Which BMW Gearboxes Are the Most Reliable? Ranked by UK Experts
Photo by Mat Kilkeary on Unsplash Ask most BMW owners what they worry about, and the engine comes up first. But the gearbox is just as important, and in some cases, just as expensive when it goes wrong. A failed BMW automatic gearbox can cost more to replace than many second-hand BMWs are worth. Knowing which type is in your car, what its strengths and weaknesses are, and what maintenance it actually needs is the kind of information that saves serious money. BMW has used several different gearbox types across its range over the years. Some are made by ZF, some by Getrag, and one, the SMG, is a category of its own. This guide covers all of them, ranked from most to least reliable based on real-world owner experience and the view from independent BMW specialists in the UK. The Rankings at a Glance Gearbox Type Reliability Found in Getrag Manual 6-speed manual 🟢 Excellent Most non-M BMWs, available across the range ZF 8HP 8-speed automatic 🟢 Very good Most modern BMWs from 2010 o...
