You can't even trust BMW / Malaysia tak boleh

[cempaka]

Just forget autoboxes, make the best of it and go for a manual swap, it will be worth it in the end.:top:

BMW actually has tons of variations in specifications and components used, especially in the E30/E36 era. Specs not only differed by country, but even within a factory the parts used varied sometimes even depending on the time of year the car was built (in Germany too). There are many discussions on overseas BMW forums about this same thing, so it's not something that's unique to Malaysia, but definitely frustrating all the same.

As far as the repairs you've had to do, a lot of the forummers here have pretty similar stories to tell, I also spent 10k right after buying just to get the car running properly. It's part of buying a 2nd hand car sometimes unfortunately. And it's worth considering that if the previous owners managed to destroy all the other parts of the car, they may also be responsible for the gearbox problems.

 

[turbology]

I think your problem start with followings:

]I bought the car from a private person through Malaysian Motortrader. He said the car was in good shape/serviced and all, just the tires needed changing.

When I test-drove the car, it did feel a little strange, but my "expert(haha)"-friend was pretty sure that was only the worn down tires.

info about the locally assembled BMW's with wrong gearboxes came from the mechanic, and I kind of trust / believe the guy.

According to service manual:
All E36 328 are instaled withl A4S 270R Auto Transmission.
A4S 270R is a FOUR forward speeds transmission with gear ration of 1- 2.86 2-1.62. 3-1.00 4-0.72
Only a5S 310Z auto tranny found in E36 M3 come with 5 forward speeds.

With many years of experience working in an Auto Assembly Factory, your have 0.000005% (or 5PPM) of changes that they install wrong transmission into your car starting from day 1.
I am 99.999995% sure that if you car came with a wrong tranny, is the fault of the previous 5 owners, not the factory.
Or else, you have yourself a solid multi-million lawsuit.
Car manufacturer keep up to 20 years of assembly data. They can tell you if the tranny is the original from factory, along with tightening torque of EVERY bolts on transmission.

Conclusion. Bad friend, bad mechanic. Lemon car.

Cheers.

 

[shama]

who told u that ur 1996 E36 328 is a five speedster?

 

[chairoger]

I bought the car from a private person through Malaysian Motortrader. He said the car was in good shape/serviced and all, just the tires needed changing.

When I test-drove the car, it did feel a little strange, but my "expert(haha)"-friend was pretty sure that was only the worn down tires.

Since I bought the car for 39000, I have spent around 10000 to fix this and that. It was not only the tires. I've had to change or repair pretty much every part connected to the stabilizers, rear-arm, drive shaft and steering. And the best is yet to come as I will also need to change the shock absorbers, since I've discovered that they are long gone and have been tampered with (repaired by injecting oil and gas into them). My mechanic showed me the absorber when he was replacing another part and even though I am no expert, they looked very bad and they don't expand after you push them in. SIGH!

Besides that, I learned that the car has had 6 owners before me, and they probably all "burnt rubber" for a while and then sold the car when it was road-tax time! ...so it has had a tough life.

Of course this is a lesson to me and everybody else. NEVER buy a car without taking it to a good mechanic first...

All this bitching is of course besides my point here, but never the less reason for much annoyance.

Its OK dude. At least you learnt your lesson and hope that other's will learn from your experience. Just be prepared to spend more cash for repairs and maintainance if you wanna "keep" the car,if not then better find a way to unload it cause I have spent almost 5 times your amount for the past 4 years. At least now the repair bills are dropping and nothing major for me.

 

[Hellraiser]

guys, i got this from wikipedia :

Production 1991–1999 Body style(s) 2-door coupe
2-door convertible
4-door sedan
4-door station wagon
2-door hatchback Layout Front engine, rear-wheel drive Platform BMW E36 Engine(s) 1.6 L I4; 1.8 L I4; 1.8 L/1.9 L 16V I4; 2.0 L 24V I6; 2.5 L 24V I6; 2.5 L/2.8 L 24V I6; 2.4 L TD I6 Transmission(s) 5-speed manual
4-speed automatic Wheelbase 106.3 in (2700 mm) Length Sedan & 1996-98 Coupe: 174.5 in (4432 mm)
Coupe & Convertible: 165.7 in (4209 mm) Width 1992-95 Sedan: 66.8 in (1697 mm)
Coupe & 1996-98 Sedan: 66.9 in (1699 mm)
Convertible: 67.3 in (1709 mm) Height Sedan: 54.8 in (1392 mm)
Coupe: 53.8 in (1367 mm)
Convertible: 53.1 in (1349 mm) Fuel capacity 13.7 US gal (52 L/11 imp gal)
16.4 US gal (62 L/14 imp gal) Related BMW M3

 

[izuaff]

Sounds to me like you've been cheated by previous owner rather than BMW.

 

[shama]

the previous owner is already a history... i would suggest you strongly re-evaluate ur faith and trust in ur mechanic.... it seems he is a good in BS rather than fixing ur car!? because there are mechanics would start blaming even the sky when they can't fix the problem...

 

[jarance]

So the conclusion is :-

1. That the 4 speed gearbox is STANDARD for E36 for Auto Transmission..
2. The thread starter have been misinformed.
3. The thread starter have defame BMW.

please add on..

 

[sam1741]

btw...
for absorber....
they not suppose to come out after u push them in
the spring suppose to pull them out after its being push in

 

[turbology]

btw...
for absorber....
they not suppose to come out after u push them in
the spring suppose to pull them out after its being push in

For absorber, they should "release" after you "compress" them.
Spring acts as a "height", and "buffer" between the height. You absorber slow down or reduce the rapid height change. Spring not suppose to "pull" out.

