[Turkeybaster115]

The following was taken from my local NTB. Its a good guide as folks are always asking about what to do, on the boards. Don't expect a lot of this stuff to be done by the stealership, during the warranty period, so you'd better get on it after that period:

1. Oil and Lube & Filter: Every 3 months/3k miles (Depending on the type of engine oil used, you can obviously go for more miles)
2. Wheel Alignment: Every 6 months/6k miles
3. Tire rotation and balance: Every 6months/6K miles
4. Fuel Induction system Cleaning 1 year/15K miles
5. Battery Test 1 year/15k miles
6. 4x4 Transfer case fluid exchange 1 year/15K miles
7. Repack or service wheel bearings 2 years/24K miles
8. Replace Cabin air filter 2 years/24K miles
9. Cooling system coolant flush 2 years/30K miles
10. Transmission Fluid Flush 2 years/30K miles
11. Differential fluid change 2 years/30K miles
12. Manual Transmission fluid change 2 years/30K miles
13. Brake system fluid exchange 2 years/30K miles
14. Replace air filter 2 years/30K miles
15. Replace fuel filter 2 years/30K miles
16. Power steering fluid change 30K miles
17. Replace oxygen sensor 4 years/40K miles
18. Shocks/struts 4 years/50K miles
19. Replace drive belts and coolant hoses 5 years/60K miles
20. Replace timing belt 60-90K miles
21. Air conditioning performance check annually
22. CV boots inspection annually

Doing these can be pricey, so plan accordingly. Also consider shopping for fluids online, as well as using a local shop with good rates. Dealerships will advise against most of these except oil changes, which can have dire consequences for your vehicle. If you do get them to do these, their labor rates, and parts/fluids cost will be outrageous.

[ENINTY]

This is a really good list if you are the onwer of a NTB and want to get your customers to spend a lot of money in your shop for service. Go ask him how much he charges to change the fuel filter on an E90. Ask him how much he charges for repacking the wheel bearings on an E90. I'd like to read what he tells you...

[ceb]

Originally Posted by Turkeybaster115

The following was taken from my local NTB. Its a good guide as folks are always asking about what to do, on the boards. Don't expect a lot of this stuff to be done by the stealership, during the warranty period, so you'd better get on it after that period:

1. Oil and Lube & Filter: Every 3 months/3k miles (Depending on the type of engine oil used, you can obviously go for more miles)
2. Wheel Alignment: Every 6 months/6k miles
3. Tire rotation and balance: Every 6months/6K miles
4. Fuel Induction system Cleaning 1 year/15K miles
5. Battery Test 1 year/15k miles
6. 4x4 Transfer case fluid exchange 1 year/15K miles
7. Repack or service wheel bearings 2 years/24K miles
8. Replace Cabin air filter 2 years/24K miles
9. Cooling system coolant flush 2 years/30K miles
10. Transmission Fluid Flush 2 years/30K miles
11. Differential fluid change 2 years/30K miles
12. Manual Transmission fluid change 2 years/30K miles
13. Brake system fluid exchange 2 years/30K miles
14. Replace air filter 2 years/30K miles
15. Replace fuel filter 2 years/30K miles
16. Power steering fluid change 30K miles
17. Replace oxygen sensor 4 years/40K miles
18. Shocks/struts 4 years/50K miles
19. Replace drive belts and coolant hoses 5 years/60K miles
20. Replace timing belt 60-90K miles
21. Air conditioning performance check annually
22. CV boots inspection annually

Doing these can be pricey, so plan accordingly. Also consider shopping for fluids online, as well as using a local shop with good rates. Dealerships will advise against most of these except oil changes, which can have dire consequences for your vehicle. If you do get them to do these, their labor rates, and parts/fluids cost will be outrageous.

And just by coincidence the NTB will be glad to lighten your wallet by doing many of the unnecessary services - like 3k oil changes.

You know, I'm sure that NTB knows BMW's service requirements much better than the engineers at BMW.

