2001 Z3 gearbox

[jtrnt247]

Just acquired my first BMW, a classic Z with under 50k miles. I have driven Miatas for years and there is no comparison between the two. Thus is truly a driving machine. My only concern with it is the gearbox- the Miatas were always so smooth to shift, but this Z seems to kind of grind in every gear, and I can hear a slight clanking noise in the lower gears. I took it by a transmission shop and they said “probably nothing to worry about,” but it bothers me. What do you think?

[jtrnt247]

Having said all that, as much as I love it, I think I have outgrown my fascination with tiny roadsters and it may be time to move on. I have had a 64 Corvette, two MG Midgets, a ‘63 Pontiac Tempest V-8 convertible (ok, not a roadster but close,) a 2001 Boxster, 3 Miatas, and now this little jewel, and have enjoyed them all. But I’m about to turn 80, and just getting in and out of it is a chore. So I’m looking for a good home for it. Here are the details:
Located near Atlanta
2.5 engine
49,000 miles
Black on black on black
5-speed
Very, very nice, inside and out, except for two almost imperceptible hail dents in the hood - perfect top - almost perfect rear window
Custom BMW floormats
Kenwood radio installed, original radio included
Four almost new tires
Need to get no less than $10,500

If interested please respond here

[ppointer]

It should not grind in any gear, in my opinion. When cold, my m roadster will grind from third to second downshift if I do it too quickly. If I slow that downshift just a little, no issues, and once the transmission is warm, I can do it quickly.

I never have grinding at any temperature when upshifting.

Your transmission might need some work.

[M3Sleeper]

Originally Posted by jtrnt247

Just acquired my first BMW, a classic Z with under 50k miles. I have driven Miatas for years and there is no comparison between the two. Thus is truly a driving machine. My only concern with it is the gearbox- the Miatas were always so smooth to shift, but this Z seems to kind of grind in every gear, and I can hear a slight clanking noise in the lower gears. I took it by a transmission shop and they said “probably nothing to worry about,” but it bothers me. What do you think?

key wording here "Probably" nothing to worry about

Maybe doing a transmission fluid change if that has not been done by you is your first step.

straight from AI here..

Key Maintenance for Smooth Shifting:

Change Transmission Fluid: Replace old fluid to remove debris and restore viscosity, which helps with smooth gear engagement.

Check/Replace Clutch Hydraulics: Bleed the clutch line or replace the master/slave cylinders if shifting is stiff or the clutch feels spongy.

Inspect Shifter Linkage/Bushings: Replace worn bushings and lubricate the shifter linkage to eliminate excessive, sloppy, or difficult gear stick movement.

Check for Leaks: Ensure the transmission fluid level is not low due to leaking seals or gaskets.

Use Recommended Oil is the last suggestion...I would start with the fluid.

[fiveightandten]

Unfortunately, it shouldn’t grind like that. Do you know what fluid is in there? Have you tried changing it?

If it’s only grinding when cold or during hard shifts, a fluid change might help. If it’s grinding all the time, it may need to be replaced.

How does the clutch feel?

[jtrnt247]

Thanks for the feedback. Changing the fluid was my first instinct so I’m glad for the confirmation. The grinding is actually very minor - it’s the faint clanking noise that concerns me. The clutch feels perfect so I hope this will fix the problem

I am semi-skilled - is this something I might do myself, or should I leave it to the professionals?

[LuvMyE92]

Happy birthday!

The BMW is not nearly as easy to shift as the Miata, but then it has to deal with more power and is likely more robust. A clanking noise, to me, is more likely drivetrain related, like the differential or perhaps the giubo. Changing the gear oil is certainly not going to hurt anything and is the cheapest first step.

I suspect that 10,5 is far above market price for that car. However, we are approaching the best time of the year for selling a convertible, so put some ads out online and give it a whirl!

I had the same car, back when it was new, for what that's worth.

[fiveightandten]

Originally Posted by jtrnt247

Thanks for the feedback. Changing the fluid was my first instinct so I’m glad for the confirmation. The grinding is actually very minor - it’s the faint clanking noise that concerns me. The clutch feels perfect so I hope this will fix the problem

I am semi-skilled - is this something I might do myself, or should I leave it to the professionals?

Fluid change in these cars is quite easy, so I’m sure you could tackle it. A fluid pump will be needed to fill it. And be sure to open the fill plug before draining, to ensure they both turn.

