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Originally Posted by mysweetx5
The bottom line after many hours of researching about BMW's "Lifetime" Transmission fluid.
In the years before the early 1990s, BMW never had "Lifetime" fluid in their vehicles.
Over the course of time, BMW changed their policy, due to increasing competition from
other car manufacturers to be more competitive with costs and initial customer ownership.
Thus came about the "Lifetime" fluids or components on certain cars and equipment.
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I don't disagree that BMW (as well as many other manufacturers) moved to lifetime fluids, but you are ignoring the fact that both transmission design and fluid specs changed during those decades.
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The consensus though is that the transmission fluid should be changed at some point
and is not "Lifetime". Depending on your driving style, climate and other independent factors
you should change your transmission fluid anywhere between 50k and 100k miles.
Sure, you could drive your car until the transmission fails, which may be over 100k miles,
it maybe be less or your transmission might never fail. The point is that your transmission
fluid is not "Lifetime" and should be changed.
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There is not a consensus. I agree that the transmission may fail, but why do you believe that changing the fluid prematurely will extend that life? Failure does not equate to wear out.
You list a number of alternate fluids, but if one is going to change it to reduce the risk of failure, why increase the risk by using universal fluids that don't meet the ZF spec? When companies such as Quaker State and Amsoil say that their universal fluids can be used in most LT71141 applications, they don't usually meet either spec. Sure they may work. But if one is quoting ZF service docs to back up a position then why not follow them and use a legitimate fluid?
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Most problems if any that occur, are due to improper procedures or transmissions that already have problems and by changing the ATF you can not turn back time on the damage which has already occurred. Thus, people tend to blame their transmission problem on their ATF change.
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Yes, changing the fluid on a transmission with problems isn't likely to fix anything. But you are ignoring the transmissions with no problems that only exhibit symptoms after changing the fluid. High detergent levels in the new fluid, and viscosity that is often lower, can precipitate a failure. That risk has to be balanced against the benefits of new fluid, remembering that the data does not support the premise that fluid breakdown causes most of the failures.
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2007 X3 3.0si, 6 MT, Premium, White
Retired:
2008 535i, 6 MT, M Sport, Premium, Space Grey
2003 X5 3.0 Steptronic, Premium, Titanium Silver
2002 325xi 5 MT, Steel Grey
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