[BMW Airmen]

Hey all, Just purchased a used 2004 BMW 530i, trying to get as much information about it as I can so I'll probably be posting quite a few questions here in the coming days/weeks. I just hit 44000 miles today in it and under the I-Drive menu and the service option it has all those things like oil life, spark plugs, etc... and looking at it, it tells me that eveyrthing is OK, and that I have 12000 miles to go before I need a new oil change. Now I know that is absolutely false because when the mechanic inspected it he said I needed to watch the oil because it was good for now but I should expect to get it changed in the next couple thousand miles. Could all those things have been reset? If so how do I go about knowing when exactly to go in for the correct inspections. I would think Inspection 1 has already been done, but I don't know when 2 comes up. Any help would be greatly appreciated, with as much info on it as possible. Wanna make sure my car stays nice for awhile so I'm not trying to miss any deadlines with it

 

[Bart001]

The i-Drive display will keep you fully informed of when the car needs service. I'm sure that, before you bought it (assuming you bought it from a BMW dealer), the oil was changed and the service interval counter re-set. As it says, you'd be due for another oil change in ~12000 miles.

I have no idea why the "mechanic" told you it would need an oil change sooner. Did you buy the car from a BMW dealership, or someplace else where the people have no idea what the proper service intervals are?

Be careful as to what you "know" to be "absolutely false" with these cars

 

[Kamdog]

Your BMW dealer should be able to tell you when they last changed the oil. In my car, the car defaults to 15k miles right after an oil change. If you find out that the current number is accurate, then you are done with BMW paid for oil changes. Now is a good time to try to find a good indy shop.

 

[BMW Airmen]

I did not buy it from a BMW dealership, price would have been way more, but I did have it checked by a Certified BMW mechanic before buying. He may have reset all of them, this is my first purchase of a car of this caliber so I'm new to it all. Everything could be right, just had to ask

 

[zmann]

You'd probably want to change the oil at a closer interval than the 15k mi that bmw suggests. Opinions vary, but I think the general concensus for synthetic oil is about 7500 mi.

 

[Kamdog]

You'd probably want to change the oil at a closer interval than the 15k mi that bmw suggests. Opinions vary, but I think the general concensus for synthetic oil is about 7500 mi.

That's what I do, one change on me, and one on BMW. They may be right with their condition based service system, but I am not betting the well being of my engine on it for a lousey $60, which is what my indy charges.

 

[madurodave]

I agree - change it every 7500 miles. It is cheap insurance!

 

[stream]

Hey all, Just purchased a used 2004 BMW 530i, trying to get as much information about it as I can so I'll probably be posting quite a few questions here in the coming days/weeks. I just hit 44000 miles today in it and under the I-Drive menu and the service option it has all those things like oil life, spark plugs, etc... and looking at it, it tells me that eveyrthing is OK, and that I have 12000 miles to go before I need a new oil change. Now I know that is absolutely false because when the mechanic inspected it he said I needed to watch the oil because it was good for now but I should expect to get it changed in the next couple thousand miles. Could all those things have been reset? If so how do I go about knowing when exactly to go in for the correct inspections. I would think Inspection 1 has already been done, but I don't know when 2 comes up. Any help would be greatly appreciated, with as much info on it as possible. Wanna make sure my car stays nice for awhile so I'm not trying to miss any deadlines with it

Congrats on the car.

Let me suggest you try the search function--many of the questions in this, and other posts you've made recently, have been discussed.

The 'inspection 1" and inspection 2" nomenclature apply to pre-E60 cars--iDrive will tell you when service items are due.

 

[BMW Airmen]

Let me suggest you try the search function--many of the questions in this, and other posts you've made recently, have been discussed.

Yes, I understand there is a search feature here in the forums, and I have used it don't get me wrong, but if I don't find what I'm looking for or don't understand the answer then I have to ask it myself, in my own words. But thanks for the reply, that part about Inspection I and II being before e60 cars, I did not know.

 

[Bart001]

I did not buy it from a BMW dealership, price would have been way more, but I did have it checked by a Certified BMW mechanic before buying. He may have reset all of them, this is my first purchase of a car of this caliber so I'm new to it all. Everything could be right, just had to ask

I highly doubt that a BMW mechanic merely "reset" all of your service indicators. Rather, I suspect that the car is accurate and that according to the algorithm in the car's computer, the oil service is due when it's telling you it's due.

If you want to change the oil earlier, by all means go for it!