[burton727]

Im sure this is in the right section?

anyways, i have 88,000 Km's on my 06' 330i (AT) with no extended warranty. i have been doing lots of research but since its such a controversial topic, i kinda wanted to get a better idea. this is quite an expensive service so i wanna get this right.

if you were in my shoes. would you change the fluid?
the 'lifetime' fluid is good for about 160,000km (says my SA). but what about after that? is the transmission just garbage lol, seems like what their getting at.

i want to keep my car for a long time, possibly up grade in the process but still always want to have this car for some time to come.

but looong story short, would YOU change the fluid + pan(filter) + gasket assuming the price isnt an issue for you. like i say i have 88,000 km's on my car and im kind of at the point where its either i leave it alone or change it now.


appreciate any insight, just dont wanna change it then have things slipping or going wrong. also, if things do go wrong. would it be covered under some kind of service/ parts warranty the dealership would provide for the service if something did start going wrong?

thanks guys

[optimaxed]

Good question, and I have been debating this myself on my 328i.

My car just passed 58k miles (93k km) and I have been told that old school maintenance would change the fluids on the transmission about now. I've never kept a car though past 100k miles, so I am wondering whether its a waste of my money....I wonder how much a buyer would give me extra value for (the extra oil changes I have performed) or an auto trans fluid change....difficult decision.

I have a friend who is still on the original auto BMW transmission on his 528i and it has nearly 200k miles !!! (with no maintenance)

[burton727]

Originally Posted by optimaxed

Good question, and I have been debating this myself on my 328i.

My car just passed 58k miles (93k km) and I have been told that old school maintenance would change the fluids on the transmission about now. I've never kept a car though past 100k miles, so I am wondering whether its a waste of my money....I wonder how much a buyer would give me extra value for (the extra oil changes I have performed) or an auto trans fluid change....difficult decision.

I have a friend who is still on the original auto BMW transmission on his 528i and it has nearly 200k miles !!! (with no maintenance)

yes seems like were in about the same boat, my main problem with doing this is not the large amount of money it costs. but WILL it start to cause any irratic behavior or damage the transmission with new fluid/filter. i dont want it to start slipping or something lol

[optimaxed]

I've been told if you are going to change the fluid, do it sooner rather than later, i.e. <60k miles.

My BMW dealer said he has known slippage to occur because people changed the fluids at 80k miles, and some of the "worn material" had affected the transmission ...

[burton727]

Originally Posted by optimaxed

I've been told if you are going to change the fluid, do it sooner rather than later, i.e. <60k miles.

My BMW dealer said he has known slippage to occur because people changed the fluids at 80k miles, and some of the "worn material" had affected the transmission ...

exactly what im afraid of, mind you im at 88,000 km not miles.
in a case like that where the transmission started slipping, what
would be the next step? cost of potential repair?

[optimaxed]

Its difficult to call.

some damage may show up pretty soon thereafter...in that case I have 100k mile (160km) CPO warranty, I'd take it to dealer and say I have an issue, please fix....

slippage may show up at 101k miles....which could be an expensive repair bill.

my father in laws transmission was never serviced and went at 140k miles, it was over 3k to replace...he now has 165k miles on the vehicle...

[burton727]

such a difficult call, to the point that im about to loose sleep over it lol

[outriding9800]

I bought my 330i last year with 64k miles on it and i just changed my trans fluid with 73k miles and the fluid looked really good.

I am happy that i changed mine.

[burton727]

Originally Posted by outriding9800

I bought my 330i last year with 64k miles on it and i just changed my trans fluid with 73k miles and the fluid looked really good.

I am happy that i changed mine.

but, did the owner before you have the transmission fluid changed?

[Me_Hi]

Originally Posted by outriding9800

I bought my 330i last year with 64k miles on it and i just changed my trans fluid with 73k miles and the fluid looked really good.

I am happy that i changed mine.

That's because they didn't use the cleanser! When I did my tranny oil flush, the specialized BMW Indy shop aka Nixon, put in a cleanser and let the car drive in D on the hoist for 10 minutes prior to replacing the fluid. The oil was black and a bit thick... No need to replace the tranny filter as it's magnetic. If you keep your car change the fluid! If you don't what are going to do?, replaced it with another unserviced tranny ? A new one will be 5k...

