2003 6MT 4dr vs 2004 Auto 4dr

[Dathaeus]

Has any one owned and driven or at least thoroughly tested these two? I am going to take a look at a 2004 Auto 4dr tomorrow and in the pics it looks exactly the same as my car, to my eye anyways, they could be twins. Understood the throttle/shifting is probably going to be a bit softer even with Steptronic, but otherwise, is there anything I can look out for that I would not already be familiar with in my 2003?

[egiles14]

I've owned manual and automatic ZHP's. With the automatic, you'll notice that the car feels quicker under initial acceleration due to the diff ratio. It makes for a great car in around town driving. The other thing you should notice, and what I have distinctly noticed driving two manual ZHP's and two automatic ZHP's, is that you'll get more exhaust noise and resonance from the automatic transmission cars. The automatic and the torque converter put the engine under more of a load, which increases the sound of the exhaust at lower RPM's inside the car. The automatic ZHP exhaust has an extra rubber harmonic silencer mounted to help alleviate this, but there is a noticeable difference. To me, it was annoying over time.

Besides that, you shouldn't notice any real difference.

[Prestovie]

I've owned manual and automatic ZHP's. With the automatic, you'll notice that the car feels quicker under initial acceleration due to the diff ratio. It makes for a great car in around town driving. The other thing you should notice, and what I have distinctly noticed driving two manual ZHP's and two automatic ZHP's, is that you'll get more exhaust noise and resonance from the automatic transmission cars. The automatic and the torque converter put the engine under more of a load, which increases the sound of the exhaust at lower RPM's inside the car. The automatic ZHP exhaust has an extra rubber harmonic silencer mounted to help alleviate this, but there is a noticeable difference. To me, it was annoying over time.

Besides that, you shouldn't notice any real difference.

Any way to get the rubber harmonic silencer fitted on a manual?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dathaeus]

I've owned manual and automatic ZHP's. With the automatic, you'll notice that the car feels quicker under initial acceleration due to the diff ratio. It makes for a great car in around town driving. The other thing you should notice, and what I have distinctly noticed driving two manual ZHP's and two automatic ZHP's, is that you'll get more exhaust noise and resonance from the automatic transmission cars. The automatic and the torque converter put the engine under more of a load, which increases the sound of the exhaust at lower RPM's inside the car. The automatic ZHP exhaust has an extra rubber harmonic silencer mounted to help alleviate this, but there is a noticeable difference. To me, it was annoying over time.

Wow so you didnt feel much more connected or satisfied with the 6MT from a pure driving perspective? Thats my biggest issue, I feel even the e46 auto5 feels mushy and delayed.

[egiles14]

Wow so you didnt feel much more connected or satisfied with the 6MT from a pure driving perspective? Thats my biggest issue, I feel even the e46 auto5 feels mushy and delayed.
Well of course I did...the manual is always a better overall driving experience.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[Simmsled]

I have owned both at the same time and will echo the around town feel already mentioned.

The manual gives you the ability to time shifts more precisely.
The Step is slower to downshift, but once you learn the timing it is a breeze.

I have done a lot of research and testing on the Step vs Manual situation, and I'll add this bit of info:

The ZHP auto has to be driven to be understood.
BMW went out of their way to make it a viable performance alternative to the manual.
The 3.64 diff puts the Steptronic ZHP quicker by about a half of a car length to 45 mph than the manual ZHP.
Its basically even by 60, and then by the time 3rd gear is topped out the manual ZHP pulls away. Anything beyond 3rd gear, the Steptronic ZHP falls flat.

The thing is... the GM transmission in the ZHP Steptronic was designed to not suck.
These transmissions have some unique characteristics to help them not suck. They were designed to provide more of a manual transmission feel than what people are accustomed to with automatic transmissions in cars like the Camry or whatever pedestrian appliance you can think of.

Here is a little breakdown of how the ZHP's Step "thinks" (and yes, the ZHP does have a different transmission computer than non-ZHPs)

Normal Mode Operation
During normal mode operation, drivers may notice increased powertrain braking after releasing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle will not coast freely when the accelerator pedal is released but will start to gradually slow down as if the brakes were lightly applied. This feels very similar to releasing the accelerator pedal on a vehicle equipped with a manual transmission.

Sport Mode Operation
Typically, Sport mode delays upshifts. The Sport mode simulates the performance driving of a manual transmission. Under certain conditions, the vehicle will maintain specific gears longer than a traditional automatic would. Switching to Sport mode, the vehicle has firmer shifting and increased performance, and the transmission will remain in a gear longer than it would in Normal mode when aggressive steering angle, throttle input, and braking are sensed. Going deep into a corner, hard on the brake, the transmission will downshift and put you into a gear in the thick of the power band instead of being in a dead spot maximizing mpg.

