E60 Automatic Transmission Service

An update

I've had the transmission serviced two weeks ago at Mackie Transmissions.  Again the service manager was very pleasent to deal with and answered all my questions (poor chap!).

I was keen to get the transmission serviced on my car around 50,000 miles, ignoring BMW's advice that it is a sealed for life unit, so I could avoid this happening to me again.  5-6 weeks into BMW ownership I was hit with a bill for £702 to fix the automatic transmission.

All that I had done was essentially an oil and filter change.  There are no serviceable parts in a ZF6hp26z transmission.  The filter is integral with the transmission sump so it is a combined part.  BMW list the part at £133 + VAT based on my 2007 ETK prices.

New sump installed on the car.

This is the old sump/filter unit cleaned up, you can see the filter to the left hand side of the sump pan with the pick up pipe leading up into the transmission.  The two rings to the right hand side are swarf magnets which I was pleased to see contained only a very small amount of fines, so no big chunks of gear teeth!

Cooling fins to help cool the fluid along with the fluid cooler up near the main engine radiator.  Drain plug is also visible but do not be tempted to drain the fluid yourself as to re-fill the fluid it needs to go in under pressure so you will struggle to re-fill it.

Q So why should you get your sealed for life transmission serviced then?

A1 Piece of mind, you wouldn't let your engine run for thousands of miles with no checks or oil changes done on it so why ignore your transmission?

A2 Next to your engine, the transmission is the second most expensive part to your car.  A broken autobox on an old car can write the car off.  Servicing it should prolong it's life.

A3 Improved performance, mine definately shifts better especially downchanges when using the steptronic mode.  The service manager at Mackies also suggested that your fuel consumption would improve. I cannot confirm this yet as since I've had the service done, I have spent a considerable time towing trailers and when this happens my fuel consumption drops....

Any questions let me know.

If you are interested in a visit around Mackies workshop see here.

Andrew

MAC7 wrote: Looks like you had all the same stuff with yours.  I think maybe try Douglas Park this time, (prepare to be scalped)

There are two reasons why you should not go to Douglas Park, getting scalped would be getting off lightly IMO.

Firstly, they will not be able to help you with your autobox.  Yes they can tell you what's wrong via the diagnostic test and then charge you for it, but they will not abe able to fix it for you.  They will then tell you to go to a transmission specialist.

Go to the Transmission Specialist in the posts above, you will only get one bill that way.

And secondly, I can't recommend Douglas Park, I'm afraid.  If you are in the Paisley area, you can just as easily get to Harry Fairbairns in Giffnock, if you want to go to a BMW dealer, but again if it is transmission related, Fairbairns probably won't be able to fix it.