1991 Used BMW Transmissions For Sale

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verified 1991 BMW transmissions
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1991 Used BMW Transmissions For Sale

5 verified used 1991 BMW transmissions in stock, every one rear-drive: the E30 318i and 318is on the 1.8L M42 four, in both four-speed automatic and Getrag five-speed manual form, plus an E34 525i five-speed manual. 1991 is still E30 territory on the 3-Series, so nothing here is a 5HP, a 6HP or an 8HP, and nothing is xDrive. Every unit is VIN-matched to your vehicle, ASE Shift-Tested through all gears under load, photographed before shipment, and backed by a warranty (standard term by model year, extended coverage up to 3 years) plus 30-day money-back. Free freight nationwide.

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Warranty On Every Unit
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Photos Before Shipment
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ASE-Tested & Verified
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Free Nationwide Shipping
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30-Day Money-Back
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1991 BMW Transmissions In Stock by Model

Live inventory for model year 1991 — every model we hold, with the number of listed units for each. Tap one to jump to the listings.

318i (E30)2 units1.8L M42 four; auto and manual; rear-drive318is (E30)2 units1.8L M42 four; auto and manual; rear-drive525i (E34)1 unit2.5L six; five-speed manual; rear-drive

1991 BMW Transmission Families

Which gearbox sits behind which 1991 BMW, and how many of each we hold today.

Transmission family Fits (1991) In stock
Four-Speed Automatic — ZF 4HP22 or GM 4L30-E E30 318i, 318is; 1.8L M42 four; rear-drive. Case code is not printed on these listings, so both candidate units are held; match the code cast into your own case. 2
Getrag Five-Speed Manual — 240/5 or S5D 250G E30 318i, 318is; 1.8L M42 four; rear-drive; A/C-equipped cars. Both candidate cases are held; the lighter 240/5 and the S5D 250G share the bellhousing. 2
Five-Speed Manual — Getrag 260/5 or ZF S5D 320Z E34 525i; 2.5L inline-six; rear-drive. 1991 is the M20-to-M50 changeover on this car, so send your VIN. 1
Total 5

Other BMW Model Years

Every model year we hold BMW transmissions for. Years without a link are in stock but have no year page yet — text us your VIN.

202420232022202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004200320022001200019991997199619951994199319921991

Why Buy a 1991 BMW Transmission from Auto Power Source

1991 is the last full E30 model year in the United States, and that makes gearbox identification the whole job. The 318i and 318is moved to the 1.8L M42 sixteen-valve four for 1991, which pairs with a four-speed automatic or a Getrag five-speed manual; the E36 chassis and its five-speed ZF 5HP18 automatic do not arrive until 1992. If a seller offers you a five-speed automatic, a 5HP, a 6HP or an 8HP for a 1991 BMW, it is the wrong unit for the car. We hold 5 units for this year, all rear-drive, and every one is matched to your VIN before it ships.

Pre-1992 BMW listings do not print a transmission case code, so we do not pretend to one. Where the code is not on the listing we name both candidate cases in the family table and confirm the actual unit against your VIN in writing before you pay: the M42 automatics are a ZF 4HP22 or a GM 4L30-E, the 318i and 318is manuals a Getrag 240/5 or an S5D 250G, and the E34 525i manual a Getrag 260/5 or a ZF S5D 320Z. The 525i is the one to be careful with, because 1991 is the model year BMW moved that car from the M20 to the M50 engine and the bellhousing follows the engine.

Every 1991 BMW transmission we sell has been pulled from a low-mileage donor vehicle, cataloged by VIN, and held in our climate-controlled warehouse. Each unit went through our six-step inspection: VIN-matching, ASE Shift-Testing through every gear under load, noise and smoke verification, full visual inspection, multi-angle photography, and palletized shipping. You pay a fraction of dealer-new pricing for identical BMW engineering, ship free on a heavy-duty pallet anywhere in the continental U.S., and get 30 days from delivery to return for any reason, with no restocking fees.

📱 Fastest way to match: text us your VIN, get options in minutes.Text Your VIN →

Your 1991 BMW Transmission Options: Compared

Most 1991 BMW owners face four real choices when the transmission fails:

← Swipe sideways to see all columns →
Option Cost Reliability Warranty Fitment Match
Used OEM (this collection) $$$ Best Value High — tested Included VIN-matched
New OEM (dealer) $$$$$ 2-4× more High Manufacturer Exact
Aftermarket / Reman $$$$ Varies 6-12 mo May adapt
Junkyard $ Cheapest Unknown None DIY

Tested used OEM hits the sweet spot — same engineering as new, fraction of the cost.

