When To Change Transmission Fluid
For most manual transmissions, you should change your fluid every 30,000 to 60,000 miles; for most automatic transmissions, you should change your fluid every 60,000 to 100,000 miles. Of course, these numbers can vary significantly from model to model, so we urge you to check two resources:
- Your Car’s Factory-Recommended Maintenance Schedule
- Our BMW of Stratham Team of Expert Auto Technicians
After all, we’re here to help all of our New Hampshire customers with their automotive issues: from Stratham to Portsmouth to Exeter and beyond. Contact BMW of Stratham today to set up your appointment!
What Is Transmission Fluid?
Transmission fluid is a slippery, low-viscosity liquid that lubricates the incomprehensible number of moving parts that make your transmission tick. From the torque converter or the clutch to the gears themselves and beyond, transmissions have a host of whirring parts that need to play nice together.
Automatic Transmissions. It should be no surprise that ATs use automatic transmission fluid.
Manual Transmissions.On the other hand, however, MTs can use a variety of substances, from traditional motor oil to heavyweight hypoid gear to automatic transmission fluid. It all depends.
What’s The Importance Of Changing It?
If you don’t change your transmission fluid, you’re going to have a variety of issues, depending on which type of equipment your vehicle is running (i.e. automatic or manual). Here’s a breakdown of the issues.
Automatic Transmissions. These produce a lot of heat, which can actually degrade and break down your fluid over time. Degraded automatic transmission fluid won’t lubricate all those parts properly, so you’d better schedule an appointment if you’re overdue on your maintenance schedule. Get in touch with us!
Manual Transmissions.While the fluid won’t degrade like above, it will become contaminated with bits of shaved-off metal from your manual transmission’s various parts: synchronizers, bearings, gears, etc. Contaminated oil doesn’t lubricate as well as clean oil, so reach out to us to schedule your appointment.
How To Check Your Transmission Fluid
Last, but certainly not least, we’ll share a few tips on how you can check your transmission fluid yourself.
Automatic Transmissions. This is a cakewalk – just pull out the dipstick and look for the consistency. Make sure that you do this while the engine is warmed up and the vehicle is safely in park.
Manual Transmissions.This is so difficult to check on your own that it’s almost in possible. In fact, for most makes and models, you need to have a car up on a lift in order to check it. So, call a mechanic!
Schedule Transmission Service
We’ll conclude by offering you an expert tip – your transmission fluid won’t burn up in the same way as your engine oil. So, if you check the dipstick and the levels are low, that means that it’s probably leaking. In that case (or in any other case), our guys and gals can help. Just schedule service online in a few clicks.
BMW of Stratham is here for all of our customers in Exeter, Portsmouth, Stratham, and the surrounding communities.
Our Reviews:
The service dept is incredible! Follow up impeccable. I purchased my last two new BMW’s at competitive dealerships. Follow up from sales wasn’t great. As far as service, I’ve never received better in my history of owning vehicles from BMW’s largest competitors.
Straightforward comprehensive service information from the service technician provided every time, allowing a decision about performing additional tasks immediately or holding off untila future visit.
Cory provided excellent customer service. Thanks Cory for taking care of all services issues! Keep it up!
Did my car service there, Excellent team, competitive pricing, just did what is really needed without inflating the bill
The experience at BWM Stratham was seamless and efficient. The technicians were clear about the service required and conveniently documented it on video
Great service Pawel is awesome Car was taken care of and cleaned Pricing is fair Highly recommended
Excellent experience as usual. Adam Webster, my service advisor, is always professional, knowledgeable, and responsive. I trust him.
Adam was fantastic to work with in the service department. Great communication he even stayed a few minutes late to accommodate us coming from Maine to pick the car up.
Pawel is incredibly knowledgeable, communicative, and was wonderful to work with. I would return simply to work with him again. However, a staff member left the interior of my car dirtier than when it arrived, leaving black smudges on the smoke white leather and a lingering foul odor.
