6seed transmission service

[John530I]

Hi to all. I am new to the bmw board so I appologize in advance for any operator errors. I just purchased a 2005 530I. It was driven by a sales rep and has 105k. He performed regular maintenance and all appears ok except a little seepage around the trans pan. I have been reading it's advisable to change fluid and filter at 100K, even though the manual says life time fill. I called my local dealer for a replacement gasket and filter and was advised the plastic pan has the filter molded in and it's not serviceable. They also advised the fluid was synthetic and only available from them. The cost for both was . I called around but couldn't find any other source for both. I understand the transmission is built by ZF and they can provide any of the parts and fluid.
Has anyone used ZF and if so how do I get hold of them.
Is anyone aware of any other source for parts or oil for these transmissions?

Thanks,

 

[Big Daddy]

Well your local BMW rep is pulling your leg, the pan and gasket are listed seperately, if you want a filter that is intergerated into the pan. You can see it at RealOem.

 

[John530I]

Thanks for the responce. I checked the link provided and it sure does show the gasket seperate. I was puzzeled at the note for a core charge next to the part description.
I went to their site and rechecked - no core. The price was better at 229.00 than the dealer. but no listing for fluid. I checked their tech pages and nothing there.

Has anbody delt direct with ZF? Is there another source for the oil?

 

[ThatOneGuy]

I understand Royal Purple fluids are quite popular. You might have more luck getting an answer by contacting Mike Miller at BMW CCA.

 

[MrElussive]

Don't change the type of transmission fluid that what BMW originally uses. For what it's worth, I usually have my transmission fluid changed every 15K miles because my maintenance plan is supposedly good for a lifetime but I know that it gets really really really dirty after even just 15K miles.

 

[John530I]

Thanks for the reply,
15K seem almost obsessive, even before the days of synthetic 60K was normal.
I agree with MrElussive, I've seen so many warnings about using the correct fluid I would be scared to try somthing unless it specificly states that it meets the BMW spec. Is everyone else using BMW fluid? I hate to keep asking but someone must have a source for oil. I just can't bring myself to pay dealer price.

 

[Big Daddy]

30 to 35k between automatic transmission service is the acceptable norm. I have a 5-spd and use Redlines D4ATF in it. You could contact Redline and ask them what they recommend for your automatic.

 

[MrElussive]

Is this car automatic or manual transmission? I assumed it was manual because you stated it's a "6 speed." My initial post was based on a manual transmission.

 

[Big Daddy]

It is an automatic,

seepage around the trans pan

,

change fluid and filter

, and

I called my local dealer for a replacement gasket and filter and was advised the plastic pan has the filter molded in

all indicated to me automatic.