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how often you add oil

8K views 17 replies 12 participants last post by  madurodave 
#1 ·
I just needed to add a quart of oil after 5k miles. I'm not concerned and realize that BMW's typically need oil between the factory specked oil changes, just wondering what others experience is.

My old e39 used to use a quart every 1k miles - that wasn't good
 
#4 ·
Yes my 01 530 had something going on. Though it ran beautifully, I was so anal that I ended up dumping the car. I've regretted it ever since the day I did. It was a 5 speed with the sport package and was amazing. I'd literally take the long way home per chance to get on certain windy roads around my house with nobody in front of me. In hindsight I would have just been better off adding a quart of oil every thousand miles. Oh well.
 
#5 ·
My wife's 530 uses a little oil. My X3 has gone to 7500 miles with no adds needed.

BMW says engine ok with 1 qt every 750 miles! That's a lot of oil!

How many miles on your 530 to use 1 qt every 1k miles? My wife's is at 84k miles now.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Any M54 engine burning oil like that probably has a busted CVV. My E46 developed that problem prior to me replacing with a E90. E46 had 90k mi when the problem came around. I would have got the job done, but I needed a sedan so I got rid of it. Any E46/E39 forum should have instructions on how to resolve. Its a big PITA as a DIY but doable. I would personally just dish out the $700 for someone to do it.
 
#12 ·
Never added oil to my '08 E92.
Didn't have to add oil to X3 yet, but I only had it for a month.

My Jetta needed a quart of oil ever 1K miles (starting at 35K miles). Strangely enough it passed all smog checks and never left a drop of oil on the ground.
 
#14 ·
I think a lot of it has to do with how the engine is broken in and how it's driven.

My 2004 X3 with the M54 consumes maybe 0,5 to 1 litre of oil between changes, which occur at around 13000km (or 7500mi). We've had the car since new.

My mother's N52 in the 325i has begun to get a bit thirsty, about 1 litre every 5000km. This is a CPO car, so no idea how the first owner broke it in (probably not very well).
 
#17 ·
Speaking of oil changes ... I got an 07 335i last summer and the dealer gave me the service records. I was somewhat concerned to see that they had changed the oil every 17K but noticed when I change it at 7K and reset the counter it shows 17K to next oil change. Are all N54s set up at this oil change interval?
 
#18 ·
Yes. I would caution you not to reset the service counter early, though. It affects other service intervals also. Just change the oil in between at about 7500 miles but do not reset until the computer asks for it.

Sent from my iPhone using BimmerApp
 
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