BMW: 1995 325i Transmission, manual transmissions, automatic transmissions

Question
We are purchasing a 1995 325i with 150,000 miles.  The current owner has taken superior car of the car, meticulously replacing and upgrading parts.  We are concerned that the transmission may need to be replaced at approx. 180,000 miles, which is very costly.  When does the transmission typically need to be replaced, and does the excellent care of the car impact the time the transmission lasts?  Thanks for your imput!

Answer
Lori,
 I'm guessing your car has an Automatic transmission?  If so then there is no perfect answer.  Unlike a manual transmission, where the driver is responsible for wear and tear on the parts.. the Automatic is different.  An automatic will wear the same (generally) if its been driven easily or hard, as the clutches are not controlled by you, they are done automatically.  So to answer your question correctly I would say that on average (from my experience) Automatic transmissions can go out as soon as 75k miles, or they can last to 200k miles.  It really depends on the type and quality of the transmission.  Honestly I wouldn't be too suprised if the transmission started slipping any time.  Most transmission problems will give you plenty of warning when something is not right.  They will start to slip or jerk a little when shifting, and gradually get worse.  A clutch will wear out, its designed to.  If the clutch wears out, then that saves other expensive transmission components.  This is where Automatics become a real Pain.  The clutches are inside the transmission, and require a skilled technician to change, at a cost of probably $1000 (or more).  A manual transmission clutch is external from the transmission, and can be changed by a novice mechanic for about $300.  This is why I recommend and own cars with ONLY manual transmissions.
 In summary, you WILL have transmission problems eventually, but fluid and filter changes can postpone this adventure till a later date.
 Good luck,
 Josh