65k Maintenance question

[mrnix]

2012 M37X has 65k miles on it, and I'm due for an oil change, air filter, and new front brakes/rotors. While I was working on it, I planned to change the belt, differentials, and transfer case oil. While I'm at it, anything else I should plan on checking/changing? Knock on wood, all is running fine these days. My mileage is down a bit, to about 18.5 (my calculations using trip meter/math - not the car's calculations) but otherwise the car is doing fine.

[Malbec 56 Beast]

I would do the transmission to while you're doing all of that. Another thing you need to consider is what oil and fluids to use, I'm a Amsoil guy myself.

I love there stuff, I'm not a seller just a user.

Andy

[Ilya]

I'd do coolant too. I do all of my fluids every 30kmi and it's around $700 from the dealer. Coolant, transmission, diffs, transfer.

[mrnix]

I seem to recall reading the transmission is "sealed" and supposed to be good to 100k, and the coolant is "long life" and also good through 100k. Was going to try to wait until then unless there's overwhelming evidence otherwise.

[EdBwoy]

It is true that the fluids are (supposed to be) long life, but I think generally people that change them often do so with the mindset that new fluid won't harm anything.

Another thing is that the fluid is supposed to last X thousand miles under normal operation. People can't be sure exactly how well the fluid is holding up, so they change it just to be safe... There are a few examples of people changing differential fluid way ahead of schedule and finding extremely dirty goop in the pumpkin. So here it's a balance of a few hundred Dollars for peace of mind vs. gamb|ing with a trans/ diff replacement.


To play devil's advocate, I'll give you an example of the opposite situation where we encourage minimal "maintenance".
I used to work in heavy industry and we optimised our oil change intervals. So the oil manufacturer would estimate 60,000 hours of run time, but we would try our best to exceed that as long as the data allowed it. This was based on periodic oil sampling and analysis to determine when the oil life warrantied replacement.
That is the reason we switched to synthetic oil (the main benefit being to extend the oil change intervals as the synthetics stayed stable for much longer than conventional took to break down).
So for one, there was cost. Oil is expensive, even when you buy it by the barrel.
The other reason we messed with the machines as little as possible was for human error - causing harm with good intentions.There was inherent risk of someone damaging/forgetting to tighten/ overtightening something, putting oil that was dirty/ wrong for the application etc... Or any other form of mishap with simple jobs.
You might have heard examples of a lube shop forgetting to add oil before starting your car. Or letting you drive off a quart too low.

The strategy was simple - buy me the longest lasting oil so I don't have to keep paying unnecessary labor to change good oil while taking the risk of someone screwing up.

A little long, but I hope that explains why different schools of thought exist with regards to maintenance. Ultimately, you do what you are most comfortable with financially. [They called that "pay me now, or risk paying me double later"]If in doubt, just do it now.



So, is the transmission sealed for life? Maybe. See link

[Larz]

I feel you mate. Last year I had ALL fluids done: power steering, coolant, rear diff, transmission, and brake fluid. Also had the spark plugs, belt and hoses replaced. In fact I made a contest to see which of you lot could guess closest to the actual cost and Ilya won! But if I'm honest, I have to say that the peace of mind I have since that ginormous bill has made all the difference and the car runs like brand new even at 102k miles now.

Ilya - love those Lada's !!! A Lada Niva can do half a million km before it finally dies. Even is something goes titz-up, they will still get you home. There is a saying: Ladas are always broken, but never broken down, LOL. Fat chance of that in any other car.

[Ilya]

lol, I'll have to remember that saying.

[Malbec 56 Beast]

I don't trust ANY of moans fluid.

Trans etc every 60kmi

Ya the trans is sealed but you can do a drain and fill, I can't quite remember the percentage of fluid but it's quite a bit.

Did the rear diff on my G37xS and it was milky at 60k. After that I knew I would never use that stuff they sell.

[Ilya]

I'd do coolant too. I do all of my fluids every 30kmi and it's around $700 from the dealer. Coolant, transmission, diffs, transfer.

I actually do all of my fluids every 50kmi. I just looked at my maintenance program (FleetVIP) and I had the distance wrong.

[mrnix]

Thanks for everybody's assistance/input. Saturday I got everything I planned completed.
Front Brakes and Rotors (even painted the calipers with some leftover silver engine paint I had around)
Brake Fluid
Front/Rear Differential fluid
Transfer case fluid
Oil/filter
Belt
Air Filters/ MAF Sensor Clean

Dealer or prior owner must have put new brakes on just before I bought the M 2 years ago. The pads and rotors were surprisingly thick, but I was getting some vibration and it was annoying me, so I swapped the whole set out. Should be good for a few years now. I didn't mess with the ATF or Coolant, maybe I'll change those next year when I'm around 75k or so.