Drivetrain Services
What do we offer?
Here at Woodward we offer top-of-the-line expertise in any area you need. From normal service to keep your car healthy to full transmission swaps to give you a different driving experience altogether. We also work closely with some amazing companies like Pure Drivetrain Solutions, Motiv Motorsport and Spec to make sure your transmission can handle your power levels. Reach out to us and together we can build your dream car today!
Service Intervals
In recent years, there has been a noticeable shift in the automotive industry towards extending service intervals in an attempt to lower the overall cost of owning a vehicle. This practice is not exclusive to BMW, as other manufacturers have also adopted similar strategies. However, research has shown that these extended service intervals may actually have negative consequences on the long-term reliability and durability of the vehicles. This issue particularly affects BMW automatic transmissions, specifically the 6HP and 8HP models.
BMW does not produce their own transmissions, as they rely on other companies such as General Motors and ZF to supply them. These two major suppliers have their own set of guidelines and service instructions for maintaining automatic transmissions in BMW vehicles. It is important to follow the recommendations provided by these specialized transmission manufacturers, as they are the ones who have designed and developed these components for optimal performance in BMW vehicles.
ZF Transmissions
According to BMW, 100,000 miles is considered the threshold for a "lifetime fill," surpassing the extended warranty and "good-will" repair limit, implying that any issues beyond this point are no longer the responsibility of BMW. Interestingly, ZF has set a specific service interval for the 6HP/8HP transmissions that contradicts BMW's claim of a lifetime fill, recommending maintenance every 8 years or 80,000 kilometers (approximately 50,000 miles).
GM Transmissions
The automatic transmissions GM 6L45 & 6L50 are commonly found in BMW vehicles and are known as GA6L45R and GA6L50R by BMW, while GM refers to them as 6L45R and 6L50R. While BMW suggests a different service approach for these transmissions, GM recommends servicing the transmission every 45,000 miles.
Manual Transmissions
Again with BMW's "Lifetime Fluid" claims are directly contradicts ZF's recommendations of 8 years / 80,000km. (every 50,000 miles) That interval is standard across the majority of the ZF transmissions.
Reach out today to get an accurate quote to get your car in today for service!