Great article on maintenance-

http://www.bavarianmachine.com/doc_lifetime.html

I agree that's a great article!

So I'm not sure if this counts as hijacking, but here's my question. (And just use this as an example, this will likely to anyone who plans to keep their car longer than the lease term.)

I have a 2007 X3 which now has 33K miles. I bought it used at 24K miles. Before I bought it, according to BMW service records, there was one maintenance at 18K miles. Presumably that was the first oil change. Too bad! Also the brake fluid was changed just before I bought it. I did an unscheduled oil change at 26K, shortly after I bought it. Based on whatever algorithm the onboard computer uses, I'm scheduled for my next maintenance (which I would have assumed should be 30Kmiles) at 35K and I plan to bring it in before then. If this keeps up I'll be lucky to get one more scheduled maintenance before the program expires at 50K.

So I'm planning to go into my local indie shop and ask them what else I should be doing. I'm willing to pay for extra maintenance now, especially since I hope to keep the vehicle 10+ years. Manual transmission fluid changes? Air filters? Plugs? Etc. (and by the way, in case you're wondering, my DIY days are long over, I'm more than willing to pay the indie shop for good service.)

But I thought I'd throw it up on this board too. I've never seen a maintenance schedule that intertwines BMW scheduled maintenance and recommended unscheduled maintenance. Maybe that indie in Houston has one, but I've never seen one.

It is a little early yet but around 50,000 I would consider changing the tranny fluid, front and rear diffs and the transfer case. I just did all of mine at an indy for $400 using BMW fluids and their transmissions oil filter kit. You should probably perform a coolant flush every couple years or so. Based upon my low annual mileage I do a brake fluid change when I do brakes as this tends to hit around the 3 year mark.

Thanks for posting that.

People concentrate mostly on miles. I wonder what length of time has to do with these things. I don't/won't put huge miles on my car. I try to do as many highway miles as possible and the car is garaged and the weather is fairly temperate.

Unless something malfunctions, I am thinking that the only thing to do is the once/year oil change and once over. The once over at the dealer to include, of course, a request for any software upgrades if there are any.

Originally Posted by X3emist

It is a little early yet but around 50,000 I would consider changing the tranny fluid, front and rear diffs and the transfer case. I just did all of mine at an indy for $400 using BMW fluids and their transmissions oil filter kit. You should probably perform a coolant flush every couple years or so. Based upon my low annual mileage I do a brake fluid change when I do brakes as this tends to hit around the 3 year mark.

Thanks, good suggestions all. Whatever the dealer won't do as part of scheduled maintenance I'll take up with the local indy. May be time for the coolant flush right now.

Are there more people interested in making a maintenance schedule (that the majority of us would agree on) and possibly DIY-s for some of the steps?

There is a bunch of DIY-s on engine oil changes, but the rest (like brake flush, tranny/diff etc) it hard to find. So, anyone interested?

I do not live in US. Things down here in Chile are a little bit different - parts are very expensive compared to US, but labor is not so expensive (good indy will chanrge around 40 US$ per hour).
Anyway, when I bought my car, the first maintenance I paid for was an oil change - around 300 bucks at the dealer (6 liters of oil (Mobil 1 0W40) 25 US$ each - yes, the same one that you can buy for around 7 bucks at Walmart. The rest was the filter and labor). Anyway, that is definitely the first and last time I will ever pay anything to dealer.

BTW, I just changed my oil for around 80 bucks (6 liters of the same oil from Walmart - brought it from US, and the filter I bought at the dealer here for 40 bucks - the one I got from US did not fit my engine ).

I don't want to start the whole oil controversy up again but are you sure you got oil with the proper BMW specs? Just asking?

X3emist, yes, I am sure. That is what the dealer uses and sells for my engine (2.0D). I know that newer diesels should use LL-04 oils, but mine is not so picky (does not have a fancy particle filter).

Originally Posted by kenza

Are there more people interested in making a maintenance schedule (that the majority of us would agree on) and possibly DIY-s for some of the steps?

Well, I'm definitely interested in the schedule, but I don't know enough to create it. I expect to talk to my indy mechanic in the next couple of weeks, maybe I'll have more input then.

I'm visualizing a spreadsheet with 2 rows of timelines: one for the official BMW maintenance schedule, the one below that for the recommended additional service not included in the BMW schedule. And maybe a separate set for AT and MT.

Now I see that the website that the OP linked to has another page with a maintenance schedule similar to what we've discussed. Though I don't anything about MT service, or about X-drive issues.

http://www.bavarianmachine.com/maintenance_post96.html

two weeks ago i cleaned and re-oiled (lightly) the K&N air filter in my wife's '06 X3. that was the first time the filter has been cleaned - and it was filthy. over 40k miles and three years!

anyhow, i took a solo trip of about 400 miles today and the car's computer indicated 25.5 mpg. that is easily the best mileage the car has delivered and i'm giving credit to cleaning the air filter because previously the mpg was more in the 21+/- range.

