[vasillalov]

Ok folks,

A lot of cars have been out of warranty and maintenance and quite a few more will be out in the next 1-2 years. My warranty is about to expire some time this October and the responsibility of maintaining this vehicle will be entirely mine.

Now, I've read the owners manual and I am quite familiar with the Condition Based Service, or CBS. Basically there are a bunch of sensors around the car that tell the car computer when various components need to be replaced. That's all fine and dandy but it really does not tell us anything about how to keep those cars in factory condition for years to come. I have an arsenal of tools and manuals including BT Tool, Bentley Service Manual and other online resources.

When I had my Mark 4 VW Jetta, there were official maintenance schedules which were generally used by dealerships to help maintain those cars past their warranty periods. Those spreadsheets included different types of services and their frequencies. I am talking about stuff like how often to clean and lubricate the door hinges, how often to replace the cabin air filter, fuel filters, perform ECU recalibrations, etc etc.

Has anyone seen anything like this for our cars? I am directing this question mainly to the members here who are BMW techs and others who may have access to the BMW TSBs and other data, generally not accessible to the public.

Also, I've created a spreadsheet for all non-M E90 cars with all of the maintenance intervals that I was able to find in the Bentley Service Manual. It can be accessed here:

https://spreadsheets.google.com/spre...dQcHc&hl=en_US

If you want to contribute to this, please post to this thread and I will see that the spreadsheet is updated.

Thanks

[chromisdesigns]

get a copy of Mike Miller's "old school maintenance schedule" -- google for the link, he's the tech talk editor for Roundel.

[Chriztofor]

OP: I believe if you email him he will reply with his hard core maintenance schedule, so long as you agree not to post it. But hey, I do like what you are trying to do.

[Chriztofor]

I just read your spreadsheet. 7,500 miles is ok for oil changes, but their are lots of oil analysis posts that the oil is still good beyond 10k. But I am not here to debate that, just mentioning it.

As to trans oil changes at 100k, in my opinion, that is way too late. If you are keeping your car beyond the warranty period then change it at 50 -60k and every 2-3 years thereafter assuming you drive 10k per year.

[ENINTY]

Originally Posted by Chriztofor

OP: I believe if you email him he will reply with his hard core maintenance schedule, so long as you agree not to post it. But hey, I do like what you are trying to do.

Not Post it? Really. All it is is the E30-era maintenance schedule; not like it's a big secret. Let's see, just from memory, of my E30 days:

Trans oil - every 30K
Diff oil - every 30K
Brake Fluid - annually
Coolant - every 2 years
Engine oil - per CBS (which was every 9 - 12K based on my car's CBS)
Spark Plugs - every 30K
Timing belt replacement - N/A for E90
Valve Adjustments - N/A for E90

No matter what you do cars wear out...

To update for the 335i:
HPFP - as required
Fuel injectors - as required

[Chriztofor]

Originally Posted by ENINTY

Not Post it? Really. All it is is the E30-era maintenance schedule; not like it's a big secret. Let's see, just from memory, of my E30 days:

Trans oil - every 30K
Diff oil - every 30K
Brake Fluid - annually
Coolant - every 2 years
Engine oil - per CBS (which was every 9 - 12K based on my car's CBS)

No matter what you do cars wear out...

Don't look at me. I believe people tried posting it on here only to have it deleted. Your schedule sounds about right.

[ENINTY]

Originally Posted by Chriztofor

Don't look at me. I believe people tried posting it on here only to have it deleted. Your schedule sounds about right.

I wasn't flaming you. Sorry of you took it that way. I was flaming Mike Miller. For some reason he thinks he has the market cornered on BMW maintenance. I think I've clearly stated my car, which is now at 148,700 as of Friday, has done well on BMW's "new school" maintenance schedule.

In Bimmer magazine all Miller does is bitch about the lousy maintenance schedule of modern BMWs. Never does he use the power of the magazine to actually interview the cognizant Engineering VP at BMW that is responsible for determining maintenance requirements for modern BMWs to ask why BMW changed requirements circa 1996. The magazine constantly interviews the CEO of BMW N/A, the VP of BMW Design, and the like, but never the VP "maintenance".

Peace.

[Chriztofor]

Originally Posted by ENINTY

I wasn't flaming you. Sorry of you took it that way. I was flaming Mike Miller. For some reason he thinks he has the market cornered on BMW maintenance. I think I've clearly stated my car, which is now at 148,700 as of Friday, has done well on BMW's "new school" maintenance schedule.

In Bimmer magazine all Miller does is bitch about the lousy maintenance schedule of modern BMWs. Never does he use the power of the magazine to actually interview the cognizant Engineering VP at BMW that is responsible for determining maintenance requirements for modern BMWs to ask why BMW changed requirements circa 1996. The magazine constantly interviews the CEO of BMW N/A, the VP of BMW Design, and the like, but never the VP "maintenance".

