how often should I change oil?
- Thread starter PuShAkOv
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What about a '95 325i? When they (not BMW, didn't do it myself cause I was already at that mechanic doing some other work and decided it would be easier to do at the same time) changed the oil, I had no idea if synthetic or mineral oil was used before, so I decided to go with synthetic. My question is, did they use mineral or synthetic in '95 on 3 series cars? So, should I do what the computer says or change it earlier? I remember someone saying that the oil will live past the 7,500 miles but the filter will not, anyone knows what exactly happens to the filter? Just curious what will happen if I forget to change it after 7500. BTW I also remember someone posting test results that showed Castrol outlasting Mobil 1, but I still used Mobil since the mechanic didn't have Castrol.
I also don't think BMW gives a crap on how often the oil is changed, all they care about is money so they do what brings them more money. Since the warranty only goes up to 50k miles (correct me if I'm wrong) and I don't think any engine especially a BMW engine will get screwed just because of the oil changes. After the warranty is gone, they wave you bye bye and when the engine dies way past the warranty but way before it should have died you have no where to go to to complain. Everything is about money. My point is, don't think that everything BMW does is right for your car, do some research and see what is trully best for the car and do the right thing.
Just supporting what everyone has said before me.![[;)]](/images/smilies/wink.png "Wink [;)]")
Just supporting what everyone has said before me.
Free oil changes aren't a marketing tool if the dealer is responisible for the condition of the car under warranty.
You guys honestly think that you know better than BMW trained techs? Come on. If you did you wouldn't be asking these questions. No one's trying to rip anyone off. They use $16 a qt synthetic which is rebottled for them.
If you're so concerned with how they treat your car
1) why the hell did you buy it from a dealer you don't trust
2) learn to change your own oil. Is it really that hard? And if you say "I can, but it's free so I don't" then learn to trust others and don't complain. That's the way I see it.
One more point before the flamefest begins: Oil is oil. Cars have been running fine in dino oil for years yours will too. Sure synthetic takes longer to break down but that's never the problem. We live in a dirty enviornment, if you contaminate any oil with dirt it becomes abrasive, no matter what the lubricative properties are. Those with KN filters best throw them out if they're concerned with engine life because they let in a lot more dirt, the reason for frequent changes is to stave contamination, not because the oil's broken down.
I use Mobil 1 in my motorcycle (which is a lot harder on oil than a car that revs only to 7800 and doesn't rely on the engine oil to lubricate the gearbox as well. In the car, sure Mobil 1 too but I don't think it's necessary. How many of you with dealer finance programs and leases are going to keep your cars for 200K+ Probably 2% the car's long gone, crashed or returned before the first sign of problems.
You guys honestly think that you know better than BMW trained techs? Come on. If you did you wouldn't be asking these questions. No one's trying to rip anyone off. They use $16 a qt synthetic which is rebottled for them.
If you're so concerned with how they treat your car
1) why the hell did you buy it from a dealer you don't trust
2) learn to change your own oil. Is it really that hard? And if you say "I can, but it's free so I don't" then learn to trust others and don't complain. That's the way I see it.
One more point before the flamefest begins: Oil is oil. Cars have been running fine in dino oil for years yours will too. Sure synthetic takes longer to break down but that's never the problem. We live in a dirty enviornment, if you contaminate any oil with dirt it becomes abrasive, no matter what the lubricative properties are. Those with KN filters best throw them out if they're concerned with engine life because they let in a lot more dirt, the reason for frequent changes is to stave contamination, not because the oil's broken down.
I use Mobil 1 in my motorcycle (which is a lot harder on oil than a car that revs only to 7800 and doesn't rely on the engine oil to lubricate the gearbox as well. In the car, sure Mobil 1 too but I don't think it's necessary. How many of you with dealer finance programs and leases are going to keep your cars for 200K+ Probably 2% the car's long gone, crashed or returned before the first sign of problems.
