Question for MT Owners

lately in NewEngland it's been cool early am and so the windows are closed - quiet ; leaving our condo complex there's a slight downhill for a short time & while in neutral I hear what I can only best describe as a very quiet downshift type sound - definitely not tire or so called road noise.

if anyone has a few moments to spare and could try this with their MT in neutral , I'd be interested in hearing the outcome - just wondering if it's normal BMW or not .

by way of comparison we also have an old '97 VW Jetta and in a similar test we only hear tire , i.e road noise.

thanks in advance for anyone that gives some feedback on their experience - BTW it's an '08 X3.

Hi! Might be differentials....

thanks Kenza , in your opinion from what I described , does it sound like a normal differential sound or an indication of a differential needing service ? the X3 has 75k - and as an aside would you know if a '97 Jetta with front wheel drive has a differential ?

I haven't heard the sound you're describing with my '07 -- but I also haven't been driving it under the conditions you specified; I don't generally shift into neutral / hold the clutch in during downhill runs. Will try to remember to check the next time I've got it out, but that may be a while...

Originally Posted by ubermax

... as an aside would you know if a '97 Jetta with front wheel drive has a differential ?

Typically, no front-wheel drive cars have a differential, per se; they rely on a transaxle, which combines the function of a transmission, drive axle, and differential.

thanks TimFitz, neutral with the clutch out is fine for this test , if it's in say 1st gear then the sound I'm hearing wouldn't be isolated --- also if the windows are open with alot of outside noise it's hard to zone in on this sound , and it only takes maybe 5-10 seconds coasting on a downgrade to hear it , and again it's sort of like a down-shift sound but much quieter .

thanks again and that's good info wrt front wheel drive and explains why we don't hear that sound with our MT Jetta in neutral on a downgrade .

Don

Originally Posted by ubermax

thanks Kenza , in your opinion from what I described , does it sound like a normal differential sound or an indication of a differential needing service ? the X3 has 75k - and as an aside would you know if a '97 Jetta with front wheel drive has a differential ?

Don, there is no way I could tell anything without hearing it, but if that sound is the only problem you have, I think you should be ok. If you hear it only under these conditions, its ok.

Cheers!

Ok, I'll go with that , thanks again for your time Kenza & also TimFitz63 !!!!!!