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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Technical Forums > Mechanical Maintenance: Break-in / Oil & Fluids / Servicing / Warranty > Advice for a first time BMW owner



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      12-11-2011, 10:34 AM   #1
RingBredE90
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Advice for a first time BMW owner

Hi everyone, i have just purchased a 2006 330i with the sport package and im super excited. I am completely new to BMW's and was hoping to get some advice. The car has 120,000 km's on it (i guess about 75,000 miles?) and i would like to maintain it properly. I was wondering if i should change anything right away, or if not now, when would be a good time to change things like the tranny fluid, diff fluid, spark plugs, etc....also what kind of oil is recommended, and how often should it be done? Can i go every 10,000 km's on synthetic? Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.

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      12-11-2011, 10:54 AM   #2
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Welcome! And congratulations

Check out the maintainace schedule posted here, ignore the fuel pump until it fails:
http://blog.bavauto.com/9906/bavaria...nce-schedules/

The owners manual is here:
http://www.e90fanatics.com/pdf/E90_OwnersManual.pdf


Index if all DIY:
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1721

Change your oil early if you wish or when the CBS tells you to, or scan a few posts down for one that ends in a fight with members swearing at each other over oil analysis vs BMW's CBS.

Last edited by Glim; 12-12-2011 at 11:47 PM..
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      12-11-2011, 11:38 AM   #3
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Thanks!
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      12-11-2011, 04:51 PM   #4
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330i = Best ENGINE IN E90

I love this engine - wish it was available today -- 328i is getting close but naturally asp is good for longevity.

Change all fluids often and follow Mike Miller's old school maint schedule.
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      12-11-2011, 07:40 PM   #5
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Do you guys suggest rustproofing the car? (we have lots of snow and salt up here in Canada)
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      12-11-2011, 10:39 PM   #6
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If I lived in snow country and it was only $100 I would do it.
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      12-11-2011, 11:06 PM   #7
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Congratulations and welcome.

I believe BMW anti-corrosion warranty is unlimited miles and 12 years. Your call whether to get additional rustproofing done. But if you do, make sure the underside is cleaned really well.

Fluid changes are important- coolant, power steering, tranny and diffrential. Coolant and power steering are lifetime according to BMW (defined as 100K miles), but they are good candidates for changing and are easy to DIY- follow the link above from Glim. However, different folks have different opinion on lifetime fluids. Change tranny fluid and filter and mechantronic sleeve before you hit 100K miles.

Lastly, monitor BMW-specific codes that can be read with BT cable or Peake from OBD2 port. Specifically, watch out for any water pump speed deviations and other related errors (check a few posts on it). When you see those errors, you have little time within which you should change water pump and thermostat (water pump is expensive for these cars- about $500).
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      12-11-2011, 11:44 PM   #8
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Caution from BMW on rustproofing-
"Do not apply additional undercoating or rustproofing on or near the exhaust manifold,
exhaust pipes, catalytic converter or heat shields. During driving, the substance used
for undercoating could overheat and cause a fire."
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      12-12-2011, 06:45 PM   #9
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Thanks queensfield but what is the mechantronic sleeve?
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      12-12-2011, 10:38 PM   #10
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Right by the transmission pan/filter is an electrical round cable / connector with pins linking the transmission. It can be accessed once the pan/filter is dropped and the o-ring in there tends to leak over time. This o-ring should be replaced- it is a cheap part. See the pictures of the sleeve in the enclosed document from CTSC.
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File Type: pdf 6_speed_sleeve_replacement.pdf (230.8 KB, 103 views)
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      12-13-2011, 09:21 PM   #11
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Thanks
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      01-01-2012, 10:05 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by queensfield View Post
Congratulations and welcome.

I believe BMW anti-corrosion warranty is unlimited miles and 12 years. Your call whether to get additional rustproofing done. But if you do, make sure the underside is cleaned really well.

Fluid changes are important- coolant, power steering, tranny and diffrential. Coolant and power steering are lifetime according to BMW (defined as 100K miles), but they are good candidates for changing and are easy to DIY- follow the link above from Glim. However, different folks have different opinion on lifetime fluids. Change tranny fluid and filter and mechantronic sleeve before you hit 100K miles.