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![[:D]](/images/smilies/biggrin.png "Big Grin [:D]")
Sorry dude, that's just not true. Oil is not oil. Synthetics have better lubrication properties. You probably need to do a little more research on lubricants. Lubrication is the key to keeping your car running longer. The better the lubrication, the less work it takes, the less work the less stress you put on your car. You even get more HP out of your engine with better lubricants. I have read articles about synthetics that were simply incredible. If the contaminates in your oil are better lubed, then they are less likely to cause damage.
By the way, my 528i has 122K and runs like a new car, and yes I use synthetic.
By the way, my 528i has 122K and runs like a new car, and yes I use synthetic.
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Synthetic oil has better lubrication properties, there is no question about that.
sand covered in good oil is still just as bad as sand in dino oil. You are wrong about that.
What I'm saying is that no one keeps, or uses their cars hard enough to wear it out by using one oil over another. Show me one verified story of dino oil "not being good enough"
There aren't any.
sand covered in good oil is still just as bad as sand in dino oil. You are wrong about that.
What I'm saying is that no one keeps, or uses their cars hard enough to wear it out by using one oil over another. Show me one verified story of dino oil "not being good enough"
There aren't any.
It's not always the fact that we wear out our cars, but I want mine to run better longer. I may never wear out the engine, but when I drive my 122k mi car, it still feels just as powerful as the day I bought it. Maybe the problem here is that what really causes an engine failure? Is it external contaminates or friction? If a car is properly maintained, then contaminates are minimal. Oil filters are made to remove solids and contaminates from the oil, so contaminates should only get one change to do damage. An engine has so many friction points that lubrication is essential to keeping your engine running better longer. Time and time again synthetics have been shown to be superior to conventional oil. They last longer without breaking down, have superior temperature characteristics and do not "jell" at low temperatures. Look, just read this article Synthetics. If you look at how engines and transmissions are designed, so many parts slide across each other - friction!
I changed to synthetics for 2 reasons:
1. synthetic is better, no doubt
2. It's cheaper - I change my oil every 7k instead of 3.5k ($50 for conventional and $70 for synthetic).
I changed to synthetics for 2 reasons:
1. synthetic is better, no doubt
2. It's cheaper - I change my oil every 7k instead of 3.5k ($50 for conventional and $70 for synthetic).
ANyone here a BMW mechanic? My g/f's brother in law is going through mechanic school right now. I'm trying to get him to do the BMW program. He's interested, but it takes longer. Besides, he said some of the time (usually on the 7 series), they just tell you to replace the part instead of trying to fix it. For example, brakes. From what he says, BMW mechanics don't sound that much different from a regular mechanic to me.
I'm an engineer and a mechanic. My roommate is a BMW Master Tech and he's the most careful and conscientious mechanic I've encountered. BMW is constantly testing and training them to thoroughly understand every facet of the cars, especially the new ones.
The most annoying thing possible for technician would be a customer who drops a car off and tells the tech how they want work done when they clearly can't do it themselves. It's an ironic contradiction.
The most annoying thing possible for technician would be a customer who drops a car off and tells the tech how they want work done when they clearly can't do it themselves. It's an ironic contradiction.
I agree with you on that but sometimes it's not true. Lets say the best mechanic in the world has a BMW, which he bought as a retirement gift. He wants to do some work on it and he needs a lift for the work which he does not have. The guy comes to a shop to use the lift but they say the insurance prohibits him from working on the car, the mechanic comes and the dude realises he has no idea what exactly caused the problem and how to fix it and starts doing some basic diagnostics when the problem can be solved in half and hour without any of the diagnostics. The retired mechanic/ owner of the bimmer tells him what to do and the technitian would be annoyed, wouldn't he/she? It all follows what you said, the owner clearly can't do what is needed by himself because he doesn't have a lift he can use. I'm just saying that there are exceptions to everything. Lets also look at this from a different point of view, lets say the technician finished the BMW Tech school with all A's and stuff, he is the best in the class and knows the material better than any student before him, he should be a great tech, right? Well not always, he knows what BMW school taught him, they said change the oil every 15k miles and he does it because BMW told him to do it and as we all know every company that makes money is crazy about money so they tell him to change the oil past the time when the filter goes bad in order to save money. As I stated in my previous post, it will not cause the engine to die within the warranty and that's all they care about, spend as little money as possible so they can make as much money as they can. Do you get what I'm saying now?
