BMW 1-Series Forum (F20) 135i - 1Addicts.com > Second Generation 1 Series Forum > 2012 BMW 1-Series Sporthatch (F20) Discussion > 125i/M135i owners: do you have automatic or manual ?
View Poll Results: 125i/M135i owners: did you get the automatic or manual transmission ?
I have the automatic transmission. 44 69.84%
I have the manual transmission. 19 30.16%
Voters: 63. You may not vote on this poll

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      02-17-2013, 07:54 PM   #1
hwelvaar
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125i/M135i owners: do you have automatic or manual ?

Poll: If you have a 125i or M135i, did you order it with automatic or manual transmission ?

I want to see what the "performance oriented" drivers out there got as transmission.
I left out diesel cars because they are probably more "daily cars" to commute to work, and often will have the automatic gearbox.
No offense.

Last edited by hwelvaar; 02-17-2013 at 08:02 PM..
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      02-17-2013, 11:33 PM   #2
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Sport+ auto, because it was just that good.
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      02-18-2013, 12:39 AM   #3
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I don't have a 125i/M135i, but I see myself as a performance oriented driver. I participate in trackdays and autoX. Manual gearbox for me.
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      02-18-2013, 01:17 AM   #4
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Manual gearbox 125i in my case. For a real BMW experience, it should be MT+ petrol. Here in France my dealer told me that they sell an average of 9 diesels for one petrol car. What a pity !!
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      02-18-2013, 02:45 AM   #5
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Sports auto. on 125i

Paddles on the wheel give me the benefit of choosing my gears when I want to, (if its good enough for most supercars, it's good enough for me!) for the rest of the time its smooth changes, no clutch, and reduced fuel consumption.
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      02-18-2013, 02:57 AM   #6
ovekvam
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But can you choose the gears you want to? What if you want to test the low end grunt of your engine, and want to make an acceleration from 70-120 in top gear. Is that even possible, or will it kick down?
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      02-18-2013, 03:07 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ovekvam View Post
But can you choose the gears you want to? What if you want to test the low end grunt of your engine, and want to make an acceleration from 70-120 in top gear. Is that even possible, or will it kick down?
According to the owners manual, if you select sport +, or disable the traction control, then it'll hang onto the gear and not change automatically and will bounce against the limiter. It also disables kickdown function of the accelerator pedal.

But of course it wont let you change down a gear that will over rev the engine.

Haven't got my car yet so haven't tested.
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      02-18-2013, 03:14 AM   #8
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After many years of driving manual, i decided to purchase the M135i with the sports/Auto. Got to say I am extremely happy with this auto gear box, sensational!!
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      02-18-2013, 03:27 AM   #9
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Sports Auto here for my M135i. I drive ALOT within the city so having having the auto there is just that much more convenient
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      02-18-2013, 04:07 AM   #10
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Manual 125i on the way, was giving serious consideration to the auto box though. Did a lot of comparisons of reviews etc but in the end I just like changing gears myself. I purposely avoided testing an auto after that, ignorance is bliss and so was the manual transmission I tested. We'll see when I hit my forties, got at least a decade of manuals in me yet.
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      02-18-2013, 04:36 AM   #11
happyJoylucky
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Quote:
Originally Posted by elstoof View Post
Manual 125i on the way, was giving serious consideration to the auto box though. Did a lot of comparisons of reviews etc but in the end I just like changing gears myself. I purposely avoided testing an auto after that, ignorance is bliss and so was the manual transmission I tested. We'll see when I hit my forties, got at least a decade of manuals in me yet.
Have you tried (test driven) the manual flappy gear changers on an auto gear box? Its pretty responsive - its a good substitute to the manual stick and has eight gears to choose from, too.

I have an auto. Gear transition is really smooth, and if i choose to do the flappy gear changes myself - i have that option...its good stuff and fun (I dont know whether manual boxes have these flaps).

Plus, I do lots of city driving during peak (work). Manual on a stop - start arrangement can be tiring.

Acceleration from stop is impressive. I love the response in sport/sport plus.
I cant really feel the difference across comfort and sport in variable steering, though.

I can only imagine what it'd be like in a m135i. Shouldve test driven one.
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      02-18-2013, 05:59 AM   #12
elstoof
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I made a point not to try it because I'm sure it's as lovely as most people say. Thing is I've never had an auto and my concern is that after 6 months I'll be longing for a clutch pedal again.
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      02-18-2013, 06:20 AM   #13
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M135i with ZF auto. very happy so far
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      02-18-2013, 08:26 AM   #14
hwelvaar
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Quote:
Originally Posted by elstoof View Post
We'll see when I hit my forties, got at least a decade of manuals in me yet.
LOL.. I got only 3 years left before hitting my forties, and I just don't know what to get on my M135i on order...
I like changing gears myself when doing spirited driving, but I start longing for an automatic when I'm just commuting...
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      02-18-2013, 08:49 AM   #15
elstoof
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Sounds like the flappy paddles would be right up your street then. I don't commute by car so sitting in rush hour traffic doesn't concern me

My road bike does have flappy paddles though so I can wholeheartedly recommend a Campagnolo box for the commute.
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      02-18-2013, 09:01 AM   #16
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IMO manual is out long time. Im trying to think of a Motorsport that use fully manual box and i cant.

Sports auto is something else. Smooth as silk in default mode, kicks like a mule in sports.

It really, seriously, is state of the art next gen compared to the auto box in my old E90 which was slow, slippery and sore on fuel
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      02-18-2013, 09:12 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by elstoof
I made a point not to try it because I'm sure it's as lovely as most people say. Thing is I've never had an auto and my concern is that after 6 months I'll be longing for a clutch pedal again.
No chance
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      02-18-2013, 09:33 AM   #18
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No chance that its lovely or no chance that I'll miss the clutch?

I'm not going to enter my car in any motor sports so that's not an issue for me either, good for you if you enjoy the ZF box. Like I said, I'm sure it's lovely. For me though, I've always rowed my own, I like doing it, I don't drive enough to get sick of it, and I get a satisfaction from nailing a gear change just right. It might be "old fashioned", but so are the clothes I like, the shoes I wear, my choice of furniture...
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      02-18-2013, 01:16 PM   #19
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Sports auto on 125i, and I like it a lot.
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      02-18-2013, 03:05 PM   #20
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http://www.pistonheads.com/news/defa...?storyId=26917
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      02-18-2013, 11:46 PM   #21
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I test drove both and opted for the Sport auto (paddles) as it appears to have faster shift times between the gears than I could do in the manual. Yes you are limited. You have to click several times if you want to drop more than the one gear with paddles, however there is no missing gates if you want to change down quickly.

I can be lazy and leave it in comfort for a 'soft' drive, have it in SPORT for a more responsive 'auto' drive or use the paddles and manual settings for spirited drives.
I Love it.
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      02-19-2013, 03:24 AM   #22
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Had auto cars for the past 10 years and thought it would be a great idea to go back to a manual... so far not regretting it yet
On the flip side, at least this will force my wife to learn manual if she wants to drive that car!
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