Brakes & Gear problems 330i Sport 2001

[CHADROW]

Hi guys,

Hoping you can help me. When stopping at lights & about to move off, the gear sometimes doesn’t get into gear. I really have to push it in a few times, it doesn’t slip out just sometimes really hard to get it into 1st. does anyone know what the prob could be as its driving me crazy.

Also the brakes are messed too.. when applying them, they make a 'thud' kind of noise, could they mean they are shot! It happens when i suudenly brake.

Thanks
L

[Nickbmwcoupe]

exactly what happened in the e46 compact..... never new what that was about?

even though its gone now can anyone enlighten us?

[CHADROW]

I been told numerous things by different ppl, somesay it could be a worn clutch, cluth slave cylinder, MAN TRANS FLUID? Gearbox oil needs changing,... Dunno

Ive got an idea on the brakes, i had the front bushes changed last week, maybe they havent settled in, but its a loud thud when you brake hard, surprised my whole front end aint come off. Any one experience this before?

[john_p]

When they changed the bushes, did they check the wishbones (control arms) too ? I wouldn't be surprised if changing the bushes has moved the weak point somewhere else and these need changing too.

[CHADROW]

Could be a thought, how long do the control arm usually last, my cars done just over 106k

[john_p]

Seems to be about 60k, quite often they last as long as the bushes. Has it been MOTd recently? You can check by jacking the car up and trying to shake/lever the wheel up and down, if you hear any clonking or rattling then probably the control arms will need doing

[CHADROW]

It was the MOT that picked up the bushes problem.. & he wrote a advisory notes as below

'Nearside front suspension arm has slight play in a track control arm inner bush'

But only the bushes were changed..