automatic 325i sedan.. would you DD

[kylebes1]

Im looking at a black with grey cloth interior 325i... has automatic. probably close to 180k miles.

Question is do the m20 automatics give trouble or have an expiration date like the GM autos used in the 90s on e34s or are they ok?

[bmwstephen]

these mechanical autos were probably the last great autotragics compared to modern ones. I have an e46 auto and the e30 one blows it away even if it is 20 years old. It's mechanical so everything is easily serviceable, predictable, and responsive compared to the electronically complex and bi-polar adaptive nature of modern ones.

On an e30. It's great for DD and only makes the car less than a second slower than the manual. I have 200k on mine and it still shifts fine with no sign of slippage. As long as you don't rev it in neutral or parked and change the fluid every 30-60k they should last as long as the engine.

very nice for my commute and cruising moments.

[ME30W]

I have an 89 automatic 325i myself. And while it isn't exciting to drive, the tranny works flawlessly. I don't think I can last much longer before I do a 5 speed swap

[Kershaw]

it'll feel a shit ton slower because of the torque converter taking forever.

i used to have a 325ix auto and i loved it though. really easy dd. i think the autos get better highway mpg too due to the lower final gearing.

[Gregs///M]

I have 215k on mine and I daily drive it all the time. Runs perfect still. Has Redline Synthetic oil

[slammin.e28]

Watch out revving it in P or N. You'll roast that A pack.

Otherwise, proper maintenance and you're gold, just like anything else.

[TurboJake]

I DD'd my E30 as an auto for just over a year. Worked great, but at the slightest inclination towards it shifting hard which may have never really been real, I swapped it.

:D

I did not see the same gas mileage my car currently gets. City was 16-17, highway was 22-23. It now gets 20/26 with the G260 and 3.64 LSD

[Kershaw]

the auto trans did have a design flaw that caused a lot to fail before 100k. but if it has over 100k, chances are it was serviced and is fine. i forgot, but it had something to do with it not being able to take a lot of rpms constantly. not really an issue with autos tbh.

that 3.64 is going to give you better mpg than stock. slower acceleration too.

[QUKBMER]

I have a semiautomatic in my dd.I have owned it for the last 11 years and its great for SOCAL/L.A. driving in traffic. You have to own 2 e30's though. The other is 5 speed for track use so you get to exercise your left leg once and awhile.

[cbouchez]

I have an automatic right now, previous owner did not do any kind of service to it. Right now reverse engages for the most part sometime it work… That is why it’s going away in about two week.

My tranny is different to others due to the Sport mode so it might take more abuse than others.

[QUKBMER]

Oh also use redline syn trans fluid bro.;)

[JJe30]

My 90 325iA has 214k on it and still stock auto trans. I am building up parts for manual swap but in no rush to swap. Wait till it's going out first.

[TurboJake]

that 3.64 is going to give you better mpg than stock. slower acceleration too.

Not much better and slower than the 3.73 the manuals come with. The .09 difference in the two diffs not improve it by the 5-6 mpg it's seen.

I can see maybe 1, possibly 2mpg. But there's no way that a 2.5% longer gear does a 20-23% MPG difference.

I wish I'd written down what I got with the 4.10 still installed on the manual.

[bmwstephen]

Not much better and slower than the 3.73 the manuals come with. The .09 difference in the two diffs not improve it by the 5-6 mpg it's seen.

I can see maybe 1, possibly 2mpg. But there's no way that a 2.5% longer gear does a 20-23% MPG difference.

tis true which is why bmw stuck a 4.10 open or lsd in all automatics to better utilize the engine's powerband more effectively. can't understand why 3.73 was better suited in canadian models however...

don't even think about throwing a 2.64 in there unless you want to get 0-60 in 15 secs with shittier gas mileage.

it's all about efficiency

[Lance Racing]

My take, people can barely give away auto trannys when parting cars. That tells me there is little demand for them due to lack of failures. There are a lot of E30 automatics still in use.

I have both a 5-speed and an Auto. Drive the auto when I don't feel like shifting. I keep a spare auto tranny on the shelf that I got for free, but doubt I'll need it anytime soon.