AA S/C or Manual Tranny?

[320Power]

Inspried by a recent thread in the FI Forum

Here is my dilemma. But first, so you all now, i CANNOT sell the car and buy something else. So from there;

What should i get first... manual tranny or AA S/C?

I had plans to get a ZF tranny this summer, either from Zionsville or putting the parts together from different sources.

My plan for next summer was to get an AA S/C. But it looks as if i wont be able to save enough for the SC if i get the tranny this summer.

This is my dilemma. Should i just save for the AA S/C and get it next summer, and then do the tranny whenever i have a chance after that.
Or should i go manual first, then take my time saving for an S/C (turbo is not an option considering the extra price).

What do you guys think? :conf:

TIA

T

[GQ_Style]

Get the S/C. Then when your auto tranny blows up, get the manual. I thought this was an either/or, not what order. If you are going to get both anyways, get the S/C and then the tranny.

If you are only going to get one and not the other, I say get the tranny because driving manual is an experience all to itself. :buttrock

[val98m3sc]

Um, if you don't go manual first, you'll have to not too long after you get the SC as extra power will destroy your auto tranny. It'll only be a matter of time.

Besides, you can't hang out in the FI forum with an auto.

[320Power]

Um, if you don't go manual first, you'll have to not too long after you get the SC as extra power will destroy your auto tranny. It'll only be a matter of time.

Besides, you can't hang out in the FI forum with an auto.

Ive seen some members here (eeeks, in particular) who have been S/C'd with an auto tranny for quite a while, without any problems.

Im basically wondering; will i feel the power with the SC enough on an auto tranny to justify getting it right away, and waiting to do manual later?

T

[williamhbonney]

I'd buy the manual tranny first, cause auto's suck! :D :stickoutt

[val98m3sc]

I'd buy the manual tranny first, cause auto's suck! :D :stickoutt

Word.

That's what I really meant but I wasn't going to come out and say it.

[D///Mill]

I'd buy the manual tranny first, cause auto's suck! :D :stickoutt
Better clarify what you say. :nono The current automatics' technology has brought them much closer to manuals in terms of performance. Most automatics are now within 2 to 3-tenths in a 0-60 rip. Especially at the strip, I'd match my built TH400 in my high-11 second '57 Bel Air against your stick ANYtime. Automatics rein supreme in the ET brackets.

On a road course, the stick still has the advantage, but again ... the difference is not as much as you may think it is.

[OxfordM3]

bah dont listen to them, do the supercharger first. If its not broken dont fix it, in this case your auto tranny is fine......for now ;) . I really don't understand the bandwagon of auto-haters. Yes they have a point, but the comments are ridiculous. Anyways good luck, and let us know what you end up doing.

[williamhbonney]

I dont know i would think that if you are eventually gona get a supercharger that makes its max boost at redline, a manual tranny would be best. Also the auto tranny would limit you to lower boost than the manual. In my opinion its also alot more fun. :D . Instead of using the auto til it breaks, swap it out, sell the auto and use it towards the supercharger.

[eeeks]

I havent blown up the tranny yet!

While I agree with the fun factor of the stick, the auto tranny isn't all that bad with the ERT/Vortech setup I have. Whereas a turbo would frag the tranny in short order, the gradual boost increase of the Vortech unit actually matches quite well to the tranny in my 328isA.

A tranny swap isnt out of question, but neither is a performance rebuild of the auto tranny. It IS kinda fun taking down some of the sh*t-talkers down with a slushbox once in a while.....

If you DO consider boosting your auto box...take care that the tranny is in good condition. Mine was pretty much new when I did the blower. But more importantly, make sure that the engine is up to spec to receive the added boost and fuel requirements.

Good luck and let us know how whatever you decide turns out!

[///3oris]

I voted to get tranny than SC. Main reason is because in the event that you're not as lucky as eeeks and your tranny can't hold the power you're out of a car... if you do it the other way around then you'll have all the parts to do the manual conversion first and then add the SC whenever you want.

Unless you have a second car... make sure you always have an "out." You don't want to be up a creek... :)

I have a good example for you: when Paul's clutch blew out... his car wouldn't drive... he had to get it towed, not only did it cost a fortune, but it also left him without a car for a few weeks. And this is only a clutch--we're not even talking about an entire tranny transplant. If you live at home and don't have a job and don't need the car... by all means, replace parts as they break :stickoutt .

