[Karnidge]

Dropped my 540i off today for an oil change and they recommend Xdrive service, $830. It's a 2018 with 32K miles on it. How often or when should the Xdrive system be serviced?

[edycol]

Originally Posted by Karnidge

Dropped my 540i off today for an oil change and they recommend Xdrive service, $830. It's a 2018 with 32K miles on it. How often or when should the Xdrive system be serviced?

Before every 60k transfer case fluid. DTF-1 $50 for bottle. Takes around 0.52ltr.
Now, not sure is there something different on G model.
Can you get breakdown of cost?

[Karnidge]

Originally Posted by edycol

Before every 60k transfer case fluid. DTF-1 $50 for bottle. Takes around 0.52ltr.
Now, not sure is there something different on G model.
Can you get breakdown of cost?

Thanks for the quick response. They did not offer a cost breakdown. I am sure I can shop around and find somewhere cheaper to have the Xdrive service done. $830 seems excessive. Also, since I am only at 32K miles it doesn't sound like this is something I need to worry about right now.

[edycol]

Originally Posted by Karnidge

Thanks for the quick response. They did not offer a cost breakdown. I am sure I can shop around and find somewhere cheaper to have the Xdrive service done. $830 seems excessive. Also, since I am only at 32K miles it doesn't sound like this is something I need to worry about right now.

Hold on. I will check with some BMW people is there something that we don't know.

[edycol]

So I asked around. It is still DTF-1. I didn't get anything about some ridiculous hrs needed to do it. So if TC requires exhaust movement I still cannot see how is that $800+? Also no word that it requires fluid change so early.
You should shop around.

[430Scud]

Driveline fluid replacement is really not time based, as they don't really break down much over time. It is more mileage based. Mike Miller, the technical rep for the BMWCCA (BMW Club) says if you plan to keep the car forever, change the diff, transmission and transaxle fluids every 50k miles (I believe the factory recommendation is 60k for the transaxle and 100k for the transmission and differential).

[admranger]

If you’re near Naperville, take it to fluid motor union for the service. It does require a reset of the xfer case parameters due to the fresh fluid. $800 is high, but not surprising at a dealer.

[Mike 540]

I talked to experts when I bought the car (540xi). They recommended to change oil in xdrive and also in gearbox every 60k kms (40k mil). The job was quite expensive, too, and the price you quote seems to me about right (for both xdrive AND the gearbox including original ZF oil and all material)

[Mosaud1998]

32k miles is way too early for an "Xdrive" service. At 50k miles, I'd change the transmission fluid, transfer case fluid, and both differential.

[mittu]

Get the transfer case done. Dont bother with the gearbox just yet. BMW claim their gearboxes require no servicing at all, but the makers of the gearbox, ZF recommend every 60-80K

[justinbleach]

I have to guess since you don't have the break down that the $800 is not JUST for the transfer case. It's fairly easy to do a fluid replacement on that if you have the scanner tool that will open up the cavity. I say fairly easy because there is no drain plug; just a fill plug so you have to pull fluid out with a syringe or similar and then put new in.

Transmission seems like it would be part of this as the pan itself from fcpeuro.com is $400-$500 alone and then you need about 7 quarts ZF fluid plus labor to get the car to temp after the change and refill.

The differentials on my 2021 540i xdrive aren't too bad labor wise. The rear only has a fill plug and is pretty exposed already. Front diff requires more shielding coming off but has a drain plug.

I did all this around 60K miles and the fluids still looked somewhat clear so 32K seems a tad early.