eggz
Well-Known Member
After driving a M-DCT car for a couple of weeks, here's some feedback, BTW, my previous ride had a 6pd auto and I've never driven any of the BMW SMG cars.
Ok, the positives first:
- In the lower shift speed settings (4 and below), whether in D (auto mode) or S (manual shift), the gear changes are as you'll expect from a dual clutch, extremely smooth and fast. In D you basically don't feel the cogs changing, just a continuous surge of drive. In the higher settings, eg. 4 or 5, there is a slight forward jerk as gears change, though it does seem a bit artificial.
- The D mode, the Drivelogic software does do a good job of mimicking a slushbox, with pretty intelligent kickdown based on throttle input. There is a creep mode for very low speed and reverse, it works most of the time, but there are times when the car will still slide backwards.
Now the negatives
- On the very first day, the car stalled TWICE. Both times at low speed, basically driving in the carpark. Based on what I've read on other forums, this seems to be quite a common problem for cars with M-DCT when they are brand new i.e. during the early run-in period. Since that first day, it has not happend again, so it does seem like a run-in only issue. Apparently there will be a software update coming in mid-Sept 2008, that might address this issue.
- Depending on how you use the thottle when in lower gears (3 and lower), drive can be rather jerky, especially when the engine is cold. This is something I've not experienced with a slushbox.
- Coming to a halt at traffic lights, depending on speed or gear, there is also some occasional jerkiness.
Up to this point, no regrets with getting this tranny, in everyday driving, it's almost no different from a regular auto box, very easy to live with. In sports/manual mode, it's very fast and direct.
Next thing is to try it on a track, especially the downshifts. Will update later.
Any questions, just shoot
Ok, the positives first:
- In the lower shift speed settings (4 and below), whether in D (auto mode) or S (manual shift), the gear changes are as you'll expect from a dual clutch, extremely smooth and fast. In D you basically don't feel the cogs changing, just a continuous surge of drive. In the higher settings, eg. 4 or 5, there is a slight forward jerk as gears change, though it does seem a bit artificial.
- The D mode, the Drivelogic software does do a good job of mimicking a slushbox, with pretty intelligent kickdown based on throttle input. There is a creep mode for very low speed and reverse, it works most of the time, but there are times when the car will still slide backwards.
Now the negatives
- On the very first day, the car stalled TWICE. Both times at low speed, basically driving in the carpark. Based on what I've read on other forums, this seems to be quite a common problem for cars with M-DCT when they are brand new i.e. during the early run-in period. Since that first day, it has not happend again, so it does seem like a run-in only issue. Apparently there will be a software update coming in mid-Sept 2008, that might address this issue.
- Depending on how you use the thottle when in lower gears (3 and lower), drive can be rather jerky, especially when the engine is cold. This is something I've not experienced with a slushbox.
- Coming to a halt at traffic lights, depending on speed or gear, there is also some occasional jerkiness.
Up to this point, no regrets with getting this tranny, in everyday driving, it's almost no different from a regular auto box, very easy to live with. In sports/manual mode, it's very fast and direct.
Next thing is to try it on a track, especially the downshifts. Will update later.
Any questions, just shoot
