Changing auto box oil - OUCH quote!

Changing auto box oil - OUCH quote!

Author
Discussion

Ken Figenus

Original Poster:

5,678 posts

116 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
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My E61 535d is up to 110,000 miles now and, like its 220,000 mile E39 530d before it, I'd like to change the auto box oil and filter (despite BMW saying its not necessary). My Indie gave me a quote of £450 as the filter is part of teh sump in the E61 and so the whole sump pan has to be changedeek. This is pricy! Anyone know if the filter can be changed without a whole new pan?

Thx

philmots

4,630 posts

259 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
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Depends if it's genuine parts or not.. Most indys will use Meyle which are around £120 for the sump pan and oil, genuine ZF stuff are just short of £300 (check in car motor factors)

The job takes an hour, how much do hey charge an hour?. It needs to be from cold though so needs to be in the night before.

It should then be plugged in after test drive and the adaptions reset.

So yes, expensive, but if it's genuine parts (if not use anything else and I'd want proof) it's not miles out.

Ken Figenus

Original Poster:

5,678 posts

116 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
quotequote all
Hmmm - they are a reasonable £60 per hour + VAT labour. Wonder if they are charging silly money for the fluid? A 20% mark up is fine but many get so carried away!

Thanks

philmots

4,630 posts

259 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
quotequote all
Where do you live? Might help to get some recommendations..


helix402

7,832 posts

181 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
quotequote all
Full sump and oil kit, ZF oil and gen parts, £222 on eBay.

Ken Figenus

Original Poster:

5,678 posts

116 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
quotequote all
Thanks guys - the Meyle kit looks great value. Is it as good as the ZF? An hour job on the ramp? Thanks - its looking promising smile

Gruber

6,313 posts

213 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
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It's not cheap. We paid about £500 all in (parts, labour and VAT) to have ours done last year. The "proper" parts kit (including fluid) was about £280 plus VAT. Labour was just over 2 hours (at London rates).

Part of the problem is that the box takes something like 9 litres of fluid.

The fact that it made such a marked difference to the smoothness of the gear changes made it seem almost worthwhile...

helix402

7,832 posts

181 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
quotequote all
The Meyle kit isn't as as good as the ZF or gen BMW. On your car I'd go for one of those. I put Meyle filter and gen gasket in mine which has been fine (but it's an old E46 so I could'nt justify a ZF gen kit kit).

s38b36

41 posts

150 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
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A word of warning, I used the filter from ebay and the ZF fluid from a local motor factor. The bolts supplied with the filter were not the correct grade to take the torque specified on the instruction sheet (I sheared one off) so I used the originals.

Ken Figenus

Original Poster:

5,678 posts

116 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
quotequote all
Are these the £220 kit bolts or the Meyle £120 kit ones mate?

s38b36

41 posts

150 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
quotequote all
Sorry, I can't recall the make but I only paid circa £90

IforB

9,840 posts

228 months

Wednesday 3rd February 2016
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£450 sounds about right for the work.

home

38 posts

98 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
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sussexautos do the genuine kit with oil for a very good price!

Ken Figenus

Original Poster:

5,678 posts

116 months

Friday 5th February 2016
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Thanks a lot Home! It arrives Monday for £247 - genuine ZF kit and ZF oil. Same 6HP26 box as a Bentley Arnage dontcha know! Job will be done for £391 all in then and no corners cut. If only I had a ramp...

Acidrop

165 posts

124 months

Friday 5th February 2016
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Ken Figenus said:
Thanks a lot Home! It arrives Monday for £247 - genuine ZF kit and ZF oil. Same 6HP26 box as a Bentley Arnage dontcha know! Job will be done for £391 all in then and no corners cut. If only I had a ramp...
I was going to say, don't use aftermarket stuff when it comes to old ZF boxes. I changed the filter and oil in my old E39 myself and stupidly used parts recommended by my local motor factors. I checked and double checked it was the correct stuff, which they promised it was.

Fast forward a few months and my box started whining like a bh! The noise got louder and louder but didn't actually impact the driving experience at all. It was very smooth. Then I wrote it off.

Ken Figenus

Original Poster:

5,678 posts

116 months

Friday 5th February 2016
quotequote all
Agree mate - what I bought might be the same as this which is a little cheaper http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-JAGUAR-AUTOMATIC-TRA...

BUT I know I now have ZF OE parts and fluid from a gearbox specialist so, whilst I like to save a few quid (all goes towards my dream ramp wink ), peace of mind has a value too!

Acidrop

165 posts

124 months

Friday 5th February 2016
quotequote all
Ken Figenus said:
Agree mate - what I bought might be the same as this which is a little cheaper http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-JAGUAR-AUTOMATIC-TRA...

BUT I know I now have ZF OE parts and fluid from a gearbox specialist so, whilst I like to save a few quid (all goes towards my dream ramp wink ), peace of mind has a value too!
That's if the box doesn't explode once you've had it open. Lol

I've heard of so many people having had their boxes go bang after doing an oil change for no apparent reason!

Not that I want to jinx it or anything.

Ken Figenus

Original Poster:

5,678 posts

116 months

Friday 5th February 2016
quotequote all
Well as ZF say 8 years or 100k then I need to do it as I this car has to last until at least I pay off the other one! Worked a treat on my E39 - change at 100k sold at 220k sweet as a nut :-) Begone with your bad omens as the Gods are with me on this ;-)

helix402

7,832 posts

181 months

Friday 5th February 2016
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Indeed. I'm sure it will be lovely with new oil etc.