BMW preventative maintenance

[ualdriver]

Hi-

I own a '98 BMW M3 sedan with 37,000 miles. Looking in my car's Service and Warranty Information Manual, it says it is due for one of the "extensive" maintenance checks, which when I called the dealership would run 900 bucks. I bought the Bentley maintenance manual for the car, and it said that this maintenance check had such items as "check rear window defroster functioning" and other seemingly ridiculous stuff for the dealer to make money inspecting.

Anyway, out of all the items on the "extensive" maintenance list, these seemed legitimate, so I'm asking you all if I should have the following items reparied/replaced or if it's just another dealer gimmick....

1) Replace coolant/flush system (I have never done this during the life of the car)

2) Replace brake fluid (is this necessary unless the fluid is contaminated?)

3) Replace clutch fluid (I have a manual transmission. Again is this necessary if the fluid is not contaminated?)

4) Replace spark plugs

5) Replace fuel filter

Which of the above 5, if any, should I have done to keep my car in good maintenance?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[mikev]

Replacing the coolent and flushing the system is good for the car and coolent system as the liquid gets worse at disapating heat. brake and clutch fluid i have changed every few years. Remember each dropped gear change or sloppy shift produces tiny metal shavings that just sit around and could possibly cause problems so its a good idea to flush these out. can't see any real reason for the brake fluid i just change it out of habbit. spark plugs and fuel filter are a given on any service.

 

[Abdoman]

Brake fluid absorbs water - it should be changed regularly. Changing the brake fluid helps keeps the lines from corroding.

 

[jrt67ss350]

Remember each dropped gear change or sloppy shift produces tiny metal shavings that just sit around and could possibly cause problems so its a good idea to flush these out.

This would have nothing to do with the clutch hydraulic fluid (which is just brake fluid anyways). It's impossible for metal shavings from the transmission to enter the clutch hydraulic system. Only changing the tranny fluid would get rid of these shavings. Anyways, changing the clutch hydraulic fluid is probably a good idea, because since the car was built in '97 or '98, the fluid has undoubtedly absorbed moisture, which can lead to internal corrosion of the lines and clutch slave and master cylinders just as Abdoman pointed out.

 

[hardcore209]

If u don't change the coolant regularly, the waterways will eventually get clogged up and the engine will overheat and crack the head. this is why u MUST change to coolant at least every 2 years. The M3(e36 euro 286BHP) head is comparitively very highly stressed in relation to a 328i, so go with what the service intervals tell u, o.k!

 

[e30ty]

Hi-

I own a '98 BMW M3 sedan with 37,000 miles. Looking in my car's Service and Warranty Information Manual, it says it is due for one of the "extensive" maintenance checks, which when I called the dealership would run 900 bucks. I bought the Bentley maintenance manual for the car, and it said that this maintenance check had such items as "check rear window defroster functioning" and other seemingly ridiculous stuff for the dealer to make money inspecting.

Anyway, out of all the items on the "extensive" maintenance list, these seemed legitimate, so I'm asking you all if I should have the following items reparied/replaced or if it's just another dealer gimmick....

1) Replace coolant/flush system (I have never done this during the life of the car)

2) Replace brake fluid (is this necessary unless the fluid is contaminated?)

3) Replace clutch fluid (I have a manual transmission. Again is this necessary if the fluid is not contaminated?)

4) Replace spark plugs

5) Replace fuel filter

Which of the above 5, if any, should I have done to keep my car in good maintenance?

Thanks,
Steve

Yes, all of this should be done. If you want a BMW to last, you need to keep up on basic maintenance like fluids, and filters. It's very important not to cheap out on this and not change them.