Boris

[eeeks]

I agree with most, if you are going to get the s/c at some point anyway,get the conversion done first. You can beef up your drivetrain quite a bit to handle the extra power...

Plan your upgrade out as much as you can to avoid running into pitfalls and troubles later.

And guys...yes slushies are not as much fun...but they are STILL fun. so ease back on the shit talking 'kay?

[highboostingm3]

We are not talking MKIV Supra here. BMW is not known for their auto trannies. The e36 M3 is said to have a difference of 1 second in the 0-60 between the auto & the manual. You have a 320 or 2.0L engine...so I don't think the little AA S/C is really going to give you such a great jump in hp for the money anyway.

Go manual and then find a way to make more money to go Vortec or turbo.

[jimmyz2]

"If you live at home and don't have a job and don't need the car... by all means, replace parts as they break".......Move back home,get 2 jobs and then drop in a m3 motor,turbo or s/c it and also put in a manny tranny.Then the stereo,the wheels,the new paint,the frnt spoiler.........................

[M-crazy]

I am speak from experience. I have 99 M3 Auto almost year and 1/2 ago I installed my AA S/C. From what I was told by AA, someone correct me if I am wrong, I was the first to get their S/C on an auto. The single point of failure is our torque converters. At the time I was getting a great deal and I jumped on it didn't think twice my friend Stan (KLEAR) was always advising me to get a manual first and do it the right way which I agree is the best thing to do. But I went ahead and got the S/C. AA set my boost to 6.5psi because they informed me anything beyond that my tranny would not be able to handle it. I dynode at 260rwhp at 6300rpm for some reason the dyno shop didn't take it about that. I went to a 1/4 mile track just for run for first time in my life. Didn't know what to expect and was able to get in 2 runs. I have a Dinan Stage 4 Tranny chip. I made a mistake and forgot to do a couple of things being not prepared to run..it was just for fun. 1st thing I forgot to turn off ASC, 2nd I has snow tires on..and i didn't adjust tire pressure and 3rd I didn't launch properly. It doesn't help my car is a convertible and I have a system in the trunk. Out of the 2 runs my best time was 14.23 at 100mph. A friend of mine drove the car yesterday and told me it looks like I have a vacuum leak and this could attribute to this also but it was a learning experience and I plan to go back next time with a better set up and be more prepared. I didn't feel so bad because they was a guy there with a Supra MKIV stick who ran somewhere in 16's it was his first time also. But besides all this ///3oris & highboostingm3 and the others are absolutely right. If I had to do it all over again manual first then S/C.

-Adam

[darkness95m3]

Better clarify what you say. :nono The current automatics' technology has brought them much closer to manuals in terms of performance. Most automatics are now within 2 to 3-tenths in a 0-60 rip. Especially at the strip, I'd match my built TH400 in my high-11 second '57 Bel Air against your stick ANYtime. Automatics rein supreme in the ET brackets.

On a road course, the stick still has the advantage, but again ... the difference is not as much as you may think it is.

It all depends on how you shift the stick. My 87 Mustang LX would gain up to 4 feet everytime I shifted over a automatic vehicle racing beside me.

[darkness95m3]

Better clarify what you say. :nono The current automatics' technology has brought them much closer to manuals in terms of performance. Most automatics are now within 2 to 3-tenths in a 0-60 rip. Especially at the strip, I'd match my built TH400 in my high-11 second '57 Bel Air against your stick ANYtime. Automatics rein supreme in the ET brackets.

On a road course, the stick still has the advantage, but again ... the difference is not as much as you may think it is.

It all depends on how you shift the stick. My 87 Mustang LX would gain up to 4 feet everytime I shifted over a automatic vehicle racing beside me. However the automatic trans. have improved drasticaly.

[darkness95m3]

What happened up there I dono.... :grenade:

[///M4life]

i had a 93 325ia and i went with a vortech supercharger first. blew the auto tranny like 3 months later...then i had to go with a 5spd conversion hahah best of both worlds :)

[m3boost]

If it's still a year away to get the SC, then just get the trans. first. Who knows, maybe there'll be more selections for FI at that time.