BMW Service is insane

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Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
I'm somewhat intrigued by the early change of the brake fluid

The OP did not state when the car was first put in service. If it was about 2 years back, then that would be the basis for them to change the brake fluid.

However, if it really was about 2 years, then they should have also gone ahead and changed his oil, without him having to specifically request it. That is the only thing that raised my eye brow.


Hence my intrigue
wink.gif
 
I've been happy with our dealer service. We were on the 14k schedule, I offered to pay for interim changes, but the dealer did it for free. What did surprise me is that somewhere around 60k they changed our oil service reminder interval to 7k. I don't care since that is around when I would do it anyway, but it seemed kind of strange.

Our dealership has valet service, so they drop off a loaner and take ours away, then bring it back with fresh oil or whatever it needed. I haven't actually been to the shop in about 5 years.

I do some of the work myself, but they also have a lifetime warranty on any part they replace, so our alternator is now warranted for as long as we own the car.
 
Originally Posted By: Lead Shoes
The more electronic and over engineered BMWs become the more the bills rise... and the raw performance experience lowers.

The problem lies in the bean counters, the de-tuned race era of the 90's is gone and they appear to be in it for the sales numbers now.

Where is the, THERE'S NO CUP HOLDERS BECAUSE THIS CAR IS NOT A ROLLING SOFA YOU LAZY AMERICAN SCUM!? The soul the old German cars had is gone, call it the clarkson theory, but the x factor is slipping from BMW's grip as the years move forward.


I miss the old cars not having cup holders. Driving was an activity in itself, not texting, faceworlding, and eating. You drove, than if you wanted a coffee you stopped. Luxury was about a wonderfully built car that could last a life time, not stupid screens that burn out in 5-10 years that let you faceworld instead of pay attention to the road.

Leasing ruined the German car. Back when you had to spend a lot of money and actually buy a BMW or a Mercedes they had very ambitions and comprehensive service plans. They figured that someone who bought say a 1995 S600 which cost over $100k in 1995 either with a check or a *gasp* 36 month car not (payment over $3k!) would be interested in making it last a while and not really care about a few extra bucks in fluid changes.

Back than, brake fluid every 2 years, coolant every 2 years, transmission every 25k, plugs every 25k, most filters every 25k...grease hinges and hood once a year, and yes they had zerks...
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
I'm somewhat intrigued by the early change of the brake fluid

The OP did not state when the car was first put in service. If it was about 2 years back, then that would be the basis for them to change the brake fluid.

However, if it really was about 2 years, then they should have also gone ahead and changed his oil, without him having to specifically request it. That is the only thing that raised my eye brow.

The in service date was July of 2013.
Hence my intrigue
wink.gif
 
Originally Posted By: TomYoung
The dealer's computer pushed ahead a two-year brake fluid requirement based on the car's in service date. But I am pretty sure that brake fluid reco is actuall 4 or 5 years.
When I lived in 1980s Germany a brake fluid change was documented with a green tag tied to the master cylinder and that was checked at the 2-yearly TuV vehicle inspection. I think now they use a fluid tester.
Here in NZ my mother's '04 320D is serviced by the book, 2-years on brake fluid and whatever the service indicator says for oil changes. I don't intervene with this "experiment" with the single exception of getting the auto trans flushed recently, as it's not in the service schedule and the dealer would not do it.
 
ATE states on their cans that brake fluid should be changed every two years. Whether you do that or not is up to you, but that is what they say.

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: TomYoung
But I am pretty sure that brake fluid reco is actuall 4 or 5 years.

It's every 2 years.
 
I go six months on my track rats(Club Sport and MS3) and two years on everything else.
 
Originally Posted By: TomYoung
My God, what the [censored] is wrong with everyone? The post concerns some weirdness surrounding BMW maintenance. It has turned into incoherent rumblings about the brand. One hero has two BMWs worth about three grand altogether, and is telling us how only the M cars fit his specifications. Dream on.

And we have several ramblings about how much electronics have been added to the cars, as though that's unique to the marque. Plenty of talk about performance, handling and reliability. Modern 3 series cars get top scores all- round.

There is also drivel about cup holders and bean counters.

Go back to the topic and stop bashing the brand, which builds some of the sweetest rides out there.


lol Everyone wants to give their opinion on BMW.
 
Having had 4 90s-00s BMW I've been very happy. I've also owned a number of Asian cars and can say that the Hondas and toyotas have been the most consistently reliable....just not as much fun to drive.
 
Originally Posted By: SilverSnake


So, have you ever owned one?


What do you think?
 
Originally Posted By: MCompact
Originally Posted By: SilverSnake


So, have you ever owned one?


What do you think?


Exactly
thumbsup2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Y_K
fellas, you are being simply cruel to the topic starter for no reason..
yeah, guys lay off! Jk. I know you are jel...
 
I never owned a BMW and I was a passenger in few, I also observe very keenly BMW drivers, so I'm pretty sure I know what I'm talking about when I say that BMW cars are pure and utter (fill in the balnk)...
grin.gif
(j/k)


On a serious note, I really don't see what is so "insane" about BMW's service. Sure, when compared to some generic econoboxes like a Toyota or Honda, it may seem excessive, but this is a BMW, that at least on paper, can still be driven in a spirited manner while maintaining a perfect composure, so the service intervals reflect this. Is it BMW's fault that most 3 owners renters treat them like Corollas?
 
Originally Posted By: KrisZ


On a serious note, I really don't see what is so "insane" about BMW's service. Sure, when compared to some generic econoboxes like a Toyota or Honda, it may seem excessive, but this is a BMW, that at least on paper, can still be driven in a spirited manner while maintaining a perfect composure, so the service intervals reflect this. Is it BMW's fault that most 3 owners renters treat them like Corollas?


BMW servicing requirements used to be considerably more extensive; when BMW started picking up the tab for service a lot of service intervals were doubled while coolant, ATF, transmission oil, and differential oil became "Lifetime" fills on everything but the ///M cars. My friend Mike Miller is the Tech Editor for Bimmer and Roundel and he prepared an "Old School" maintenance regimen that I follow on any BMW I plan to own long term. So far it has worked for me...
 
Originally Posted By: MCompact
Originally Posted By: KrisZ


On a serious note, I really don't see what is so "insane" about BMW's service. Sure, when compared to some generic econoboxes like a Toyota or Honda, it may seem excessive, but this is a BMW, that at least on paper, can still be driven in a spirited manner while maintaining a perfect composure, so the service intervals reflect this. Is it BMW's fault that most 3 owners renters treat them like Corollas?


BMW servicing requirements used to be considerably more extensive; when BMW started picking up the tab for service a lot of service intervals were doubled while coolant, ATF, transmission oil, and differential oil became "Lifetime" fills on everything but the ///M cars. My friend Mike Miller is the Tech Editor for Bimmer and Roundel and he prepared an "Old School" maintenance regimen that I follow on any BMW I plan to own long term. So far it has worked for me...



Come on guys, I went in for my first service on my BMW, where they changed brake fluid and did not change motor oil. Does that not strike folks as incongruous?
 
If the dealer performed an oil change under either the 1 year service or on mileage (your iDrive will indicate both the date and mileage) they MUST reset the indicator. Brakes are every two years and should indicate such via IDrive.

Warranty/ maintenance starts at the in service date. We're all assuming you bought the car new and it wasn't a loaner or CPO.

Now the dealerships base the service needs off key reader. It's not unheard of for there to be a disconnect between what the car and the key states.
 
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