Do I need to change the transmission fluid?
The answer does depend on who you ask. Some dealers will tell you not to mess with the transmission fluid on a BMW E36 unless you need to. This could be in part because dealers fear messing up your transmission by replacing the fluid. The same thought goes for some vehicles with closed transmissions.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to change transmission fluid as a part of regular maintenance. We don’t suggest doing it by yourself unless you truly know what you are doing, in part because we follow some of the same philosophy as the dealer – not knowing how to do something can easily make it worse. At VT Motorworks, we understand the technical expertise and patience needed to both replace the transmission fluid and to see signs of potential problems – or when to tell you to just carry on and not worry about the transmission until your next scheduled maintenance.
When should I have the transmission serviced?
There are a few relatively easy ways to know when the transmission probably needs servicing:
Your maintenance schedule says to:
We don’t tend to debate what BMW says about their own vehicles. If they recommend lubricating the transmission or changing fluids at a certain mile marker, we would certainly follow their advice.
Your BMW E36 is shifting in a strange way
Over time, you’ll notice your BMW E36 will start to shift a little bit differently. If your BMW E36 begins to shift slower, makes more noise while shifting, or is more hesitant to shift, you’ll want to have it serviced right away to avoid future problems.
You drive your BMW E36 a lot
Keeping your BMW E36 in the best shape possible means servicing consistently and getting out ahead of warning signs. If you drive your BMW E36 more than average, you might want to think about going ahead of even scheduled maintenance to ensure your vehicle lasts a long time.
Are transmission repairs for the BMW E36 complex?
In a word, yes. The transmissions for most vehicles are complex, and the complexity escalates for a performance vehicle like the BMW E36. While you could try to repair your BMW transmission in your own garage, we suggest bringing it to us simply because our services may very well cost you less in the long run.
Why VT Motorworks for BMW transmission repair?
The simple answer is: We know how to diagnose and repair transmissions on any BMW. BMW’s are known to be intricate machines, and we are willing and happy to take the time to get things just right so your BMW investment stays on the road for a long time.
