[daixloxbmw]

hi all,

i wanted to start a discussion on the durability of the ZF steptronic transmission on high-mileage tuned 335i. can we have a survey of how your steptronic transmissions are holding up as far as slippage and torque transfer.

the reason i ask is because my former car, 2001 330i with the steptronic transmission was very lightly modded (dinan CAI, throttle body, stage 3 ECU and exhaust), started experiencing light slippage at around 40k miles and it got progressively worse. when i traded it in at around 55k miles, the slippage was dreadfully bad, seems to be a 750 rpm "slack" between actual engine speed and where the engine speed should be. and this was on the 330i with half the power/torque of the 335i. granted the steptronic transmission on that car was known to be much more prone to failure but even still, i wanted to get a discussion started on the steptronic transmission on the 335i.

could you please chime in and include the following:
1. model year of your 335i
2. mileage
3. mods
4. driving style (how heavy your right foot is)
5. steptronic transmission condition (e.g. direct/snappy or slushy/rubbery)

i would like to keep this thread focused on the modified/tuned 335i and the steptronic transmission since the 335i has a unique auto transmission and has the ability to make much more power/torque but 328i and manual transmission 335i folks are welcome to chime in as well (just make sure you include that information).

i will kick start this thread:
1. 2008 335i
2. ~20k miles
3. V3 stage 0 doomsday
4. mostly mildly spirited driving (no hard launches, just an occasional highway run)
5. very direct and snappy (i hope it stays this way forever!)

look forward to hearing back from the rest of the bmw community.

[luca335i]

07 335
51 k miles
occassional WOT runs and higway runs
only hard launches at the drag strip
Transmission is just as good as the day I drove it off the lot
remember your old 330i tranny is not the same as your 335 zf

[Andras]

Originally Posted by daixloxbmw

hi all,

i wanted to start a discussion on the durability of the ZF steptronic transmission on high-mileage tuned 335i. can we have a survey of how your steptronic transmissions are holding up as far as slippage and torque transfer.

the reason i ask is because my former car, 2001 330i with the steptronic transmission was very lightly modded (dinan CAI, throttle body, stage 3 ECU and exhaust), started experiencing light slippage at around 40k miles and it got progressively worse. when i traded it in at around 55k miles, the slippage was dreadfully bad, seems to be a 750 rpm "slack" between actual engine speed and where the engine speed should be. and this was on the 330i with half the power/torque of the 335i. granted the steptronic transmission on that car was known to be much more prone to failure but even still, i wanted to get a discussion started on the steptronic transmission on the 335i.

could you please chime in and include the following:
1. model year of your 335i
2. mileage
3. mods
4. driving style (how heavy your right foot is)
5. steptronic transmission condition (e.g. direct/snappy or slushy/rubbery)

i would like to keep this thread focused on the modified/tuned 335i and the steptronic transmission since the 335i has a unique auto transmission and has the ability to make much more power/torque but 328i and manual transmission 335i folks are welcome to chime in as well (just make sure you include that information).

i will kick start this thread:
1. 2008 335i
2. ~20k miles
3. V3 stage 0 doomsday
4. mostly mildly spirited driving (no hard launches, just an occasional highway run)
5. very direct and snappy (i hope it stays this way forever!)

look forward to hearing back from the rest of the bmw community.

1 2006 335i
2 53k miles
3 V3 stage 0 non doomsday
4 mostly cruising on autobahn but plenty of WOT every day
5 smooth an fast

fingers crossed I would say!

[daixloxbmw]

thanks for the responses guys!

with both of you at 50+k miles and driving it as hard as you do, it is a relief to hear that your transmissions are holding up quite nicely.

[335e92tx]

Automatics will often give very little warning before failing. PMs (IE fluid changes) are one of the few ways to identify internal problems (such as excessive clutch wear).

[BGEU]

1. model year of your 335i: 2008 335i
2. mileage: 18000
3. mods: Dinan S2
4. driving style (how heavy your right foot is): normal with occasional hard runs in club events.
5. steptronic transmission condition (e.g. direct/snappy or slushy/rubbery): direct and fast. It is an excellent transmission. My only problem is that I have always have driven manual cars and cannot get the same level of fm from the Steptronic.

[vase330]

Don't worry too much there are a lot of 400+ whp\tq around holding up with no issues. You will snap drive shafts before anything happens to the AT.

You can't compare E46 330i AT to E9X 335 AT. The E46 was a POS GM unit, and trust me when I tell you tune didn't do it. Mine went out 2nd day after delivery with only 90 miles and bone stock. The replacement unit also went out at 118,000 miles still bone stock. I bought the 335 but kept the 330i as a beater. I had them replace the tranny with a rebuild unit that started slipping at 127,000 miles. I finally had enough and whole-sold the damn car. I swore off BMWs but the 335i changed my mind on that point. That tranny is infamous for all sorts of maladies. Slipping, lutching, and world famous "no-reverse" issue. There was a class action suit about that POS that didn't belong in a Trabant let alone a BMW.

[drsilvershot]

Can we revive this thread??