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      04-06-2011, 01:54 PM   #1
romak47
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Am i crazy for wanting to change the fluids at 30k?

BMW tells me i dont need to...
People with same car as me tells me i dont need to..
And i just went to a self service place where 2 techies told me i dont need to..
I look on any car forum and they all say 30k miles to change out most fluids.

I like to believe that BMW telling me not to change the fluid at 30k miles is a conspiracy or marketing ploy to benefit from maintenance required from failed parts after a warranty has expired.
I believe the lack of changing fluids will not result in immediate issues with the vehicle but will eventually cause problems down the road, possibly after a warranty has expired.

So how can i continuously be told to not change the fluids, its not needed?
Are new BMW's that awesome that "life time fills" are really legit?
I trust German engineering to be good but what about the fluids they fill the car with, dont they degrade, get dirty?
I think yes, and i think they all need to be changed moreso than BMW says they need to be.
So either its a conspiracy by BMW to have insane long intervals between services, or they are just that confident in their engineering.
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      04-06-2011, 02:48 PM   #2
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They do have very long intervals between changing the fluids. It usually can be calculated to their computers on how you drive etc...

But to get back to your post, it won't hurt your car to change them if you feel like its necessary. Lots of people do it more frequently. If it doesn't bother you about the cost to replace it every so often then by all means do it yourself!

The 30k is the free change that BMW offers... they also push the limits to how long fluids can stay in an engine w/o being changed.
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      04-06-2011, 03:34 PM   #3
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If you do decide to change them, send off some samples to a lab to have it analyzed and report back
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      04-06-2011, 04:17 PM   #4
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which fluids are you considering

Coolant ???
Differential ???
Gear Box ???
Power steering ????

Brake fluid already done every 2 years, and oil at least once a year via Maint plan.

Personally i will change my oil and filter every 7500. and during the summer track season, i drop the oil after 2 track days, and my Brake fluid gets changed by default maybe three times a year due to bleeding after tracking...

After a recent thread on Diff temps at the track... I may change that out for the hell of it..

The tranny on the other hand has me at a pause.. I have a 6AT.. it takes Dextron VI .... nothing special really.. I want to put Red Line in it but am concerned if there is a failure after all the tracking and they say it was the fluid.. The Red line can handle a little more temp and has greater shear strength than what BMW recommends in there fluid.

Your Conspiracy theory is understandable, but In reality BMW is very concerned of "after the 50k warranty" Alot of BMW's are leased and end up being CPO'd, meaning they are on the hook for it in the end anyway so i dont think they would run the chance.
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      04-06-2011, 05:39 PM   #5
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Romak47 - you are not crazy for wanting to change out your fluids. I feel the samw way - that the best fluid is new fluid(s). That goes for oil, gear oil and trany oils.

I feel that BMW is a bit two faced on thier lifetime fluids. Why have lifetime fluids on some of thier cars... while the //M models have to have them changed out - just like in the old (BMW) days - when the customer had to pay for services!?!?!

Why does a 135i not need ANY diff or gearbox fluid changes - while a M car gets one at 1,200 miles and then every third (oil)service?

Why do US spec cars get brake fluid changes every TWO years... while German spec cars (where there is no free BMW services) have to change thier brake fluid every year!

I will be changing my 6MT trans fluid and diff oil shortly. I already bought the correct oil from my BMW Zentrum. I know I am not nuts - I just want my car to last a very long time. I think most people only keep a car for a few years... and BMW isn't that concerned about a few trans/engines/diff failing.

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      04-07-2011, 05:23 PM   #6
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Romak47 - any more thoughts on changing your fluids out? Wacha gonna do?

I think I will be changing mine next week since the weather is really getting nice outside over here. Times to spend some quality time under my car! I have tranny & diff and engine oils to change. I also need to flush my brake fluid out.

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      04-08-2011, 11:40 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Satalite View Post
do it yourself!

The 30k is the free change that BMW offers... .
There is no free change at 30k. There is an "Inspection" which does not include any fluid changes. Although it may coincide with a scheduled oil (CBS or annually) or brake fluid (every 2 years) change, the Inspection service is mainly scope and visual checks.

As all other fluids are considered "lifetime" by BMW, any change will not be paid for by BMW under covered maintenance.

To get back to the thread topic, personally, I change oil at 8~10,000, transmission & differential fluid at 50~60,000, coolant every 4 years, and power steering fluid when a leak needs to be repaired. Romak, you need to decide for yourself what to do, after all it's your car, isn't it?

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      04-10-2011, 08:04 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dackelone View Post
Romak47 - any more thoughts on changing your fluids out? Wacha gonna do?

I think I will be changing mine next week since the weather is really getting nice outside over here. Times to spend some quality time under my car! I have tranny & diff and engine oils to change. I also need to flush my brake fluid out.

Dackel
Here in Germany they will change my brake fluid, or was it clutch fluid.. So i will do that in a couple months and let them do it under warranty.

As far as services provided by BMW Germany, they dont do any regular services for us at all. They make us pay for them.

So , i will be changing my dif and mtrans fluid, and engine oil all myself, soon as a i get a day off next month. sheesh..

I dont know how often i need to bleed the radiator fluid, steering fluid and clutches or brakes..

I believe i will stick with OEM fluids though, because i dont want warranty issues if they see Red dot fluid coming out after an issue possibly arrises.
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      04-17-2011, 06:04 PM   #9
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"Lifetime" fluids are just that...they last the lifetime of the component they are in. When the component no longer is operational, the fluid is at the end of it's lifetime. I've never known a lubricant to last 100K miles.

I find it interesting that when BMW went to the "4yr/50K mile services are on us" model, the service intervals changed drastically. Personally, I change my fluids often. When I picked up my 135i, the diff fluid got changed fairly soon after that. Wanted to change the AT fluid as well, but it was cost prohibitive.

With the number of BMWs we've had in the family and the more conservative service intervals we go with, we've never had a major component bite the dust. I plan to keep it that way.

So, bottom line is, change the fluid at the interval that you feel comfortable with. Some swear by BMW's recommendations, and others are more conservative. I plan on keeping my car for quite some time, and I put my faith in it that it will not leave me or someone else stranded on the side of the road. Hence, my decision for a more conservative schedule.
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