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
 
Its 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.
 
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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.
 
I have an E3 and E9, both ZF automatics. Both came to me with the wrong fluid, slippage and noise and just a bad experience. I swapped for the appropriate Type F fluid (Redline Racing ATF) and have been happy with them. After driving my manual E24 for 20 years, these are welcome and my knees and hips are fine. I would swap if I did tons of highway driving with either.

WRT to the OP and Hagerty, I have no idea on how they come about the difference in value. I believe it is subtract 25% for auto, add 15% for sunroof. Those of us with a sunroof would say, subtract 15% for the sunroof. Mine works great and I enjoy it but the rebuild was a giant PIA. You cannot even find the zipper for the headliner anymore.
 
In my case, when I went looking for a Coupe, there were plenty available, back in 1987. My goal was to purchase the one with the best structure. I eventually found one that had been restored already, like this was 1987, and at a premium shop in Vancouver. When it became available, I purchased it from a dealer, on the spot. Yes, it was a CSA, but I knew that I could enjoy it immediately, (and I did), and I could plan for a manual swap down the road. Well the road became longer, I did not miss shifting. Like many of us, I have other fun cars. My Bj8 Healey gives me lots of opportunity to row gears and pump the clutch and enjoy the coreography that is the clutch, the downshift, the application of the gas pedal, the burst in revs, the next clutch pedal, the shift, the burst in speed.....and so on. So visceral, especially if one has been driving manual transmission cars from 16 years of age. My CSA settled into the car that I could take into town, endure the bottleneck merging through tunnels and busy bridge backups.
A manual transmission vehicle, well, gets left at home for those trips. Thing is, over the years I tried to acquire all the pieces I would need to put a 5 speed into this car. Plus I could add these cool, original Italian Weber DCOEs that I could rebuild, and match with the Stahl headers I have found, But I really don't think I will get to it. As others have noted, as we age, it just becomes easier on the vintage driver, to pilot a vintage car that thankfully is equipped with an automatic transmission. Just my experience, and I love my Coupe!
 
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