DCT kickdown question

[///BMW Junkie]

I am in a market for an E9X and while favoring the 6MT, I still haven't ruled out the DCT. While I test drove few cars with 6MT, havent had a chance to try the DCT yet.

My question is when in manual or sport mode, will the car downshift automatically to lower gears at pedal fully pressed as most automatic transmissions?

I am hoping the DCT would act as a true manual in manual mode, and the car would stay in the same gear no matter the RPM when at WOT...

Thanks!

[yidgyi]

Gear stays in place unless you are driving full auto and not using paddles. If you press the pedal all the way until you click the button and shift down it will shift to the lowest gear possible.

[///BMW Junkie]

Originally Posted by yidgyi

Gear stays in place unless you are driving full auto and not using paddles. If you press the pedal all the way until you click the button and shift down it will shift to the lowest gear possible.

just to clarify when pressing the pedal all the way down in manual mode the car stays in same gear?

[BzsBimmer]

Yes unless you pull back and hold on the paddle first. Then it will kick down to lowest gear possible

[Redd]

When in manual mode, the DCT will not shift for you at all if you do not touch the paddles/shifter. If you're in 7th gear 2000 rpm and you floor it, it will stay in 7th gear. If you're bouncing off the limiter, it won't up shift for you. Manual mode is true manual mode.

[///BMW Junkie]

Thanks! Man I was sure I wanted a 3 pedal car. Not anymore lol

[fhaze3]

Oh...and you wont ever forget the first time you shift at redline with all the nannies off and a 6 on shift settings. 1-2 and 2-3 are ahh-mazing....and then a high rpm perfectly revmatched downshift is equally intoxicating...speaking of...time for a refill.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by fhaze3

Oh...and you wont ever forget the first time you shift at redline with all the nannies off and a 6 on shift settings. 1-2 and 2-3 are ahh-mazing....and then a high rpm perfectly revmatched downshift is equally intoxicating...speaking of...time for a refill.

+ DSC => OFF !

[roastbeef]

in manual mode, it stays in whatever gear you put it in.

however, if you come to a stop in 7th gear, it will shift down to 1st. thats pretty much the only situation where the car takes control in manual mode.

[X5-User]

If you like 6MT then just get 6MT, you wont be satisfied with DCT

[Rat3d ///M]

I went dct and have never looked back. people call it an automatic but it's unlike any automatic I've ever driven. I don't consider it an auto despite what everyone says. it really is more of a dual clutch manual with an automatic mode not the other way around. rev match downshifts are amazing and I just discovered the kickdown feature yesterday for the first time. what a feeling.. try it you won't be disappointed

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by ||||||||||

I went dct and have never looked back. people call it an automatic but it's unlike any automatic I've ever driven. I don't consider it an auto despite what everyone says. it really is more of a dual clutch manual with an automatic mode not the other way around. rev match downshifts are amazing and I just discovered the kickdown feature yesterday for the first time. what a feeling.. try it you won't be disappointed

this.

plus, you don't get to experience all of the benefits of a dct in a test drive. it really is a fantastic transmission.

[BzsBimmer]

Originally Posted by Theodore

I've noticed this computer override downshift to 1st after braking to a full stop is true no matter what gear you are in, 2nd-7th, at least in the S3 setting.

It's designed to do that in any S setting

[TokyoCarGuy]

DCT is amazing. It's one of the best gear boxes I have ever driven... maybe apart from Porsche's PDK, but to answer your question, manual mode is truly manual, no matter what you do. It will shift to first when you stop, but will remain at manual so you will need to shift up by yourself once you get moving again.

[Redd]

DCT will downshift to the appropriate gear at extremely low rpms (car coming to a stop) to prevent the engine from bogging/stalling. That's all it's doing. Typically it will drop from whatever gear you're in to 3rd, 2nd, then 1st when you come to a stop.

[mxa121]

DCT on the M3 is awesome. The gearing works with the engine. That said, I have gone back to 6MT as I enjoy it.
(it took me longer to adapt to DCT than I expected)

[BrewRifle]

I couldn't be happier with the DCT. I wish that I had a manual only about 1% of the time. There are better manuals than the one that comes with the E9X M3, but there are far fewer dual clutches as good or better than the DCT.

This is one man's opinion mind you.

[nitrojunky]

Originally Posted by Euroonly

just to clarify when pressing the pedal all the way down in manual mode the car stays in same gear?

when you test drive an e9x DCT, before you start the car, try pushing the pedal all the way down. at the very end of the travel, there will be a 'click', or if you don't feel the 'click' push harder until you do. this will give you a feel for how it works before you're driving.

if you're in manual mode, you can move the pedal anywhere before the click and you won't get a downshift (just before the 'click' will be WOT). if you push it past the 'click', it goes for the best appropriate gear for maximum power. this is the 'kickdown' feature. IMO, works seamlessly in practice.

[///BMW Junkie]

Originally Posted by nitrojunky

when you test drive an e9x DCT, before you start the car, try pushing the pedal all the way down. at the very end of the travel, there will be a 'click', or if you don't feel the 'click' push harder until you do. this will give you a feel for how it works before you're driving.

if you're in manual mode, you can move the pedal anywhere before the click and you won't get a downshift (just before the 'click' will be WOT). if you push it past the 'click', it goes for the best appropriate gear for maximum power. this is the 'kickdown' feature. IMO, works seamlessly in practice.

Interesting, it seems some people say otherwise, that in manual mode when pedal pressed all the way (lockdown engaged the car will not downshift. Hopefully I get to testdrive a DCT car and see for myself.

[nitrojunky]

Originally Posted by Euroonly

Interesting, it seems some people say otherwise, that in manual mode when pedal pressed all the way (lockdown engaged the car will not downshift. Hopefully I get to testdrive a DCT car and see for myself.

i stand corrected; i think your interpretation of the above posts is correct.

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=196551

(mine is an M6; i've driven a few DCTs and thought they kicked down w/o the paddle. must be an (incorrect) phantom memory.)

[atopa2002]

If your enjoy driving manual get the MT else you will get borded real fast with the DCT.
I had both at a time ,

MT is more involving and a joy to drive,you are always in tune with the car , car is always edging you on to be driven hard , you can down shift rev-match anytime even if you don't have to

DCT feels fast , takes corners at crazy speeds because of less planning I think, It only rev-matches only when you are really on it and gunning it . Its also very relaxing to drive esp if you drive a lot in heavy traffic

I will choose MT if I love to drive manuals, weekend toy car, for nostalgia reasons and they won't be making them anymore.
Will go with DCT if it's more of a DD esp in heavy traffic, family car, track car.

My 2 cents

[///BMW Junkie]

Thanks all for great feedback! As a true european - I am a manual guy, but owe it to DCT to at least give it a try...