///M Coupe issues?

[izzy]

Hi guys drove a M Coupe wanted your thoughts on some issues,

I was disappointed by the snappy clunky gear box that struggled to engage 2nd gear when driven hard. This was not an issue when a slow precise gear change took place. There was a thump sound that would occur when I changed gears but I thought it was the diff and the nature of M Cars, am I correct?

There was a terrible squeak from the rear right side of the car that occurred mainly on bumpy roads. My initial thought is that there is a suspension problem.

So I told the dealer about the above issues and he said the squeak sound means the suspension needs to be tightened (Is this true?) and the gearbox will be checked.

Has anyone else had the above issues or know of them?

[Hawkeye]

Didn't you post this exact same thing just a few days ago?

The 2nd gear issue is a known one, not sure what the fix for it is though, sorry.

[wrh3]

I think everyone that tries to shift fast (myself and one of the magazines included) can beat the synchros when shifting 1>2. I just slow down the shift a little and no problems....

I have had my Z4M for about a year and 7k miles, I think it is reliable and fantastic if you get the opportunity to drive it like it is supposed to be driven

[vicj]

The trans is clunky at slow speeds, just like almost all other heavy duty transmissions built for extended high RPM work. If you want smooth shifts in the parking lot, buy Japanese.

[MMMazing07]

a thread like this comes up like every week

[BZZZE]

Was the CDV removed? The squeak is easily fixed by dealer.

[jragan]

Reposting my comment on this from another forum:

Clutch/Transmission-wise, I'm going to assume your complaints are one or more of the following:

1. You can't shift smoothly
2. You grind upshifting to 2nd
3. You've pulled the shift knob off during a quick hard upshift to 2nd

1 - Can be fixed by the deleting the CDV or replacing it with the Zeckhausen-modified unit. It really is a night and day difference.

2 - As you adjust to driving the M and the transmission breaks in a bit, this will eventually become very intermittent.

3 - As you adjust to driving the M and learn to be more deliberate with your shifting this won't happen.

The above being said, there should be no 'clunk' when shifting (perhaps you're describing it incorrectly). Where is the 'clucnk' coming from? The shifter itself? The front of the car?


Concerning squeak from right-rear... It's becoming a well known item on the Ms that the rear sway bar mounts get loose and need to be re-torqued (I just recently got my car out of the shop for exactly this).


If you're purchasing the car from a BMW dealer, here are some items to have checked:


Motor Mount Bracket Bolts

• Need to be checked for missing/broken bolts
• It's becoming common (and BMWNA is aware although I don't think there's a PUMA case open yet) that the motor mount bracket bolts are failing (primarily on the passenger side but somtimes on the driver's side as well) before 10k miles on Mcoupes.
• Symptoms: On visual inspection of the motor mounts, bolts could be loose or missing. In severe cases the mount will fail and the engine will be twisted over to one side

Strut Tower Braces

• Need to be re-torqued fairly often.
• Symptoms: Popping sound from the front of the car under body flex.

Rear Sway Bar Mounts

• Need to be checked for completely missing mounts and/or bolts and all bolts re-torqued.
• It's fairly common that the rear sway bar mounting bolts work themselves loose and need (minimally) re-torquing or (maximaly) come out all-together and cause the mount to fall off.
• Symptoms: In early stages, popping sound and groaning/creaking from the rear of the car behind seats during body flex. In later stages (as things get more loose) lots of groaning/creaking from the rear over any rough pavement. In severe cases, the mounts could be missing bolts or the entire mount could be missing.

[SunnyD]

Originally Posted by wrh3

I think everyone that tries to shift fast (myself and one of the magazines included) can beat the synchros when shifting 1>2. I just slow down the shift a little and no problems....\

Yea I just short shift 1st and I haven't experienced the grinding in a long time (knock on wood)

[izzy]

Originally Posted by jragan

Reposting my comment on this from another forum:


The above being said, there should be no 'clunk' when shifting (perhaps you're describing it incorrectly). Where is the 'clucnk' coming from? The shifter itself? The front of the car?


Concerning squeak from right-rear... It's becoming a well known item on the Ms that the rear sway bar mounts get loose and need to be re-torqued (I just recently got my car out of the shop for exactly this).


If you're purchasing the car from a BMW dealer, here are some items to have checked:


Motor Mount Bracket Bolts

• Need to be checked for missing/broken bolts
• It's becoming common (and BMWNA is aware although I don't think there's a PUMA case open yet) that the motor mount bracket bolts are failing (primarily on the passenger side but somtimes on the driver's side as well) before 10k miles on Mcoupes.
• Symptoms: On visual inspection of the motor mounts, bolts could be loose or missing. In severe cases the mount will fail and the engine will be twisted over to one side

Strut Tower Braces

• Need to be re-torqued fairly often.
• Symptoms: Popping sound from the front of the car under body flex.

Rear Sway Bar Mounts

• Need to be checked for completely missing mounts and/or bolts and all bolts re-torqued.
• It's fairly common that the rear sway bar mounting bolts work themselves loose and need (minimally) re-torquing or (maximaly) come out all-together and cause the mount to fall off.
• Symptoms: In early stages, popping sound and groaning/creaking from the rear of the car behind seats during body flex. In later stages (as things get more loose) lots of groaning/creaking from the rear over any rough pavement. In severe cases, the mounts could be missing bolts or the entire mount could be missing.

Thank you so much for the above comments. I will be following up tomorrow with dealer.