[kcmitch]

Hey everyone,


First time posting on here and was hoping the knowledgable community here could help me out. I inherited a 2008 BMW 328 from a deceased relative (no need for condo lances but thank you). It was bought july 2007 and only has 11,000 miles on it. It wasn't driven for 3 months at a time on several occasions. I took it in to the dealership and they gave there usual jargon about follow the maintenance schedule. I don't claim to know a lot but the consensus seems that if you want the car for the long haul you gotta go outside their recommendations. I was wondering what you guys would recommend I have done to the car now to make sure its running as well as could be. Thanks a lot!

 

[BimmerE39]

Rule #1: Regular oil changes at 3,000-5,000 miles with the recommended oil weight. I think the 328i will use 5W30 synthetic. Do not go to Jiffy Lube.

I find that the "regular maintenance" thing is sort of what the dealerships have invented to keep customers coming back for regular work on things that don't actually require work. Most of the common wear issues are suspension related. Once the warranty is void on the car find a good independent mechanic who has experience with BMW. Not only are they more likely to do a better job on your car but they also have more experience with repair work. Most BMW Techs are newly trained out of tech school and rely on a master tech and computer diagnostics for information on repairs.

If your car is running fine right now don't worry about too much. I would definitely have the oil changed and make sure that all other fluids are at the proper level. Other than that you should be fine.

 

[nybim]

The milage is low but checking oil and tranny oil regularly are the main issues. This and other BMW forums will point out good repair shops in the area. Just remember that most repair shops see a BMW as a money cow so you need a good shop with a reputation or you could find yourself paying for things you dont need.