My Service Advisor, Cory Council, did an excellent job keeping me informed on the problem that my X3 had & what needed to be done to fix my car. The Service was completed as promptly, as promised. It was a pleasure working with Cory.
Great service representatives, Top of the list are > Adam Webster > Pawel Czyz There facility is just growing which is great!! Plus great vehicles!!
I brought it in for multiple recalls. while they did fix two of the recalls, they did not replace positive battery cable under the recall they billed me for it. I went to pick up the vehicle and it had the flat tire light. they had my car for over a week. fix an electrical module issue that was causing lights to go on and replaced one of my tires yet inexplicably the flat tire sensor light is on when I picked it up. the service agent who was there said that he wasn't the one responsible for my ... Read More DealerRater - Oct 17, 2026
Did not let me know until late in day that they had to keep my car overnight for part. Dropped off car at 8:45 am, obviously did not get worked on until later in afternoon.. My service person very nice, They are not in a hurry to help you when you pick up car when the person who helped you with drop off is not there. Also for 500.00 one would think your car would get vacuumed out! That's pretty lazy.
The Sevice Dept did an excellent job determining what the issue with my X3 & made the appropriate correction. Love the mechanic’s video that shows what they check & what they suggest to be done.
I loved my experience at BMW stratham. I recently trade in my 2024 Chevrolet Equinox for the 2026 BMW x3 M Sport. Andrew from sales and Dakota from finance made this purchase process quick and easy without the long wait and hassle. Thank you for your help and getting me this new car! I love my new x3🙂
Best BMW dealership by far, service is impeccable. Techs are always helpful and have honesty.
I’m so happy with my new BMW M240i! A big thank you to Susan at BMW of Stratham for all her time and help throughout the purchase. I really appreciated having her assistance along the way and helping me get into a car I’m so excited about. BMW of Stratham is a great dealership, and I would definitely recommend Susan and their team to anyone looking for a new BMW. Thank you again, Susan, for helping make this such a special purchase!
It was a very good experience. The wait was comfortable and they didn’t push me to get things for my car that didn’t make sense but at the same time informed me of what eventually needs to be done.
Adam Webster is AWESOME! do not ever let him go and he deserves a raise!
I like that a loaner car is offered when you make service appointment. They also have a very good service advisor Adam. I always try to work with him.
Amazing customer service and quick work too! Super pleased with my experience and will definitely be going back!
Adam is great and communicated well. Mechanic gave good video of the car and mentioned what is necessary to be done. Always great to come back to this place for service or purchase. Service overall is great and the car was cleaned in and out! Thank you, Adam and the team for the great service!
I was called promptly when car was ready. They helped me out by ordering an accessory that was not available at the dealer and had it for me when I came for service apptment.
I brought my car.in for service with a loaner car. My wife went on my behalf and was going to wait. After I needed a part which had to be ordered, my wife came home with a loaner. Adam was our service manager and he is the best!!
I always receive great treatment at Stratham BMW. Adam Silvani is the best- available, patient and professional!
This dealership is legit! Very happy with the purchase, service, and results of my most recent car detailing that they completed. I recommend Pawel as a service advisor he did a great job.
Great experience overall, timely service, professional staff, reasonable price, will certainly use their services again!
I like BMW of Stratham and would recommend Corey to help you in the service department.
Knowledgeable, friendly, informative. Listened to all our needs and met them. Kevin was extraordinary! Kell was thorough and conscientious. Both contributed to the positive experience. Kevin went above and beyond! Truly appreciate their efforts. Thank you!
Very efficient and personable service team. Pawel was great as a service advisor and communicated well.
Friendly service, I didn't have to wait long. Quick and easy. Offered a loaner vehicle.
I moved from Illinois where I serviced my BMW’s for years. The customer service there was fabulous and I was a bit nervous going to a new place after 25 years. My worries were wasted as the client service by Cory was fabulous and the work on my car was phenomenal. I had new brakes, tires rotated and my car detailed and it is like new. Thoroughly impressed!!! My new favorite place!! Thank you!!!!