Peace.

[chromisdesigns]

Or, you could look at the situation in this light -- when BMW decided to include "free maintenance" they started cutting back on what that meant as much as possible. Yes, technology has improved some of these things, particularly synthetic oils, for example.

However, here's an egregious case in point: if you need brake work during the warranty period, BMW dealers, without fail, will measure the rotors and if the wear and runout are within spec, will not replace them -- only the pads.

BUT -- when you take it in for brake service AFTER the "free maintenance" period...guess what happens..."Oh, we always replace the rotors and pads in sets"....

I suspect there is a BMW letter to dealer maintenance departements somewhere in the files to this effect, because they ALL do it!

[vasillalov]

[QUOTE=Chriztofor;9991769]I just read your spreadsheet. 7,500 miles is ok for oil changes, but their are lots of oil analysis posts that the oil is still good beyond 10k. But I am not here to debate that, just mentioning it.

[quote] I know. This is what the Bentley manual recommends.

As to trans oil changes at 100k, in my opinion, that is way too late. If you are keeping your car beyond the warranty period then change it at 50 -60k and every 2-3 years thereafter assuming you drive 10k per year.

I know. This is what the Bentley manual recommends.


I'd be updating the information on the spreadsheet after I read a bit more from the hard core maintenance sheet...

[BMWinFL]

Originally Posted by chromisdesigns

However, here's an egregious case in point: if you need brake work during the warranty period, BMW dealers, without fail, will measure the rotors and if the wear and runout are within spec, will not replace them -- only the pads.

BUT -- when you take it in for brake service AFTER the "free maintenance" period...guess what happens..."Oh, we always replace the rotors and pads in sets"....

I suspect there is a BMW letter to dealer maintenance departements somewhere in the files to this effect, because they ALL do it!

I guess that I'm the exception to the rule. I complained that my front brake rotors need to be replaces. My local dealer checked them and replaced the front rotors and pads under warranty in the fourth year of service with 40K miles on the clock.

[chromisdesigns]

Originally Posted by BMWinFL

I guess that I'm the exception to the rule. I complained that my front brake rotors need to be replaces. My local dealer checked them and replaced the front rotors and pads under warranty in the fourth year of service with 40K miles on the clock.

Not an exception if they were indeed worn out -- I didn't say BMW never replaces rotors, I said they ONLY do it if they are below spec. Often they are not, but close -- in that case, no cigar, no rotors. A guy just posted the other day in the E90 threads that his dealer refused when they were less than 1/2 mm inside spec.

However, I guarantee you, if you go in out of warranty, they won't even measure the rotors unless you demand it, and even then will advise you "we always recommend replacing rotors and pads together"...and they do, as long as it's YOUR money, not theirs!

[CirrusSR22]

Originally Posted by ENINTY

Not Post it? Really. All it is is the E30-era maintenance schedule; not like it's a big secret. Let's see, just from memory, of my E30 days:

Exactly. It's not rocket science. Just make a list of maintenance type items and attach whatever interval you'd like. I was never a big fan of Mike Miller anyway. He can't keep his personal opinions and agenda out of a reply and just help people. We know Mike.... you hate automatic transmissions and hate modern BMWs, get over yourself.

I just use a simple text document with my maintenance items, (their intervals) and the mileage/date they are due. I check the document every once-and-a-while to see what's coming up. I usually group items due at around the same time and complete them at the same time. I long ago quit resetting my E36 Service Interval system/lights.

Here's what mine look like right now on my E36 318ti @ 207,000 miles, adjust yours accordingly.

Oil Change (7,500) - 207,104
Fuel Filter (50,000) - 207,862
Power Steering Fluid (30,000) - 215,070
Serpentine Belt (50,000) - 220,962
Air Filter (30,000) - 221,348
Manual Transmission Fluid (30,000) - 222,724
Spark Plugs (30,000) - 228,841
Differential Fluid (50,000) - 242,724

Coolant (4 Years) - 21 Jan. 2014
Brake Fluid (2 Years) - 13 April 2012

I totally removed the cabin filters many years ago and never replaced them.

[e90pilot]

Lots of good info here. Don't forget suspension/engine/tranny bushings and mounts. They don't really have a specific life but you should have them checked. Also, gaskets and rubber hoses will need to be replace at some point. For example, my car could use a new oil pan gasket, rear main seal, and engine mounts. I've 163k on mine. Also, my head gasket my be on its way out (yikes...). I've also replace my rear shock mounts and front control arms. Also, the rear subframe bushings are softer and usual. Pretty much, anything that moves will need some sort of inspection even if it doesn't have any specific life or replacement interval.