getting a 330 and theres no way im having a manual in a 3 litre car. i've driven the steptronic and it feels very good...certainly better than VW's tiptronic system.......so should i test the SMG? i hear its good on the M3 but the cheaper one on the 330 is iffy...is it as simple as that?

Tiggs

I've heard the same - that the SMG on the 330 is slower than on the M3. Still quicker than a manual change apparently but that's not really the point. Guess the only way is to drive one.

Fuel consumption is probably a lot better on the SMG. IIRC the fuel consumption for the SMG is pretty much the same as a manual.

Check BMW's website the figures should be there.

P

I had a 328 steptronic, really nice auto, smooth changes, holds gears well in the sport mode for winding roads, two step kickdown easy just to flex your right foot a tiny bit to drop one gear not two, manual override easy to use and not much delay in action. Great everyday compromise for a good auto that can do some manual features, also has a much higher top gear for crusing than the manual (better mpg on a long run).

Test drove a 325 SSG car whilst waiting for the M3, auto function is poor just like the M3, quite jerky unless you are really gentle with it and/or learn what it wants. The manual paddles aren't as easy to use on the wheel and the thing had far more delay than the faster M3 settings, making it harder to be smooth, I rolled backwards a couple of times on the test drive before I could catch the biting point on the accelerator. I am sure with practise you would get better, the M3 system was much easier from day one, looking at the 330 the steptronic is almost as fast (particularly on the diesel) its a super auto box and adds luxury without taking away from sportyness.

I used to knock the box into sport on winding roads over ride to 2nd or 3rd for some corners then knock it back to auto and some times change down for over taking manually, mingling the best of both worlds. Easier to use than the merc speed tronic (no sport option on most) and the porsche tiptronic (which annoyingly has no sport function as well).

sold...cheers!

BEWARE of the earlier model Non-M3 "SMG"s. These had a system called SSG (conceptually the same as SMG) however, it was manufactured by a different company (Magnetti Marelli IIRC) and is absolutely awful quality. It offered paddle changes but not the left=down, right=up setup from the "real SMG". With SSG you pull either lever to change up and push either lever to change down. Whacky.
The gearchange quality can be shocking, and I've heard of a couple of similar faults on different cars, two of which spring to mind...

1) Cars not being able to change of out 1st
2) Change from 2nd-3rd resulting in NEUTRAL rather than 3rd!!!!

This variety has now been discontinued and BMW have replaced it with SMG (built by Siemens I believe). This is the same system featured on the M3 BUT, it doesn't include the "DriveLogic" system which allows you to fine tune the change speeds/quality. I believe it just has "Normal" and "Sport" mode.

The SMG system is nothing like the older SSG - it's absolutely superb, at least it is in the M3... Haven't actually driven it in a 330.



[Edited by ElliotP - 7/8/2003 10:24:36 AM]