Pawel always goes out of his way to make things easy and get things right.
Got the appointment I wanted and was very pleased with the service I received from everybody I dealt with
The whole team at BMW of Stratham were great, Scot and Bill went above and beyond to accommodate my schedule Thanks!
Very happy with the services performed at BMW of Stratham on my vehicles since 2011.
Excellent experience very good service and great customer service I will definitely do this again thank you very much
I came in to look for a M5 Touring. I was greeted by Eric. I was then helped by Kevin and eventually Brendan. They were all very helpful and knowledgeable. I ended up buying the car which I just came to look at. The car is amazing.
Got the appointment when I wanted it, got a loaner for the day. Special on oil change was appreciated.service Tech, Cory, was very helpful!
I was greeted with a smile Adam was great to deal with as he did the take in paperwork and then when I picked up my vehicle. I’m very happy with the surface that was provided and the positive attitude your team shows to your customers
Noah was a Professional, polite and knowledgeable service advisor. Service was scheduled promptly and completed quickly. Estimate was spot on. Communication was excellent throughout the service with updates and results.
Enjoyable doing business with them. No pressure at all. Would highly recommend this dealership to all.
Alex and the entire service team are outstanding! I keep buying these cars since the service is so amazing! Thank you!
I purchased 2025 Infiniti QX60. Fair Price, great sales guy, Steve Hazard. Excellent dealership. All smooth.
Excellent dealership, Adam in the Service Dept is very helpful! This is my 4th BMW from the dealership Very satisfied !
Responsive and clear with what my car needs and patient with my questions to be sure I understand my options.
Always great service. Very knowledgeable and courteous. My go to BMW dealer for service. I’m pleased with my service at BMW Stratham.
Great service, fast, efficient and nice location. Did not have an appointment but was able to squeeze in and get out quickly. Thanks team!
Great service for our 2021 BMW X5. Items were diagnosed and tech explained clearly with video. Repairs made promptly.
Another great service experience at BMW of Stratham. Noah was great from start to finish.
The service video show precisely what needs to be done and why. The estimates are accurate and the service is top shelf
Pricing was fair, good selection and a fantastic delivery experience. Looking forward to being a repeat customer soon.
Great dealership! Nice people, clean, good snacks, short waits for your service to be completed
Helpful, friendly and efficent service, would recommend without reservations! Easy to schedule, loaner car exquisite, great group!
Very Comfortable, Noah very helpful in Service, Car looked at pickup !! Kevin's experience in Sales, was a Pleasure to deal with and answered all my questions immediately 🙏
Scott was very helpful and went out of his way to find us the right car.
Great experience with Adam the service manager and Adam the service advisor. Very professional kept me in the loop during the whole process with a tough issue with my BMW I8
Pawel is the best in the business Always A plus Best bmw dealer in New England
Service is the best speed and professionalism is hard to find an they have both.never had to go back to correct problem, get it done the first time Len W
Pawel is an excellent service manager… service was terrific. Loved the service tech Vidio on the cars overall health..
Service advisor Cory C. is outstanding. Service is easy to schedule and the car was ready on time.
Good, friendly and professional service department that you can trust when getting work done on your BMW.
The service rep Noah was very accommodating and stopped by me about every hour to give me an update on progress and the mechanic Ken Deem was extremely knowledgeable about what needed to be fixed on my 760i. It had been in an accident and needed the electrical and suspension system checked over. No easy task!
The service and communication is always amazing. Cory who was my advisor was knowledgeable, kind and got my car done ahead of when I needed it.
The service advisor Cory at BMW of Stratham provided outstanding customer service from start to finish, keeping me informed throughout the entire process and making everything seamless and stress-free.
Welcoming and knowledgeable and no pressure. Made you feel at home. Not a pressure or
This is our second new BMW we leased in 1 month! Great communication and customer service!
