M3 SMG gearbox - How reliable are they?

[M3Ant]

I'm thinking of getting a 2002 M3 with the SMG gearbox and was wondering if anyone has heard of these gearboxes going wrong more often than not.

I do a lot of town driving, so would going for one with SMG be the best thing to do?

I've got my eye on a lovely M3 and has SMG.

Just wondering if I should go for it or a manual?

Thanks

[thegreatdogwood]

You may get more responses posting in the M series rather than general BMW section

[OllieWinchester]

By all accounts they are awful, jerky and unreliable. Unless you only have one leg, get a manual. I gather they are leaps and bounds ahead of the E36 version, but shat all the same.

[Vixpy1]

OllieWinchester said:

By all accounts they are awful, jerky and unreliable. Unless you only have one leg, get a manual. I gather they are leaps and bounds ahead of the E36 version, but shat all the same.

The E46 SMG M3 seems just as reliable as the manual box, and i think its rather good

[Hammerwerfer]

I have seen them get confused at times...

[thehos]

OllieWinchester said:

By all accounts they are awful, jerky and unreliable. Unless you only have one leg, get a manual. I gather they are leaps and bounds ahead of the E36 version, but shat all the same.

got one have you?

[TheEnd]

SMG1 on e36's isn't great. The gearbox itself isn't too bad, but it's the hydraulics / pressure accumulator that tends to break and most people start looking into manual conversions when they hear the price of the fix.

The e46's SMG2 is far better/reliable but not bulletproof as yet. I don't think the SMG2 would be classed as prone to breaking, but as with all things, the more complex they get, the bigger the chance of big bills.

I think a hell of a lot have been sold on novelty factor. It's fun, but i can't think of anyone that has made sure their next car is semi-auto

[OllieWinchester]

thehos said:

OllieWinchester said:

By all accounts they are awful, jerky and unreliable. Unless you only have one leg, get a manual. I gather they are leaps and bounds ahead of the E36 version, but shat all the same.

got one have you?

No, but one of the traders I used to sell px's to had one he bought for himself. He hated it right up until the g'box shat itself, when he hated it even more. The manuals are better unless you only have one leg, which is why the SMG's are cheaper. Happy?

[MrOnTheRopes]

OllieWinchester said:

By all accounts they are awful, jerky and unreliable. Unless you only have one leg, get a manual.

He asked how reliable are the gearboxes. The manual and SMG both use the Getrag 6 speed gearbox so if it's unreliable then they all are

[bimmer_87]

Only common problem i know of was the SMG Pump, but they're not THAT common of a failure.

You can hear a whiring noise when you unlock the doors, or open them, like a 'dentist drill' Thats the pump priming up, its normal to hear it, if you don't hear it, then that means it has failed i guess?

[Pork]

OllieWinchester said:

thehos said:

OllieWinchester said:

By all accounts they are awful, jerky and unreliable. Unless you only have one leg, get a manual. I gather they are leaps and bounds ahead of the E36 version, but shat all the same.

got one have you?

No, but one of the traders I used to sell px's to had one he bought for himself. He hated it right up until the g'box shat itself, when he hated it even more. The manuals are better unless you only have one leg, which is why the SMG's are cheaper. Happy?

To be fair though, that sounds like that one car was shat. I've had a manual and an SMG and rate the SMG as a better drivers car and a great bit of technology.

Also, from the research I've done on both the cars I've bought, SMG's have been consistently more expensive than manuals, which I think gives an indication of what people think of them (or, being cynical, the extortionate cost BMW charge for the 'box when new). For the record, I have two legs.

To answer the OP, from what I've read, they can and do go wrong, but when they work, if you appreciate its a manual without a clutch pedal, not an automatic, its a great bit of kit.

[n boost]

I heard the pumps tend to pack up around 75-90k mark ,so get one with low miles and u should be fine.
Also if u have a look around on e46 m3's with 80k + miles then the smg's are cheaper to buy as most people would buy a manual at that mileage due to the repair bills on the smg's if something goes wrong.

[thehos]

OllieWinchester said:

thehos said:

OllieWinchester said:

By all accounts they are awful, jerky and unreliable. Unless you only have one leg, get a manual. I gather they are leaps and bounds ahead of the E36 version, but shat all the same.

got one have you?