There may be a marking on the transmission indicating what BMW fluid it was originally filled with. They’ve superseded these things a bunch of times by now and a quality synthetic ATF will work fine. Is that the ZF 5 speed in that car? I ran Mobil 1 ATF in my E46 330ci with the same transmission for 150K DD miles and had good experience with it. The same has been in my E36 M3 for 60K miles (15 years).

[Efthreeoh]

I'll throw in...

I have a 1997 Z3 1.9L. Owned since new, now in its 29th year of service. 201,000+ miles. Not being able to drive your car, so no way for me to tell if what shift issues you are describing are normal or not, but most folks new to BMWs do find the manual transmissions shift a bit less smoothly than a Japanese brand vehicle.

The Z3's Getrag is no different. It has a short shift kit from the factory and is notchy in 1st and 2nd gear. Most everyone finds the 1-to-2 shift at low speeds/low RPM disconcerting, especially on a cold transmission. Nothing to worry about. But if you have concerns, try driving another Z3 to compare it to, or take it to a BMW indy shop for their evaluation.

BMW uses very stout driveline components, especially in the legacy cars of the Z3's era. Just keep it and drive it. Best way to get out of the seat is swing your legs out first, use your right elbow on the A-pillar and lift with your legs.

Try to not get the BMW OCD disease.

[jtrnt247]

After driving this sweetheart for 6 months I am truly in love. What a fun machine!
I have a few questions for you Beemerheads:

DSC switch: if I am reading the manual correctly, ON is the default position. Pressing the switch turns it OFF. Is that correct? If so is there any reason to ever turn it off?

Storage box behind and between the seats: there seems to be a box there but no way to open it - no buttons to push. Any idea why?

Oil changes: AI says every 15000 miles; is that realistic?

Really dumb question: what is the significance of the “m” logo on the steering wheel? I know the M series is the high performance, most expensive one, but I see this little logo many places

Rear window: it is beginning to separate from the top in a couple of places. Can it be fixed?

Clear coat: seeing a lot of tiny holes on the hood. Does this need to be addressed sooner rather than later? Is it going to get worse?

Thanks in advance for helping out a new member of the cult

[fiveightandten]

Originally Posted by jtrnt247

After driving this sweetheart for 6 months I am truly in love. What a fun machine!
I have a few questions for you Beemerheads:

DSC switch: if I am reading the manual correctly, ON is the default position. Pressing the switch turns it OFF. Is that correct? If so is there any reason to ever turn it off?

Storage box behind and between the seats: there seems to be a box there but no way to open it - no buttons to push. Any idea why?

Oil changes: AI says every 15000 miles; is that realistic?

Really dumb question: what is the significance of the “m” logo on the steering wheel? I know the M series is the high performance, most expensive one, but I see this little logo many places

Rear window: it is beginning to separate from the top in a couple of places. Can it be fixed?

Clear coat: seeing a lot of tiny holes on the hood. Does this need to be addressed sooner rather than later? Is it going to get worse?

Thanks in advance for helping out a new member of the cult

You’re correct on the DSC. It turns on by default when you start the car, and can be defeated if you don’t want it intervening during spirited driving. That would be the reason for turning it off.

15,000 miles is MUCH too long for an oil change. Oil change interval (OCI) will vary depending on how you drive the car and what oil you use. Everyone has their own opinions on OCIs. Assuming a good quality synthetic is being used; Most enthusiasts will go 5K to 7K or so, because even if the oil can go longer, the filter shouldn’t. If you really want to stretch the OCI out, you can recover a sample and send to someone like Blackstone Labs to have it analyzed. They will tell you if the oil could’ve gone longer. Manufacturers these days will recommend 10K or 11K OCIs, but that’s more for their own benefit than what’s best for the car. IMO, go 6K or 7K if you want a reasonable safe OCI without analysis. 5K is good for a conservative OCI, and that’s what I do on my cars, personally.

M is the BMW performance division. Putting M parts on a car just carries the cachet of that marque, and usually the M parts are nicer than the standard stuff.

The tiny holes you describe in the hood are likely rock chips from highway driving. It’s a good idea to fill in prominent ones that are through the clear coat (or all the paint). This will help to ensure the paint doesn’t fail around them and start to flake. Deep chips can also expose the metal and allow it to eventually rust, causing the paint to bubble around it. Filling these can be done with a touch up paint kit from BMW (or others) to match your paint. The process can range anywhere from “dab it on and don’t care what it looks like” to taking the time to fill it to match the thickness of the surrounding paint so it’s less noticeable. Professionals (and discerning DIY people) will fill and polish and or carefully wet sand + polish to make the repair very inconspicuous. An easy method with good results is to dab on sufficient paint, wait a few minutes for partial curing, then wiping it with alcohol on a microfiber to level it off.

