[AllBlackBimmer]

2008 6MT RWD.

Come spring time, I will be doing some fluid changes... manual transmission and rear differential...

Firstly, I assume turbo and non-turbo cars take the same fluids for the manual transmission and the rear differential?
Secondly, what do people recommend for both?

ECS has the "OEM fluids" at reasonable prices, but should I get something else?

My car is at 86k and I plan on keeping it... do I want full synthetic fluids? Are OEM fluids full-syn?
Should I get new drain/fill plugs?

I know Redline makes highly recommended fluids, should I be looking at those? I know they make a bunch of different fluids that would probably work, which one to go with? There is great debate between D4 and D6 fluid... D6 is thinner I believe.

In all seriousness, I don't care as much about "smoothness" as I do protection and longevity. Smoother shifts are nice, but they make not be protecting the internals as much.

I also live in PA with all 4 seasons... freezing cold to blistering hot... I don't drive my E90 as much in the winter, so I'd prefer something for the summer months, but that still is decent in the cold/wintertime.

I've done a ton of searching and googling and this is a subject of great debate.

[123Britt]

That is what I have been using. MT OEM every 50k and RL 75-90 Diff every 30k.