BMW E92 335i DCT for light circuit duty?

[Neesan]

Thinking about getting something that would make a decent circuit car out of the box without too much work and can be kept road registered. Maybe add bigger brakes, MCA coil overs and suitable wheels/tyres, would that do it? LSD? Has to have a DCT transmission.

Any good advice please, quirks, essentials, tricks, German engineering crap?

[clutch-monkey]

Aren’t plastic radiator end tanks an issue with these? If you’re upgrading radiators anyway I guess no problem.

[Neesan]

Seems like checking all the engine plastics is a good idea with BMW's.

[GHZ28]

If not adding a cage, the mods permitted for Production Cars seems to be a good way to track a BMW. I have recently just done a new PC out of a 2003 325ti and so far it has done 3 hours of pre-event testing and ran mechanically faultlessly for the recent QR300 race weekend.
We basically went with Pagid pads in standard brakes, semi-slick tyres on factory rims, changed hoses etc but we have not done water pump, radiator and thermostat housing yet. The car has near on 200k km on the odometer. 6-speed manual though not a DCT.

[Road_Terrorist]

If you haven't found it already the zero to 60 youtube channel has a couple of Qld guys with a lot of 'budget' build 335i content, it's more street/straight line focused than circuit but probably worth following if you are getting a 335i as they go over fixing/upgrading most of the common issues and various performance upgrades.

[Fraud]

I thought only the m3s had dct in that era?

[Road_Terrorist]

I thought only the m3s had dct in that era?

There were three gear box options in the 335i, 6 speed manual, 6 speed ZF auto or 7 speed DCT. The DCT was only an option after around 2008 and was only available on the coupe model so it's relatively rare. The 335i and 135i both switched to using the 7 speed DCT only instead of the ZF as the auto option after their LCI updates from around 2010.

[Fraud]

Today I learned, thx

[Ribfeast]

How do the BMW DCT transmissions hold up vs the ZF's?
I'd love an E92 or preferably an E93, but there's a myriad of transmission and engine options. Missus isn't keen on me getting a BMW vs a Benz though.
After driving a mate's E90, these seem like a really good steer.

[Neesan]

Thanks blokes, buying a used BMW is a bit of a lottery but meh, my proper race car is just about finished so surely one out of two would be running at a particular time. Only thing is that BMW parts and trouble shooting can get stupid.

[Shonky]

There were three gear box options in the 335i, 6 speed manual, 6 speed ZF auto or 7 speed DCT. The DCT was only an option after around 2008 and was only available on the coupe model so it's relatively rare. The 335i and 135i both switched to using the 7 speed DCT only instead of the ZF as the auto option after their LCI updates from around 2010.

E93 Convertible too. And 1 series convertible (E88?)

[Mr Purple]

When I picked my manual M140i from the dealership following a service last month they asked me if I'd converted it to a manual. 'No, you actually sold them like that'.

I'm thinking finding a manual 335i could be a bit tricky!

Confirmed: if you want one you have to buy this one. It's the only one on Carsales.

https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/bmw...-transmission/

[Roy928tt]

Hang on, if you've already got a track car, then the most stupid thing is to get another, you'd wanna be superman to seriously run two cars. I know I can't do it.

[Luke352]

Thanks blokes, buying a used BMW is a bit of a lottery but meh, my proper race car is just about finished so surely one out of two would be running at a particular time. Only thing is that BMW parts and trouble shooting can get stupid.

Buying a used E92 335i is a lottery where you just have to pick a number between 1 and 5. The N54 was plagued with issues all of them expensive.

[Neesan]

Hang on, if you've already got a track car, then the most stupid thing is to get another, you'd wanna be superman to seriously run two cars. I know I can't do it.

Morgan park is only 10 minutes away, practice days are held regularly too. There is another reason but boring.