How exactly does the BMW Steptronic work?

[Tabithalongman]

I am looking into the new 2008 BMW 135i. But I'm a little confused with the steptronic transmission. With the steptronic transmission option, is the car at all like a manual car (i.e clutch, manual shifting without using the steering wheel)? My friend had a 2003 BMW 330Li that was an automatic, but had the Tiptronic so he COULD shift manually if he wanted to. Is the new BMW 135i going to be an automatic first, manual second? I want a standard manual car with the OPTION to use the steering wheel to shift (without the clutch), but I want it to be a manual car First. And what is the difference between Tiptronic and Steptronic? Thanks.

[R6Russian]

I drove a e90 335I with a steptronic and its no different from any other newer automatic with a torque converter, bands, clutch packs, etc. You got your normal PRNDL lever with a gate on the side for manual shifting mode. The manual pattern is correct (back to upshift, forward to downshift). Driving wise, its sorta sluggish upshifting but it has a noticeable break between gears, not like a old auto where its instant from gear to gear and the converter takes up all the difference in rpms. It does revmatch for you on downshifts but they are very vague, slow and sloppy and have the feel of a underrevved downshift where you're dragging the engine up with the clutch those few hundred rpms

I've also drove a e46 323ci with a auto and steptronic and that's basically the same thing that any auto car has now with a sport shift mode, the same PRNDL lever with an extra gate for the manual mode, but the pattern is ass backwards (forward to upshift, back to downshift) and manual shifting feels just like driving your grandmas buick and manually rowing it between D 3 2 and L. Hit the shifter, it upshifts later when it feels like it, downshifts don't revmatch, they just drag the engine up with the converter. So just your plain jane slushbox

If you want a true manual with an auto option, SMG and DCT are your only options. I've drove a e46m smg and was very impressed. Driving feel of an smg is identical to a manual, except you don't move your left foot. That's the one and only difference. It was always on point with shift speed and clutch timing no matter how slow or fast you're accelerating (you wouldn't rip the shifter and sidestep the clutch casually rolling thru your neiborhood, and neither does the smg, and when you would do that, it does it. The smg I drove didn't rev match at all which is perfectly fine for me because id rather do it myself, but with an added variable of the rev match and the human factor the downshifts are somewhat on the sloppy side but overall acceptable. It doesn't try to cover up the fact that its a true manual with a sequential shifter instead of the h pattern because it is the same exact getrag as in a manual m3. Than and an smg m3 is just a cubic ton of fun to drive. Its like playing a videogame.

Never driven a dct, can't comment on that. But the technology of 2 separate manual gearboxes and their respective clutches all jammed into 1 case is pretty cool

IMO if your looking at something that has a manual shift mode, just cut the bullshit and get a true manual. Or a smg because it does have that little A mode over on the right for your wife to drive. The way I see it, sure sometimes you're so tired or so fucked up that stepping on the clutch and rowing the shifter is indeed too much work, so sometimes you'll regret a manual and wish you had an auto. Or if you had an auto, your constantly regret having it and constantly wish you had a manual

And if you want to get technical, your really don't need the clutch to shift a manual. You just better be 100% spot on with timing your shifting and perfect with your rev matches. Otherwise you're gonna be using your synchros to do the clutches job, and they don't like that very much or for very long

Oh and to answer your last question. Tiptronic is porsche, steptronic is bmw. So your friend doesn't have a tiptronic e46, he has a steptronic. But either way all that slushboxes with manual modes are all dumb and pointless, like fake tits on a fat chick.

[spoonerDee]

But either way all that slushboxes with manual modes are all dumb and pointless, like fake tits on a fat chick.

This is the most ignorant thing I've read this week (along with most of the rest of the post).

There are several reasons why or how it can come in handy or be useful. Going down hill, put it in a gear to hold it and keep you from using your brakes constantly, going up hill, keep it in a gear so that you don't lose momentum or have to constantly search for gears, spirited driving for fun etc.

Time to stop the penis measuring contest between auto and manual drivers

In simple, a steptronic is the same as an automatic in just about every way. Maybe a little more intricate in how it controls things in manual mode, but almost every auto can be manually shifted.

You still have 2 pedals, you put it in D like all other cars, and if you chose to go manual you slide the lever over and up or down. You pick the gear, the car does the rest.

BMW does make a SMG tranny which is close to what you're looking for. It's explained here. I know in the past anyway, many did not like the SMG that was made available for non M cars, feeling that they lacked power, speed and reliability. No idea how it is on newer models though or if its still available for non M's
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmZ7R_Pe538[/ame]

[SpeedsterBek]

I am looking into the new 2008 BMW 135i. But I'm a little confused with the steptronic transmission. With the steptronic transmission option, is the car at all like a manual car (i.e clutch, manual shifting without using the steering wheel)? My friend had a 2003 BMW 330Li that was an automatic, but had the Tiptronic so he COULD shift manually if he wanted to. Is the new BMW 135i going to be an automatic first, manual second? I want a standard manual car with the OPTION to use the steering wheel to shift (without the clutch), but I want it to be a manual car First. And what is the difference between Tiptronic and Steptronic? Thanks.

Don't wanna be rude but there are literally hundreds of discussions on this topic, even bunch of youtube videos explaining this. Better yet, why don't you just test drive the car?

Steptronic is a slightly better automatic gearbox, 2 pedals. Some control over the gear selection, but nanny will intervene if you try to mess it up.
Unless you have people occasionally driving your car, then get a car with manual gearbox.

The other preferable transmission to get would be 7 speed double clutch (DCT), but I believe they started to offer it after 2011 in 1 series.

[EdirtySicks]

Stay away from dual clutch "automatics"

[RyanM42]

I've used "steptronic" on a E93 328i M sport, it was okay, but like mentioned above, it's a bit sloppy at times.

I enjoyed the "M-DCT" on an E93 335iS, that was pretty great, when it rev matched, it sounded great.

just my 2 cents.

[1bmwdrvr1]

Love my steptronic... It's smart and in S mode, chooses and holds gears when I'm driving like I stole it... In turns, it holds gears and if I forget to shift back to first at a stop sign it'll default to 2nd gear so the motor won't bog down on take off. It will also upshift if I hold it at redline more than a few ticks on a straight away to prevent me from blowing up the works. In gears I chose it will hold till the Rev limiter kicks in and grudgingly upshift one gear, never past 4th. After losing sensation in my left leg I was sure my days of double clutching were behind me. Steptronic is the next best thing and actually amazes me with the way it chooses and holds gears, allowing me to concentrate on placement and braking.As I get older I appreciate the help...