[pikkashoe]

Are the 335 sedan and coupe geared differently.
I rode in someone's sedan today and it felt more powerful.

Also he drives a step, I have a 6 manual. Could the powertrain options also change the gearing.

Also we are both running procede.

[DrGP]

The 6MTs have a higher numerical rear axel ratio than Steps. Trans gearing would be different.

[pikkashoe]

Higher ratio means higher top end right?
The step felt like the power was much more instant than my car, which gradually brings the power on.

[DrGP]

Originally Posted by pikkashoe

Higher ratio means higher top end right?
The step felt like the power was much more instant than my car, which gradually brings the power on.

Higher NUMERICAL ratio means LOWER top end, but faster acceleration

[pikkashoe]

Hmm, well, sure felt like his step had a higher gear ratio than mine.

[E90330iS]

GO STEP!

[caesardog217]

:rocks:

[RichP]

Have you driven both or rode as a passenger in both (your car as well as his) Very different perception of speed in the passenger seat.

[akhbhaat]

Originally Posted by RichP

Have you driven both or rode as a passenger in both (your car as well as his) Very different perception of speed in the passenger seat.

Very true.

I was fairly surprised at the gearing in the E90 automatic: usually, the automatic has a shorter rear end but longer individual ratios, so the overall effect is either even or in the manual's favor. In this case, the auto has significantly shorter gearing. Traditionally, I would imagine, the longer gearing in the automatic was meant to provide a smoother ride and greater fuel efficiency - it would seem that with the current crop of six speed boxes, this is no longer necessary (though the manual still is and always will be technically more efficient than a torque-converter based auto).

I personally have never ridden in a car which felt faster as an automatic - though the faster and more direct throttle response of a manual trans car usually distorts that feeling a bit.

[fizzle]

yea as rich said, it might just feel faster because you were sitting shotgun.

[Craigito]

Originally Posted by E90330iS

GO STEP!

+1000!!!

The great thing about the step is it shifts so fast, the turbo's seems to loose less momentum before the throttle opens again (at least that's how I justify my crappy manual skills . Actually, I typically drive sticks and consider myself a quick shifter but the step did it faster than I ever could...so I bought it (w/paddles)

[akhbhaat]

Originally Posted by Craigito

The great thing about the step is it shifts so fast, the turbo's seems to loose less momentum before the throttle opens again (at least that's how I justify my crappy manual skills .

Well, you're partially correct - though you'd still get the same effect even with a slower auto gearbox. With an automatic, there is no throttle lift/lag during shifts, so there is a continuous supply of exhaust gas to keep the turbines spooled.

Of course, with BMW's low inertia "lag free" turbines, that shouldn't be an issue...right?

[pikkashoe]

Well what i was feeling did not involve any shifts. He basically never shifted.
It just felt like the power came on quicker than my six speed.

Then again I was shot gun, but still it did feel a bit quicker.

So, does it have a gearing advantage, meaning the step. Im still confused?
I always thought a higher ratio meant faster/quicker acceleration, lower gear ratio meant more top end. That would explain what I felt.

[Chiggy]

I think the transmissions are the same for both coupe and sedan, it is just the auto is faster. I test drove the auto with paddles before I settled with the manual. The auto was quicker than the manual as the response was really quick. The paddles also upshift and downshift instantaneously (no matter how fast you are with your feet in a manual). The reason I settled for the manual was it was more involving and on upshifts with the paddle I had the tendancy to pull on the wiper stick (instead of the paddle) and spray my window with water and miss my shift. But I'm sure I would eventually have got used to the paddles. In conclusion, the automatic is faster than the manual due largely to the responsiveness of the transmission.

[742]

Originally Posted by pikkashoe

So, does it have a gearing advantage, meaning the step. Im still confused?
I always thought a higher ratio meant faster/quicker acceleration, lower gear ratio meant more top end. That would explain what I felt.

In the move from the land of the Autobahn to the land of 0-60 obsession German manufacturers sometimes change gear ratios. These are tradeoffs, not “free”, and whether someone likes them or not depends on what they are looking for. And given that the American market is largely automatic, and the rest of the world largely is not, it is not surprising that the gear ratios were chosen accordingly.

[pikkashoe]

So the step does have a slight acceleration advantage over the manual, that in turn would explain why it felt stronger, its just accelerating quicker. All in all, I would assume things even out as you go faster.

[akhbhaat]

Having seen both the auto and manual 335s in action, I've come to the conclusion that the auto is usually faster in a simple straight line. That's another way of saying that they're close enough that a driver who cannot extract the full potential from the manual box will almost always lose to the auto.

However, the manual is still faster on a track for a variety of reasons.

Again, it all comes down to how good the driver of the manual car is. From what I've seen, most drivers of manual trans cars are actually rather poor - there seems to be a wide lack of understanding in how to properly upshift and downshift, how to choose the proper gear for a given situation, how to do these things in a fast and efficient manner, and so forth. It's easy enough to get the car moving and drive it on the street, but really wringing everything from it requires a fair degree of skill.

[pikkashoe]

akhbhaat, your are correct. there is no denying that the step shifts alot quicker than someone with a manual. my issue is the gearing of both cars, and how the step/auto accelerates quicker due to the higher gear ratio when in gear. I should of had my buddy show me the step shifting in ds mode. damm

[BoostedBMW]

I have never been a fan of automatics so I might be a little lacking in terms of knowledge when it comes to them, but don't auto's always have higher gearing then manual's of the same make/model car? Does it possibly have something to do with the torque converter? I'm just throwing an idea out there because I don't even know how an auto trans works exactly (i'm strictly a manual driver ), but the fact that BMW posts times saying that the manual is faster doesn't just get thrown out the window because the gearing is higher in the auto. I guess i'll have to research it more, but in either case with a car being a tenth of a second quicker doesn't mean anything really, it comes down to what you enjoy driving better.

[pikkashoe]

Boosted, torque converter might play a part while shifting, I was just commenting on how the car felt quicker while in gear (not between shifts). The higher ratio must be the reason. The best way to describe it was, the auto had quicker pick up, while my manual had a more linear pull (all while in one gear).

Just felt quicker in the auto, but when it comes down to it, im sure they both run just about the same in terms of 0-60, quarter miles time and 0-100 , with comparable drivers (good manual driver).

[Zeroday]

i heard the auto 335i is even faster than the new m3.

[pikkashoe]

LOL.

I really want to take a ride in a step again, and see how fast it shifts in DS mode. Time to call my buddy. I can shift fast, but with this tranny, for some reason I cant do it. Im coming from a 2003 Honda S2000 tranny , the BMW's tranny doesnt even come close to that tranny, its beautiful. Im really going to miss it once I sell the car.