Got a chance to drive an A3 with S tronic today.

OK, whoever here said that it was better than SMG is smoking crack.

It is so devoid of feedback that it aint even funny.

Yes, it also rev matches great, like the SMG, but I am sorry, the lag is so bad that I felt utterly disconnected from the transmission. The E46 M3 SMG never did that. It was direct, you pick a gear, it went there with gusto, and it also clunks like you would if you just abrupptly take your foot off the throttle.

Oh, and automatically upshift at redline is EPIC FAIL.

 

uh...dude....2 way diff tranny's. You don't like the double clutch systems?

 

No, I hated it.

It makes for a good automatic, but as far as automated clutch type transmission, it sucks.

I can see why they don't have wheel mounted paddles, it shifts way to slowly between the time you request a gear and the time a gear is selected.

And WTF, automatic upshift at redline? What is this? A slushie? I didn't tell it to shift up, stay in the damn gear like any SMG would.

The SMG in the E46 M3 drives way better.

 

soooooooo..... I take it you no likey zzzze germanz new toys eh?

 

I like the DCT in the BMW. It is smooth yet immediate when you ask for a gear, and FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, it does NOT shift up when you are at redline.

The S tronic lag is so long that you might as well take a little nap to wait for the gear change.

Imagine how "unpossible" it is to drive an S tronic car at an autox. You are at full power, attacking the cones, and then it shifts up, and you all of a sudden lost all that torque. FAIL.

This upshifting at redline thing is crap.

 

you dont think it has anything to do with the itzy bitzy motor in the A3? Not at all?

 

The automatic upshift is a design flaw. I can hold my hamster E30 2.5 liter engine at redline all day long.

The slow shifting is also a design flaw. It really doesn't need to change gear that slowly.

But, if I am wrong, I am all ears.

 

I'm quite amazed that you are running an S4 and S-tronic doesn't suprise you. It's prob because you testdrove an A3. Try the TT next time and I'm sure S-tronic will show you the true potential.

 

All these horrifying semi-automatic gearboxes, whether they are called SMG, DSG, S-Tronic, Fagtronic or Obamatic are never any good if you like a proper manual transmission. They are just rated in degrees of bad.

You have an excellent stable with three pedals each in your three cars - don't go spoil it by falling into the awful flappy paddle abyss we've lost so many bretheren to!

 

No, the E30 is back in the shop after the alternator replacement, now the check engine light is on, which on such an old car usually means a lot of money, and the S4 is getting some final fixes to be ready for sale, so I am driving a rental A3. I was OK with a Corolla, but they upgraded me to the A3 for 40 bucks a day, so I took it.