'09 E92 Fluid service recommendations

Had my '09 335i x-drive in the shop for PS hose replacement and asked about any further service w/ 55K miles. This shop is the only one around I will let work on it. Shop owner recommended changing out fluids w/ this mileage: coolant, auto trans, diffs, transfer case. Brake fluid/ flush was just completed. Engine oil/ filter may be due.

Bad on me for no googles, might actually read the manual some day in my spare time (wait, what spare time?).

What say GRM?

TIA

There is no factory recommendation on the trans fluid. Supposedly it is lifetime fill. If you go to the transmissions manufacturer (ZF, Aisin, etc) they recommend every 60K for service. BMW is just trying to make the car look less expensive to maintain on paper. 60K is a good interval for the diff fluid too.

Coolant used to be recommended at the same interval as brake fluid (2 years/30K). Again, they don't have a recommendation any more. Enough cooling system parts will fail to get it "flushed" on a regular basis anyway. Has the water pump failed yet? Probably will in the next 15K.

I won't stretch oil changes to 15K like they want either. My BMW will start burning oil around the 8-10K range, so that's as far as I'll take it.

You can get the factory transmission transfer case through Bavarian Auto if there aren't any other sources-- $, but doesn't take much. They can also recommend which of the redline ATFs would be best for the transmissions.

I'd also recommend the OEM fluid for coolant-- it's not that expensive, and the electronics for a very expensive electric water pump are immeresed in it.

I used redline gear oil for the front and rear diffs.

You need to drop the transfer case out of its mounts to get at the fill port. You're probably ahead dropping the exhaust-- getting the bolt back in place to re-hang the transfer case is otherwise a frustrating, time indeterminate job.

Also, at least in my E90 328xi, getting the automatic transmission filter seal out and replacing it with the new one was a real PITA-- nothing to really grab, even with a seal puller.

What engine oil is the choice here, btw? ... and filter brand

I buy the BMW stuff at the dealer for around 7+ bucks a bottle because it works and, where I live, shipping would run it up to more. I've bought the OEM filters if I'm at the dealer for oil and need some, or you can get the Mann filters through Amazon at a savings of a couple of bucks a piece-- they're in the $9-14 range. If you're ordering filters, might as well pick up a cabin air filter at the same time.

This full synthetic, made from distilled unicorn tears stuff isn't cheap-- and they recently switched from quart bottles to liter bottles. My engine (N52) requires 6.9 quarts or 6.5 liters, and I've got a mix of quart and liter bottles to fill it from. Going to have to do some math...

My shop uses BMW approved TOTAL full synthetic 5w-30. Otherwise I would use the factory BMW stuff, it's reasonably priced.

Mann, Mahle, or Bosch filters are the only thing I would stick in there besides OEM.