Incredibly stupid dealer comment on fluid changes.

OK, fair cop and all, this is somewhat off-topic, as it concerns a comment from a dealership service adviser on my car. Still, it's so incredibly stupid that I have to share it.

My Tacoma has become my daily driver, and my car gets used mostly on weekends. I have a 2015 BMW M235i with xDrive (BMW's AWD system), just crossing 34,000 miles (I was doing 2000 miles per month until I got the Tacoma last fall, now down to 300 - 400 per month and almost only on the weekends). BMW gives you "free maintenance" for the warranty period of the car, and, for some reason, the recommended maintenance is a really short list (I know, you're shocked, shocked!)

In any event, I do more maintenance than the book calls for. One thing I like to do is change the driveline fluids. Unlike the Tacoma, they're an event to change. The differentials don't have drain plugs, requiring you to go in through the fill hole with a suction tube. Accessing the transfer case fill plug apparently requires dropping the front drive shaft and part of the exhaust system, and requires a specialty reset of the internal clutches that's possible only using a dealer's programming system. Ground clearance is minimal (I need to use mini-ramps to get it onto my main ramps to do an oil change) and I don't have a lift, so that means these 3 fluids tend to get done at the dealership.

The first dealership I spoke to had wildly high prices ($170 per axle for the differentials, $850 for the transfer case), so I started calling around. I had an interesting call at the third one I spoke to.

I got a fair amount of pushback from the adviser about not having the work done. It included this direct, as best as I can be accurate, quote:

"Well, sometimes you don't want to change fluids too early. For example, in an automatic transmission, the fluid builds up those little metal shavings and particles, and they help it shift better."
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Better delete before third genners start dropping metal shavings into their trans

 

Show how much of these metal shavings does he expect to build up on a newish car?

I have heard from some people, that if you have a slushbox with 100k+ with original fluid, don't bother changing the fluid at all.

 

On my Golf R, VW recommends 3yr/30K miles on the Haldex (transfer case) and 40K miles on the DSG.

Not sure why BMW would not have a recommended service interval.

 

The dealership part of the story doesn't surprise me. The reasoning for owning a vehicle with such fucked up maintenance procedures is what shocks me.

 

There is no reasoning to justify it.

This is too much Bull Shit for anyone. It is also a very good reason to stick to the manufacturers recommended schedule.

I actually hate BMW's just for their stupid maintenance procedures along with the maintenance and repair costs.

 

European cars are different.

As I read this, I'm having my morning coffee and am preparing to work on a 26 yr. old Mercedes I've owned for the last 20 yrs.

I just happen to have a 1/2 cup of metal shavings standing by.

 

There is a reason most of the luxury euro cars we see on the road are leased; 1) people can't afford to buy them, and 2) they turn into nightmares after three years.

Having to deal with all that bullshit just to change some fluids would make me want to sell it.

... and yet another reason the Tacoma is great. Everything is real easy maintenance wise.

 

There is no schedule for the differentials (effectively, drive it until it breaks) and the only recommndation on the TC is to wait until it tells you the clutch is about to fail.

No argument on the maintenance point. I "over maintain" them according the manufacturer. Still, I sold my last one after 135000 miles with no major fails (ok, there was a recall issue in there) and I know it was going well 30k miles later.

Now that the Tacoma's my DD, the use (and thus maintenance) on the BMW is dropping sharply. Once it's out of warranty, I DIY much of it and have a solid pair of indys to keep the costs reasonable.

It does qualify as the easiest to maintain vehicle that I have owned to date.

 

Could be so people are more likely to return for service rather than do DIY maintenance.

 

I've heard something similar but it sounds like the guy has it backwards. Many people say that you don't want to change the fluid too LATE as the suspended particles may be providing the friction necessary to keep the system functioning.

 

"The reasoning for owning"