[Bavarian Tech]

Originally Posted by Me_Hi

That's because they didn't use the cleanser! When I did my tranny oil flush, the specialized BMW Indy shop aka Nixon, put in a cleanser and let the car drive in D on the hoist for 10 minutes prior to replacing the fluid. The oil was black and a bit thick... No need to replace the tranny filter as it's magnetic. If you keep your car change the fluid! If you don't what are going to do?, replaced it with another unserviced tranny ? A new one will be 5k...

The tranny filter is part of the plastic pan, their are two separate magnets. Plus the gasket for the tranny pan is molded into the pan itself..



I would change it IMO, its not hard by any means just a very messy job...


New Vs Old Comparison

[burton727]

^ awesome thanks for the great pictures. i never realized the filter was a magnet.
this makes me think, if i do change it there shouldnt be any problems because the friction from the metal shavings that most people say keeps older transmissions together if not serviced will all be stored on the magnet anyways. hmmm hard to understand lol but you get the idea

[outriding9800]

Originally Posted by burton727

but, did the owner before you have the transmission fluid changed?

It looked too dark to have it been changed, but the oil was in good shape.

[Me_Hi]

Originally Posted by burton727

^ awesome thanks for the great pictures. i never realized the filter was a magnet.
this makes me think, if i do change it there shouldnt be any problems because the friction from the metal shavings that most people say keeps older transmissions together if not serviced will all be stored on the magnet anyways. hmmm hard to understand lol but you get the idea

Never listen to a mechanic when his business is making money in repairing your broken car...

[outriding9800]

Originally Posted by burton727

^ awesome thanks for the great pictures. i never realized the filter was a magnet.
this makes me think, if i do change it there shouldnt be any problems because the friction from the metal shavings that most people say keeps older transmissions together if not serviced will all be stored on the magnet anyways. hmmm hard to understand lol but you get the idea

No the magnets are to catch metal, there is a filter (i heard it was paper) integrated in the pan.

I would highly suggest to change the pan / filter when you do a oil change. I cannot imagine the filter last forever.

[outriding9800]

Originally Posted by Me_Hi

That's because they didn't use the cleanser! When I did my tranny oil flush, the specialized BMW Indy shop aka Nixon, put in a cleanser and let the car drive in D on the hoist for 10 minutes prior to replacing the fluid. The oil was black and a bit thick... No need to replace the tranny filter as it's magnetic. If you keep your car change the fluid! If you don't what are going to do?, replaced it with another unserviced tranny ? A new one will be 5k...

I would never use a cleanser in a transmission. Flush yes.

I would have changed the pan, that is where the filter is (and it is not magnetic).

[Me_Hi]

hmmmm... this indy sho that specializes only on BMW gave me a program where if I change my tranny oil every 40k with them they give me 1500 towords a tranny replacement if it fails. They use BMW aprooved fluids only. The filter is magnetic, that's why BMW says life time oil for tranny....

[Bavarian Tech]

Originally Posted by Me_Hi

hmmmm... this indy sho that specializes only on BMW gave me a program where if I change my tranny oil every 40k with them they give me 1500 towords a tranny replacement if it fails. They use BMW aprooved fluids only. The filter is magnetic, that's why BMW says life time oil for tranny....

Their is no "Magnetic filter", their are two big magnets that attach to the pan itself but has nothing to do with the filter, if you look at the pic I posted you can clearly see them. BMW says the filter is lifetime "aka once the warranty is over, they could care less. Plus the Bentley repair manual states that, the fluid should be changed at 100,000.

[spoiler]

where can i buy the pan i have a 325i 06.

[outriding9800]

I got mine from http://www.thectsc.com/index.php?p=c...&parent=7&pg=1

You should have a 6hp19 but i would verify that..

[JaysBlueE92]

i'd say change it

[psre08]

There's a reason the topic is "controversial".. just like spark plugs. That's because there's no definitive, empirical answer, even though you will get claims of empirical evidence.

Do what will make your conscience clear. For me, I have 200K km's on my E46 and I've never bothered with my tranny fluid, but I do change out my spark plugs regularly. Just cuz.