Hagerty's take on automatic value

When I swapped my transmission, my car was lighter, faster and much more enjoyable to drive. It was really never a question for me.
 
My first E9 had a ZF 4-speed. It had a really sporty experience, loved it. Second was a 5-speed, sporty enough and great on the freeway. I'd take the 5-speed. Automatic may be something I'd consider if my bad knee got worse.
 
Dick Steinkamp said:
I was surprised to see that 47% of E9s sent to the US were automatics. I assume from that that they were sold more as a luxury vehicle than a sporty one?


I would guess that the customer for an E9 today is closer to 90% manual, 10% auto.
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No surprise to me, my perception
47% seems even little,
E9 is a GT, not really a sports car
The us is/has been land of automatic cars
These were expensive cars
Now we may have a different perception of the e9, want to associate to bmw motto, must be stick
New M cars are being sold automatic which might be against bmw tradition
Curious
 
It' the same reason why i am doubting to do my conversion.

When I bought my car it had the automatic, and i just wanted an e9. It was within reach and I drove it for ~4 years as a daily. I still remember how much i enjoyed the automatic; it made it a cruiser, and with a non perfect adjusted engine and carbs, sporty wasn't the spirit anyway.
It was the first automatic I ever owned, and stick shift was the standard up to about now with hybride and ev's coming in vogue.

I am sure to keep the original slushbox. Just to be able to switch back. For when I loose my wild hairs.
 
Dick Steinkamp said:
I was surprised to see that 47% of E9s sent to the US were automatics. I assume from that that they were sold more as a luxury vehicle than a sporty one?

I would guess that the customer for an E9 today is closer to 90% manual, 10% auto.
Click to expand...
Similar story to the W113s. In the beginning - in Europe, mostly - most were sold as manuals. By the end, where most SLs sold went to the US, most were sold as automatics, and many were fully-loaded or close to it. Different buyer, different expectation. Suspension became softer, too. Doctor's wives crowd and all that.

I'd say if the automatics sold then were as effortless as today's ZF double clutch transmissions or the ZF8, there'd be a lot less demand to swap to manual.
 
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