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      03-13-2024, 04:54 PM   #1
TonyB58
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ZF8 Transmission Replaced at Low Mileage

I have a 2021 CPO M340i with 20k miles as of this posting. I purchased the car when it had 12k miles and it's my first ever German car after owning 2 different Japanese cars. And ever since owning this car, it has been a constant headache. From something minor like the speaker rattling to having the whole rear suspension replaced help of 2 BMW field reps (it was at the shop for 2 months for that), and now needing a whole new ZF8 transmission (the list goes on but I'll save that when I get rid of the car). Don't get me wrong, the car has been fun and amazing to drive, but with the amount of issues I've encountered, it kinda ruins the experience.

Back to the transmission concern, I started to notice a weird jolt when accelerating normally that occurred in 4th-5th gear and the car showed no codes or lights on the dash. Brought it to the dealership, the first week they stated nothing was wrong, but the second week when came back with the same issue and they immediately opened a TSARA case. Note my car is bone stock, I've never used launch control (maybe the previous owner did who knows), and I rarely drive it aggressively. A few days later my advisor stated that they tried reprogramming the transmission which didn't work and that my car was approved for a whole new transmission. What ended up being the problem was the transmission had internal component damage causing improper shifts.

The moral of the story is, don't buy a BMW without its factory warranty or any type of warranty. And this will probably be my first and last BMW.
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      03-13-2024, 05:14 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TonyB58 View Post
I have a 2021 CPO M340i with 20k miles as of this posting. I purchased the car when it had 12k miles and it's my first ever German car after owning 2 different Japanese cars. And ever since owning this car, it has been a constant headache. From something minor like the speaker rattling to having the whole rear suspension replaced help of 2 BMW field reps (it was at the shop for 2 months for that), and now needing a whole new ZF8 transmission (the list goes on but I'll save that when I get rid of the car). Don't get me wrong, the car has been fun and amazing to drive, but with the amount of issues I've encountered, it kinda ruins the experience.

Back to the transmission concern, I started to notice a weird jolt when accelerating normally that occurred in 4th-5th gear and the car showed no codes or lights on the dash. Brought it to the dealership, the first week they stated nothing was wrong, but the second week when came back with the same issue and they immediately opened a TSARA case. Note my car is bone stock, I've never used launch control (maybe the previous owner did who knows), and I rarely drive it aggressively. A few days later my advisor stated that they tried reprogramming the transmission which didn't work and that my car was approved for a whole new transmission. What ended up being the problem was the transmission had internal component damage causing improper shifts.

The moral of the story is, don't buy a BMW without its factory warranty or any type of warranty. And this will probably be my first and last BMW.
Sorry to hear that. But your problems are not typical for an M340i. Every manufacturer has a few lemons and it sounds like you got one. I wouldn’t sware off BMWs but I would probably trade this one in for a different car.

Remember that Consumer Reports ranks BMW number one in reliability. https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=2085692
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      03-13-2024, 05:16 PM   #3
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That sucks. Ive had my m240i since November bought preowned and so far so good. I don't beat the shit put of it but definitely do some spirited bursts. Hopefully its gets sorted after the trans fix. If not I would probably get rid of before the warranty period also. Good luck
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      03-13-2024, 07:20 PM   #4
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You either bought a lemon or the previous owner abused the car. Maybe it was a lemon and that’s why the previous owner sold it. Haven’t heard of any other ZF auto with problems.
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      03-13-2024, 07:36 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DanG View Post
Sorry to hear that. But your problems are not typical for an M340i. Every manufacturer has a few lemons and it sounds like you got one. I wouldn’t swear off BMWs but I would probably trade this one in for a different car.

Remember that Consumer Reports ranks BMW number one in reliability. https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=2085692
this

Quote:
Originally Posted by alex2364 View Post
You either bought a lemon or the previous owner abused the car. Maybe it was a lemon and that’s why the previous owner sold it. Haven’t heard of any other ZF auto with problems.
and this. The ZF8 is just next to bulletproof.
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      03-13-2024, 08:31 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tturedraider View Post
and this. The ZF8 is just next to bulletproof.
I totally agree with you about the ZF8 transmission. 👍🏻

The OP had to replace the rear suspension and now the transmission, it definitely sounds like the previous owner totally abused this car. 👎🏻
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      03-13-2024, 08:44 PM   #7
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Zf is pretty bullet proof.

I currently own 6 bmws out of warranty. No problem.
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      03-13-2024, 09:04 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Westside Guy View Post
I totally agree with you about the ZF8 transmission. 👍🏻

The OP had to replace the rear suspension and now the transmission, it definitely sounds like the previous owner totally abused this car. 👎🏻
The mystery behind this previous owner is that he did do frequent oil changes and visits to the service center according to the Carfax. And even if he was an abusive driver, that rear suspension would have not been covered under warranty. My end theory is, that my car is legit a POS. Nah jk, but on a serious note, I believe during the COVID era, quality control went downhill due to the supply chain disruptions. Now I could be completely wrong with that theory tho.
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      03-13-2024, 09:39 PM   #9
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What it really sounds like to me is that car had been in a bad wreck. And the repair wasnt posted to CarFax. Could explain why it was traded in with such low mileage. Most BMW dealers will CPO a repaired BMW.

One of the disadvantage of buying a used car.
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      03-14-2024, 06:59 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DanG View Post
What it really sounds like to me is that car had been in a bad wreck. And the repair wasnt posted to CarFax. Could explain why it was traded in with such low mileage. Most BMW dealers will CPO a repaired BMW.

One of the disadvantage of buying a used car.
I totally agree that not all accidents are posted on CarFax. This happened to my son recently when he was buying a supposedly clean and accident free Mazda from a dealer in California. The dealer had a return policy and he took the car to an independent shop for an inspection. It only took minutes for them to discover undisclosed repairs from an accident and he returned the car to the dealer for a full refund.

The OP should have the car inspected by an independent shop. Put the car up on a lift and see if there are any visible signs of repairs performed from an undisclosed accident.
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      03-14-2024, 07:27 AM   #11
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BMW has had their issues with electronics, injectors and coils, and a few more things, but nobody builds a better transmission than ZF.

Who knows what the previous owner did to it. That's the risk you take saving $ buying used car. Low of averages says some people are going to get a lemon.
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      03-14-2024, 07:35 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ugly Kar View Post
BMW has had their issues with electronics, injectors and coils, and a few more things, but nobody builds a better transmission than ZF.

Who knows what the previous owner did to it. That's the risk you take saving $ buying used car. Low of averages says some people are going to get a lemon.
However very, very few have had any issues with the ZF8.
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      03-14-2024, 07:48 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alex2364 View Post
You either bought a lemon or the previous owner abused the car. Maybe it was a lemon and that’s why the previous owner sold it. Haven’t heard of any other ZF auto with problems.
I'm guessing the car was abused. It's extremely rare to see anyone have a tranny issue on the forums.

Rob
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      03-14-2024, 08:00 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob_G77 View Post
I'm guessing the car was abused. It's extremely rare to see anyone have a tranny issue on the forums.

Rob
Spoken by a person who should know considering all the issues you’ve had in the past! 🤪
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