95 525i manual tranny, rebuilding or new?

[tgrandahl]

Hi all,
I have a 95 525i about 170k and am in need for a new manual tranny. It suffers from extreme whine almost all gears up to fifth, usually wont sync into first until the car has come to a absolute dead stop when its cold in the morning, it will after its been driven for about 5 minutes but is still very hesitant at times. The whole shifter in general is very loose.

It does still work and ive been hoping to wait until the spring, but im not sure if i can put up with this things shas much longer. When i replaced my clutch in the fall i changed the fluid in it and there was next to nothing left in it when i drained it. The new fluid dampened the sound a bit but its still horrible and didn’t fix anything.

Im looking to get quite a bit more out of this car if possible, my m50 shows no intensions of stopping and i love the car. But i dont know if i can rebuild this one or should i look for a used one? By the looks i can be paying $1k easy for a tranny thats still going to have 120k on. Is it possible to just strip mine down and buy some new bearings and syncros? It sounds like the engine from a e36 m3 is similar to the m50? Should i also be looking from a m3 tranny as a replacement?

Help! anything! please! Im dying here, you can hear my car coming literally from half a mile away and its not a civic.

Thanks You
Tyler

[tgrandahl]

Oh, i forgot to mention that my reverse sensor also does not work. Not a biggie but is this common?

~Tyler

[Kalevera]

When was the last time you pulled the fill plug? When was the fluid level last checked/or the fluid changed?

best, whit

[tgrandahl]

When was the last time you pulled the fill plug? When was the fluid level last checked/or the fluid changed?

best, whit

Well, the only time i ever changed or checked the fluid in it was in september when i did the clutch. There was next to nothing in it when i drained it, under a pint. I have had this car for just over a year now so i really couldnt tell you if it had been replaced before then. It was still very noisy when i got the car, but its twice as bad now.

~Tyler

[Rigmaster]

I think you should be able to find a good used tranny for ~$600 or so, $1000 is high unless it has REALLY low mileage on it, like 20-30k....

Getting that tranny rebuilt requires some special tools and know-how, and from what I've seen, probably ~$1500-2000.

I'd go with a good used one, and keep the oil level topped up- it should last for a long, long time.........

Not sure about applications, but I believe the E36 325i tranny should work as well, and there are plenty of those out there......

Bret.

[tgrandahl]

Ok, ill keep looking

Thanks

[Incantation]

i would get a factory rebuild with 2 year warranty

[tgrandahl]

i would get a factory rebuild with 2 year warranty

From a dealer or bavarian and such? Bav quoted me $1k on one with a 1yr warranty, what do you think i would pay from a dealer?

[Rigmaster]

From a dealer or bavarian and such? Bav quoted me $1k on one with a 1yr warranty, what do you think i would pay from a dealer?


Be vewy vewy careful.....

There are at least 2 "Bavarian" named parts places. Bavarian AutoSport in NH sells new parts, Bavarian Auto Recycling in CA is a junkyard and sells used parts (mostly)- I think they also run a business called Bavarian Engine Exchange that sells "rebuilt" heads and engines- but the word on the 'net is that their quality control can be lacking.

For $1000, I'd be willing to bet it's a used tranny. I think "factory" rebuilt trannies are like ~$1500-2000.


Bret.

[tgrandahl]

I know it was the one in NH because i had asked about picking it up, I didn't know there was one in CA though. He said it was used but didnt say much about it except that it was "rebuilt" and had a warranty. I suppose that should be good but has anyone ever bought one of these before? How much better could a dealer rebuild be?

~Tyler

[Don McAdams]

New Reman'd from BMW $2540 list + $500 core :(

Depending upon how long you plan on keeping the car, a new reman'd might be too $$. The 2 year warranty is re-assuring though which "helps" w/ the price....

Cheers-

[tgrandahl]

New Reman'd from BMW $2540 list + $500 core :(

Depending upon how long you plan on keeping the car, a new reman'd might be too $$. The 2 year warranty is re-assuring though which "helps" w/ the price....

Cheers-

Wow, well thats more than two Bavarian rebuilds with the one year warranty, and i dont think i plan on keeping it over 3 mabe 4 more years max.

I am curious about the e36 transmission though, i see some pretty good deals if it fits. Does it have diffrent ratios?

[Don McAdams]

Sorry- just re-read now... "manual"- duh :( , that price was for an auto- The 5 speed shows $2125 list + a $200 core- Sorry for the confusion, at least it was cheaper! :D Sorry, not sure if the E36 will fit or not- ETK only shows the E34 in "parts use" catagory....

Cheers-

[Kalevera]

Buy the factory reman if you plan on keeping the trans/car. The two year warranty covers labor and parts, which means you can take the car to any dealer and have them fix it. You should be able to find it for around $15 or $1800 from a discount dealer (check in Roundel). The dealer pays a fraction of $2125 for the thing, and parts managers have incentives to do dollar volume, so do research and you'll probably find a better price.

The problem with Bavarian (Engine Exchange/Auto Recyclers) is that they're said to be just downright crooks, with questionable quality and a "shell game" warranty.

If it were my car, I'd dump the trans altogether, even at the expense of getting a new driveshaft and shifter. The 220/5 is the weakest getrag that I know of.

best, whit

[tgrandahl]

Buy the factory reman if you plan on keeping the trans/car. The two year warranty covers labor and parts, which means you can take the car to any dealer and have them fix it. You should be able to find it for around $15 or $1800 from a discount dealer (check in Roundel). The dealer pays a fraction of $2125 for the thing, and parts managers have incentives to do dollar volume, so do research and you'll probably find a better price.

The problem with Bavarian (Engine Exchange/Auto Recyclers) is that they're said to be just downright crooks, with questionable quality and a "shell game" warranty.

If it were my car, I'd dump the trans altogether, even at the expense of getting a new driveshaft and shifter. The 220/5 is the weakest getrag that I know of.

best, whit


Ok, i think a dealer is what im getting then. Do you think i would have better luck / price looking for a 325i still from a dealer? do you think that would kill any warranty? I need the most reliable option, but then again im trying to save for college here.

~Tyler

[Kalevera]

Ok, i think a dealer is what im getting then. Do you think i would have better luck / price looking for a 325i still from a dealer? do you think that would kill any warranty? I need the most reliable option, but then again im trying to save for college here.

~Tyler


Tyler, they warrant the transmission, not the car...Soooo, if you have the paper work on the tranny, it shouldn't matter what car it is in unless the service manager has a chip on his shoulder.

I think the most reliable short term option (two years of car ownership left) is the factory reman. That way, if you're in school and it breaks, you can simply take it to the dealer and have them....well...deal...with it.

best, whit