars from Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Porsche (GT3) don't offer a manual anymore. It's only a matter of time. It's an old technology fitted to an extremely modern car.

Don't get me wrong - I'll continue to buy a stick for the rest of my life. It matters more to me than any other aspect of a car (seriously). When BMW eventually does away with it, I can only hope another manufacturer continues the tradition.
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      12-26-2013, 11:50 AM   #9
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Unfortunately, in the next 2 car generations, a manual transmission will be viewed by ALL auto co. bean counters as:

- poorer 0-60 performance
- poorer fuel economy
- increasingly cumbersome to keep on hand for 5% of vehicles (storage, placement, testing etc...)

Nobody can argue with these points except the last few holdouts who really feel the connection to their vehicle is more important than the pragmatic points above.

The pleasure of rowing thru the gears may eventually be gone!

Isn't technology great?
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      01-11-2014, 08:50 AM   #10
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6MT is std for the 2 series in Canada. 8AT is a CAD$1,600 option, which I declined.
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      01-11-2014, 09:12 AM   #11
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ONLY reason i sold my 135i was paddle shifting is boring and less engaged. I will never buy another performance car with paddle shifters. There will be plenty of M/T left to buy in my life time...so not concerned. Had the pleasure of rowing through the gears of a E39 M5 this week.....Have to say it was the best feeling engine i have driven from BMW to date...damn that thing has me in a trance since i test drove it......pur engine bliss !!!! Could you imagine putting a engine like that in a M2? 394hp 369Tq with a engine note to sell your wife for//
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      01-11-2014, 11:16 AM   #12
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People can't drive, and they are too afraid to learn and would rather have a hand free to text. Then they grow up and have kids and are unable to teach them how to drive.

These days everyone wants to get from point A to point B with food or something in their hand.

It's kind of funny that anyone would pick an AT for "performance" in something like a 2-series. What are these buyers going to do with that 0.1s quicker 0-100kmph time? What's the point? So they can brag about stats? Tell the manual owner that they are slower?
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