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Thread: 2004 BMW 325i with SMG. How rare is it ?

  1. #26
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Granville, OH and Ft Campbell, KY
    Posts
    458
    My Cars
    2005 325i
    Ok I got ya. I wasnt sure if there was a difference or not. And yes I know I should have. I did not know about any of these bimmer forums sites before I bought my car. Also I was just more excited about my upgrade from a 1998 Mustang to a BMW.... I was not thinking clearly... lmao


  2. #27
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Marietta, GA
    Posts
    9
    My Cars
    2004 BMW 325i w/ SMG
    same here, I was too excited when switching from a 99 intrepid to BMW, thts a big jump to comprehend. But now slowly and steady I am learning about my cars pretty much every day. Its a huge learning curve. Hope I can keep up with it. But till now the car runs ablsolutely fine, no such problems, its gonna reach 75k in another 1k miles, any special checks/services recommended to perform on it ?

  3. #28
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Nashville TN/Central FL.
    Posts
    823
    My Cars
    Touring, and a few more
    You might as well be teaching Quantum Cybernetics to these cretins. Save your fingers.
    In God we trust. Everyone else keep your hands where I can see them.

  4. #29
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Northern VA
    Posts
    1,852
    My Cars
    97 //M3/4/5 & 99 //M3/C
    Quote Originally Posted by deadly12 View Post
    same here, I was too excited when switching from a 99 intrepid to BMW, thts a big jump to comprehend. But now slowly and steady I am learning about my cars pretty much every day. Its a huge learning curve. Hope I can keep up with it. But till now the car runs ablsolutely fine, no such problems, its gonna reach 75k in another 1k miles, any special checks/services recommended to perform on it ?
    If it hasn't been done already I'd do a complete inspection II along with a full fluid change including power steering, rear end and transmission fluid.

  5. #30
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Philadelphia, PA
    Posts
    5,660
    My Cars
    2005 M3 & 2004 330i
    Quote Originally Posted by Tom D View Post
    no, it's not like a steptronic automatic trans at all. an automatic uses a torque convertor, hydraulic valves and fluid. a SMG uses planetary gears and a clutch that is activated by hydraulics.

    and yes, you should have gotten a manual!!!
    SMG doesn't use a planetary gearset... Autos do. The SMG gearbox is basically the same thing as the GS6-37BZ found in 6spd 330s, but it's missing the springs that center the gear lever to neutral, and there's a pump attached to it to allow the computer to control the clutch. Like all modern manuals, it just uses a set of constantly meshed gears.

  6. #31
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    monterey, ca.
    Posts
    14,486
    My Cars
    e21, e30 m3. e46 330ci
    yup, good catch. i edited my post and apparently missed that. should had read that SMG is a "constant meshed box" that is electrohydraulically managed.
    Tom D

    77 e21 - m42
    88 e30m3
    04 330 dinan3
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    all of them gray
    14 f800gsa - red headed stepchild!

  7. #32
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Pendleton, Indiana
    Posts
    3
    My Cars
    2004 BMW 325i, 2010 Jeep
    I just picked up a 2004 325i with the SMG. The stealer said it's not a very common option. Mine is loaded with leather, xenon, etc so the buyer must have had too much money on his hands lol.

    Mine has 48k and it drives very well. Still working through the crankiness if you will of the shifting...it definitely likes to be driven it's way, but man are the paddles fun!

  8. #33
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    MD
    Posts
    474
    My Cars
    01' 330CI 6MT / 00' 540i
    Quote Originally Posted by alanilil View Post
    The SMG 1 is rare because people hated it so much. Had a reputation for being problematic and having poor performance.
    ...and it is more often called SSG.

    Quote Originally Posted by alanilil View Post
    The SMG II in the e46 m3 was much improved.
    And people on m3forum are still complaining A LOT about reliability of SMG2 and various problems with it.[/QUOTE]

    Quote Originally Posted by indye46 View Post
    Mine has 48k and it drives very well. Still working through the crankiness if you will of the shifting...it definitely likes to be driven it's way, but man are the paddles fun!
    Yep, paddles are fun, that is why I recently retrofitted M SMG steering wheel to my steptronic.
    Last edited by NervoS; 06-28-2011 at 04:12 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

  9. #34
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Washington, DC
    Posts
    4
    My Cars
    i3

    2004 325it with SMG

    My 2004 wagon has the SMG option. Almost no valets have seen it before and though they say they know what to do, will come around the corner at 25 mph still in 1st gear. Those who do know what SMG is are really suprised to see it in a wagon!

    My husband thought it was cool. He drives it in manual; I drive it in automatic. Honestly I hate it. I've had to replace so many things with my clutch, transmission, etc etc. Been stranded several times on road trips, far from home.

    Even he admits we're never getting another SMG! Even if it did work right we don't find enough mechanics, even at BMW, who really know how to work on them.

  10. #35
    Join Date
    Sep 2021
    Location
    Sacramento ca.
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    04 325ci
    Fast forward 10 years from this post, and my 325ci convertible w/SMG is at 227k miles, still running great. I did have to replace the SMG pump once, but it's literally just three screws, two small pipe fittings, an electrical plug and topping off the reservoir. It can be a bit jerky at low speeds if you're not careful, but I've no major complaints with it. Hope you all had good fun with yours, I'm planning to keep mine rolling as long as I can!

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