[posted to alt.autos.bmw and rec.autos.tech]
>
> In April I acquired a 95 BMW 525i w/auto tranny and 89k miles.
> Although the previous owner had the car regularly serviced at a local
> BMW dealership, I didn't see any records for ATF changes, despite the
> fact that the manual states that the ATF should be replaced at every
> second inspection (approx. every 30k miles).
>
> I stopped by the BMW dealership that had serviced the car for the P/O
> to ask about their service policies. I was told by a tech there that
> later models of the same car had the same transmission and fluid but
> had no ATF change recommendation. They had "life-time fluid". There is
> not even a dipstick for checking the level and condition of the fluid.
> So, in practice, they don't change the ATF as a regular maintenance
> service unless the customer specifically requested it. I asked him if
> he would recommend I change it now. He said: "At this mileage I would
> leave well enough alone." He also informed me that these are GM
> trannys made for BMW.
>
> [My last experience with changing ATF in a high mileage tranny was in
> June 1996 on an '85 Camry that had 130k miles in it. Less than a month
> after I changed the ATF for probably the first time in its life, the > tranny died.]
>
> Yesterday while replacing the radiator on the BMW, I had to the
> disconnect the tranny cooler lines and a small amount of ATF was
> spilled. It didn't look very fresh--a little on the brown side. So it
> occured to me, again, that I should flush it.
>
> Will flushing the ATF in my tranny with (now) 91k miles, for probably
> the first time, kill it like it apparently did on the Camry? Or should
> I leave well enough alone? What's been your experience?
My experience is that if the tranny, or motor, blows up after changing the oil, it was ready to blow up anyway. If the fluid smells burned, and is brown, flush it.