SMG = ‘Serious Money Gone’

[ac427]

Is that a serious question or trolling?

I think he means the balance between more being known about SMG and the age of SMG cars now.

[George Hill]

Most technicians that I know don't want or care to know how to properly diagnose a SMG issue as there are multiple failures that will have the same symptoms, it's not like getting a cam sensor fault and knowing 99 out of 100 times its a cam sensor. So in the repair shop world the normal thing to do is shotgun a complete hydraulic unit. Then factor in most don't users don't like the driving experience you can see why they got a bad rap.

At the end of the day if you really like it, you'll fix it. If not you'll convert it. Who cares, its your car.

[jdamore44]

I like my SMG. It's 14 years old and it hasn't failed soooo. I doubt the fluid has ever been changed but the fluid in the lines looks really good. It basically looks new.

Famous last words

[Mspir3d]

I miss the smg but a DCT swap into the e46 like maxpsi did with their shop car would be great.

[Arith2]

Famous last words

Well, it's getting new fluid because the trans is out so I'm not really worried. CSL software will probably wear it out quicker but all I really need is a bellhousing for the conversion and I think I'm good. I've slowly accrued the parts over time so I'm not worried but also prepared. Turns out BMW is the best place to by a shifter(cheapest).

[Derek //M]

The guy is a veteran BMW technician with an impressive blog. I think his work speaks for itself.

Link please?

[Will ZCPM3]

Link please?

Link from the blog: http://www.bimmerdoc.com/

Good reviews online. I didn't know blogs were really a thing still, but his last blog post was from 2014 and the one before that was 2011. I don't know that I would call the blog "impressive".

[Derek //M]

Link from the blog: http://www.bimmerdoc.com/

Good reviews online. I didn't know blogs were really a thing still, but his last blog post was from 2014 and the one before that was 2011. I don't know that I would call the blog "impressive".

Thank you!

[JokerElite]

Maybe "serious money gone" at the time the article was posted (2011). Now there are cheaper remedies. Particularly the Burkhart Engineering repair kit that cures most problems for a fraction of the price.

[chicane]

Maybe "serious money gone" at the time the article was posted (2011). Now there are cheaper remedies. Particularly the Burkhart Engineering repair kit that cures most problems for a fraction of the price.

A fraction, $621 for the kit? That's if you don't also need a Gang detection sensor $496 or a Piston Accumulator $907.

[AdamM3]

I have 3 friend locally with smg including me. One car has about 100k, the other has 170k and mine has 140k. I repaired the hcu about 3 years with a rebuilt motor for around 250 bucks, thats it repair wise for all three. I know smg cars have issues and they are not for everyone, i get that. Spreading misinformation about how hard they are to diagnose and promoting a blog from 2011... let go man

[JokerElite]

A fraction, $621 for the kit? That's if you don't also need a Gang detection sensor $496 or a Piston Accumulator $907.

Burkhart Engineering's repair kit comes out to $546 and the accumulator is $797 *IF* you need it. SMG Society sells the motor alone for $313, which typically resolves the issues for most. All a fraction of the ~$4,000 people have been paying for a whole new unit.

As AdamM3 mentioned, there are even cheaper alternatives. The SMG pump motor can be removed and rebuilt for even less.