[silverado]

My previous car was an '06 330i E90 with 6-speed MT and ZSP which I owned for 10 years. I replaced it with an m235i with ZF 8AT in April and I have now put 2,000 miles on it. I chose the AT because I was impressed with it in my test drive and I really liked the high-tech nature of it. Also, I was getting tired of the MT in congested driving conditions.

My verdict: I really like the 2er, but I am kicking myself for not getting a manual gearbox. This is what stands between me and having a truly awesome time with this car. Yes, the ZF 8AT is a great AT, but it is no replacement to a real connected experience if you love MT. Manual mode is a poor substitute for me because it's much harder to keep track of what gear you are in compared to MT and due to the higher number of gears with their relatively close ratios.

Lesson: if you love MT, DO NOT get an AT. Seems utterly obvious, but I and many other MT lovers are tempted by the ZF 8AT everyday as we see on these boards. So I decided to share my experience as plainly as possible to inform others.

This is NOT an invitation for a debate on the absolute merits of MT vs AT. The ZF 8AT is a great transmission and is the best choice for many people. However, it is not the best choice for everyone.

What I will do: I'll continue to try to deal with my decision and to get more out of my AT, including getting more used to it in manual mode. I'll try not to look into other cars when I walk by them because every time I see an MT I want to kick myself.

[overcoil]

Why not sell it and get a manual ?

[silverado]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

Why not sell it and get a manual ?

Because you inevitably lose money when you sell a new car. In my particular case, it's a lease for which I traded in my E90, plus I put down max security deposits to lower the MF. Never offloaded a lease before, but I imagine it would be difficult to get all that money out of the person taking over the lease. Plus I'd lose the fees I paid on top of whatever I don't recover.

[Squddie]

Yeah. The ZF 8-speed feels really good on a test drive since it is better than most other slushboxes. But it is a slushbox still, so once you drive it exclusively you are right back at the slushy feel.

Wife doesn't drive manual, so...

[BarryJI]

I'm sorry but "slushbox" is such a foolish way to describe the 8AT and insults the engineers who made it and the discriminating customers who chose it. Try and be a little more respectful towards both.

[evanescent03]

i drove a 228i and m235i recently with the auto... i'm also not a fan of it in a sporty car. the DCT to me IS good enough to replace the manual to satisfy my very sporty drives and on the track but also have the convenience of not shifting all the time. i still miss rowing gears but the tech, speed, and predictability of the DCT is pretty nice. plenty guys still think the DCT comes up short, too.

good luck with your decision man. getting out of a lease is definitely possible, but of course you lose $$. i wonder if you can sell it back to a dealership who can then take it and sell it themselves? you could keep that as an option if you see a nice used MT car come along you can turn the lease in and buy the used/CPO MT car and save money on the purchase to help offset losing your butt on the lease trade-in. just a thought and i have zero experience having my own lease but i know that where there's a will, there's a way. just depends on what cost you're willing to accept.

i hope the AT grows on you or you find a good MT you can get into!

[Hops128i]

Was just searching 235i series on cars.com, amazed how few manual transmissions there are in the search 15/382 ... maybe it's an error... or they're lumped into 'unknown'...
Anyway, it reminded me of how difficult it was to find a manual 128i.

[silverado]

Originally Posted by evanescent03

i drove a 228i and m235i recently with the auto... i'm also not a fan of it in a sporty car. the DCT to me IS good enough to replace the manual to satisfy my very sporty drives and on the track but also have the convenience of not shifting all the time. i still miss rowing gears but the tech, speed, and predictability of the DCT is pretty nice. plenty guys still think the DCT comes up short, too.

good luck with your decision man. getting out of a lease is definitely possible, but of course you lose $$. i wonder if you can sell it back to a dealership who can then take it and sell it themselves? you could keep that as an option if you see a nice used MT car come along you can turn the lease in and buy the used/CPO MT car and save money on the purchase to help offset losing your butt on the lease trade-in. just a thought and i have zero experience having my own lease but i know that where there's a will, there's a way. just depends on what cost you're willing to accept.

i hope the AT grows on you or you find a good MT you can get into!

