Pulling car out of storage...what service to do?

[LuisBoston]

Hey all - I am pulling my car out of storage (3 months in a detached garage, hooked up to BMW battery tender) soon and was wondering what service I should get.

Car is going on 6 years old and 38,000 miles.

Oil change is obvious since it's been at least 6 months.
What else?

No major service has been done except oil changes.

Should I change the transmission fluid? Flush the brake fluid?

Thanks!

[The Wind Breezes]

Brake fluid yes, oil not unless you're otherwise due for it. 6 months is nothing. So is a 3 month storage.

[Gray_Panther]

Brake fluid. Transmission fluid. Differential fluid. Coolant flush.
These are all relatively simple jobs that you can do in a day after watching youtube videos.
It will give you peace of mind knowing you are running on fresh liquids.

[Mybimmer]

Do nothing unless it's due. 3 months is not a longtime.

[Gangplank]

How many miles on the oil? I'd do the steering, coolant & brake fluid for sure. Transmission & differential - Is it manual, automatic or DCT?

* Oil change: every 7,500 mi. (BMW says 12-15k or annually (oil is cheap & engines are expensive)
* Cabin air filter: 1-2 yrs / 15k mi
* Air filter: 2 yrs / 30k mi.
* Coolant flush: 2 yrs / 24k mi.
* Brake fluid: 3yrs / 36k mi.
* Steering fluid: 4 yrs / 48k mi.

[LuisBoston]

The last oil change was last March (2018). I've put 1300 miles on it since then. For $80 I may just do the oil change regardless.

At 5.5 years old things like the steering fluid have not been done.

Originally Posted by Gangplank

How many miles on the oil? I'd do the steering, coolant & brake fluid for sure. Transmission & differential - Is it manual, automatic or DCT?

* Oil change: every 7,500 mi. (BMW says 12-15k or annually (oil is cheap & engines are expensive)
* Cabin air filter: 1-2 yrs / 15k mi
* Air filter: 2 yrs / 30k mi.
* Coolant flush: 2 yrs / 24k mi.
* Brake fluid: 3yrs / 36k mi.
* Steering fluid: 4 yrs / 48k mi.

[NorthernDancer]

As Mybimmer has said, essentially nothing, however:
1. check tire pressure
2. drive car at least 30 minutes
3. change oil (you should have changed it 1-2 weeks before storing it)
4. eventually change brake fluid

Tranny, diff, coolant sometime later in spring. Also check air & cabin filters. Two oil changes a year, July and November. I only drive about 5K miles a year, car is stored 5-6 months so I only do 1 oil change per year.
When I do my pre-storage oil change, I only add 6 quarts; I put 1 quart in plastic bag and on drivers floor and add that last quart in spring just before starting the car.

[Gangplank]

Originally Posted by LuisBoston

The last oil change was last March (2018). I've put 1300 miles on it since then. For $80 I may just do the oil change regardless.

At 5.5 years old things like the steering fluid have not been done.

Well at that age the coolant, brake fluid & power steering fluid and filters are due. With how little you drive the transmission & differential fluids can wait. I'd probably change the oil as well.

Other than that, wash & wax & drive.

[Olgeezer1]

Originally Posted by NorthernDancer

As Mybimmer has said, essentially nothing, however:
1. check tire pressure
2. drive car at least 30 minutes
3. change oil (you should have changed it 1-2 weeks before storing it)
4. eventually change brake fluid

Tranny, diff, coolant sometime later in spring. Also check air & cabin filters. Two oil changes a year, July and November. I only drive about 5K miles a year, car is stored 5-6 months so I only do 1 oil change per year.
When I do my pre-storage oil change, I only add 6 quarts; I put 1 quart in plastic bag and on drivers floor and add that last quart in spring just before starting the car.

Pretty much this ^ . I prefer all service/fluid changes in the fall so the car sits with contaminant free fluids, then come spring all I do is drop tire pressures and drive. For best advice on maintenance download "Mike Miller's Lifetime Maintenance Schedule". It's free and it's the Bible.

[LuisBoston]

Originally Posted by Gangplank

Well at that age the coolant, brake fluid & power steering fluid and filters are due. With how little you drive the transmission & differential fluids can wait. I'd probably change the oil as well.

Other than that, wash & wax & drive.

Thanks!

Took it out last night. Did a 35 mile drive on the highway. And it's now getting an oil change and brake fluid flush (light came on saying it was due anyway).

Looking forward to a good summer with it!

I should get some non-RFTs....