No, but one of the traders I used to sell px's to had one he bought for himself. He hated it right up until the g'box shat itself, when he hated it even more. The manuals are better unless you only have one leg, which is why the SMG's are cheaper. Happy?

funny that, every smg i have looked at is dearer!, but you would know!

[M3RMS]

OllieWinchester said:

thehos said:

OllieWinchester said:

By all accounts they are awful, jerky and unreliable. Unless you only have one leg, get a manual. I gather they are leaps and bounds ahead of the E36 version, but shat all the same.

got one have you?

No, but one of the traders I used to sell px's to had one he bought for himself. He hated it right up until the g'box shat itself, when he hated it even more. The manuals are better unless you only have one leg, which is why the SMG's are cheaper. Happy?

SMG has been commanding significant premiums over the manuals for the past 5 years - so that is incorrect. Current prices are all over the place given the age & state of some of the cars but like-for-like SMG is more expensive.

Likewise to Pork I have owned both Manual & SMG and firmly believe the latter is much, much, more rewarding and a terrific bit of kit. (I think Evo said it was the class-leader in their buying guide).

Personal preference often dictates people choose one over the other - but I've never actually heard anybody say they hated SMG or that it's awful. Only that they prefer the manual.

Sounds like your mate had a shocking example.... awful, jerky & unreliable is news to me and I've been surfing mtorque every day for the past 5 years!

To the OP: if you want some fact-based advice, get yourself onto mtorque.co.uk

[Scotty996T]

I have an E46 SMG Cab and would be interested in how many of the negative comments come from people who haven't either owned or driven one. It is a matter of personal preference I guess. What I can say is that I'd always have a manual 911 over a tiptronic, but the reverse for the E46. My own view is that they're great once you get used to them and I've had both manual and SMG.

However, mines now done 47k miles and in the last couple of weeks I've noticed that it's sometimes taking two flicks on the lever to get an upchange (downchange is still fine). Given the comments above, I'm wondering if my pump is on the way out or is it a clutch thing.

I'd appreciate any advice. Good luck with the car regardless. Huge grin factor for the cash.

[Scotty996T]

Ant - just thought of something else. My first E46 SMG was an '02 and was much jerkier than my current one which is facelift. You are supposed to ease off the throttle on full blow upshifts but where's the fun in that. The thump through the drivetrain in the '02 car felt seriously unhealthy however. The newer car is much smoother.

I've heard it mentioned that there are different and improved later versions of the SMG software so an '03 car would be prefereable if you could stretch - if not, I wonder if you could get a software update as part of a small service with a dealer. It's worth it in my view.

[rsstman]

http://www.pistonheads.com/xforums/topic.asp?h=0&a...

just hope this doesnt happen.

[darreni]

Scotty996T said:

I have an E46 SMG Cab and would be interested in how many of the negative comments come from people who haven't either owned or driven one. It is a matter of personal preference I guess. What I can say is that I'd always have a manual 911 over a tiptronic, but the reverse for the E46. My own view is that they're great once you get used to them and I've had both manual and SMG.

However, mines now done 47k miles and in the last couple of weeks I've noticed that it's sometimes taking two flicks on the lever to get an upchange (downchange is still fine). Given the comments above, I'm wondering if my pump is on the way out or is it a clutch thing.

I'd appreciate any advice. Good luck with the car regardless. Huge grin factor for the cash.

Scott, if by two flicks of the lever, you mean the steering wheel paddle, stick some WD40 (using the extension tube) into the switch area behind the paddle.
Mine did this for a while & the WD40 sorted it. Not occurred since (That was 2 years ago).

[Scotty996T]

Darreni - you're a star mate. I think you're right as I tried the gearknob shift this morning at it was fine, so it must be something to do with the paddles. I've never been as exited in the anticipation of buying a can of WD40 as I am now! Cheers

Scott.

[Noel]

rsstman said:

http://www.pistonheads.com/xforums/topic.asp?h=0&a...

just hope this doesnt happen.

Mine isn't reliable, the one in the car you buy might be. As I've said on other threads I wouldn't buy another but that doesn't mean I'm not really looking forward to getting mine back. They are epic motors.