XSeries-forum

Hi, Any one know of a reasonable garage that will change the gearbox oil ( I have a filter set) near Telford / Tipton / Kidderminster ?

Had my X5 for just a few weeks...
I understand that there is a specific process/temperature & procedure to set the oil level correctly...

The gearbox is totally shiny on this 127k E52, so I'm presuming it has been recently replaced, so I'm surprised it can some times lurch on change...

Wondering if there is a factory reset procedure for the engine & gearbox ?

Regards
Grant B

Update the transmission software first.

In that area I would recommend Driver Transmissions.

Many thanks,
Where is this place, or is the transmission update that works like a throttle update that I can do myself ?

No you need to see a dealer or specialist with Autologic.

I fixed some odd transmission behaviour like a jerky 2-1 1-2 on a customers BMW by replacing the solenoids.

Sadly once we confirmed it was the solenoids his old ones went back in and I assume he was quoted a brand new mech unit or transmission.

I use Specialist Cars of Shrewsbury. Always found Dave the owner to be honest and straightforward and he gets my business for the X5 and Z1 every year.
Be warned though, it is not a smoked glass/cappuccino machine type establishment but neither are you paying for them.

BM Euroservice in Ettingshall, Wolverhampton.

They service my X5 and my Alpina B8, used them for years, highly recommended, both professional and good
value for money.

Ask for Mark or Paul 01902 40 88 55

If that's too far away there is a new specialist on the A449 going towards Stafford, by Four Ashes http://www.bmautomotivesolutions.co.uk/ but I don't know what they're like.

And there is also one in Tipton, http://www.simtekbm.co.uk/ again I haven't used them, but I've heard a
lot of people happy with their work.

Hope that's a help

[quote="moar"]
Sadly once we confirmed it was the solenoids his old ones went back in and I assume he was quoted a brand new mech unit or transmission.
[/quote]

Although that doesn't surprise me it just goes to show the contempt some dealers have for their "customers"..

If it was just the solenoids then why didn't they just say that and charge for it???
Doesn't bode well for them when you read something like that 'straight from the horses mouth' so to speak...

Is this a case of we don't own them, we just borrow them from BMW and pay through the teeth if you cant do things yourself???

Sorry but things like that get my goat!
>:(

It's because BMW do not allow Dealers to fix the gearboxes, only replace them.  I agree it is an appalling way to treat a customer.  I've been a victim of it too with my gearbox.  BMW wanted nearly £10k for a remanufactured (not new) box.  It cost WD £3k to rebuild it.

I think it also highlights that modern cars are too complicated for a main dealer to fix.  The 'Technicians' are not trained to do it and in too many cases cannot work from 1st principles to identify what the underlying issues really are - why else have a roving band of super specialists.

Part of it may be that the current cop of folks in the service bay need massive amounts of complex training in so many things that Dealers will not pay for it.  BMW probably charge a suitably exorbitant premium for the training.  The folks round the back in my Dealer are all pretty young too and simply do not have the experience needed nor will they get it with the restrictions that BMW place in what can and cannot be fixed.  A number of indies have the needed years of experience and can fix things, but if mine is anything to go by even they struggle with cars newer than around 2006/7.

I'm from the old school of 'K.I.S.S' or Keep It Simple Stupid.  Too often I have spent time with a 'Technician' going through things from the simple level and working up from there.  When my cars go in the Dealer now assigns their most experienced guy and the two of quite often work our way through the issue either face 2 face or on the phone.  I would even train to do that job as a new career but can't afford it (as well as being too old according to some).

I strongly suspect that BMW are far from being alone with this, but given they are now amongst the highest charging dealer network they ought to be that much better than everyone else.

Richard

Sadly BMW are not alone Mercedes and Volvo strive to match them with a slavish adherence to changing out complete units rather than repair them. Plus the arrogance that they can project, most frustrating to deal with sometimes.
My last E55 estate at 3 months old developed a gearbox fault, really hard changes under power the Dealer had the car back but "no codes" so as far as they were concerned no problem?? The service manager told me "it must be your driving style" sir!! So you buy an AMG to drive around like a member of the cast of driving Miss Daisy. Google to the rescue, there was a lot of stuff on the US forums that pointed to porous valve blocks in some boxes, a recall in the US but not here?? A simple pressure test was needed to give  confirmation I spoke with a gearbox specialist who knew about the issue. So I buried them in paper. Long story short they ended up fitting a new box. Yet as Richard has said a new valve block would have done the job at a 1/3 of the price.
Plus lets not get started on Volvo and their 4 wheel drive system !!!