Originally Posted by ENINTY

This is a really good list if you are the onwer of a NTB and want to get your customers to spend a lot of money in your shop for service. Go ask him how much he charges to change the fuel filter on an E90. Ask him how much he charges for repacking the wheel bearings on an E90. I'd like to read what he tells you...

Ask them what coolant they would use for the BMW, which oil filter and how they check the AT fluid.

[Turkeybaster115]

Originally Posted by ceb

Ask them what coolant they would use for the BMW, which oil filter and how they check the AT fluid.

Ask your "BMW engineers" what lifetime fluid means. also ask them why we should change oil after 15K miles. Laslty, show them the OEM transmission oil analysis I posed here, at 70K. Burnt, completely, with wear metals 5X's normal. The write up on the analysis read that they recommend changing ATF fluid in these vehicles every 30K miles, which is inline with NTB. So I guess you have two dumb companies (Blackstone labs & NTB), right?

[Tom K.]

In spite of Turkeybaster's fears, BMW still warrants our cars to 50,000 miles (100k with CPO) so I guess they have not had to replace too many failed parts due to their recommended service intervals.

BTW, since I'm heading to NTB to change the Transfer Case fluid & inspect the CV joints, where exactly are those things on my RWD BMW's? Nevermind, I'm sure NTB will find them and charge me accordingly - if not I can always go to Jiffy-Lube for my 3k oil change and all the other important stuff!

Tom

[ENINTY]

Originally Posted by Turkeybaster115

Ask your "BMW engineers" what lifetime fluid means. also ask them why we should change oil after 15K miles. Laslty, show them the OEM ATF fluid oil analysis I posed here, at 70K. Burnt, completely, with wear metals 5X's normal. The write up on the analysis read that they recommend changing ATF fluid in these vehicles every 30K miles, which is inline with NTB. So I guess you have two dumb companies, right?

Lifetime means 100,000 miles; says so in the service book that comes with the set of manuals.

[Turkeybaster115]

Originally Posted by ENINTY

Lifetime means 100,000 miles; says so in the service book that comes with the set of manuals.

so how come the lab analysis on our auto trans fluid shows Its WAY BEYOND used up, by 70K? Since black stone labs wrote: "we advise people with this type of vehicle to replace fluid every 30K miles", I guess they don't know what they are saying huh?

[ceb]

Originally Posted by Turkeybaster115

Ask your "BMW engineers" what lifetime fluid means. also ask them why we should change oil after 15K miles. Laslty, show them the OEM transmission oil analysis I posed here, at 70K. Burnt, completely, with wear metals 5X's normal. The write up on the analysis read that they recommend changing ATF fluid in these vehicles every 30K miles, which is inline with NTB. So I guess you have two dumb companies (Blackstone labs & NTB), right?

You can stick your head into the sand all you like, but 30k km oil changes have been common in Europe with zero issues.

I'll guarantee you one thing; a car taken to iffy lube every 3k miles will have substantially more problems than a car taken to a real mechanic in accordance with the CBS.

[Bimmer Al]

Originally Posted by ceb

You can stick your head into the sand all you like, but 30k km oil changes have been common in Europe with zero issues.

I'll guarantee you one thing; a car taken to iffy lube every 3k miles will have substantially more problems than a car taken to a real mechanic in accordance with the CBS.

[Bimmer Al]

Changing the oil every 3k is completely nuts......what year is it 1978?

[ENINTY]

Originally Posted by Turkeybaster115

so how come the lab analysis on our auto trans fluid shows Its WAY BEYOND used up, by 70K? Since black stone labs wrote: "we advise people with this type of vehicle to replace fluid every 30K miles", I guess they don't know what they are saying huh?

That was one car. I don't trust blackstone labs anyway. They say the same thing in every report I've ever read on this forum and other forums. I do, however, trust the three BMWs I've owned and serviced since new following BMW's recomended maintenace schedule.

