Do I need to change oil after break-in? Thanks
The onboard computer said when it is 13500 mi. I'd appreciate it if you could please explain a bit, not just yes and no.
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I don't tink so. The oil is very good and the engine has very tight tolerances.
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5784
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5784
It's all up to you. If you're paranoid enough you can probably change your oil EVERY TIME you drive your car for the ultimate protection.
But keep this in mind...Test after test by 3rd party labs have shown that traditional mineral motor oil can last up to 15,000 miles without showing ANY sign of deterioration, and synthetics will last over 30,000 miles. It's your filter element that you need to worry about.
Like I said, if it makes you feel better, change it after every 100 miles if you have to...But it's just a waste of money.
But keep this in mind...Test after test by 3rd party labs have shown that traditional mineral motor oil can last up to 15,000 miles without showing ANY sign of deterioration, and synthetics will last over 30,000 miles. It's your filter element that you need to worry about.
Like I said, if it makes you feel better, change it after every 100 miles if you have to...But it's just a waste of money.
bing330i said:
Change intervals
BMW changed their oil filter design last year because they found they weren't holding up under the extended drain intervals. So how many millions of people ran extended drain intervals with deteriorating or inefficient filters?
Also, you can find discussions from BMW techs on E46 Fanatics that question BMW's extended interval plan. They don't think it's such a good idea to go for so long, and since BMW has a vested interest in you running with these long intervals (maintenance included in vehicle purchase), you can't believe that they have your best interest at heart.
On top of this, you'll find people who think Castrol Syntec, BMW's current oil of choice (was Valvoline up until a few years ago), to be a "quasi" synthetic oil that uses conventional oil as a base stock. Mobil took Catrol to court over their use of the word synthetic in reference to their Syntec oil, but lost because the ASE has no real definition of what synthetic oil is. I could grab a quart of Valvoline off the shelf, drip a drop of teflon into the bottle, and sell it as synthetic. The word has no real meaning and Castrol has taken advantage of this fact to sell oil that the rest of the industry recognizes as inferior.
So you can trust BMW or you can invest in some inexpensive insurance and change your oil more often. When the engine siezes up at 150,000 miles because of oil related issues, BMW will not be returning your phone calls.
I changed my oil at 1200 miles after break-in, plan on changing it at 7500 miles and will take it to the dealer at 15000 miles for my scheduled change. Then I'll change it every 7500 miles after that. I'll be using Mobil 1 exclusively, even when it goes into the dealer.
If you don't want to change your oil this often, spend $5 every 7500 miles and change your oil filter. It's on top, so you don't need to drain your oil to get to it. It's very cheap insurance.
--gary
BMW changed their oil filter design last year because they found they weren't holding up under the extended drain intervals. So how many millions of people ran extended drain intervals with deteriorating or inefficient filters?
Also, you can find discussions from BMW techs on E46 Fanatics that question BMW's extended interval plan. They don't think it's such a good idea to go for so long, and since BMW has a vested interest in you running with these long intervals (maintenance included in vehicle purchase), you can't believe that they have your best interest at heart.
On top of this, you'll find people who think Castrol Syntec, BMW's current oil of choice (was Valvoline up until a few years ago), to be a "quasi" synthetic oil that uses conventional oil as a base stock. Mobil took Catrol to court over their use of the word synthetic in reference to their Syntec oil, but lost because the ASE has no real definition of what synthetic oil is. I could grab a quart of Valvoline off the shelf, drip a drop of teflon into the bottle, and sell it as synthetic. The word has no real meaning and Castrol has taken advantage of this fact to sell oil that the rest of the industry recognizes as inferior.
So you can trust BMW or you can invest in some inexpensive insurance and change your oil more often. When the engine siezes up at 150,000 miles because of oil related issues, BMW will not be returning your phone calls.
I changed my oil at 1200 miles after break-in, plan on changing it at 7500 miles and will take it to the dealer at 15000 miles for my scheduled change. Then I'll change it every 7500 miles after that. I'll be using Mobil 1 exclusively, even when it goes into the dealer.
If you don't want to change your oil this often, spend $5 every 7500 miles and change your oil filter. It's on top, so you don't need to drain your oil to get to it. It's very cheap insurance.
--gary
Many Thanks to All Your Replies!
All the above comments are valid. But IMO and that of a very good friend who is a BMW mechanic, change it more often then called for and he changed mine at 3600 miles for the first time. He had suggested I do as Nat Brown did at 1200 but I skipped it.
The oil that came out was still very clean but it did have an odor of fuel, which in his opinion was a clear sign that we did the right thing. I will continue to change at 5 - 7.5 K intervals.:thumb:
The oil that came out was still very clean but it did have an odor of fuel, which in his opinion was a clear sign that we did the right thing. I will continue to change at 5 - 7.5 K intervals.:thumb:
I plan on changing my oil around 3000 miles and using Amsoil. Anyone have any opinions on Amsoil? I know Mobile 1 is a bit cheaper but my brother is an Amsoil dealer and I get it for a good price from him. Have used it in my motorcycles for years with good results.
Will BMW void your warrenty if you use another brand? The manual is sort of murky on this issue, implying that you must use BMW oil.
Will BMW void your warrenty if you use another brand? The manual is sort of murky on this issue, implying that you must use BMW oil.
I was talking to a BMW tech at my local center the other day.
He actually dislikes the BMW oil. He has heard numerous rumors regarding it which worried me a bit, but he did advised me against switching to another brand now at this stage (8500 miles).
He actually dislikes the BMW oil. He has heard numerous rumors regarding it which worried me a bit, but he did advised me against switching to another brand now at this stage (8500 miles).
Oil Change When?
My neighbor is a retired engineer from GM Tech Center. He says the following on this subject;
Most important is: Do not mix brands. Stay with whatever you decide on, never flip flop.
Now I wonder if I use Mobil 1 in between dealer servicing, and they use BMW 5-30 when in the service bay, have I created a monster.
On the other hand, we may be overly concerned on this subject rather than enjoying our ultimate driving machine.
Your call.
My neighbor is a retired engineer from GM Tech Center. He says the following on this subject;
Most important is: Do not mix brands. Stay with whatever you decide on, never flip flop.
Now I wonder if I use Mobil 1 in between dealer servicing, and they use BMW 5-30 when in the service bay, have I created a monster.
On the other hand, we may be overly concerned on this subject rather than enjoying our ultimate driving machine.
Your call.
This is exactly what the BMW tech I spoke said.
Don't Mix Brands
O.K., if I subscribe to not mixing brands it looks like I should buy Castrol 5-30 Syntec in beween dealer changes which will keep things Kosher, eh.
Does this make any sense?
O.K., if I subscribe to not mixing brands it looks like I should buy Castrol 5-30 Syntec in beween dealer changes which will keep things Kosher, eh.
Does this make any sense?
Re: Don't Mix Brands
--gary
Or bring in a case of Mobil 1, which is what I'm doing (although people think I'm nuts).rwebbe said:
--gary
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