Bump for anyone that wants to tackle a maintenance schedule. I just bought a '07 X3 Si with 44,000 miles on it. The oil indicator says I don't need an old change for 11k. Obviously after reading this I'll be doing one sooner. Looks like Tranny fluid is going to be the first thing on the list. I guess I'll be taking it in before 50k to see what else they recommend...

Interesting article... and I am sure there is a lot of truth in there.

I'm pretty much a member of the 100K club... that's about the point I tend to sell or trade my current vehicle for another. For me, the 100K mark brought on an expensive repair that had nothing to do with the "engine fluids, brake fluid/ power steering fluid, etc." with my 2004 X3 that I bought new. It was a $4500 "sunroof cassette" replacement. That's about in the same price range as a new transmission according to the article.

That said - I did (somewhere around 60K) have the transmission fluid & filter serviced/replaced. The differential threw a code around 45K and was serviced under warranty. Unlike previous BMWs I have owned - I did not accelerate the oil change schedule at all. When I traded it at 97K - it never required any oil between the scheduled ~15K service changes.

So yes - maybe if you plan to put 200K or more miles on the vehicle - you should probably accelerate the service intervals - espescially for fluids. That said - it will not prevent a bigger repair bill in today's BMWs - be it an computer control module, sunroof cassette, etc.

I have an 07 X3 with 80K mi and I've changed rear diff fluid, 75W90 synthetic. What fluids go into the transfer case, transmission and frt diff ?

you better check with a dealer. My indy said he would not order tranny fluid until he looked at the tag on it. Apparently there have been changes to them mid year and the tag attached is always the definitive determining factor.

Originally Posted by RJB

What fluids go into the transfer case, transmission and frt diff ?

1. http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/83220397244/ES197388

(About $55 + tax at your dealer parts counter. You will use slightly more that 1/2 of it.)

2. Once you have determined which fluid as X3emist says, you will have to find a dealer prepared to sell you some from their bulk supply.

3. Same as rear diff.

Of the 3, and based on what I have seen and heard,
I feel the transfer case drain and fill should always be top priority.

Here is a maintenance schedule i compiled from outside information, it has basic info in the first file and far more detailed information on the following files. There is also a handy cross reference file with all the filters needed.

Originally Posted by natedawg

Here is a maintenance schedule i compiled from outside information, it has basic info in the first file and far more detailed information on the following files. There is also a handy cross reference file with all the filters needed.

Thanks for posting that, "natedawg!" Good information to have!

Originally Posted by natedawg

Here is a maintenance schedule i compiled from outside information, it has basic info in the first file and far more detailed information on the following files. There is also a handy cross reference file with all the filters needed.

Great info, thanks!

Great article!! Thanks!

here are a few diy instructions to help with routine maintenance.

how often should the power steering fluid be change?

according to BMW it never needs to be serviced, but i would guess around 100,000 miles

Originally Posted by natedawg

according to BMW it never needs to be serviced, but i would guess around 100,000 miles

yah bmw also claims tranny fluid shouldnt ever be serviced too
their words are as good as *bleep*

I have the very expensive maintenance manual for my 03 530 and it has a maintenance schedule in the front of it. Seems a place to start, and if interested, I can scan it and attache to a message...I think. new at this forum stuff.

FYI, on the oil, by BMW service Tech specifically stated Castrol 5-30 full synthetic for both my '03 530 and my '08 E83 X3. It is hot in Texas and I am mixing two quarts of 5-40 for the 03. Am doing the first oil change on the X3 today. Everyone says 6 quarts. With filter? My M42 engine, that I assume is related to the X3 M52 in my X3 takes 7 quarts. Sure wish there was a dip stick.

Does anyone know if the 08 E83 comes with a plastic impeller in the water pump. I just changed to the Metal impeller in my 530 along with a new thermostat housing and all is fine despite the doom and gloom in Roundel about the plastic radiator. FYI.

Originally Posted by BUFF Crow

... FYI, on the oil, by BMW service Tech specifically stated Castrol 5-30 full synthetic for both my '03 530 and my '08 E83 X3...

Here's the list of approved motor oils from BMW.

Originally Posted by BUFF Crow

... Am doing the first oil change on the X3 today. Everyone says 6 quarts. With filter? My M42 engine, that I assume is related to the X3 M52 in my X3 takes 7 quarts...

Information I have says 6.9 quarts for my 2007 X3; your 2008 should be the same. Probably the easiest way to verify that would be to put in 6 quarts, run the engine, and see if BMW's electronic magic tells you the engine is a quart low... Shouldn't hurt anything by doing so, and you can add another quart, if necessary. Easier to add than remove...!

Originally Posted by BUFF Crow

... Sure wish there was a dip stick...

You, me -- and a lot of others -- as well...