Paddle Shfts

[M3ac]

Guys,Just a thought, what do you think of the new paddle shifters fitted on the new batches of 325i's this yr 2010 (i think Q4 onwards). Its plus & minus for each side of the steering (3 o'clock (- minus) & 9 o'Clock (+plus) ). Similar to the ones installed on the facelifted 335i's. Its different from the current 325i paddle shifts where it is plus & minus on each shfter on each side of the steering. Appreciate your thoughts? :listen:

 

[astroboy]

U can play around with the wires and tweak to your likings.

 

[M3ac]

U can play around with the wires and tweak to your likings.

Oh thanks for the tip, didn't know that. But wouldn't tweaking with the wires void warranty? Then can only tweak after warranty expires.....

 

[hsiengloong1985]

Got my 325 last month but then mine is still the same :

1. upshift - pull the paddle
2. down shift - tekan paddle

Works for all both sides. But the test drive car i used, downshift was on 1 side and upshift was on the other..

I guess mine was the most recent 1.

 

[M3ac]

Got my 325 last month but then mine is still the same :

1. upshift - pull the paddle
2. down shift - tekan paddle

Works for all both sides. But the test drive car i used, downshift was on 1 side and upshift was on the other..

I guess mine was the most recent 1.

Which paddle shifts are yours? The top picture or the bottom picture?
View attachment 16000

View attachment 16001

 

[kamion]

Got my 325 last month but then mine is still the same :

1. upshift - pull the paddle
2. down shift - tekan paddle

Works for all both sides. But the test drive car i used, downshift was on 1 side and upshift was on the other..

I guess mine was the most recent 1.

This one you can swap the wires around. Quite easy to do.

Here are some links to help you:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=121524&highlight=paddle+shifters

Some instructions how to remove the airbag safely from the steering wheel in order to get to the paddle shift wires:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=244795

 

[Schwepps]

Guys,
Just a thought, what do you think of the new paddle shifters fitted on the new batches of 325i's this yr 2010 (i think Q4 onwards). Its plus & minus for each side of the steering (3 o'clock (- minus) & 9 o'Clock (+plus) ). Similar to the ones installed on the facelifted 335i's. Its different from the current 325i paddle shifts where it is plus & minus on each shfter on each side of the steering. Appreciate your thoughts? :listen:

In BMW parlance, push/pull are SSG paddle shifts and pull/pull are SMG paddle shifts. SMG paddles are newer for the road BMWs (2010), are default for M3, Ferrari, any DCT cars, and are the style for F1 cars. If you look closely at the cockpit shots, you can see the drivers clicking the right paddles when accelerating and then furiously clicking the left paddles when braking for a turn.

It's a more positive action, more sporty, and keeps both hands at 9 and 3 o'clock. SSG paddles allow you to rest one arm on the armrest holding a Pepsi ala American style, yet still shift up and down. SMG also looks way cooler IMO. Even Shimano (bicycle gears) are starting to make similar one-action electronic shifters.

So you can probably tell which I prefer.

 

[Schwepps]

Got my 325 last month but then mine is still the same :

1. upshift - pull the paddle
2. down shift - tekan paddle

Works for all both sides. But the test drive car i used, downshift was on 1 side and upshift was on the other..

I guess mine was the most recent 1.

Strange...the test drive car has the newer paddles.

 

[paultantk]

could be an optional BMW Performance accessory.

 

[M3ac]

could be an optional BMW Performance accessory.

Possible Paul, but then again, it seems to be standard feature on the new 2010s 325i. Oct 10 onwards.... I was at AB Segambut in Sept'10 for the Innovation Days 2010, they had one Alpine White 325i with this paddle shifts...maybe that was the first batch fo 325i's installed with the new paddle shifts...:love: I love the new SMG paddle shifts, looks just great

 

[M3ac]

Strange...the test drive car has the newer paddles.

Saw the same SMG paddle shifts in AB Segambut during the Sept 2010 Innovation Days....in a Alpine White with Saddle Brown 325i Sports. There was another Alpine White 325i with BMW Performance options on it, but that was the SSG paddle shifts....later I found out that during the recent Ingress Auto Innovation Days, someone crashed the Alpine White 325i with BMW Performance options and the Z4 s-drive 35is M Sports....what a tragedy....

 

[M3ac]

In BMW parlance, push/pull are SSG paddle shifts and pull/pull are SMG paddle shifts. SMG paddles are newer for the road BMWs (2010), are default for M3, Ferrari, any DCT cars, and are the style for F1 cars. If you look closely at the cockpit shots, you can see the drivers clicking the right paddles when accelerating and then furiously clicking the left paddles when braking for a turn.

It's a more positive action, more sporty, and keeps both hands at 9 and 3 o'clock. SSG paddles allow you to rest one arm on the armrest holding a Pepsi ala American style, yet still shift up and down. SMG also looks way cooler IMO. Even Shimano (bicycle gears) are starting to make similar one-action electronic shifters.

So you can probably tell which I prefer.

Thanks Schwepps, very informative indeed. What does SSG anf SMG stands for?

 

[M3ac]

This one you can swap the wires around. Quite easy to do.

Here are some links to help you:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=121524&highlight=paddle+shifters

Some instructions how to remove the airbag safely from the steering wheel in order to get to the paddle shift wires:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=244795

Thanks for the link bro....great!

 

[Schwepps]

Thanks Schwepps, very informative indeed. What does SSG anf SMG stands for?

Dunno...do a search. Each manufacturer has their own names for their gearbox configurations and these are just the BMW names. I think Sports Sequential and Sports Manual, but the shifters need not be related to the gearbox type. The SMG box was initially developed for the M3, and the pull/pull type first appeared in them, hence the connection. I may be totally wrong though.

But you're right that the SMG style is now appearing in the 325s and up. Started appearing earlier in 2010 overseas.

 

[M3ac]

Dunno...do a search. Each manufacturer has their own names for their gearbox configurations and these are just the BMW names. I think Sports Sequential and Sports Manual, but the shifters need not be related to the gearbox type. The SMG box was initially developed for the M3, and the pull/pull type first appeared in them, hence the connection. I may be totally wrong though.

But you're right that the SMG style is now appearing in the 325s and up. Started appearing earlier in 2010 overseas.

Yes you are absolutely right, thanks for the explanation. I googled it and found out that BMW calls it SMG which stands for "Sequential Manual Gearbox" which is an Electrohydraulic manual transmission.

This type of semi-automatic transmission system, which uses an automated clutch unlike conventional manual transmissions where the driver operates the clutch. The clutch is controlled by electronic computers and hydraulics. To change gears, the driver selects the desired gear with the transmission shift lever, and the system automatically operates the clutch and throttle to match revs and engage the clutch again. Also, many such transmissions operate in sequential mode where the driver can only upshift or downshift by one gear at a time.

Depending on the implementation, some computer-controlled electrohydraulic manual transmissions will automatically shift gears at the right points (like an automatic transmission), while others require the driver to manually select the gear even when the engine is at the redline. Despite superficial similarity, clutchless manual transmission differ significantly in internal operation and driver's 'feel' from manumatics, the latter of which is an automatic transmission (automatics use a torque converter instead of clutch to manage the link between the transmission and the wheels) with ability to signal shifts manually.

Could not find SSG though...but its ok.