Protect Your Investment:

Dinan Maintenance Suggestions

Maintaining your vehicle is one of the most important aspects of trouble-free ownership. But proper maintenance can be a guessing game these days: manufacturers might tell you that you don't need to tune the car; that you can go 15,000 miles between oil changes; and that your transmission and differential have "lifetime fluids."

These bring about the question: how long does a lifetime last? Manufacturers consider "lifetime" 8-10 years, or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. But if you service your vehicle according to the manufacturer guidelines, don't expect to get much more out of your vehicle without major repairs.

At Dinan, we recommend servicing your vehicle based on the following questions:

• How long do you plan to own your car?
• How many miles do you plan to put on it?
• Do you own or lease the vehicle?
• Was it new or used when you purchased it?
• How many miles were on it?

If you purchased a new vehicle and plan to trade it after 5 years, driving no more then 70,000 miles, then follow the manufacturer's suggested service guidelines. If you purchased a used vehicle with 50,000 miles or less, and you plan not to exceed 70,000 miles before you trade or sell it, then do the same as well.

But if you plan to own the vehicle longer then 5 years or to exceed 70,000 miles, your car is more valuable than BMW's suggested service implies. If you don't want to experience major component failures, you'll need to service the vehicle in a different manner.

At Dinan, we recommend a maintenance plan with engine oil changes annually, or 3,750 miles for standard mineral oil and 7,500 miles for synthetic engine oil. Every 30,000 miles we suggest a traditional full service (Dinan Super Service Inspection 2), which includes all fluids, all filters, Spark plugs, brake fluid flush and coolant service. Whether it's a classic BMW 1600 or a new 3-series, we want to make sure you're driving your car 20, even 30 years from now - with the same sense of confidence about its capabilities.

Please feel free to ask your Dinan Service adviser any questions about the maintenance for your car.