[Radar580]

Is anyone here concerned about BMW's view point that their automatic transmissions
are "sealed for life"? Personnally, I WANT to be able to change the filter and fluid in
an automatic transmission. It makes them live longer. Simple as that.

I've been reading about the 7-series automatic owners that are saying that their
transmissions fail shortly after the warranty ends. Well no wonder, if the transmission's
fluid is never changed. Those 'lucky' people get to spend $5200 to have the old trans
removed and a new one installed. Needless to say, they're not happy about it either.

I have over 300,000 miles on my Chevy's 700-R4 automatic. Why has it lasted so long?
I change the fluid and filter once a year. And I want to do the same with a Mini.
I don't understand why they would want to restrict this vital maintenance service.
(Unless they like selling lots of new replacement transmissions)

Any thoughts?

[nonsequitur]

Schedule the service you want to have done, at extra cost.

More seriously, my BMW (and other makes) experience has been that you can have whatever work you want done, performed, by the Dealer, for a negotiated fee.

[Rawhyde]

Quote: Originally Posted by Radar580

Is anyone here concerned about BMW's view point that their automatic transmissions
are "sealed for life"? Personnally, I WANT to be able to change the filter and fluid in
an automatic transmission. It makes them live longer. Simple as that.

I've been reading about the 7-series automatic owners that are saying that their
transmissions fail shortly after the warranty ends. Well no wonder, if the transmission's
fluid is never changed. Those 'lucky' people get to spend $5200 to have the old trans
removed and a new one installed. Needless to say, they're not happy about it either.

I have over 300,000 miles on my Chevy's 700-R4 automatic. Why has it lasted so long?
I change the fluid and filter once a year. And I want to do the same with a Mini.
I don't understand why they would want to restrict this vital maintenance service.
(Unless they like selling lots of new replacement transmissions)

Any thoughts?

I agree with you. A transmission that is "sealed for life" will have a short life. Sort of like the "lubed for life" bearings and ball joints that have no grease fitting.

I am amazed that you got 300K miles from a 700-R4! My 4L60-E in my Impala SS shattered its planetary gearset at 108K. My mother had a Cutlass whose transmission died at 42K, and my aunt's Buick LeSabre's transmission has been rebuilt twice and completely replaced once more with a total of 78K miles.

Maybe my family and I are statistical anomilies with regard to automatic transmission reliability, but I simply have no faith whatsoever in automatic transmissions.

I did replace a clutch in an 89 Camaro at 198K miles once, but that was only $300 for the parts, and since I'm not in the habit of sending myself a bill; the labor was free.

As long as I have full use of my extremities, I'll drive manuals.

When my MCS gets delivered and the Impala SS goes into semi-retirement, that 4L60-E just may get pulled out and replaced with a T-56 6 speed manual like my 95 Camaro has.

Rawhyde

[Radar580]

Quote: Originally Posted by Rawhyde

I agree with you. A transmission that is "sealed for life" will have a short life. Sort of like the "lubed for life" bearings and ball joints that have no grease fitting.

I am amazed that you got 300K miles from a 700-R4!

I am thinking the transmission will be short lived too, without proper care.
You don't have to be a MIT Engineering grad to figure that one out.

I was able to get over 300K (now 307K) out of my 700-R4 by running Mobil-1 synthetic
transmission fluid with consistent changes. It withstands the heat and is an incredible
product. I would want to run that in a MCS automatic too. (If BMW would allow a way
for owners to service their transmissions that is.......[sigh])

I went to the new car auto show specifically to grill BMW "officials" about this sealed
for life transmission standpoint. Unfortunately, the people stafffing the area had no idea
what I was talking about. The most they could do was to shrug their shoulders and
hand me a brochure.

[BillK]

Hmmm . . . This thread has been quiet for a while. Let's see if we can change that . . .

My 2003 Mini is beyond the "free maintenance" mileage [sigh] so I am now back to DIY. Mini always insisted that the transmission fluid was lifetime and never needed to be routinely changed, but my Bentley guide calls for CVT fluid change as part of every Inspection I. They can't both be right.

The procedure is not difficult, although it has a lot of finicky steps, but I would rather not if I don't have to. Temperatures are in the 90's and working on a warm engine is not high on my list of fun things to do right now. It looks like the fluid is only available from Mini, and a special tool is required (looks like a hose and fitting for pumping the fluid in).

Has anyone actually done this?

Any opinions?

Has anyone paid a dealer?

How much?