[mfarrzhp]

My car is telling me I need a brake fluid service already. 34 months and 7,200 miles in.

I’m not trying to skimp on maintenance of the car, but is this just a time based notification or does the brake fluid really need to be changed?

I’ve never had this done on a car less than 5 years old and certainly not one with less than 10K miles. I do some spirited driving but no tracking and mostly commuting or cruising around town.

[ShaknBak]

Originally Posted by mfarrzhp

My car is telling me I need a brake fluid service already. 34 months and 7,200 miles in.

I’m not trying to skimp on maintenance of the car, but is this just a time based notification or does the brake fluid really need to be changed?

I’ve never had this done on a car less than 5 years old and certainly not one with less than 10K miles. I do some spirited driving but no tracking and mostly commuting or cruising around town.

My CBS also threw this notification at 34 months (last month). But I had the brake fluid changed earlier this year at an indy before tracking, so clock wasn’t reset. I get the sense a time based criteria is what’s being triggered. 3 years seems reasonable for daily driving?

[DanG]

First brake service is at 3 years. Subsequent brake services are at 2 years. It is time dependent not based on mileage.

Note: Time is based on production date not on in service date.

[Syed///M]

Also had the brake service due at 5k miles, went to the stealership and paid $480 for oil change and brake fluid. Not exactly sure how thorough their brake fluid service is, but I will be using an Indy going forward as I did with all my previous Porsches/bmws.

[Reddevils7]

The brake fluid should be based more on time rather than miles as I believe it's because you can get moisture in there overtime. If it's been almost 3 years you should just go ahead and service it. It's not super expensive. I just did it on my E92 with motul rbf for like $20 a bottle and my indy charged $100 for the labor.

The CS, I had it done this summer under maintenance coverage which runs out December. Thought about squeezing another oil service but the car still says another 5k miles so dealer didn't cover, kind of annoying. The car will not be driven for the winter anyways so I'll just do one in the spring. I usually do oil every 5k miles so. With this car, I'd do an oil service with the indy shop and not reset the counter so 5k miles later the dealer would cover another when the car triggered it. Now the CS will only be going to my indy shop along with the m3. The simpler things like spark plugs/coils I do myself. The fluids for me is just a hassle to dispose of so that's why I just take it to the indy

[mfarrzhp]

Originally Posted by Reddevils7

The brake fluid should be based more on time rather than miles as I believe it's because you can get moisture in there overtime. If it's been almost 3 years you should just go ahead and service it. It's not super expensive. I just did it on my E92 with motul rbf for like $20 a bottle and my indy charged $100 for the labor.

The CS, I had it done this summer under maintenance coverage which runs out December. Thought about squeezing another oil service but the car still says another 5k miles so dealer didn't cover, kind of annoying. The car will not be driven for the winter anyways so I'll just do one in the spring. I usually do oil every 5k miles so. With this car, I'd do an oil service with the indy shop and not reset the counter so 5k miles later the dealer would cover another when the car triggered it. Now the CS will only be going to my indy shop along with the m3. The simpler things like spark plugs/coils I do myself. The fluids for me is just a hassle to dispose of so that's why I just take it to the indy

Thanks. So is it covered by the standard maintenance plan or did you buy an optional plan?

I’ve owned (or leased) many cars over the past 25 years, but only 2 or 3 of them have made it past the 3 year ownership mark for me and I don’t think any have made it to 4 years. This one’s a keeper.

[Reddevils7]

Originally Posted by mfarrzhp

Thanks. So is it covered by the standard maintenance plan or did you buy an optional plan?

I’ve owned (or leased) many cars over the past 25 years, but only 2 or 3 of them have made it past the 3 year ownership mark for me and I don’t think any have made it to 4 years. This one’s a keeper.

No it's covered under the original 3yr/36k mile maintenance plan that all new BMWs come with. Most plans for the CS will be running out soon considering it's a MY 20 car. It starts on the in service date along with the warranty period (4yr/50k mi) when the car is first sold to the original owner

[mfarrzhp]

Okay, good to know thanks. I leased an F80 Comp right before buying the CS and an F30 lease prior to that, 135i before that. None of them needed the brake fluid changed in the 36 month leases.