For a 10 years car, is always good to replace the absorber anyway.

 

[t2ribena]

bro turbo...whats the mileage normally u need the absorbers changed...considering that i trash the car at every chance i have...

 

[turbology]

bro turbo...whats the mileage normally u need the absorbers changed...considering that i trash the car at every chance i have...

No actual "mileage". It vary person to person.
One of the "standard" method to test is :
1. press & release the edge/corner of you car (not to bend any body, of course)
2. your car should bounce up and down pretty good
3. release immediately.

The car should bounce 1-2-stop. (up-down-stop)
If it bounce more than that (up-down up-down.. stop), you should have it check

Hope this help

 

[JOKER]

From my knowledge all E36 locally assemble are 4 speed & I dun think 318 & 328 share the same gbox. U may proceed to AB to have it verify. No need to spent 10k for E36 gbox. Better just get the 2nd hand 5 speed gbox from japan spec very cheap.
Older BMW are cheaper & easier to maintain compare to newer model. Glad u enjoy the ultimate driving machine:top:

some part did same with the E46,
the used E36 cheaper then the brand new deer, nuclear and nuclear 's sun....
just compare it,

the pro;
the safety, power & torque (6-barrel version), the syle and appearence (M3 bodykit), luggage capacity, passenger (4-door), handling, rust resistance chassic, AI computer operated....:top:

the con;(used)
it was old many-handed, part expensive if condamn, not many BMW expert out-there,
must use the right lubricant (castrol syntec better), many complex wire in the car, :stupid:

->> my suggestion -> GRAB it quick...

these E36 328i can outrun the rotary powered (stock).., according to my analisted..

 

[turbology]

these E36 328i can outrun the rotary powered (stock).., according to my analisted..

Your "analist" is not accurately.
328 has too many disadvantage to run again RX7 FD, either straight line or corner.

 

[Hellraiser]

btw...
for absorber....
they not suppose to come out after u push them in
the spring suppose to pull them out after its being push in

sam, please start your own thread on shock abs. do not hijack this thread unless you also have a bone to pick with BMW.

 

[anaksarawak]

I am the medium-happy owner of a 328i from 1996.

Recently, I had a weird experience where the car, after braking, didn't go smoothly into gear but seemed to be in neutral and then suddenly jump into gear with a hard sudden pull and tough sound.

I felt a little strange/nervous about this, so I went to see my mechanic and he told me something interesting, though a little besides the point.

A car like mine, late 90's 328, has been assembled in Malaysia and even though the specs call for a 5 speed automatic gearbox, the monkeys put in a 4-speed auto-gearbox for a 318i (with a few minor alterations) to save money or whatever. Of course this gearbox is not tuned to handle an engine almost twice as strong as the 318 engine and I have actually wondered why the car goes in unnecessary high rotations when you speed up or drive fast and why the gear-change is often quite rough. But there's the answer.

I just don't understand that BMW, who has always been known for delivering solid engineering, can allow this to be the case. But I guess anything goes in this country.

Bro.. its not because of fixing a 4 speed gearbox to 328 but is the make and quality of the gearbox, almost all BMW suffer from gearbox problem. Your problem sound like you need to convert to manual 5 speed soon.

 

[sam1741]

sam, please start your own thread on shock abs. do not hijack this thread unless you also have a bone to pick with BMW.

hi bro hellraiser

i do not hijack any thread
nor do i go off topic.
i am discussing about the same topic, about baitianlong car.
please refer below.

I bought the car from a private person through Malaysian Motortrader. He said the car was in good shape/serviced and all, just the tires needed changing.

When I test-drove the car, it did feel a little strange, but my "expert(haha)"-friend was pretty sure that was only the worn down tires.

Since I bought the car for 39000, I have spent around 10000 to fix this and that. It was not only the tires. I've had to change or repair pretty much every part connected to the stabilizers, rear-arm, drive shaft and steering. And the best is yet to come as I will also need to change the shock absorbers, since I've discovered that they are long gone and have been tampered with (repaired by injecting oil and gas into them). My mechanic showed me the absorber when he was replacing another part and even though I am no expert, they looked very bad and they don't expand after you push them in. SIGH!

Besides that, I learned that the car has had 6 owners before me, and they probably all "burnt rubber" for a while and then sold the car when it was road-tax time! ...so it has had a tough life.

Of course this is a lesson to me and everybody else. NEVER buy a car without taking it to a good mechanic first...

All this bitching is of course besides my point here, but never the less reason for much annoyance.

 

[mir_bimm]

i think auto gearbox problem is a normal to all brand of car... is a matter of how u handling it.. i just bought an e34 auto n has spent rm2500 for overhauling the gearbox since its had slip already n nearly rm10k for suspension,sport spring etc. (minor repair major fabricating:1 but it worth every rm i spent when i floor the pedal n cruising on highway n bring me here n there as it noted as the most reliable car( at his time):top::top:
the best part is... plus the car i just spent around rm25k which is cheaper than current new cheap car n far more comfortable than any medium expensive car... :top::top:
n i know the rm25k still counting.. hehehee

 

[Hellraiser]

hi bro hellraiser

i do not hijack any thread
nor do i go off topic.
i am discussing about the same topic, about baitianlong car.
please refer below.

bro, this is about brother baitianlong's opinion that BMW teruk lah. Its about the gearbox thingy where he feels cheated. Not so much the shock absorbers lah. Gearbox lagi mahal mah....