Z4 M transmisssion: feels better than E46 M3

Jacques79 · 03-07-2009, 12:43 AM

I have to say I wasn't expecting to enjoy shifting in my M Roadster so much.

After having owned a 2001 M Coupe with probably one of the worst feeling shifters of all time the unit in my Z4 M is a joy to use.

Especially compared to all other BMW shifters (even in other M cars like the M3) the Z4 M's feels fantastic: short, precise and even has that nice mechanical little metal on metal ''click'' sound when I change gears.

I was afraid that my tranny would feel like the E46 M3's but it's totally different.

Keep in mind though that my car only has 3000 miles. I don't know how the same car with 30 000 miles will feel like and if the shifter bushings will feel as good then as they do now. BMW isn't known for having bushings that last long.

JerryLiu · 03-07-2009, 01:11 AM

The tranny in z4m is same as the one in z4 3.0si, it is good in 2nd-6th gear shifting, but it might grind in 1st-2nd when you shift aggressively(shift really fast) and at high RPM. it really drive me nut. Its a common problem. Maybe it is the characteristic of the car.

Rick Hunter · 03-07-2009, 01:37 AM

If you love shifting gears with the OEM knob... you should get the shorter weightier ZHP knob (or the modded lit one by Starscream). Pure bliss.

Jacques79 · 03-07-2009, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Hunter

If you love shifting gears with the OEM knob... you should get the shorter weightier ZHP knob (or the modded lit one by Starscream). Pure bliss.

Do you have a pic or web site where I can see it-buy it?

The stock knob feels too soft and it kinds of ''twists'' in my hand sometimes.

rcube · 03-07-2009, 02:45 AM

ha, if you think the stock is good... just wait until you get the short shifter.

Even shorter and it feels firmer. Doesn't flex like the stock shifter.
One of the best upgrades you can do.

thekurgan · 03-07-2009, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacques79

Do you have a pic or web site where I can see it-buy it?

The stock knob feels too soft and it kinds of ''twists'' in my hand sometimes.

The twisting bugs me too, I'm about to order the ZHP from Leatherz.com. Here is a comparison pic:

Dieter · 03-07-2009, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JerryLiu

The tranny in z4m is same as the one in z4 3.0si, it is good in 2nd-6th gear shifting, but it might grind in 1st-2nd when you shift aggressively(shift really fast) and at high RPM. it really drive me nut. Its a common problem. Maybe it is the characteristic of the car.

I have not experinced any grind in ANY gear.
I dont know why anyone would have had any problems shifting ?

Rick Hunter · 03-07-2009, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacques79

Do you have a pic or web site where I can see it-buy it?

The stock knob feels too soft and it kinds of ''twists'' in my hand sometimes.

I did a DIY on it here: http://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=77000

I bought mine from www.getbmwparts.com It's now $60 with free shipping in the US (dunno about shipping to Canada, though). Part number 25-11-7-896-886

If you're interested in a modified lit one, check out this thread: http://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=177465 Pics of mine is on post#18

Enjoy your car in good health.

enfield · 03-07-2009, 10:40 AM

I never drove an E46 M3 - so I cannot say much.

However, the 6MT gearbox on my E92 M3 is smoooooth and it only has about 250km on it! My Z4M Coupe had 26,500km on it and I had changed the CDV. The E92 M3 is completely stock and its gearbox is WAY better out of the dealership.

MMMazing07 · 03-07-2009, 11:40 AM

id have to disagree. the Z4M tranny is weak. since the E46 M3 transmission could not fit in the short wheel base of a Z4, they had to modify a 3.0 Z4 tranny for the Z4M. cheap move by BMW.

i have had the 1-2nd gear grind many times. my tranny will be replaced by the dealership next month.

O-cha · 03-07-2009, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by enfield

I never drove an E46 M3 - so I cannot say much.

However, the 6MT gearbox on my E92 M3 is smoooooth and it only has about 250km on it! My Z4M Coupe had 26,500km on it and I had changed the CDV. The E92 M3 is completely stock and its gearbox is WAY better out of the dealership.

You are nuts, the e9x M3 shifter/gearbox feel is probably the worst I've ever felt. Rubbery and disgusting.

jragan · 03-07-2009, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-cha

You are nuts, the e9x M3 shifter/gearbox feel is probably the worst I've ever felt. Rubbery and disgusting.

