[SteveInfante]

I'm still getting used to the way it works in my F31. I usually drive in Sport+/sport-manual shift up and down. I had the 6MT in my F22 also with the N20. The only thing that bugs me is when in Comfort and letting the car shift itself 2nd gear feels super short and a bit weird.

[aidan_20]

Originally Posted by squelchy451

I'm in the minority that I do not like the ZF8, particularly the way that it is tuned for the F30.

Yes it does shift smoothly in D, fast in manual mode, responsive for a torque-convert unit but downshifts not as smooth as a Audi/VW DSG, upshifts jerky in S mode, and D mode always keeps it one gear too high, leading to an unpleasant engine sound.

It’s tuned great for a 320d or 325d as changing the early is a great thing for a diesel because revving then beyond 5000rpm just creates noise and you lose most of your power and all of your torque.
I agree that it changes a bit too early in the petrol F30 LCI’s but in the diesel ones it’s an amazing gearbox that suits it so well.

[aidan_20]

Originally Posted by eugene89us

It is jerky if you have a 4-cylinder diesel engine, like I do. For me, diesel choice was for tremendous fuel economy vs. comfort level. It is louder than a gasser, jerkier than a gasser, and will cost more in maintenance long term. But it gives me smile with high torque at low RPM and 600-700 miles on a 15-gallon tank. I cannot complain about that, even while putting up with its jerkiness on ZF8HP transmission platform.

Wow! I’m surprised you think like that, on my F30 LCI 320d (2017) which has the gen 2 8HP50, it isn’t jerky but isn’t very smooth going from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 1st (you can feel it) but from 2nd up to 8th you can’t feel it change at all. It’s great! So smooth and before I ordered it in 2017, I test drove a 320i with the same gearbox and I didn’t like the drive, the engine was good but it felt gutless at times when the 320d didn’t. The gearbox also wasn’t as smooth as the 320d.

[eugene89us]

Originally Posted by aidan_20

Wow! I’m surprised you think like that, on my F30 LCI 320d (2017) which has the gen 2 8HP50, it isn’t jerky but isn’t very smooth going from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 1st (you can feel it) but from 2nd up to 8th you can’t feel it change at all. It’s great! So smooth and before I ordered it in 2017, I test drove a 320i with the same gearbox and I didn’t like the drive, the engine was good but it felt gutless at times when the 320d didn’t. The gearbox also wasn’t as smooth as the 320d.

You guys get a fancy newer generation ZF transmission. I think ZF improved a lot with it, including improved longevity by improving some oil delivery mechanisms to clutches that tended to overheat on first gen ZF. In the US, our last model diesel from 2018 still came with first Gen transmission. One thing I will say, things are relative. Relative to CVT transmission, of course the slushbox is jerky. Compared to my first diesel 2014 Passat with DSG, ZF is silky smooth. But especially on cold engine, some upshifts and downshifts can be less than smooth, especially when engine braking also makes the downshift more palpable. Overall, I am extremely happy with ZF transmission and N47 engine. I envy those that run newer B engines and second generation ZF transmission, but I am hopeful with fuel prices, we may see diesels making comeback into the US again. Fingers crossed.