[chip2058]

So, I know there are obvious differences from the sport AT to the regular but besides the paddles the one thing I noticed is that vehicles equipped with the sports AT have a nicer shift lever with a leather boot and softer shape. Does anyone have any idea what it would take to swap these? Do you think it's an easy undertaking / affordable or should I just live with my plastic base?

[justinnum1]

probably cost more than the sport auto option is my guess

[jzcrna]

Originally Posted by justinnum1

probably cost more than the sport auto option is my guess

I feel bad for the people who don't buy sport auto because they didn't know any better. I could have easily done that with my first BMW.

Although I agree with Justin it would be neat to have someone look into this. you're probably not the only one with this question.

I had sport auto with this shift lever on my E60. after this I couldn't go back to an E90 without this lever. LOL.

[chip2058]

Guess I shoulda stuck with my manual :-) It's not a huge deal. It's just a looks thing. Hell I did the same thing when I had a manual (swapping out the knob) but I have to imagine it's a bit more complex with the joystick.

[pcbrew]

Part numbers, but no prices yet: http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...19&hg=25&fg=15

[chip2058]

Originally Posted by pcbrew

Part numbers, but no prices yet: http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...19&hg=25&fg=15

Yeah, I stumbled upon that earlier. It seems like it would be plug n'play since it appears the connectors the same.

I tried looking up similar vehicles to see if they had any part prices. The closest thing I found was an E60 where the price was $200.

Less than the whole sport auto package but really, is it worth $200?

[justinnum1]

Originally Posted by chip2058

Yeah, I stumbled upon that earlier. It seems like it would be plug n'play since it appears the connectors the same.

I tried looking up similar vehicles to see if they had any part prices. The closest thing I found was an E60 where the price was $200.

Less than the whole sport auto package but really, is it worth $200?

No, not if its purely cosmetic...

[PrinceBarin]

Originally Posted by jzcrna

I feel bad for the people who don't buy sport auto because they didn't know any better. I could have easily done that with my first BMW.

Sadly I am one of them!

It's frustrating because so little information was available in the UK when I ordered and I mistakenly thought that the only difference was the paddle shifters. Having barely used them on my Audi I figured it was a waste of money.

Plus, assuming the sports auto is faster (and BMW are suitably vague on whether or not it really is), I cannot understand why given that the hardware is identical. That would require then to intentionally slow the shifts & shift pattern. I would have hoped that in Sport mode the shifts would be identical for both gearboxes.

If not, I would be interested in the possibility of installing the sports auto software, certainly more than I would care about the shift leaver design.

[wynden]

Originally Posted by jzcrna

I feel bad for the people who don't buy sport auto because they didn't know any better.

Amazingly, in my opinion, BMW Canada does not offer the sport auto for the F30 328i at all - even as a Sport Line option. In Canada the only way to get the sport auto is with the 335i. That's one reason I'm sitting on my hands re the F30 - waiting, likely in vain, to see if this changes in the fall.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by PrinceBarin

Sadly I am one of them!

It's frustrating because so little information was available in the UK when I ordered and I mistakenly thought that the only difference was the paddle shifters. Having barely used them on my Audi I figured it was a waste of money.

Plus, assuming the sports auto is faster (and BMW are suitably vague on whether or not it really is), I cannot understand why given that the hardware is identical. That would require then to intentionally slow the shifts & shift pattern. I would have hoped that in Sport mode the shifts would be identical for both gearboxes.

If not, I would be interested in the possibility of installing the sports auto software, certainly more than I would care about the shift leaver design.

BMW have been very specific from the first media releases that it is a different set of shift patterns.

A sports version of the new eight-speed automatic transmission is available as a further option for the new BMW 3 Series Sedan. This unit offers even sportier shift characteristics, and the option of changing gear manually using the paddle shifts on the steering wheel.

An eight-speed sports automatic transmission with faster shift times and sporty steering wheel-mounted paddle shifts is also available as an option.

HighlandPete

[PrinceBarin]

Thanks Highland Pete. I have seen these but I'm not sure I would call them 'specific', at least not in performance terms.

Which is to say, 'precisely how much faster' is it than the standard gearbox? Equally, does a sport box equipped F30 accelerate faster than it's standard counterpart? The published 0-60 and 50-75 mph times make no such distinction.

Not that it matters much, it's just that, other than some BMW marketing BS I have yet to see any hard facts to substantiate the sport box being faster or by how much and I figure BMW should make it clearer.

That said, I'm sure I read a review which commented on the downshifts being quicker in manual mode (it may even have been Jason who said this).

[David328M-Sport]

Originally Posted by wynden

BMW Canada does not offer the sport auto for the F30 328i at all - even as a Sport Line option. In Canada the only way to get the sport auto is with the 335i.

That is CRAZY!!! What is their problem?
Here in Australia, BMW only offer the sports auto with steering wheel paddles as standard on all the F30 cars, even on a non line car, except for the 318d

[Raspartan]

Originally Posted by David325Australia

That is CRAZY!!! What is their problem?
Here in Australia, BMW only offer the sports auto with steering wheel paddles as standard on all the F30 cars, even on a non line car, except for the 318d

Just more BMW Canada silliness. I'd like to be a fly on the wall of the committee meetings where they decide what options we are deemed worthy of having here.

Now, back on topic. I never even realized there was a difference between the two shift levers. I had to actually dig up some images to see the difference.

For those people who were unaware like me:

[micknugget]

I actually prefer the look of the non-sport shifter. It is cleaner looking and since I own my cars for a while, there is no leather boot to tear or come apart.

[qiang.han]

So which shift lever comes standard in Canada on 335i? The hard boot or the leather one?

[PrinceBarin]

Originally Posted by qiang.han

So which shift lever comes standard in Canada on 335i? The hard boot or the leather one?

The hard boot (i.e. the one on the left in the pictures above).

[Raspartan]

I thought the sport auto was the one on the right?

[PrinceBarin]

Originally Posted by Raspartan

I thought the sport auto was the one on the right?

Sorry. As you say, the 335i in Canada comes with sports auto as standard, which is pictured on the right (with a leather boot).

[E90Fleet]

Originally Posted by David325Australia

That is CRAZY!!! What is their problem?
Here in Australia, BMW only offer the sports auto with steering wheel paddles as standard on all the F30 cars, even on a non line car, except for the 318d

Its the marketing department in each Country that decide what you can get.

Here we can currently only get the 335i in Sport Auto, even though we make the 335i in manual in the factory here for other countries.

[Raspartan]

Originally Posted by PrinceBarin

Sorry. As you say, the 335i in Canada comes with sports auto as standard, which is pictured on the right (with a leather boot).

Ok, had me worried there.

[qiang.han]

Originally Posted by PrinceBarin

Sorry. As you say, the 335i in Canada comes with sports auto as standard, which is pictured on the right (with a leather boot).

Huuuh.....got me worried from ur last msg. Now I know what I'm getting on mine. I've never paied attention to the difference of shift levers...thanks...

[David328M-Sport]

Originally Posted by E90Fleet

Its the marketing department in each Country that decide what you can get. Here we can currently only get the 335i in Sport Auto, even though we make the 335i in manual in the factory here for other countries.

Oh believe me, I am very well aware of that. When I asked the question in my previous post, I was referring to BMW Canada's crackpot decision.

We pay top $ for our BMWs here in Australia, but a small upside to what the car costs here is that they generally are better base specced than in most other countries. In addition,we can, in most circumstances, order option on a single item basis as well, unlike the US, which has to order packages. Did i mention small upside? Let's cal it tiny.

Cheers.