+1
A very good friend has an e9x M3 and we switched cars for a bit not too long ago. His clutch and shifter were horrid...I felt like I was going to put the clutch pedal through the floor it was so soft, and the shifter felt like it flexed and I was going to break it. After he drove mine his exact words were "your car feels like a race car, and your clutch is so stiff I don't think I would want to drive it in traffic".

jragan · 03-07-2009, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JerryLiu

The tranny in z4m is same as the one in z4 3.0si, it is good in 2nd-6th gear shifting, but it might grind in 1st-2nd when you shift aggressively(shift really fast) and at high RPM. it really drive me nut. Its a common problem. Maybe it is the characteristic of the car.

I'ts actually a characteristic of the driver, and not the car. A lot of things are blamed on the e85/e86 Ms that aren't the cars fault at all. The car has to be driven "just right" and any bad/sloppy habits of the driver immediately manifest themselves...but since the "driver" never heard their forgiving Honda complain, they immediately blame the car. Am I perfect? No. Did I grind 1-2 more than a few times...hell yeah. Did I learn from my mistakes?-Absolutely.

MMMazing07 · 03-07-2009, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jragan

I'ts actually a characteristic of the driver, and not the car. A lot of things are blamed on the e85/e86 Ms that aren't the cars fault at all. The car has to be driven "just right" and any bad/sloppy habits of the driver immediately manifest themselves...but since the "driver" never heard their forgiving Honda complain, they immediately blame the car. Am I perfect? No. Did I grind 1-2 more than a few times...hell yeah. Did I learn from my mistakes?-Absolutely.

hmmm your saying its a mistake to drive the car to redline

fact is the 1-2 grind is annoying. i try to avoid fast shifting from 1-2 but sometimes it does it and sometimes it doesnt. feels like the tranny cant handle the power. BMW cheaped out. not my fault

jragan · 03-07-2009, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMMazing07

hmmm your saying its a mistake to drive the car to redline

fact is the 1-2 grind is annoying. i try to avoid fast shifting from 1-2 but sometimes it does it and sometimes it doesnt. feels like the tranny cant handle the power. BMW cheaped out. not my fault

I can shift as fast or as hard as I want at any RPM. I don't grind anymore because I learned how to drive the car. With your logic OCHA and Plantiron, with their added power, shouldn't be able to upshift to 2nd much over 5K RPM without grinding.

indeed.

krnnerdboy · 03-07-2009, 01:23 PM

I just consciously wait a split second between 1-2 and I havent grinded it since! I redline at least once a day

mpower03 · 03-07-2009, 02:42 PM

yeah i think the grinding gears is driver error. I have grinded gears before, but it was my fault not the cars fault. i can't believe dealerships are replacing trannys because of this.

O-cha · 03-07-2009, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jragan

+1
A very good friend has an e9x M3 and we switched cars for a bit not too long ago. His clutch and shifter were horrid...I felt like I was going to put the clutch pedal through the floor it was so soft, and the shifter felt like it flexed and I was going to break it. After he drove mine his exact words were "your car feels like a race car, and your clutch is so stiff I don't think I would want to drive it in traffic".

You forgot about the part where the clutch practically sticks to the floor even if you completely take your foot off.

I think they made the clutch line by just stringing together a bunch of CDVs.

Dieter · 03-07-2009, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jragan

I can shift as fast or as hard as I want at any RPM. I don't grind anymore because I learned how to drive the car. With your logic OCHA and Plantiron, with their added power, shouldn't be able to upshift to 2nd much over 5K RPM without grinding.

indeed.

Good Post, I also think iit depends onhow and who is driving.
I never had that grinding problem........unless I mis shifted.

There is a difference if a 18 year old Kid drives that M Car or a 50 year old Person.

Dieter · 03-07-2009, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpower03

yeah i think the grinding gears is driver error. I have grinded gears before, but it was my fault not the cars fault. i can't believe dealerships are replacing trannys because of this.

Ones again I agree as in my prior Post !!

aerobod · 03-07-2009, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMMazing07

hmmm your saying its a mistake to drive the car to redline

fact is the 1-2 grind is annoying. i try to avoid fast shifting from 1-2 but sometimes it does it and sometimes it doesnt. feels like the tranny cant handle the power. BMW cheaped out. not my fault

The 1-2 shift is fine at high RPMs, but doesn't tolerate sloppy changes. I've shifted my 2007 Z4MR at 7900 with no problems in 1/4 mile runs at the track. I have ground the gears when shifting at high RPMs around town when I've been too sloppy in mis-timing clutch control and shift point.

