Lots of parallels to questions folks across all the Audi forums have had. I wonder where the middle ground might be?

"Prior to the advent of BMW Free Scheduled Maintenance, approximate BMW maintenance recommendations were: automatic transmission fluid (ATF) and filter changes every 15,000 miles, manual gearbox and differential oil changes every 30,000 miles, annual brake fluid changes, and coolant changes every two years. Spark plugs, air filter, and fuel filters were typically replaced every 30,000 miles on most BMWs (this is a tune-up) except M cars up to 1995, which got new spark plugs and a valve adjustment every 15,000. Later advances in computer engine management and spark plug technology legitimately allow 60,000-mile spark plug life if not more.

Prior to Free Scheduled Maintenance, you couldn't change engine oil often enough according to most dealerships. And when the car was in the shop it would often be due for this service or that inspection, all at the owner's expense.

But once BMW began paying for scheduled maintenance, lo and behold the "schedule" was revised. Now, magically, the cars hardly need any maintenance at all! The 1,200-mile break-in service was done away with except for M cars. Engine oil suddenly lasts 15,000 miles (dealers are supposed to use BMW synthetic oil). Manual gearbox and differential oil? No worries there - now BMW says they NEVER need to be changed, it's "lifetime fill." Brake fluid and coolant service intervals were doubled with no change in the original BMW brake fluid and anti-freeze dealers are supposed to use.

However, the modern automatic transmissions are different. No one knows exactly what BMW's proprietary ATF is, so no one knows if there are viable alternatives. We do know that BMW dealerships charge about $500 for an ATF and filter service, due to the price of the ATF. And that's assuming you can get them to do the job, which is not often the case.

Under no circumstances would I recommend draining any previously unmaintained automatic transmission with much more than 50,000 miles. I have seen it happen too many times, where a well-meaning owner or technician performs an ATF and filter service on a neglected but well-shifting automatic, and then all of the sudden it starts slipping. I can't explain it, but my feeling is the fresh ATF flushes a bit of sludge from a place where it was doing no harm to a place where it does do harm. Overfilling, underfilling, and cleanliness are also issues in ATF and filter servicing, but these should not be problematic for a professional BMW technician, dealer or independent."

http://www.bmwboard.com/forum/showthread.php?s=c2bb8b5be128bd6233e70057915fc604&t=22125

• http://www.bmwboard.com/forum/showthread.php?s=c2bb8b5be128bd6233e70057915fc604&t=22125

Alfas
One Milano
Two Milano
Three Milano,
Four,
then you need to add
a 164

06 A3 2.0T (gone, sniff, sniff)
00 Dakota R/T
98 F355
08 RS4 Cab


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