I’m done with leasing and hanging on to my cars now that I’m getting older, and BMWs have peaked in my opinion.

[Syed///M]

I was under the same impression. My Cs also was covered under the maintenance plan, however the dealer told me it costs $700 to transfer it since the car is a 2020 and it's expiring soon. So I had to pay regardless. Not sure if others had a different experience buying a used Cs.

[jefe2000]

Originally Posted by DanG

First brake service is at 3 years. Subsequent brake services are at 2 years. It is time dependent not based on mileage.

Yep, the recommendation is to flush the brake fluid every two years. It really is time-dependent, not based on miles driven.

Brake fluid is hygroscopic. It attracts/absorbs moisture from the air. Water in your brake fluid is a bad thing. The solution is to flush and replace with fresh fluid.

If you want to monitor the water content of your brake fluid, you can purchase a device that will measure this. Here’s an example on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0834PVSBT

[Reddevils7]

Originally Posted by Syed///M

I was under the same impression. My Cs also was covered under the maintenance plan, however the dealer told me it costs $700 to transfer it since the car is a 2020 and it's expiring soon. So I had to pay regardless. Not sure if others had a different experience buying a used Cs.

What a load of shit. I think they ripped you off. There's no need to transfer the original warranty or maintenance plan. It sticks with the car not the owner. I've had brake flush, multiple oil service, filters and one spark plug change done all under the maintenance plan for free and I'm not the original owner. Car is at 22.5k miles

[DanG]

Originally Posted by Reddevils7

What a load of shit. I think they ripped you off. There's no need to transfer the original warranty or maintenance plan. It sticks with the car not the owner. I've had brake flush, multiple oil service, filters and one spark plug change done all under the maintenance plan for free and I'm not the original owner. Car is at 22.5k miles

Actually the maintenance does not transfer to a new owner. Here is the link from the BMWUSA site: https://www.bmwusa.com/explore/bmw-v...onditions.html

In 2017 BMW stop the maintenance transfer.

[Kran1um]

FWIW my service guy at the dealership said that you can transfer it now, and the cost was $100. That's what I was told when I took it in back in April for a recall/ECU update.

I have the same brake service message (as I suppose we would all be getting around now) and will be taking it in on Monday. We'll see if they really can transfer the maintenance plan like I was told. I'll report back.

[Reddevils7]

Originally Posted by DanG

Actually the maintenance does not transfer to a new owner. Here is the link from the BMWUSA site: https://www.bmwusa.com/explore/bmw-v...onditions.html

In 2017 BMW stop the maintenance transfer.

Hmm, interesting. Well I guess I got all that for free lol SA never said a thing. I brought my CS to the dealer to have its history pulled when I first got it. I'm the 3rd owner. First owner, from the forums, sold it at 3xx miles and I got it at 5k.

Within the warranty period, all the records get synced centrally but the SA won't give you a paper copy, you can only look at it. After warranty, the records stay at each location where the work is done. I did the same thing with my E92 recently. I could see the first 4 years then nothing, even though the previous single owner only took it to BMW. I could see it on the Carfax

[Kran1um]

Originally Posted by Kran1um

FWIW my service guy at the dealership said that you can transfer it now, and the cost was $100. That's what I was told when I took it in back in April for a recall/ECU update.

I have the same brake service message (as I suppose we would all be getting around now) and will be taking it in on Monday. We'll see if they really can transfer the maintenance plan like I was told. I'll report back.

Back to confirm that, at least at my local dealership, the transfer of the maintenance plan was $100. I paid $130 today for a loaner car, spark plug change, brake fluid change, oil change, and some "intake silencer" change. I haven't asked them about the silencer thing that's new to me.

[Golden3ye]

I think that has to be some filter that goes on the filter

[Reddevils7]

Originally Posted by Golden3ye

I think that has to be some filter that goes on the filter

Is it the carbon filter that's underneath the top lid cover of the air boxes? I know the US cars have them but euro don't to the best of my knowledge. It's the first thing I removed in both of my F8x cars

[Beenz]

Brake fluid done last month, nil cost.
But I am in Oz. Service plans also transfer with the car, so our plans may be a bit differently structured to US.

*edit to also note- have traveled approx 6000 miles, no track*