Mr.PC

My owner's manual (2006 model) says change the AT fluid at 100,000 miles. Of course at your expense.

BrianTx5

I don?t have technical essentials but here are some comments from Mike Miller. (Mike Miller is the technical editor of Roundel magazine, the magazine of the BMW Car Club of America, and another magazine in the U.S., Bimmer.)
In 2000 he sent me a copy of his ?Alternate BMW Maintenance Schedule? where he gives his recommendations for maintenance items such as fluids, filters, belts, hoses, etc. In that document he recommended changing the fluid in manual and automatic transmissions at 30,000 miles.

He responded to a couple of questions in the June 2008 of Roundel magazine. Here are his comments:
1. A reader was considering buying a 2000 750iL with 56,000 miles and was concerned about the transmission?s lifetime fluid. Mike?s comments: ?The automatic transmission cannot be fully drained-none of the modern BMW ones can. BMW has backed off their ?lifetime-fill mantra in the face of overwhelming automatic-transmission failures, now recommending an automatic-transmission fluid and filter change at 100,000 miles. That?s still too long: I?d recommend every 60,000. The differentials are failing, too, for the same reason. I?d recommend differential changes every 30,000 miles.?
2. A reader with a 1995 525i says the owner?s manual states the transmission fluid should be changed every 30,000 miles. The owner has 82,000 miles on the car. Mikes comment: ?I agree that changing the ATF and filter at 82,000 miles is unlikely to cause a problem, but it is not guaranteed not to cause a problem. The higher the mileage on the neglected transmission, the more this becomes a concern.?

BrianTx5

In his response to an owner of a 2005 M5 who said he likes to change his oil every 2,000 to 3,000 miles Mike said, "... that is really wasting oil. I think an oil change every 7,500 miles is going to be fine. Of course, oil analysis is the only way to validate any drain interval."

jazzbass

BrianTx5

I also live in Houston. My independent shop says the tranny oil would have to come from BMW in a barrel size and therefore cost over $400. I'd like to ask what you used or where you had it changed . Have a 2004 530 6-speed with 37800 mi and plan on changing at 50k

Thanks

BrianTx5

Jazzbass,
I also have a manual transmission. I brought my car to BMW in The Woodlands. They charged me $250 to change the transmission fluid and $167 to change the differential fluid.