1991 BMW Transmission Buying Guide

5 things to verify before buying a used 1991 BMW transmission:

  1. 1991 is four-speed automatic or five-speed manual, nothing else. No 1991 US BMW left the factory with a five-speed automatic. That unit arrives in 1992 with the E36 325i and the ZF 5HP18, and the ZF 6HP and 8HP families are a decade and two decades out. A listing that offers a 5HP, 6HP or 8HP for a 1991 car is describing hardware the car never had.
  2. Match the case code cast into your own housing. These listings carry no case code, so the family table names both candidate units for each application: ZF 4HP22 or GM 4L30-E on the M42 automatics, Getrag 240/5 or S5D 250G on the M42 manuals, Getrag 260/5 or ZF S5D 320Z on the E34 525i. The code is stamped or cast on the case itself; read yours and send it with your VIN and we will confirm the match.
  3. On the 525i, settle the engine before the gearbox. 1991 is the M20-to-M50 changeover year on the US E34 525i, and the bellhousing follows the engine rather than the badge. The listing shows only the 525i designation, so your VIN and the engine number are what decide which of the two five-speed cases bolts to your block.
  4. Every 1991 unit we hold is rear-drive; verify before assuming otherwise. BMW did sell an all-wheel-drive E30 325iX in this era, but there is no iX and no all-wheel-drive unit in our 1991 stock today, so no transfer case is involved in any of these five listings. If your car is a 325iX, do not order a rear-drive case; text us and we will source the correct iX hardware instead.
  5. Confirm the match with your own VIN before you order. Your VIN settles the transmission family, the case candidate, the drivetrain and the build split in one step. Text it to +1-307-441-5554 and we will confirm in writing exactly which unit fits your vehicle before you pay.

Our ASE-certified technicians verify every one of these points against your VIN before any unit ships.

📞 Need help choosing the right 1991 BMW transmission? Talk to our team live.Call 1-877-313-8995

Frequently Asked Questions

How many 1991 BMW transmissions do you have in stock?
5 units, all rear-drive: two E30 318i, two E30 318is, and one E34 525i. The 318i and 318is are held in both four-speed automatic and Getrag five-speed manual form; the 525i is a five-speed manual. The count on this page is live active inventory, not a catalog estimate.
Is there a five-speed automatic for a 1991 BMW?
No. The five-speed ZF 5HP18 automatic arrives for 1992 on the E36 325i, and BMW's six-speed ZF 6HP and eight-speed ZF 8HP automatics are far later still. A 1991 US BMW is a four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual, and anything offered as a five-speed automatic for this year is the wrong unit.
Why does the family table name two case codes instead of one?
Because BMW listings from before 1992 do not print a transmission case code, and we will not guess one. Rather than assign a code we cannot read off the listing, we name both units BMW used in that application and confirm the actual case against your VIN, in writing, before you pay.
Which automatic is in a 1991 318i or 318is?
A four-speed behind the 1.8L M42 four, and it is either a ZF 4HP22 or a GM 4L30-E. The listing does not say which, so both are in the same family here. Send your VIN and the code on your own case and we will match it.
What is different about the 1991 525i?
1991 is the model year BMW changed the US E34 525i from the M20 to the M50 inline-six, and the bellhousing follows the engine, not the badge. The five-speed manual is a Getrag 260/5 or a ZF S5D 320Z depending on which engine your car actually has, so the VIN and engine number decide it.
Do you have an all-wheel-drive 325iX for 1991?
Not in current stock. All five 1991 units on this page are rear-drive, so none of them involves a transfer case. BMW did build an all-wheel-drive E30 325iX in this era, and if that is your car, text us your VIN rather than ordering a rear-drive case, because the two are not interchangeable.
What does the AC in some of these listings mean?
It means the donor car was air-conditioning equipped, which is recorded on the listing because it affects the accessory and bracket layout around the gearbox rather than the gearbox itself. It does not change which transmission case you need; your VIN does.
What is the warranty and how fast does it ship?
Every unit ships with a warranty included; the standard term follows the model year and is printed on each product page, with extended coverage up to 3 years available at checkout. Prep and ship is 3-5 business days and transit is 2-3 business days, typically 5-8 business days from order to delivery. Call 1-877-313-8995, text +1-307-441-5554, or email info@autopowersource.com.
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Our 6-Step Inspection & Shipping Process

Every 1991 BMW transmission we ship has been through these six steps:

1. VIN-Matching
We match the donor VIN to your VIN to confirm transmission code, drivetrain, and RWD/xDrive configuration.
2. Tested & Verified
ASE-certified technicians Shift-Test every gear under load. Units are checked for clean engagement, no slipping, no abnormal noises.
3. Noise & Smoke Verification
Units are run to verify normal mechanical sound and clean operation — catches internal wear static tests miss.
4. Visual Inspection
Every accessible component is inspected: bell housing, output shaft, Mechatronic sleeve, cooler lines, sensor harnesses.
5. Photograph & Catalog
Multi-angle photos sent to you BEFORE we ship for your approval.
6. Palletize & Ship
Strapped on a heavy-duty wooden pallet, shipped via freight at no charge.

Our Photos-Before-Shipment Guarantee

Before any transmission leaves our warehouse, we send you multi-angle photographs. You approve. If you do not approve, you get every dollar back — no questions, no restocking fees, no return freight charges. On top of 30-day money-back and the warranty included with every unit. Browse all 5 1991 BMW transmissions below.

✉ Email Us at info@autopowersource.com
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