All that said if you are an "old" engineer with an inquiring logical mind and are persistent to the point of bloody mindedness you can get a result with all of them.
As for my BMW experience it has been painless so far with only wear and tear items needing fixing/replacing I have found a BMW Specialist who is (or seems so far) interested in his customers and their cars.

[quote="Steamyrotter"]
[quote="moar"]
Sadly once we confirmed it was the solenoids his old ones went back in and I assume he was quoted a brand new mech unit or transmission.
[/quote]

Although that doesn't surprise me it just goes to show the contempt some dealers have for their "customers"..

If it was just the solenoids then why didn't they just say that and charge for it???
Doesn't bode well for them when you read something like that 'straight from the horses mouth' so to speak...

Is this a case of we don't own them, we just borrow them from BMW and pay through the teeth if you cant do things yourself???

Sorry but things like that get my goat!
>:(
[/quote]

He was told it was the mechatronics unit which it was. This would replace the complete valve body which I would advise also.

BMW only replace transmissions or replace valve bodys.

Automatic transmission issues are quite rare, if we did start rebuilding the amount of equipment required would be crazy along with the very specialist training required. It's not a feasible business proposition that would never pay off.

[quote="moar"]
Automatic transmission issues are quite rare, if we did start rebuilding the amount of equipment required would be crazy along with the very specialist training required. It's not a feasible business proposition that would never pay off.
[/quote]

They're what!!  Rare!!!?  Have you seen how many people have BMW transmission issues with the 5 & 6 speed boxes?  My local repairer had nearly two dozen awaiting repair last time I passed.  No one takes them near BMW because they won't fix them - including the after market warranty companies.

In the US they get changed under goodwill, but not here.  That's partly due to a class action case which BMW lost in the US.  BMW GB walked away when mine went at 38k miles and four months out of warranty - and I had a full BMWFSH!  That kind of attitude doesn't endear BMW to anyone.

BMW don't help themselves by charging full price for a rebuilt box - no one should be doing that as even a rebuilt box comes with a warranty these days.  A new Mechatronics Unit costs over £3k from BMW but £1500 from ZF and coding it takes minutes.  Hardly justification for doubling the price.

Richard

[quote="X5Sport"]
[quote="moar"]
Automatic transmission issues are quite rare, if we did start rebuilding the amount of equipment required would be crazy along with the very specialist training required. It's not a feasible business proposition that would never pay off.
[/quote]

They're what!!  Rare!!!?  Have you seen how many people have BMW transmission issues with the 5 & 6 speed boxes?  My local repairer had nearly two dozen awaiting repair last time I passed.  No one takes them near BMW because they won't fix them - including the after market warranty companies.

In the US they get changed under goodwill, but not here.  BMW walked away when mine went at 38k miles and four months out of warranty - and I had a full BMWFSH!  That kind of attitude doesn't endear BMW to anyone.

Richard
[/quote]

Richard, don't forget, he works for BMW !
They don't admit to common faults, any thing that happens on cars older than 3 years old doesn't matter.  :blink:

[quote="X5Sport"]
[quote="moar"]
Automatic transmission issues are quite rare, if we did start rebuilding the amount of equipment required would be crazy along with the very specialist training required. It's not a feasible business proposition that would never pay off.
[/quote]

They're what!!  Rare!!!?  Have you seen how many people have BMW transmission issues with the 5 & 6 speed boxes?  My local repairer had nearly two dozen awaiting repair last time I passed.  No one takes them near BMW because they won't fix them - including the after market warranty companies.

In the US they get changed under goodwill, but not here.  That's partly due to a class action case which BMW lost in the US.  BMW GB walked away when mine went at 38k miles and four months out of warranty - and I had a full BMWFSH!  That kind of attitude doesn't endear BMW to anyone.

BMW don't help themselves by charging full price for a rebuilt box - no one should be doing that as even a rebuilt box comes with a warranty these days.  A new Mechatronics Unit costs over £3k from BMW but £1500 from ZF and coding it takes minutes.  Hardly justification for doubling the price.

Richard
[/quote]

Comparing all the jobs they're rare, 1000s of people complaining on the forum usually related to like 5% of jobs in the dealer network.

If we had the full equipment, valve body testers etc in ever dealership I would doubt we would even break even. The costs for the labour would probably go upto the reman price anyway.

Remember you will also get a BMW 2 year warranty which is going to be more reliable than the 12 months you get at Indys.

Still doesn't justify the price hike, and some rebuilders do offer 24 month warranties.

Where abouts are you getting the prices for these BMW bits?

That solenoid customer was quoted £1700 for the Mechatronics from BMW ? It wasn't over 3k?