Now that spring is coming, I went ahead and did my annual list of stuff to do for the cars. Turns out the Bimmer has a much longer to-do list than the Benz this time around. I went online today, and ordered a ton of parts and tools.
By way of background, the BMW has about 63K on it, and is approaching it's 9th birthday. Because it never got a lot of use, I didn't get to take advantage of the 'Free Service' that it came with. Also, the official BMW maintenance schedule is very sparse compared to what it was just 10 years ago. As a result, there is a lot of stuff for which the manufacturer doesn't recommend regular replacement. The purists, however, argue that it's good insurance to change some of this stuff out before it leaves you stranded.
So, Here goes...
To Do:
Oil Change (5K since the last)
Cabin Filter Replacement
Air Filter
Brake Fluid Flush
That's all pretty simple. More challenging (I think) will be the original fuel filter, and the Water Pump (They typically fail at 60K or so...).
Since getting at the water pump requires taking apart a lot of other stuff, we'll also replace the original belts and thermostat.
Finally, I'll also replace the coolant. You've gotta bleed the system to do the water pump, so why not? It's supposed to be done every 3-4 years, and I'm overdue.
I got the parts online today - $403 including tax and shipping. I'm guessing a dealer would charge me about $2K to do all of this. I also had to purchase two new tools specifically designed for taking off the fan to get to the water pump. I'm still saving a bunch of dough. Will keep this updated on progress.
For what it's worth, I think this may be the year I get the suspension on the Benz redone. That would be sweet, but keep your fingers crossed.
