Built 7AT or ZF8 Conversion

phunk

I have a ZF8 HP in my brand new BMW X3MC and it does not shift anywhere even near the DCT.. not by a long shot. Still drives like an auto and you feel the delay and power drop during shifts. I am sure a built VR30 7AT can shift as well, or id be surprised if it couldnt. Since you are not looking to DIY any small part of your trans project, IMHO the built 7AT would be the most seamless for you. If you do a full trans conversion in your car, and do it totally hands off just writing checks, I would predict a nightmare to ensue any time there is an issue or glitch, as your car will forever depend on 1 or 2 specific people in the world to keep it on the road. When you have such a rare one-off combo, only the people who built it will be of much use to you. You could not just take it to another shop or hire a new tuner etc. If you dont want to take the bull by the horns, Id go less dramatic than any major conversion. I will give you that the ZF8, while still feeling like an auto, definitely feels like a very refined auto. Nice trans, though I am sure a majority of that refinement will be lost with the factory TCM development getting tossed aside for a standalone controller.

__________________