[floydthebarber71]

Hi there

I've tried my best using the search function to see what's out there, so apologies if this has been answered before but I can't quite find anything.

I'm new to BMWs and see there have been various different gearboxes in them with all similar descriptions in the past few years.

I'm looking at a 2018 X1 that has the "steptronic sports transmission with dual clutches and gearshift paddles" as an added option which has been put in.

I know what it does, but what IS it? Is that the same Aisin 8-speed box with additional functionality? I read somewhere that is a ZF box but can't confirm this anywhere, so that looks like a rogue comment. And it's definitely not the full-blown DCT, right? So I'm just all-round confused.

I'll be taking it out of warranty, I know the ZF and Aisins are known to be reliable. But whatever this steptronic is, does that fall under the same umbrella? Or is it a vastly different box that could be an issue later?

Thanks!
Z

[Samuaw]

DCT= Dual Clutch
Aisins= Torque convertor which i have heard it a ZF replica of some sort.

Steptronic to my understanding is saying that you can shift manually on an auto gear box, and so that terminology is used interchangeably across different articles.

The best thing to do is go onto Realoem and check up which gearbox you have.
I am fairly certain they only shifted the 20i S drive models (and below) to the DCT for the LCI model which was released in 2019ish, whilst the X drive and high power models kept on the Aisin box

I am not sure of the reliability of the DCT nor the Aisin, but if the Aisin is truly a ZF replica, then it should be pretty good.
On a side note, DCT has the torque limit of the DCT is 300NM, and the Aisin is 450NM.

Stock power of the 20i engine is already 280- so the Aisin is more tune friendly without worrying about clutch slip on the DCT (if that's your thing in terms of tuning)

[floydthebarber71]

I hope that image link works, but that's what is listed under the optional extras. It is indeed a 20i sDrive.

So it's a normal torque converter box...but with dual clutch? Is that even physically possible lol?

I just drove it and I can't tell much, if any, difference to a normal Aisin box I drove. Maaaybe the paddle shifts are more responsive, but the delay is still something I probably won't even bother using the shifters anyway. I forgot to check how many gears it had.

Also from standstill I released the brake to creep forward like a normal auto, is it not supposed to only go when I press the accelerator? This can't be the touted DCT... to park, there was a park button and then I switched off.

Thanks for the info on the torque limits....but yeah, still a mystery to me what's the difference between this optional extra as an installed gearbox compared to the standard Aisin.

edit: mm so I see it says "double clutch" and not "dual clutch" actually...so just the same box with a bit of marketing jargon?

[ackerman328]

The DCT is a completely different gearbox than the Aisin torque converter.
This DCT gearbox was manufactured by Getrag for 2018 and 2019 X1s, and it was available only in 18i and 20i, due to its torque limit.
Basically the DCT advantage is that the gear changes are faster than the torque converter. The downside is that the changes at low speed sometimes are a bit clunky.
Abouy the reliability, based on my own research, it seems not very good in both of them... I have read from many people with problems on the Aisins on internet forums. About the Getrag, there is not much info because most of X1s are Aisins, but it seems that Ford powershift automatic gearboxes were the same, and they are also reported as unreliables in many places.

[floydthebarber71]

Originally Posted by ackerman328

The DCT is a completely different gearbox than the Aisin torque converter.
This DCT gearbox was manufactured by Getrag for 2018 and 2019 X1s, and it was available only in 18i and 20i, due to its torque limit.
Basically the DCT advantage is that the gear changes are faster than the torque converter. The downside is that the changes at low speed sometimes are a bit clunky.
Abouy the reliability, based on my own research, it seems not very good in both of them... I have read from many people with problems on the Aisins on internet forums. About the Getrag, there is not much info because most of X1s are Aisins, but it seems that Ford powershift automatic gearboxes were the same, and they are also reported as unreliables in many places.

Ah great info thanks! I really struggled to find that it was a Getrag box. Very little info out there indeed. Ito reliability, I think with the sheer volume of Aisins out there that you would see some problems here and there, but I seemed to think that generally they are pretty solid.

Unfortunately I don't have the budget for an X3 to get the ZF box, so I would have to live with one of these options. Sounds like the 8-speed Aisin should be preferred, I will barely be using the manual shifts in a car like this.

[floydthebarber71]

I mean, stuff like this doesn't help lol. Can't believe things like this are so unknown, if that is correct that these are the same gearboxes between them..

[ackerman328]

Originally Posted by floydthebarber71

Ah great info thanks! I really struggled to find that it was a Getrag box. Very little info out there indeed. Ito reliability, I think with the sheer volume of Aisins out there that you would see some problems here and there, but I seemed to think that generally they are pretty solid.

Unfortunately I don't have the budget for an X3 to get the ZF box, so I would have to live with one of these options. Sounds like the 8-speed Aisin should be preferred, I will barely be using the manual shifts in a car like this.

Actually the ZF box is only present on the rear-wheel drive models of BMW. For the X1 F48, as they changed to front-wheel drive, they could not use the ZF (which has a reputation of being very good auto transmission), and they moved to the Aisin and Getrag options.

I recently purchased X1 f48 20i, and it was difficult for me to choose between them: the models from 2016 and 2017 have the Aisin, and the models from 2018 and 2019 the Getrag. Finally I just took the best unit nearby, which had an Aisin.

[floydthebarber71]

Originally Posted by ackerman328

Actually the ZF box is only present on the rear-wheel drive models of BMW. For the X1 F48, as they changed to front-wheel drive, they could not use the ZF (which has a reputation of being very good auto transmission), and they moved to the Aisin and Getrag options.

I recently purchased X1 f48 20i, and it was difficult for me to choose between them: the models from 2016 and 2017 have the Aisin, and the models from 2018 and 2019 the Getrag. Finally I just took the best unit nearby, which had an Aisin.

Thanks! In any case, I will be trying to keep the car under extended warranty as far as possible, it doesn't matter what's under the hood...but it's nice to find out as much as possible to know what is under there. If that is a Getrag box, it felt pretty smooth and quick and I would not have been thinking about it while driving if I wasn't specifically trying to figure it out.