Recommended ZF Transmission Service Specialists?

[SFire89]

Hi all,

Got a particularly leggy F01 (176k) with no real info on if the gearbox has ever had a service. Occasionally jerky, sticking in gears more often now and seems to hover between gears at about 20mph, so it's probably high time I got it looked at properly.

So, anyone got a recommendation for a ZF Specialist around the West London/Slough/Reading area? Alternatively, I've seen people posting about taking their cars over to ZF in Dortmund and getting them serviced there and then - anyone know how this is arranged, or if ZF offer an equivalent service over here?

[chrisgeary]

Had mine reconditioned at 3dtransmissions in Reading almost a year ago. I've had no problems since.

[AW10]

I thought the only ZF service centre in the UK is in Nottingham but https://www.zf.com/unitedkingdom/en_gb/corporate/c... indicates there might be one in Northamponshire as well?

[SFire89]

I've pinged off an email to ZF but I'm yet to hear a response - I did see both their UK locations on the services map but I can't actually find any evidence of them doing actual service work at those locations.

And the map for other garages seems fairly out of date - ideally I can get it booked in at Dortmund as the trip to Germany alone would be worth it.

@chrisgeary what was the overall cost for the reconditioning at 3dtransmissions, if you don't mind my asking? And what's the scope of the recon work that they do?

Cheers ^^

[trickywoo]

Dartford transmissions did my 6 speed ZF in a 545i a few years ago.

Did a good job and seemed to know their stuff.

£400 for new oil and sump and mechatronics sleve.

[chrisgeary]

£1800 +VAT. They removed the box, took it apart, replaced the clutches, cleaned it out, new fluids, possibly other things as well. It was a 3 day job. Guaranteed for a year and they offered to extend that for a further 2 years with annual fluid changes (at cost). I declined that as my mileage doesn't warrant it.

[Jimbo893]

AW10 said:

I thought the only ZF service centre in the UK is in Nottingham but https://www.zf.com/unitedkingdom/en_gb/corporate/c... indicates there might be one in Northamponshire as well?

I contacted the Northants (Crick) one last year who told me that they don’t service boxes. I ended up going to Midland Automatic Transmission Services in Kettering. They charged me £160+VAT for oil + filter change and diagnostics. I supplied parts.

[SFire89]

As a quick update, settled on Automatic Man in Acton as I couldn't manage the time off to run down to Dartford and back before work started up again.

£420 for oil, sump/filter and mechatronic sleeve.

Feels quicker on the uptake and smoother overall. Still a bit snatchy going into third, and the lurch is still present on the occasional stop but I've only been driving it two days. Oil apparently came out in decent nick with no bits of gearbox floating in it and the old sump had a date of November 2013 on it, so it hasn't been too badly looked after.

Going to give it another month or two, see how it fares.

[thatdude]

If you are able to, contact Brunswick Garage who are based in north london, in arnos grove. They have some very good techs.