Lastly, monitor BMW-specific codes that can be read with BT cable or Peake from OBD2 port. Specifically, watch out for any water pump speed deviations and other related errors (check a few posts on it). When you see those errors, you have little time within which you should change water pump and thermostat (water pump is expensive for these cars- about $500).
I was just checking out Bavarian Otto's maintenance schedule posted above and attached. For coolant it says to replace after 45k, and power steering 50k. So is it lifetime or not? I don;t know if this is the best source.
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File Type: pdf Maintanance Schedule.pdf (45.5 KB, 198 views)
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      01-01-2012, 10:30 PM   #13
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Unfortunately, BMW has not defined what lifetime means. Most people interpret it to mean 100K miles. Lifetime fluid changes are a point of contention and intense discussion and there isn't a consensus. Some discussions on those turn ugly very quickly and it is like opening a can of worms. In my opinion, it is advisable to change coolant and power steering fluids somewhere between 50K-75K miles or 6 years (this is just what I go by). Also, I do not flush them- I just drain and fill in the new fluid. You got to make your own decision or wait for other responses here and then decide.
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      01-02-2012, 10:46 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by queensfield View Post
Unfortunately, BMW has not defined what lifetime means. Most people interpret it to mean 100K miles. Lifetime fluid changes are a point of contention and intense discussion and there isn't a consensus. Some discussions on those turn ugly very quickly and it is like opening a can of worms. In my opinion, it is advisable to change coolant and power steering fluids somewhere between 50K-75K miles or 6 years (this is just what I go by). Also, I do not flush them- I just drain and fill in the new fluid. You got to make your own decision or wait for other responses here and then decide.
Cool, thanks for the tips. Well like i said the car has about 75k miles on it and im going to do the maintenance in 3 steps. To begin i think i will do the tranny and diff fluids, spark plugs, and engine air filter. Unless there is something more urgent that should be done?
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      01-02-2012, 04:11 PM   #15
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Spark plugs are good for 90 - 100k miles... They would be low on my priority list at his point. I'd do coolant and profile gasket though.
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      01-02-2012, 04:32 PM   #16
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Yes, I also think that spark plugs can wait till 100K miles, unless you are having rough idling issues.
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      01-02-2012, 09:27 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by queensfield View Post
Yes, I also think that spark plugs can wait till 100K miles, unless you are having rough idling issues.
Maybe its just me but i do feel slightly rough idling. Not sure if i can check them my self on this car, il look in to it.
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      01-02-2012, 11:36 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RingBredE90 View Post
Maybe its just me but i do feel slightly rough idling. Not sure if i can check them my self on this car, il look in to it.
Try chevron techron fuel injector cleaner. It fixed my cold start-up rpm fluctuating problem. Fuel fitler is not serviceable so injectors might be a little dirty.
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If no codes are being thrown use Chevron Techron fuel injector cleaner (concentrate). It solves rpm fluctuating upon cold start-up. Also, for most BMW problems start off by scanning your car with the Peake Research Tool. It contains the actual BMW codes. If you want to register a newly installed battery for free (just buy a $10 cable) and google/download BMWLogger
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      01-02-2012, 11:39 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by queensfield View Post
Unfortunately, BMW has not defined what lifetime means. Most people interpret it to mean 100K miles. Lifetime fluid changes are a point of contention and intense discussion and there isn't a consensus. Some discussions on those turn ugly very quickly and it is like opening a can of worms. In my opinion, it is advisable to change coolant and power steering fluids somewhere between 50K-75K miles or 6 years (this is just what I go by). Also, I do not flush them- I just drain and fill in the new fluid. You got to make your own decision or wait for other responses here and then decide.
Actually bmw has defined lifetime as 100,000 miles. See the Service & Warranty booklet.
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If no codes are being thrown use Chevron Techron fuel injector cleaner (concentrate). It solves rpm fluctuating upon cold start-up. Also, for most BMW problems start off by scanning your car with the Peake Research Tool. It contains the actual BMW codes. If you want to register a newly installed battery for free (just buy a $10 cable) and google/download BMWLogger
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      01-03-2012, 01:47 AM   #20
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I have only seen 100K miles change interval for auto transmission fluid and spark plugs. I have not seen lifetime with respect to coolant and power steering fluid.
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      01-03-2012, 02:17 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by queensfield View Post
I have only seen 100K miles change interval for auto transmission fluid and spark plugs. I have not seen lifetime with respect to coolant and power steering fluid.
Once they defined lifetime as 100,000 with anything then i would assume it is for everything. Would love to see BMW explain this.
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If no codes are being thrown use Chevron Techron fuel injector cleaner (concentrate). It solves rpm fluctuating upon cold start-up. Also, for most BMW problems start off by scanning your car with the Peake Research Tool. It contains the actual BMW codes. If you want to register a newly installed battery for free (just buy a $10 cable) and google/download BMWLogger
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      01-04-2012, 09:00 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chriztofor View Post
Once they defined lifetime as 100,000 with anything then i would assume it is for everything. Would love to see BMW explain this.
So this is what I find funny about Bimmer and Roundel Magazines. Mike Miller, who constantly poo-poos BWMs "new" maintenance schedule and espouses the virtues of the "old School" schedule, never, ever once has considered asking BMW about its change in maintenance philosophy. I don't read Roundel regularly, but I do read Bimmer almost every month. I've seen where Bimmer Magazine has had one-on-one discussions with CEO of BMW NA and Chris Bangle, amoung other BMW executives. I would think that if the magazine can reach this level of executive at BMW for interviews, it certainly could get an audience with the executive of Engineering, who is responsible for determining the maintenance requirements of modern BMWs. If Miller would find out the scientific reasoning and test data that show the new maintenance schedule allows operation of a BMW to the age an mileage of pre-1997 models (using the old school maintenance schedule) he’d then have nothing to bitch about.

Mike, if you read our little forum here, please, as a service to all of us BMW enthusiasts, really find out why BMW changed from the old school schedule; we all would love to know!

Okay, off soapbox now…
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