This transmission doesn't have a wide tolerance of different shift techniques that you would find with the typical Honda transmission, but when you get it right, it does shift extremely well.

chris719 · 03-09-2009, 12:22 AM

What is this mythical gear grind? Is it actual loud grinding of gears? I think I heard it once pulling into second hard under 1200 miles.

Or, is it the crappy synchro issue where you feel the notchiness and "grind" going into second?

03-07-2009, 12:43 AM	#1
Jacques79 Enlisted Member 5 Rep 39 Posts Drives: 2006 M Roadster Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Montreal iTrader: (0)	Z4 M transmisssion: feels better than E46 M3 I have to say I wasn't expecting to enjoy shifting in my M Roadster so much. After having owned a 2001 M Coupe with probably one of the worst feeling shifters of all time the unit in my Z4 M is a joy to use. Especially compared to all other BMW shifters (even in other M cars like the M3) the Z4 M's feels fantastic: short, precise and even has that nice mechanical little metal on metal ''click'' sound when I change gears. I was afraid that my tranny would feel like the E46 M3's but it's totally different. Keep in mind though that my car only has 3000 miles. I don't know how the same car with 30 000 miles will feel like and if the shifter bushings will feel as good then as they do now. BMW isn't known for having bushings that last long.
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03-07-2009, 01:11 AM	#2
JerryLiu New Member 6 Rep 27 Posts Drives: Blue Z4MR Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Vancouer iTrader: (0)	The tranny in z4m is same as the one in z4 3.0si, it is good in 2nd-6th gear shifting, but it might grind in 1st-2nd when you shift aggressively(shift really fast) and at high RPM. it really drive me nut. Its a common problem. Maybe it is the characteristic of the car.
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03-07-2009, 01:37 AM	#3
Rick Hunter Skull Squadron Leader 307 Rep 2,031 Posts Drives: '07 M Coupé & '16 435xi GCoupé Join Date: May 2007 Location: The Emerald City iTrader: (20)	If you love shifting gears with the OEM knob... you should get the shorter weightier ZHP knob (or the modded lit one by Starscream). Pure bliss. __________________
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03-07-2009, 02:45 AM	#5
rcube Private 6 Rep 89 Posts Drives: z4mc Join Date: May 2008 Location: vancouver iTrader: (0)	ha, if you think the stock is good... just wait until you get the short shifter. Even shorter and it feels firmer. Doesn't flex like the stock shifter. One of the best upgrades you can do.
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03-07-2009, 10:40 AM	#9
enfield Civilian 79 Rep 970 Posts Drives: Jaguar F-Type V8 S Join Date: May 2007 Location: Ontario iTrader: (0)	I never drove an E46 M3 - so I cannot say much. However, the 6MT gearbox on my E92 M3 is smoooooth and it only has about 250km on it! My Z4M Coupe had 26,500km on it and I had changed the CDV. The E92 M3 is completely stock and its gearbox is WAY better out of the dealership.
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03-07-2009, 11:40 AM	#10
MMMazing07 More than you can afford pal....ferrari 181 Rep 1,471 Posts Drives: Z4M Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: MD iTrader: (0)	id have to disagree. the Z4M tranny is weak. since the E46 M3 transmission could not fit in the short wheel base of a Z4, they had to modify a 3.0 Z4 tranny for the Z4M. cheap move by BMW. i have had the 1-2nd gear grind many times. my tranny will be replaced by the dealership next month.
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03-07-2009, 01:23 PM	#16
krnnerdboy Colonel 190 Rep 2,431 Posts Drives: v10 m6 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: so cal iTrader: (10)	I just consciously wait a split second between 1-2 and I havent grinded it since! I redline at least once a day __________________ F80 m3, 997 gt3, 14 ram ctd, f15 x5, drz400sm Gone:z4m, boss 302, c6 z06, m6,z3m
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03-07-2009, 02:42 PM	#17
mpower03 Captain 39 Rep 962 Posts Drives: 08 z4 M Coupe Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: FL iTrader: (2)	yeah i think the grinding gears is driver error. I have grinded gears before, but it was my fault not the cars fault. i can't believe dealerships are replacing trannys because of this. __________________
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03-09-2009, 12:22 AM	#22
chris719 Major General 7334 Rep 7,298 Posts Drives: '08 M Roadster Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: NJ iTrader: (0)	What is this mythical gear grind? Is it actual loud grinding of gears? I think I heard it once pulling into second hard under 1200 miles. Or, is it the crappy synchro issue where you feel the notchiness and "grind" going into second?
	Appreciate 0 Quote