Thanks, man. I appreciate it.

[2twenty8]

no replacement for a manual.

[silverado]

Originally Posted by Hops128i

Was just searching 235i series on cars.com, amazed how few manual transmissions there are in the search 15/382 ... maybe it's an error... or they're lumped into 'unknown'...
Anyway, it reminded me of how difficult it was to find a manual 128i.

Yes, it was impossible to find one to test drive, which contributed to the problem. Maybe if I had test-driven one it would have woken me up. However, I ordered my car, so not finding an MT nearby wasn't the reason I got an AT.

[MrBucket]

Originally Posted by Hops128i

Was just searching 235i series on cars.com, amazed how few manual transmissions there are in the search 15/382 ... maybe it's an error... or they're lumped into 'unknown'...
Anyway, it reminded me of how difficult it was to find a manual 128i.

15 seems high to me compared to when I last checked, I think it was only 4 or 5 last I checked last year.

[Alpine F31]

I used BMW's "pull ahead" program to get out of my lease 6 months early. Traded my 8AT equipped 328i for my M235i with 6MT. Talk about a "no brainer"!

I know it's early for you but as time goes on, check for special programs from BMW or you could do lease swap or something similar. I'm really glad I was able to get back into a manual 6 months before my lease was up.

[tccox]

A slushbox is the 2 speed Powerglide I had in my 66 Corvair. The Zf is a thousand times better than that, Its a outstanding Auto.. But its still a auto. Me, I lost a bunch of money trading in my 2012 128 with steptronic for my 2014 228 Msport Manual but its the best decision I ever made.

[midwest 340xi 6sp]

[CE750Jockey]

God I wish my wife could drive a manual. I find it interesting that I've not seen anyone who regrets getting the manual, but plenty that regret getting the automatic. Some have mentioned the stop-n-go traffic sucks in a stick, always has. And no complaints about the ZF tranny. It's just that the stick in the 2er is so darn good, they miss rowing the gears, and the connectivity with the car. Someone outta do a poll titled, "Who regrets getting the stick?" Won't be many that do.

[silverado]

Originally Posted by Alpine F31

I used BMW's "pull ahead" program to get out of my lease 6 months early. Traded my 8AT equipped 328i for my M235i with 6MT. Talk about a "no brainer"!

I know it's early for you but as time goes on, check for special programs from BMW or you could do lease swap or something similar. I'm really glad I was able to get back into a manual 6 months before my lease was up.

Good pointers. Thank you!

[ABPReader]

.

[CE750Jockey]

Originally Posted by jet_00

http://www.2addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=983337

Well, there ya go. 2% MT owners regret it. And 3% AT owners regret it. Not much difference. I would have thought the spread would be much bigger.

[G-Mann]

There are times I wish I had a manual and times I am glad I have an auto. I still lean towards an auto if I had to do it over again Today. Now if my driving situation changes, no more driving into the office, I might lean back towards a manual. M4 manual would be nice.

[gaijin]

At end of the day, it really is what the driver(s) enjoy and can utilize best to their respective real-world applications; three or two pedals.

[dalrx]

It's a ridiculous notion that you wouldn't get a manual because the other half can't drive one. Well help them learn to do so! There was a point when they had to learn to drive in the first place in life. We all had to learn manual at one point too. I have traveled all over world most trans in other countries are stick. Woman all drive them no issue...so what is wrong with north America? ?? Lazy.

[silverado]

Originally Posted by CE750Jockey

Well, there ya go. 2% MT owners regret it. And 3% AT owners regret it. Not much difference. I would have thought the spread would be much bigger.

I just voted. The AT regretters is up to 4 percent.

Of course this is not a scientific poll. Note the 54-46 distribution of AT vs MT in the poll, which tells you that the board's participation is a vastly skewed sample of the general population, which is not a surprise.