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I am looking to buy a Z4, but am concerned about the reliability of the auto transmissions. I have been told that they are a sealed unit and are only likely to last until about 150k kilometers.
Are these transmissions reliable, and are they more expensive to repair than any other transmission. Also I understand that there was a mid model refresh around 2006. Is there any difference after this date in reliability?

Hi there,
The facelift models changed from a 5 to a 6-speed auto, but both transmissions are fairly strong and reliable as used in various other brands like the Commodore. They did have a few issues at times, but the Z4 is fairly rare so the transmission specialists haven't seen very many.
All modern transmissions are costly to repair, the 6-speed will be more expensive to repair as the technology and components have increased.