Definately SMG
Have tried both, and have always owned manual cars and was very sceptical
about SMG. Tried the SMG several times during test drives and wasn't very
impressed at 1st, but the car was the best available and well priced (SMG I
cars are not really in demand in Aust). In the 1st week or so, I thought I
had made a mistake, but the more I use it the more I like it. I will now
never go back to a stick if an SMG is available.
There are a lot of negative reviews on the SMG ... which accounts for their
lower values, but most haven't driven the car or certainly not for a
prolonged period.
The shifts seem slow and it is quite difficult to drive it smoothly (I never
use the auto mode), but once you get used to it, which takes a few weeks, I
find it preferable to the manual. There have been many reports of poor
reliability but I haven't actually come across anyone personally with an SMG
problem and the local dealer (who did NOT sell me the car) denies any more
or less problems than the stick. The biggest difference between SMG I and II
is the lack of the electronic throttle in the E36. This means the computer
can only adjust the revs via ignition and fuelling to duplicate what you
would normally do with your feet, so the changes are less smooth and slower.
The engine also sounds as though it is misfiring. This is normal.
It may be an imperfect system (so is the SMG II compared to Audi's DSG), but
for me it is a better option than the stick. Faster, never gets a shift
wrong, and much less effort, with the trade off being less smooth. Some may
argue that it is less involving and takes away from a purer driving
experience .... this is a personal choice and there is no right answer. I
obviously prefer the SMG
One warning ... when your mates find that you have an SMG ... they go why ?
and you are constantly trying to defend your purchase. I got sick of this
after a while and merely point out that the best CSL and new M5 are SMG only
and 90% of the E46 M3 uptake in Aust are SMG II.

Hope this helps

Cheers

Rick

"Vijay Kumar" > wrote in message
m...
> My 1996 M3 EVO has been totalled* and I am currently looking at
> replacing it with another EVO. I have in sight a 1998 SMG shifter. I
> think I undersand the theory behind SMG (that it is not an automatic
> but an electronic hydraulic clutch shifter) but have never driven one.
> Can I ask those who have experienced SMG first hand (preferably both
> the stick and the SMG) to post some advice the learning curve
> required to get used to SMG and the comparison of driving pleasure
> between stick and the SMG. I will appreciate any help. I have already
> done a google and read some posts on SMG but haven't come across a
> direct comparison by someone who has owned or tried both types of
> transmissions.
>
> TIA,
>
> Vijay
>
> * I was waiting before a narrow bridge (with only one lane traffic)
> when a female driver banged into the car, bending the chasis of my car
> irrtrievably! I am hoping for a fast settlement in the next day or two
> by her insurance company.