Could you give us some examples of how that would make a difference? Like what special training gives you more detailed knowledge than an experienced non-BMW mechanic can figure out himself? My g/f's brother (not bro-in law) is a Master Toyota Tech and the head mechanic/team leader at his dealership. He lets me watch all the training videos and stuff they get to "thoroughly understand every facet of the cars, especially the new ones." They're really not that big a deal. The Bentley manuels and that other one do just as good a job. The only car that confused me (a non-mechanic) was the Toyota Prius (I don't recommend you working on that car yourself). It seems to me that what made my g/f's bro such a successful mechanic is his ability to figure out the problems from a practical point of view, not remembering what the training videos said. Like how diagnosing a live person is a bit different from memorizing the human anatomy and diseases from a textbook.
100% with you on this. Experience and ability to figure out stuff are the two main things. If you forgot how to do something you can solve the problem logically but if you forget and can't think straight you'll get nowhere unless you have your notes with you. It's like, no one wants a driver who has a good map, everyone wants a driver who has experience driving around that area and knows how to get to any point from another point.
I am refering to an older post here about wondering what's going on with BMW changing oil all 15kmiles. hell yes wake up people. changing oil every 3000 miles is just making money. would you honestly think bmw advises 15 kmlies when it is about to ruin the engine? and that is what everybody thinks who changes all 3 kmiles. just in case you guys are right about that, bmw would be sued to death by now and could not sell a single car all over the world. 3000 miles is just money making. 15000 miles is way enough. my family maintains their cars since the beginning the way the dealer says or the service book tells you, and they never failed for that.
i can only rererereretell the story of the test a german club did. one car, one oil fill, 100000 km. after that the oil was black, sure enough, but the engine was just fine for one with 60 kmiles! and that was one oil fill only. no oil change. that is my ultimate prrof that oil can go way longer than the majority think, knows or wants to admit.
i can only rererereretell the story of the test a german club did. one car, one oil fill, 100000 km. after that the oil was black, sure enough, but the engine was just fine for one with 60 kmiles! and that was one oil fill only. no oil change. that is my ultimate prrof that oil can go way longer than the majority think, knows or wants to admit.
Bimmubishi,
i am sorry but i am correct ... and so is the BMW tech (and i trust her) that told me to change my oil every 7500 miles ...
she will even admit that 15K is a little too long ... so you are asking yourself why would bmw do this? well, because they know its borderline safe ... however changing the oil every 15K increases wear, heat, etc ...
the engine may never quit ... but it may not be as smooth or as powerful as the day you got it ... if it feels that way then you just dont notice it (because you drive it everyday)
its not always about the money or the trouble ... sometimes its just personal preference ...
and also, bmw likes to sell new cars ... if every car they made lasted 2,000,000 miles and never broke down the market would shrink very quickly
Ben
i am sorry but i am correct ... and so is the BMW tech (and i trust her) that told me to change my oil every 7500 miles ...
she will even admit that 15K is a little too long ... so you are asking yourself why would bmw do this? well, because they know its borderline safe ... however changing the oil every 15K increases wear, heat, etc ...
the engine may never quit ... but it may not be as smooth or as powerful as the day you got it ... if it feels that way then you just dont notice it (because you drive it everyday)
its not always about the money or the trouble ... sometimes its just personal preference ...
and also, bmw likes to sell new cars ... if every car they made lasted 2,000,000 miles and never broke down the market would shrink very quickly
Ben
I used synthetics in my 1984 733i that had over 250k when I sold her and I never had a problem. I have no idea what would have happened or not had I used conventional oil, but I am glad I did not have to find out. Use what you want, jezzz it's your car. For me and mine Mobil 1. And really the worst time is startup, made worse in the winter. Synthetics are 100% better in these conditions.