Maintenance Schedule

[MichaelInChicago]

Would anyone have the maintenance items for the 60,000 mile servicing?
Also, if the car is still under warranty, can I have the maintenance done at an independant trusted garage?

Thanks

[Opie55]

I'm not sure there is a mileage-based service interval - besides oil changes. See the pdf in thread below. Some things are tied to the oil change interval, like plugs and air filters. Most of the other things are as necessary. But this is one more reason I never have dealers service my car. It says change plugs and air filters every other oil change. That's ridiculous in my circumstance. I always change oil based on time - one year - and never mileage. I average about 6-7,000 miles per year. So if I followed this I'd be changing plugs and filters every 12-14,000 miles. That's just stupid. I would not do plugs before 40k miles, and filters - here's a novel concept - I look at them and replace them when they are dirty. If my car had 60k on it I would do the following things, assuming I was not doing it myself:

Take it to a trusted indy who specializes in BMWs. Ask them to give it a thorough inspection, with particular attention to suspension bushings (a heavy car at 60k is nearing the end of life on some of those - I know you have already changed some), the flex joints , any and all fluid leaks, and the condition of the drive belt and idler/tensioner. If you have no evidence plugs were already done, have those done. Ditto with oil and brake fluid - based on when were they last done. After that, I'd probably have them change my other fluids - tranny and differential, etc. And I'd make sure they use the correct fluids. E.g., ZF fluid for the tranny, not the "this is what we always use" fluid.


https://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=935202

[Opie55]

Here is some recommended service intervals from a dealer. This is crazy. Coolant every 10k miles? Coolant is one fluid that is pretty close to life of the car. 10k is nuts. But then brake fluid they say every 60,000 miles. That is crazy in the other direction. That would be nearly a decade for me, when every 2 years is the rule of thumb because brake fluid absorbs moisture.

https://www.bmwofcincinnatinorth.com...e-schedule.htm

[MichaelInChicago]

Thanks so much for your responses.

I am going to take the car to BMW indy shop and ask them to do a full inspection.

[Opie55]

Originally Posted by MichaelInChicago

Thanks so much for your responses.

I am going to take the car to BMW indy shop and ask them to do a full inspection.

You might also consider a fuel filter.

[ezmaass]

I'm pretty sure you can have the maintenance done wherever you choose (even do it yourself) without impacting your warranty.

The only thing I'd caution is that you may run the risk of being challenged in a warranty claim if BMW suspects maintenance hasn't been done per schedule and/or as prescribed. This is a pretty standard clause in a warranty - essentially holding you responsible for proper maintenance or it could void your warranty. Unfortunately, even if certain things seem silly or premature, BMW alone gets to define what "proper" maintenance means. The risk is probably pretty small, but it's there, nonetheless.

Over the years, I've had my BMWs serviced exclusively at the dealer and per their schedule. This isn't the most cost effective, but I've found it to be quite effective. In nearly 20 years, I've had next to no mechanical issues (knock on wood), ranging from cars I've driven very little, to those I've put a lot of mileage on. At the very least, the mechanics knew the car from new, knew the maintenance that had been done, etc. They, and they alone, would be responsible for keeping on top of technical service bulletins, identifying anything preventative, etc, as well. The car ends up with a very complete service record, which is also good for resale when the time comes.

But all of that said, I've also had the good fortune of a really good dealership. Some are complete disasters, and you'd be better off at a trusted independent. My dealer here in CT is owned by a doctor, and the way in which they go about maintenance is much like you'd find at a doctor's office. In fact, before everything was fully electronic, you'd walk into the service center and there would be walls of client files on the wall like an old school doctor's office. You get a pretty comprehensive "health report" of the car each time it's in, photos of things they find, "prescriptions" for what to do - in some cases they'll gladly tell you it can wait, or in other cases whether something should be addressed straight away.

I'm a bit OCD about my cars, so I don't mind doing preventative care, either. I want them to run in a like-new condition for as long as feasible, so my dealer's approach resonates with me. Others take a more reactive approach to maintenance - wait until something breaks before addressing it, even if deterioration is clearly present and failure is certain. In some cases this is also the right approach, especially on a DD that you don't plan to keep long-term.

So, long story short, I'd say working with a shop whose philosophy towards maintenance works with your own is most important. If they're overly aggressive on preventative care and you're the "wait and see" kind, you'll feel like they're ripping you off. If they're overly lax and you're the type who wants the car in top shape, you'll feel like they're incompetent. It's just important to find the right shop for your own style. But again, anyone should be able to carry out the maintenance - I'd just reiterate the caution that skipping certain prescribed maintenance can potentially cause issues for warranty claims where BMW suggests you were negligent... rare, I'd think, unless you were REALLY negligent in something, but a risk nonetheless.

[Opie55]

I'll bet you are not as OCD as I am, which is why I only let others touch my car when absolutely necessary. No matter what else is true, they do not actually care about my car. I'm all for preventative maintenance and do a lot of it, but that still won't make me replace coolant at 10k miles or replace filters at obscenely inflated prices that are not dirty no matter what some tech or service rep says. Basically, I trust myself to tell me what my car needs, not some person who has no fiduciary relationship with me and whose principal interest is to make money off of me. Not everybody wants to or can do their own work. I enjoy it. I don't do it to save money but it does make me smile to know how much I save. I never go to a dealer again after the day my warranty expires. The last time I was at a car repair place of any kind, other than a tire store, was once for an XC90 we had, and that was about 5 years ago. So while it is true that many people wait to repair what is broken instead of doing preventative maintenance, I don't think that is as true at this price point. I see the issue more as what you are willing to pay to not have to be bothered to learn about things that may not interest you, and let your car maintenance decisions be made by others, even if that means you occasionally pay to replace perfectly good filters or buy spark plugs 20,000 miles too early.

[Derekz4]

I would have to agree with Opie55. I have a hard time letting someone work on my cars too. I have one of the rear shades that doesn’t always retract but I’m too worried that they will somehow mess up the door panel so I don’t bring it in.

[Opie55]

Originally Posted by Derekz4

I would have to agree with Opie55. I have a hard time letting someone work on my cars too. I have one of the rear shades that doesn’t always retract but I’m too worried that they will somehow mess up the door panel so I don’t bring it in.

Whereas I would remove the door panel myself and repair the shade.