F30 335i manual gearbox - any good?

[RemarkLima]

Hi all,

Is the manual gearbox on the F generation 3 series any good?

The E46 manual was pretty decent if a bit heavy and with (I think) a crazy amount of spring back, but was pretty good. I then had an E91 330d manual, in which the gearbox was pretty terrible IMHO, very heavy, very hard to get into any gear and a crappy clutch action. My current Skoda Octavia VRS has a much easier gearbox to work with, but FWD and just not that exciting.

There's a manual 335i F31 for sale so curious if it's worth a look and if the gearbox has been sorted - I always found it weird in the E91 given the stick goes straight into the box without any need for cables!

Thanks!

[b14]

I've driven a 320i F30 manual and the box was unremarkable, not particularly great but didn't ruin the car. Others have said that the auto is the choice in the F30 though.

Interesting your remarks on the E90 manual - I had a 2006 335i E92 and the manual box was lovely in that. Quite long throw but very positive action.

[JackReacher]

Assuming its the same box, I thought the manual in my old m240i was a good, but not great gearbox. I preferred it to the 8 speed ZF in my m340i.

[willttqs]

i had a manual f31 and it was much more fun than an 8 speed auto 328i that i had previously to that. i am now looking at a m140 with either box.

[RemarkLima]

Thanks all, mine was a 330d e91 LCI - so maybe the box was not suited to to the engine, however it was alway hard to flow with it.

I had an i3 and now a Tesla Model 3 so auto boxes just always seem to be pretty pants compared to an electric drive train sadly, I've tried the 8 speed and the VAG DSGs but all just aren't as direct as the electric setup - and the Model 3 does 99% of duties hence something manual for the entertainment really... If it's practical (slightly) to boot then that's a bonus as well, and I do like a fast wagon!

Sounds like I may need to try it out and see... Thanks for the info all!

[willttqs]

Did you go for the F31 manual in the end?

[RemarkLima]

willttqs said:

Did you go for the F31 manual in the end?

Sadly not, too slow off the mark so didn't even get to drive!