[dradernh]

Originally Posted by Aceventura

Hello All.

4th yearly maintenance and state inspection due. 15K miles.

Can anyone tell me how long is long-term? The maintenance booklet states the antifreeze doesn't need changing unless repairs are necessary. Dealer states otherwise.

How often should the brake fluid be changes? Does flushing include flushing the ABS pump, etc.?

Thanks in advance! I've searched all over.
Jay

I still use Mike Miller's Lifetime Maintenance Schedule to guide me: https://www.dslreports.com/r0/downlo...e%20v03.13.pdf.

IIRC, in there you'll find advice recommending annual brake fluid changes (and yes, you'll want the ABS pump cycled to ensure it's filled with fresh fluid - this per a Car and Driver article I came across in the last couple of years in which the author said something along the lines of "Your ABS system will thank you." Take it for what it's worth – given the cost of these cars today, I think it just be might worth a lot! ).

Mike's recommendation for coolant flushes is every two years. You'll note he points out the fluid remains unchanged as the recommended intervals continue to lengthen.

I follow both recommendations, considering them to be cheap insurance for a car I'm going to keep. Mike's rationales for these maintenance intervals make sense to me, too.

Mike answers members' questions in the Tech Talk column in Roundel, the magazine put out by the BMW Car Club of America. He will answer questions sent to him at techtalk@roundel.org, and he prefers (but doesn't insist upon) that queries come from club members. The club is worth joining, if only for the magazine.

The generally agreed-upon bottom line seems to be this: if you plan to keep the car, it's probably a good idea to follow an old school approach to fluid changes. OTOH, if you're getting out of the car in three years, 45K, or whatever, then leaving BMW's so-called lifetime fluids in the car is probably okay – for you, if not for the next owner.

My 2¢, of course.