Driver Shift Control
The driver manually overrides the automatic gear selection. Various mechanization options for input device and degree of override are allowed.

M Performance Algorithm Shifting
PAS overrides normal automatic gear selection during closed throttle high lateral acceleration maneuver. Lower gear is accompanied by near synchronous engine speed control for quick response upon re-opening throttle (enable threshold bias in Sport mode).

Performance Algorithm Liftfoot
PAL prevents liftfoot upshifts while maintaining engine braking during repeated aggressive cornering.

Shift Stabilization
Shift stabilization is used to minimize shift business, or hunting between ranges. Based on several inputs and a map of engine torque at various RPM and throttle position, the transmission computer determines before making an upshift whether the engine will be able to maintain vehicle speed in the next higher range. If it calculates that it cannot maintain speed, it will prevent the upshift from occurring.

Adapts
Adapts continually compares actual shift times to desired shift times. The transmission controls make hydraulic adjustments to assure the actual shift times approach the ideal shift time the next time the shift is made for similar operating conditions of vehicle RPM, engine load, and road load conditions. The adaptive shift process continues for the life of the vehicle to provide consistent and optimized shifts.


Long story short, there is more to a ZHP Steptronic than meets the eye.
Here is the pseudo-paradox: the full manual mode is best driven by people that already know how to properly drive a manual, AND those people are likely already driving a manual anyways. In addition, people that drive the Steptronic make the false assumption that because it is an automatic... that they know how to drive it to its potential. Once you have put the Steptronic through the paces, and get beyond the learning curve, it is just as brilliant of a car as a manual. I enjoy making my ZHP dance, and the method by which I shift gears doesn't matter all that much as long as the car could do the same dance moves.

I have owned and sold two manual ZHPs since I have owned my Steptronic ZHP. Each time I have tried to convince myself that the manual is absolutely the better car. If I'm going back to my time attack track days, I'd choose the manual. It will net you the fractions of a second to yield faster lap times, it weighs marginally less, and actually gets better gas mileage. BUT, how often are you going for those fractions of a second when you are off the track and actually on your drive to Starbucks? Yeah.
Any BMW without a true manual couldn't be a 'pure' BMW though, right? It may be the only choice for some, but I find that there is absolutely no penalty in true driving enjoyment when you are whipping it like Fangio. To me, the enjoyment comes from 'driving'... focusing on my corner entry speed, my line, balancing the car mid-corner with the throttle to max my grip in the traction circle, and powering out in anticipation of doing it all again. The Step takes nothing away from that. Thats why I still own my Steptronic.

One last thing...
To maximize the enjoyment of the ZHP's Step, be sure to change the filter and fluid.
Any GM licensed Dexron VI fluid will suffice.
If you are doing the preferred and simple drain/fill method, do it at least 3 times.
You want to get as much of the old stuff out as possible.

[egiles14]

Simmsled,

That was very informative...there were a few things about the ZHP steptronic and the electronic controls that I was not aware of...thank you!

A good friend of mine, and BMW enthusiast, bought a '04 ZHP with manual transmission last year and sold it a few months later (only because he was able to make some profit). His girlfriend then purchased my '04 ZHP with steptronic, which he drives a good bit of the time. He told me that if he had to do it over again, he would definitely buy the a ZHP with the automatic transmission. He actually preferred it overall to the manual, and I agree...it definitely can have it's advantages.

I still can't get over how smooth shifting the ZF manual transmission is, along with the excellent clutch...it's just so easy and effortless to drive.

[slater]

I have owned and sold two manual ZHPs since I have owned my Steptronic ZHP. Each time I have tried to convince myself that the manual is absolutely the better car. If I'm going back to my time attack track days, I'd choose the manual. It will net you the fractions of a second to yield faster lap times, it weighs marginally less, and actually gets better gas mileage. BUT, how often are you going for those fractions of a second when you are off the track and actually on your drive to Starbucks? Yeah.
Any BMW without a true manual couldn't be a 'pure' BMW though, right? It may be the only choice for some, but I find that there is absolutely no penalty in true driving enjoyment when you are whipping it like Fangio. To me, the enjoyment comes from 'driving'... focusing on my corner entry speed, my line, balancing the car mid-corner with the throttle to max my grip in the traction circle, and powering out in anticipation of doing it all again. The Step takes nothing away from that. Thats why I still own my Steptronic.

very well put. i owned a 330i M Sport Step (canadian spec...which i'm not sure if it had the same programming or not) for a short while, and i thought it was fantastic. it really is the only automatic i've driven that i could live with every day.

ultimately, for me, i love shifting. i love the feel of my gearbox and linkage (i have a getrag in my car for some reason, and my linkage has been tweaked to reduce slop). but i could definitely enjoy owning a Step.