After pondering for months whether to have my transmission fluid changed I finally bit the bullet and had an independent change the transmission fluid, coolant, brake fluid and rear differential. What the heck, get it all done at once. I didn't have him change the oil because it's not due and I have 9 quarts of Red Line and a new filter in my garage.

So far I am very pleased. In the past two years I have had a few nasty "trans slams". I think I got used to driving "around" the transmission issues. If I had to add power when slowing down but not coming to a complete stop I would always accelerate gently until I could feel the transmission was in gear. Now it feels like a BMW transmission should. Always seems to be in the right gear. Never gets caught between gears when slowing down. And the car feels more responsive, so much more I'm beginning to think the transmission was slipping just a bit.

It was expensive but I plan keeping this car for a while and my CPO ends next summer. Hopefully it was worthwhile preventative maintenance. When summer 2011 rolls around it will my first BMW ownership experience without a warranty, lets see if it will be my last...

 

Definitely worthwhile! The lifetime fill is a joke!

How many miles on the car?

 

nice job! How much did it cost to flush and refill the coolant btw? I haven't done that yet.

 

$63 for the BMW Blue Antifreese, $115 to drain and flush the system, so $178 total.

 

57k miles, I wanted to do it before 60k miles although they said I was a bit early. Customers usually have it done between 65k and 75k miles.

 

How much did the transmission fluid change run? I know it is gonna be expensive.

 

First keep in mind I have heard numbers upwards of $8k for a new transmission.

Total for the fluid and filter change, $759. Labor $276, new pan/gasket $281, BMW Trans Fluid $202.

 

why the new pan and gasket...? i was thinking about having my transmission and differential fluids changed. I was going to contact village european... i met one of the techs at the Bentley Publishers meet on their service book for the E60.

 

Pan and gasket is common problem for transmissions (did my changed for 80 kkm but not the oil just refill) what cosing leaking oil and then ther`s no pressure and then all other driving problems, it`s plastic and if you change trans oil you need to change pan and gasket also
If not using your E60 on track, you can save money by trust to LifeTime fill, cos i do

 

Just to confirm, the price you wrote was from a dealer correct? Or was it from an independent shop? I have just over 50k miles on my '08 550i and was thinking about doing this. Perhaps I should have the spark plugs changed first at 60k, wait for the transmission flush till I'm closer to 70k then do the radiator flush around 80k.