Auto Gearbox and Diff oil servicing HELP!

[markprz86]

Hi all,

I have been given a quote from a BMW specialist - Prestiege Vehicle Repairs in Thurrock (Who I have used for a few years now, reliable and good prices), for an Oil service, Gear box service and TBC transmission oil service on a BMW Z4 3.0si E86 Coupe Auto.

Oil £165
Gear box service £465
Transmission service £TBC

I've searched for guides on the forum to complete the gear box service, and from what I've found it seems as simple as jack the car up level, removing the filling plug, removing the drain plug, draining the oil and then pumping the new oil in.

Is that all there is to this job? Are there any parts that need to be taken off to access the two plugs? Is it a really awkward job?

The reason I ask is that £465 sounds expensive for what appears to be a job as basic as the engine oil change?

If anyone has a detailed how-to or more information on this, that would be great.

Thanks

 

[mmm-five]

£465 isn't the price of the engine oil change, it's the auto gearbox oil change - which is a lot different than a manual gearbox oil change.

For an auto, this usually involves removing the gearbox pan to replace the filters, using a new pan/seal, and running it at a specified temp as the box is refilled, run, checked, refilled, etc.

But depending on the current mileage, you may be better to leave well alone, as doing a gearbox oil change after a long time may do more damage than good (e.g. if you gearbox feels okay and has done more than 100,000 miles on it, then it's 50/50 whether it would help or not)....and you don't want to be paying £2k for a rebuild.

 

[markprz86]

I think you may have read my post wrong.

Yes I am very aware that £465 isn’t for an engine oil change, as stated in the original post:

"Oil £165
Gear box service £465"

“The reason I ask is that £465 sounds expensive for what appears to be a job as basic as the engine oil change?”

Think you may have read this wrong also, I was comparing the automatic gearbox oil changing guides on the forum which explain completing the service to be as simple as an oil service - ie. drain and replace.

I was expecting the £465 to be a more labour intensive job if don’t thoroughly, and what you have explained make sense in it being a more intensive job that goes beyond just draining oil and filling it up again.

is £465 a competitive price?

 

[mmm-five]

is £465 a competitive price?

The engine, diff & gearbox oil change on my e46 330D auto was almost £700 in total (with labour @ £60/hour), so I wouldn't say it was far out.

 

[PDJ]

For the engine oil change
£35.00 for the oil from Euro”s
Oil filter £7.00 from Euro”s

The rest is labour overheads and profit

Time wise around 30 mins with a vac or a ramp another 30 mins with a trolly jack and 4axle stands

Diff oil change same time wise.

 

[mmm-five]

For the engine oil change
£35.00 for the oil from Euro”s
Oil filter £7.00 from Euro”s

The rest is labour overheads and profit

Time wise around 30 mins with a vac or a ramp another 30 mins with a trolly jack and 4axle stands

Diff oil change same time wise.

What about the AUTO gearbox!

This is what appears to be the expensive bit - as 'anyone' could do the engine/diff oils themselves with a ramp/pit/jacks.

 

[Nash3vans]

The zed shed guy (Mike) up north does an auto gearbox oil change for £100. Or at least that’s the price he told me when I saw him at zedfest a few mths ago. Don’t quote me on that tho, inflation and all that oke:

 

[PDJ]

Report this post Quote
Unread post by mmm-five » Sat Dec 28, 2019 5:41 pm

PDJ wrote: ↑Sat Dec 28, 2019 3:10 pm
For the engine oil change


£35.00 for the oil from Euro”s

Oil filter £7.00 from Euro”s

The rest is labour overheads and profit

Time wise around 30 mins with a vac or a ramp another 30 mins with a trolly jack and 4axle stands

Diff oil change same time wise.
What about the AUTO gearbox!

I have no experience of auto boxes in 38 years of driving I have driven less than 1500 miles in an auto let alone serviced one so I left that bit of the question blank.

 

[GAZA62]

Mark have you tried Cragos in Dartford ? to get an idea of price range

http://cragos.co.uk/

 

[firebobby]

Why not message Bowser and see what he would charge. He has set up on his own now and I'm sure he would give you a price.

 

[bowser134]

For £465 for the auto gearbox service they won’t just be carrying out an oil change I’d hope. For that quote they would replace the gearbox sump pan, bolts, electrical connector sleeve, 7 litres of oil which you can buy as a kit from ZF who manufacture the auto gearbox.

Even still I could do it cheaper than that

 

[markprz86]

Thanks for the input guys, I shall get in contact with the suggested people/companies.

My Z4C has done 43,000 miles, so its slightly over the recommenced change - depending if you believe in the BMW life time oil or service interval aspect.

PDJ, I am completely aware of what an oil service actually costs and how to do it. I go to garages with this car for the service stamps.

As per my original post, this is regarding the auto gear box servicing.