Impressed with the meeting of the gentlemen within the service greeting area. Very friendly polite
Adam was a very helpful service rep who provided detailed explanations and videos to describe the service needs.
My car was repaired and I am very satisfied with that. Dealerships are very expensive. I did not use any of the BMW perks that were available, such as a loaner or pickup. I did enjoy the Military discount.
Great communication and top notch service from the team at Stratham BMW. Would highly recommend.
Susan did an excellent job and found the car I was looking for. Thanks again.
Service was excellent, easy in and out. Adam was very helpful and ensured work was done quickly
Adam & all the service staff are easy to deal with. No high pressure service selling, just common sense items.
We appreciated the attentive service for a New Jersey BMW owner. Work was performed as promised.
Excellent service . Inspection and recommendations very helpful. Done on schedule and free car wash at a great price.
I like the low-key vibe and the fact that they do not push doing repairs that are not absolutely necessary.
Steve was great! He was wonderful to work with and everyone at the dealership was professional and nice!
Prompt and friendly shop for service on my 24 Ineos grenadier. Has the B58 engine.
Great communication at every level from sales to instruction. Everyone was responsive to our questions.
Great service Staff is knowledgeable, friendly and provide sensible recommendations. Service is quick and efficient
Excellent service and communication. BMW Stratham listens and addresses all service concerns quickly and efficiently. You are sent videos of your car as well as Text/email evaluations, repair work needed and once approved, completed. I definitely would recommend BMW Stratham for Sales and Service!
We found you to be courteous, timely and good communicators. We will continue to do our business with you!
Paul as always was very friendly and professional. A pleasure. Also, Haley is always helpful even when I don’t have an appointment.
Customer Service with Pawel was exceptional! The technician (Chris) that worked on my vehicle was thorough and explained everything. Thank you Pawel and Chris for a wonderful experience!
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Andrew and salesman weee great. Finance manager should be fired for his high pressure outright lies. Terrible time cancelling unwanted extras for his commission. Still trying to cancel one
Everyone always very kind, helpful and knowledgable. Great communication. Dealership is always clean. They are usually on time with car being taken in and ready.
Had a great experience at BMW of Stratham. They completed multiple service requests while I waited, and I was on my way by lunchtime. They even informed me of an open recall item that I wasn’t aware of and took care of that at the same time! That was much more convenient than having to schedule an additional visit. Our service advisor Cory was courteous and professional.
BMW of Stratham went over & an over to accommodate me picking my car up & returning it when the service was done. I highly recommend their service department!
Great service at fair price. Appointment kept on time service updates received while I waited in comfortable waiting area well stocked with complimentary beverages and snacks.
I had an excellent experience with the dealership. My prior BMW x5 was purchased new less than a year ago and was totaled by a reckless driver hitting me. The thought of buying another car was pretty stressful, but I knew to reach out to Scot Murby since I had just worked with him less than a year ago.
I had a few things that were really important to me—the color, the driver-assist features, and the tow hitch—and I didn’t have the time to build something custom. Scot searched the country and was able to find a ... Read More DealerRater - Apr 27, 2026
I am fully satisfied with your service. I always remember my BMW service technician for their extraordinary job
Excellent service and communication between service advisor and the customer. I would recommend this dealership without reservation.
I had to take my X5 in after the engine light came on due to a prior accident and repair down in Florida. I am not a previous customer but they still worked with my insurance and the original repair shop to help me get the issue resolved promptly.
The service staff is exceptional. They go above and beyond to ensure your car is well cared for and serviced properly. I trust their high level of expertise implicitly.
Nice folks and an easy to understand transaction. Great product and test drives to get a good feel for the car.
Adam and Paul are amazing! & are the reason I come to this dealership and this delarship only for repairs.
Great experience overall. All service recommendations reviewed and approved in advance of work. was able to defer some recommendations. Work completed on time and loaner car a great asset.
Great deal ship. Been working with them for years. Thx Cory for helping. Was pleased with all work. Had oil change and re-call on pump. Getting tires in 2 weeks.