1989 E30 - 256K miles before I sold it. The last time I saw the car it had 294K on it
1997 E37 - 144,000 miles, running perfect.
2006 E90 - 142,500 miles, running perfect.

[ceb]

Originally Posted by ENINTY

That was one car. I don't trust blackstone labs anyway. They say the same thing in every report I've ever read on this forum and other forums. I do, however, trust the three BMWs I've owned and serviced since new following BMW's recomended maintenace schedule.

1989 E30 - 256K miles before I sold it. The last time I saw the car it had 294K on it
1997 E37 - 144,000 miles, running perfect.
2006 E90 - 142,500 miles, running perfect.

Eh - what do you know? You're only speaking from personal experience and that's pretty much worthless on this board.

[Dracon]

Originally Posted by ENINTY

That was one car. I don't trust blackstone labs anyway. They say the same thing in every report I've ever read on this forum and other forums. I do, however, trust the three BMWs I've owned and serviced since new following BMW's recomended maintenace schedule.

1989 E30 - 256K miles before I sold it. The last time I saw the car it had 294K on it
1997 E37 - 144,000 miles, running perfect.
2006 E90 - 142,500 miles, running perfect.

You did the tranny service at 100k miles on your E90?

[ENINTY]

Originally Posted by Dracon

You did the tranny service at 100k miles on your E90?

Nope, at about 76,000 miles. When I was going to be at 100,000 I wasn't going to be able to do it at that time, so I did it a bit early, and I was replacing the brakes at 76,000 anyway so I figured while it was in the air I'd do the diff and trans (took me forever to find the fluids). I drive 800 miles a week to work so I pretty much know at what time of the year I will be at a given cumulative mileage.

I have a manual trans.

[ENINTY]

Originally Posted by ceb

Eh - what do you know? You're only speaking from personal experience and that's pretty much worthless on this board.

Yeah, such a dumb ass I am...

[Tom K.]

Originally Posted by ENINTY

Nope, at about 76,000 miles. When I was going to be at 100,000 I wasn't going to be able to do it at that time, so I did it a bit early, and I was replacing the brakes at 76,000 anyway so I figured while it was in the air I'd do the diff and trans (took me forever to find the fluids). I drive 800 miles a week to work so I pretty much know at what time of the year I will be at a given cumulative mileage.

I have a manual trans.

What fluid did you use for your transmission? I changed the fluid out in my E46 with Redline MTL (worked very well), but I understand that is no longer recommended.

Tom

[Bobble]

All I've got to say is your local shop will really like you if you follow that schedule. Like Entity I've owned a few high mileage BMW's over the years. Used the same shop for anything I could not do and they do not recommend intervals like that and the shop works on older BMW's all day 6 days a week for many years. Trans/diff fluid every 50K, oil every 7500, brake fluid every brake job or 2 years, coolant again every water pump replacement(older models that was a maintenance item). The rest of that stuff should be free visual inspections when your car is in for service, if they want to charge for that stuff run away fast, even the dealers inspects for free.

[ENINTY]

Originally Posted by Tom K.

What fluid did you use for your transmission? I changed the fluid out in my E46 with Redline MTL (worked very well), but I understand that is no longer recommended.

Tom

I used BMW OEM MTL-3. sorry I can't qoute the P/N to you because it's on my home computer. I've posted the number before (as others have too) if you can find it by searching.

I used Redline MTL in my old E30 for many years and it did much impove the cold weather shifting action. But BMW recommends following the lube recommendations on the label of the transmission for E9Xs

[Bobble]

I use Mobil 1 in both the tranny and diff of the E36's and E46 I have or owned, Changing each every 50K, smooth shifts (as smooth as can be with a short shifter) and no problems or failures on any of the three with over 450K on those 3 cars. I use Mobil 1 engine oil as well once out of warranty and never did any lower engine repairs as well same cumulative mileage. Always used BMW coolant no other brand and OEM filters for all sources (air, cabin, fuel, oil).