RE: 1994 540i Auto Transmission Service and Fluid

[michael_kohlbrenner@xxxxxxxxxx]

- -----Original Message-----
From: Henri Baccouche [mailto:henrib@domain.elided]

> There is a popular misconception that you could use
> lubricants to service your car which are not recommended
> by the OEM Manufacturer.........without risk.
>
> This is very fawlty logic today.......if you have a
> warranty this will void it. If you insist on using non-
> approved lubricants......you are at risk of damaging the
> engine /trans / dif.....etc.

This is an interesting issue.  In the U.S., there is 
something called the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.  Part of
this act covers so-called "Tie-In Sales" Provisions.  From
the Federal Trade Commission site:

 http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/buspubs/warranty.htm

   "Tie-In Sales" Provisions
   Generally, tie-in sales provisions are not allowed.
   Such a provision would require a purchaser of the
   warranted product to buy an item or service from a
   particular company to use with the warranted product
   in order to be eligible to receive a remedy under
   the warranty. 

My understanding of this with respect to this topic (which
may be wrong, of course...) is that if a manufacturer
insists on a specific brand of replacement fluid in order
to maintain warranty coverage, they must provide it free
of charge.

Perhaps BMW could have been running afoul of the Magnuson-
Moss Act if they REQUIRED that only this fancy ATF be used
in order to maintain the warranty on the transmission.

Could it be possible that BMW simply chose to take the
easy way out -- i.e. simply call it a "lifetime" fluid
and actually make no recommendations for flushing it?
They know that the transmission will make it through the
warranty period, even with no fluid changes.

Conspiracy theorists unite!

Regards,
Mike Kohlbrenner

p.s.
This is also one of the reasons that Amsoil had to go to
such great lengths on this issue way back when they didn't
actually the API service designations on their oil (e.g.
"SJ").  The manufacturer doesn't list a specific brand,
but they do define the required oil by this widely used
standard.  Amsoil didn't have this rating (they still
may not -- I don't keep up with that pyramid marketing
crap business...).

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