E90 325i steptronic reliability - to buy or not?

[Loom]

Hello fellow forum members

I'm offered a 2005 325i steptronic, exclusive pack, 133k km, FSH for R140k (list price is R150k). Although I would prefer a manual, this seems like a not too bad deal. My main concern is the reliability of the steptronic gearbox. From what I've read it seems that the 2005 model uses the same gearbox as the E46 models. Are the later steptronics more reliable/better/smoother than the E46 ones? I've read on another post that the life expectancy of the (later?) steptronics is about 200k km, which is not good enough for me.

Any thoughts?

 

[P1000]

200kkm is the design life, most of them do much more than that. Have it serviced and it will last well.

 

[Loom]

Thanks, I guess I can't complain if it makes 250k-300k km. With service, do you mean oil changes or is there more to it?

 

[P1000]

Oil, filter, sump gasket and nuts.

Do you know what model gearbox it has? The e46 has the 5HP19 AFAIK - that is a 5 speed.

 

[Loom]

Unfortunately I don't. I couldn't test drive the car because the exhaust was taken off but the dealer is prepared to bring the car to me (he screwed up on another car I would have bought).

Do you know what's the design life of the manual gearbox?

 

[P1000]

A manual box does not fail as an auto box, it begins to sing and grind when you put it in gear, but seldom do they catastrophically fail, or cause a no-drive condition. I think it would be safe to say that they have the same design life, just they don't really stop working once they reach that point, they just don't function exactly as intended anymore...

 

[Loom]

I've spoken to the dealer and it's a 6 speed 'box.

Thanks for the info, P1000.

 

[P1000]

If it is a six speed auto, it is not the same as the E46, it is then probably a 6hp19, which is a very good box as long as you don't crack the plastic sump.

 

[Loom]

Plastic sump... :-O

 

[EdOC]

Hi, i just recently traded in my E90 2005 330i with the Step box, had 155k and was still going strong. Normally built to last at least 200k in miles, so in k's that up to 320! I didn't have any problems with it, heard they're bulletproof.

 

[outlaw335]

Hi! i previously owned a e90 325i auto.it was a 2005 model and it came with a six speed gearbox,very different to the e46 auto..drove the car up to 110000km and the gearbox remained smooth and responsive even with my lets say "very spirited" driving style.overall a very well balanced car,keep it regularly serviced and it'll no doubt give you stress free driving for the next couple of years..

 

[Spy007]

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