My first DIY

[agreatham]

I finally put 7500 miles on my M3 since I got it in January of 2009 and I changed the oil for the first time a couple of hours ago. Got the instructions from here, bought the oil change kit from here for $88.00 shipped and filled in a sample for oil analysis by these guys. It went smoothly for the most part -- I was a little worried when the oil filter I bought didn't look like the oil filter in the instructions but it was the same as what I took out so that was cool; that and the oil drain plug got stuck on my socket. I also forgot to open the oil analysis container until after I had unscrewed the drain plug so I got the last oil from the pan, and not the middle like Blackstone wanted but I noted that so we'll see. I had to buy some of the tools I used (the ramps, chocks and sockets) and that took the most time -- that and reading instructions. It took me 3 hours from when I put the car up on ramps to checking the dipstick after the test drive. But I have everything in place now so I should be able to get the next one done in around 45 minutes. Next I'll be changing power steering fluid, gearbox oil and differential oil.

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

Buy a mityvac. It takes me 5 minutes to change the oil in my M3, and I don't have to get under it. It also will suck the power steering fluid out of the reservoir if you're changing that. (There is no drain plug, so you can either titrate it down from the reservoir or disconnect lines.)

[agreatham]

Quicker, safer and cleaner. Found a good review/how-to here. Thanks!

FYI, I bought the car used with 39k on it and it just had an Inspection II performed. It's at 46k now and aside from the tires and an issue with the steering wheel position sensor (fixed under warranty), it's been cheaper to maintain than my wife's RX400h.

[Zcruizer]

Good for you Mike, it's a great thing to do your own changes.

[Reach]

I bought a Mityvac from Amazon and it crapped out on me after 2 changes. Won't build suction anymore. I went back to doing the the old fashioned way and don't really miss it.

[Zcruizer]

Did anyone offer to rectify the situation, you'd think that was a fluke right?

[Reach]

To be honest I never pursued it with either Amazon or Mityvac. I just junked it. It is an overly-complicated piece with more plumbing connections and 'features' than it needs to have, and as a result mine wasn't very reliable. I removed and plumbing taped as many fittings as I could but I couldn't isolate the vac leak to any of the lines and I'm pretty sure it was the pump itself which failed, making the thing useless. A little money lost but I didn't feel like spending much time chasing it.

[mcoupemindy]

To be honest I never pursued it with either Amazon or Mityvac. I just junked it. It is an overly-complicated piece with more plumbing connections and 'features' than it needs to have, and as a result mine wasn't very reliable. I removed and plumbing taped as many fittings as I could but I couldn't isolate the vac leak to any of the lines and I'm pretty sure it was the pump itself which failed, making the thing useless. A little money lost but I didn't feel like spending much time chasing it.

I have a pneumatic mightyvac and it's rock solid. The ones with hand pump seem to be faulty.

[Zcruizer]

Seems like a great thing to have, especially if you're changing fluids all time time.
I think power folding side mirrors are going to stay on the top of my xmas wish list though.