It’s been a while since I’ve been in a Z3, so I’m not sure about the cargo box you mentioned.

The roof could potentially be repaired with a weatherstripping adhesive. You may want to have a pro take a look at it, as the consequences of messing it up could mean water in the car or a new roof.

[jtrnt247]

Thanks so much for all the good info. Clears up a lot. As to the DSC it sounds like you’re saying it should be turned OFF for spirited driving. Right? That’s opposite of what I was imagining. Thanks for straightening that out

One more question: the loose driver’s seat. I’ve read it is a common problem in these cars so I would hope someone might have come up with a solution. Yes? No?

[fiveightandten]

Originally Posted by jtrnt247

Thanks so much for all the good info. Clears up a lot. As to the DSC it sounds like you’re saying it should be turned OFF for spirited driving. Right? That’s opposite of what I was imagining. Thanks for straightening that out

For clarification; defeating it for spirited driving is why there’s a button there. But those who aren’t fully capable of handling the car shouldn’t defeat the driver aids. Accomplished drivers are often annoyed by the driver aids stepping in when racing the car on a track, for instance. That’s one environment where someone would turn the DSC off.

Turning it off for spirited driving on the street is a sticky subject that I’ll refrain from commenting on any further.

Originally Posted by jtrnt247

One more question: the loose driver’s seat. I’ve read it is a common problem in these cars so I would hope someone might have come up with a solution. Yes? No?

Unfortunately I’m not familiar with that issue. Hopefully someone can help out.

[LuvMyE92]

Originally Posted by jtrnt247

Thanks so much for all the good info. Clears up a lot. As to the DSC it sounds like you’re saying it should be turned OFF for spirited driving. Right? That’s opposite of what I was imagining. Thanks for straightening that out

One more question: the loose driver’s seat. I’ve read it is a common problem in these cars so I would hope someone might have come up with a solution. Yes? No?

Don't turn off the DSC unless you are drifting or on the racetrack. For normal - even enthusiastic - driving on the streets, it's an important safety feature and those who turn it off often end up in a ditch or worse.

The seat issue is common and rather easily repaired if you are handy. Do a search.

[Efthreeoh]

Okay, I'll jump back in.

First off a Beemer is a BMW motorcycle. A Bimmer is a BMW car. We're Bimmerheads here in the BMW car forum.

The Z3 has an oil life monitor for telling you when to change the engine oil. While GM developed the oil life monitoring system back in the early 1980's, BMW was an early adopter of it and implemented such systems in their cars in the late 1980s. My 1989 E30 had it. Don't trust anything AI tells you, since all AI does is read all the shit on the internet about the subject you asked about. Oil type, brand, and change interval and BMWs is the most over blown over hyped subject on the internet.

Your Z3 has either an M52 or an M54 in it. You haven't stated what year it is so it is either engine. The N52/M54 is the same base engine, just the head and a few other details are updated on the M54. The M52/54 is tough as nails and very hard to break. In that BMW era, the engine oil life monitor was an early version of BMW's condition based service (CBS) system. BMWs have had long oil drain intervals since the mid 1980s. 10,000 miles is not uncommon for a car that is driven daily, say 1,000 miles a month. The 15,000 mile drain interval your AI search returned was for more modern BMWs of the mid 2000's, which use an actual oil quality sensor in the engine to determine the level of oil contamination. It works, my E90 with the N52 six went 426,800 miles on an average 12,300 OCI. Use BMW spec oil and a high quality original equipment (OE) or OEM BMW oil filter. Based on your Z3's low mileage, it probably saw annual oil changes, which is the correct maintenance protocol to follow per BMW's CBS. My Z3 gets driven now about 1,600 miles annually. I change the oil in it every 24 months. As I said, BMW and oil change intervals is the most over bullshitted subject on the internet.

As far as the rear cubby, during the Z3 production run, BMW added the roll bar system and lost the cubby. If your car has a cubby storage compartment there will be two black square buttons, one with an up-facing arrow and one with a down-facing arrow. You can't miss them.

The rear window has a one-time use zipper, meaning it has no zipper pull. I've not checked lately, but BMW should still sell the rear window. Just buy one and have an upholstery shop install it. It is something I need too to address on my Z3. If you are handy you can install the rear window yourself, it just requires being bent over for long periods of time.

[jtrnt247]

Wow. Great information! Thanks for taking the time to help out a brand new BIMMERhead. (Who knew!)