Your most hated BMW engineering

[Exodus_2pt0]

The e30 was one of the easiest cars I've worked on, in all manners.

No wonder you kids are afraid of Audi's. ;-)

[SoCal323i]

I hate that my wheels are held on by lug bolts and not lug nuts.

You're kidding, right?

[Julien]

-starter bolts
-those two bolts on the bottom side of the hvac panel
-having to separate the ball joints to replace shocks/springs
-the adjusters for a/c, ps, alternator that are ALWAYS STRIPPED :-/

[Vincent Brick]

The shifters. I have driven/sat in countless E28/E30/E36/E39 both street and track prepped, and only very few, which I am sure were aftermarket, didn't feel like absolute mush. My E30 has the worst shifter of any car I have owned even after full delrin bushing replacement.

[Julien]

The shifters. I have driven/sat in countless E28/E30/E36/E39 both street and track prepped, and only very few, which I am sure were aftermarket, didn't feel like absolute mush. My E30 has the worst shifter of any car I have owned even after full delrin bushing replacement.

You probably didn't replace the little foam bushing behind the selector (that's held in with a pin) on the trans.

[Dj Buttchug]

Bitch clip.

This x12938432

[Julien]

This x12938432

my method isn't great but it works each time
1. unscrew trans mounts
2. take small flat head from behind clip (coming from the front of the car towards the back) and raise it up ever so slightly
3. from the back of the clip slip a sturdy pick tool (i've used the same one for years) and slide it in the small void you just made... and pry.

[b*saint]

That is the worst complaint on an e30. Damn. Maybe I should sell my e90.

[Dj Buttchug]

my method isn't great but it works each time
1. unscrew trans mounts
2. take small flat head from behind clip (coming from the front of the car towards the back) and raise it up ever so slightly
3. from the back of the clip slip a sturdy pick tool (i've used the same one for years) and slide it in the small void you just made... and pry.

I typically will bend my bitch clips so they are not so tight. The first time is always the worst but afterwards it makes it easy to R&R later.

[FredK]

I'd rather remove 50 bitch clips than to have to remove the transmission. Just buy a new one and smack the old one out.

The upper bolts aren't THAT bad but the last time I removed a transmission, the starter actually gave me the most trouble. The small dowel pin was very difficult to align upon reinstallation, and cinching up the starter bolts didn't get the dowel to pop in.

[Das Delfin]

oil filter is easy if you take out the coolant overflow (on an early model) and use a grabber-style oil filter wrench to remove. When the car is cold.

My main gripe is the metal they used for electrical connections is prone to developing a dark gray coating which reduces conductivity.

[Vincent Brick]

You probably didn't replace the little foam bushing behind the selector (that's held in with a pin) on the trans.

No, I replaced that too along with the selector itself. Too bad I replaced it with another early one like what was on it, I'll have to change that if I ever get a DSSR. I've been told my shifter itself may be worn out, the bushing at the very bottom, or my issue may be in the trans itself.

But seriously, almost all BMW shifters feel like shit to me, and I've worked at two indie BMW repair/performance/race shops so I have driven A LOT of them if even just short distances.

[Sputnik]

Removing the differential, especially the top mount bolts.
I hate those bolts with a f#cking passion

[Kershaw]

No, I replaced that too along with the selector itself. Too bad I replaced it with another early one like what was on it, I'll have to change that if I ever get a DSSR. I've been told my shifter itself may be worn out, the bushing at the very bottom, or my issue may be in the trans itself.

But seriously, almost all BMW shifters feel like shit to me, and I've worked at two indie BMW repair/performance/race shops so I have driven A LOT of them if even just short distances.

The UUC shifter kit in my friends s50 swap with ZF trans felt great. It's 12 years old and feels perfect. The IE kit (new) with my g260 feels waaay too tight, maybe in 12 years.... The ZF is also probably a nicer trans.

That said, to date I haven't driven a car that shifted nicer than my rx-8. It seriously felt like a bolt action rifle. Clean, precise, confident, clicks. Mmm. Boner poppin. ;D

[dnguyen1963]

Electrical gremlins are the worst.