Does anyone know where I can find the schedule on which mileage you have to bring in the car for oil changes/maintenance?
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05-11-2014LAST POST
Its CBS (conditoned based service) like all newer BMWs. No more inspection 1 and 2. It's less maintenace than the older cars; however, you should still change oil annually or 15k (per BMW, many here do 7.5k).
Plugs are 37k IIRC, and @ 50k miles I would do the coolant (or every 2 years), brake fluid, diff and trans.
Plugs are 37k IIRC, and @ 50k miles I would do the coolant (or every 2 years), brake fluid, diff and trans.
Posted this in an earlier thread, but if you want the maintenance you should REALLY be doing, follow the list below, based largely on Mike Miller's Lifetime Maintenance Schedule:
Battery (incl. Registration): Every 48-60 months
Brake fluid + clutch bleed: Every 24 months (more if tracked semi-regularly)
Cabin air filter: Every 30,000 miles or 24 months
Coolant: Every 24 months
Differential oil: Every 30,000 miles or 36 months
Engine air filter: Every 30,000 miles or 36 months
Engine drive belt: Every 60,000 miles
Engine oil + filter (8.8 L / 9.3 qt): Every 7,500 miles or 12 months
Hoses (coolant + fuel): Every 150,000 miles
Oxygen sensor: Every 120,000 miles
Power steering fluid: Every 30,000 miles (also recommend changing reservoir since the filter is built into it)
Spark plugs: Every 37,000 miles
Transmission oil (6MT, and ideally DCT if you can get the fluid): Every 30,000 miles or 36 months
Vehicle check (dealer checklist, on iDrive): Every 30,000 miles or 48 months
Water pump and thermostat: Every 90,000-120,000 miles
Or if you want bare minimum maintenance, go to BMWNA's site and grab your Warranty and Service Information Booklet PDF: http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Content/Explore/BMWValue/BMWUltimateService/ServiceandWarrantyBooks.aspx.
Battery (incl. Registration): Every 48-60 months
Brake fluid + clutch bleed: Every 24 months (more if tracked semi-regularly)
Cabin air filter: Every 30,000 miles or 24 months
Coolant: Every 24 months
Differential oil: Every 30,000 miles or 36 months
Engine air filter: Every 30,000 miles or 36 months
Engine drive belt: Every 60,000 miles
Engine oil + filter (8.8 L / 9.3 qt): Every 7,500 miles or 12 months
Hoses (coolant + fuel): Every 150,000 miles
Oxygen sensor: Every 120,000 miles
Power steering fluid: Every 30,000 miles (also recommend changing reservoir since the filter is built into it)
Spark plugs: Every 37,000 miles
Transmission oil (6MT, and ideally DCT if you can get the fluid): Every 30,000 miles or 36 months
Vehicle check (dealer checklist, on iDrive): Every 30,000 miles or 48 months
Water pump and thermostat: Every 90,000-120,000 miles
Or if you want bare minimum maintenance, go to BMWNA's site and grab your Warranty and Service Information Booklet PDF: http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Content/Explore/BMWValue/BMWUltimateService/ServiceandWarrantyBooks.aspx.
s85e90 wroteFyi, BMW's own schedule says trans and diff at every third oil change (not counting the 1200-mile service), which would be every 45K miles, and considering that the same company recommends 15K oil changes (at least until recently), 50K seems like an awfully long time to wait for those fluids. Same for brake fluid, where BMW recommends every 2 years (or 3 years as of 3/11 production).Plugs are 37k IIRC, and @ 50k miles I would do the coolant (or every 2 years), brake fluid, diff and trans.
That is outdated in ways. First we have a fuel filter in our tank. Can't just replace it. Nor does it need it.
I changed diff fluid at 30k and looked like the day I had 1200 mile service. Was perfect. Coolant every two years is really overkill. Every 4 years or 50k miles is fine for a system in these cars.
.power steering fluid also silly. Its in a closed system and doesn't need changing more than once on 100k miles if that.
Now oil every 7500, plugs every 15-20 ( we have plugs play different role in our engines ion sensing control of timing advance and knock which requires clean plugs and I've logged differences at 15 k miles dirty.) Engine air filter at 10-15!! 30 is too long. And brake fluid every 2.
I changed diff fluid at 30k and looked like the day I had 1200 mile service. Was perfect. Coolant every two years is really overkill. Every 4 years or 50k miles is fine for a system in these cars.
.power steering fluid also silly. Its in a closed system and doesn't need changing more than once on 100k miles if that.
Now oil every 7500, plugs every 15-20 ( we have plugs play different role in our engines ion sensing control of timing advance and knock which requires clean plugs and I've logged differences at 15 k miles dirty.) Engine air filter at 10-15!! 30 is too long. And brake fluid every 2.
coloradoe92m3 wroteForgot to remove the fuel filter from that list after learning that it's not serviceable. Post above edited.That is outdated in ways. First we have a fuel filter in our tank. Can't just replace it. Nor does it need it.
I changed diff fluid at 30k and looked like the day I had 1200 mile service. Was perfect. Coolant every two years is really overkill. Every 4 years or 50k miles is fine for a system in these cars.
.power steering fluid also silly. Its in a closed system and doesn't need changing more than once on 100k miles if that.
Now oil every 7500, plugs every 15-20 ( we have plugs play different role in our engines ion sensing control of timing advance and knock which requires clean plugs and I've logged differences at 15 k miles dirty.) Engine air filter at 10-15!! 30 is too long. And brake fluid every 2.
As for trans and diff, I guess it depends on how you use the car. If you're just commuting on city streets and freeways (which always makes me wonder why those people chose to own an M3), then maybe you can stretch those intervals out. If the car sees some track time, I don't think 30K intervals are overkill, especially given that they're not terribly expensive.
Power steering fluid looks pretty nasty after 30K miles, and again it's not terribly expensive even if you opt to change the reservoir since the filter is built into it. And anyone who's taken their car to the track can tell you that unfortunately, even though it's supposed to be, the power steering system on this car is anything BUT closed.

I disagree with 15K filter changes given that our filter is enormous. Definitely pull it and give it a few whacks to dislodge some of the loose dirt at 15K, but I had mine changed at 30K while the car was in for other stuff and the tech said that it could easily have stayed in longer.
gymtime wrotehere's a thread on this i started a while back in the maintenance forum-Does anyone know where I can find the schedule on which mileage you have to bring in the car for oil changes/maintenance?
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=778602