oil changes? Need advice!!!!!!

L

lildee

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#1
hi - kinda new and i have a 2002 325xi - i bought it in 2003 privately, so it was still fairly new then, and i have had the warranty with the dealership to get my oil changed, etc.

so my warranty is over, and i haven't gotten my oil changed for 10-15Kmiles. questions -

1) can i go somewhere else besides the dealer? i feel like its such a rip-off to go there when an oil change is an oil change? or is it worth it to go to a dealer?

2) and is it true that you can wait a year to get a oil change for BMWs? or is that an urban legend? if so - how often are you supposed to get your oil change?

any advice would help - THANKS!!!!!!
 
C

christyles

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#2
lildee said:
hi - kinda new and i have a 2002 325xi - i bought it in 2003 privately, so it was still fairly new then, and i have had the warranty with the dealership to get my oil changed, etc.

so my warranty is over, and i haven't gotten my oil changed for 10-15Kmiles. questions -

1) can i go somewhere else besides the dealer? i feel like its such a rip-off to go there when an oil change is an oil change? or is it worth it to go to a dealer?

2) and is it true that you can wait a year to get a oil change for BMWs? or is that an urban legend? if so - how often are you supposed to get your oil change?

any advice would help - THANKS!!!!!!
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You can bring it anywhere but preferably someone you trust who has experience working on BMW's. Having the Peake reset tool of some sort will help as well even though, resetting the oil counter is possible without a computer.

25,000 recommended by BMW, others suggest 12,000 will suffice, I do it every 7,000. nothing wrong with doing it too often.

With the amount of driving I do, I usually do an oil change about 3 times a year or every quarter. Car is in storage now.

If you can learn how to do an oil change yourself, do it. It takes me 15 mins and about $50-60CAD to buy the oil and filter and knowing that everything is back on properly. I don't like other people touching my car.
 
L

lildee

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i guess i could ask my husband to do the oil change cuz i am not sure i would be able to pull that one off! :)

as for the resetter, i am hoping that a mental count would be enough...but yes, i would have to reset the computer somehow.

yeah, i think changing 12K miles sounds decent...

thank you!
 
C

christyles

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lildee said:
i guess i could ask my husband to do the oil change cuz i am not sure i would be able to pull that one off! :)

as for the resetter, i am hoping that a mental count would be enough...but yes, i would have to reset the computer somehow.

yeah, i think changing 12K miles sounds decent...

thank you!
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Might I add, we go by kms. So most of the BMW freaks here in Toronto change every 6-7,000kms.

Mental count would be fine or a log book. There is a way to reset without a computer.
 
P

patti21

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#6
lildee said:
hi - kinda new and i have a 2002 325xi - i bought it in 2003 privately, so it was still fairly new then, and i have had the warranty with the dealership to get my oil changed, etc.

so my warranty is over, and i haven't gotten my oil changed for 10-15Kmiles. questions -

1) can i go somewhere else besides the dealer? i feel like its such a rip-off to go there when an oil change is an oil change? or is it worth it to go to a dealer?

2) and is it true that you can wait a year to get a oil change for BMWs? or is that an urban legend? if so - how often are you supposed to get your oil change?

any advice would help - THANKS!!!!!!
Click to expand...
Hi -- I just had the same question about oil changes as the dealership cost is unbelievable. I took mine to High Marques in Morristown, NJ -- they are German car specialists (lots of Porches, Audis, etc.) and use the same parts, etc. as the dealer. They recommeded every 7000 miles too, just as it doesn't hurt to change too often (other than your pocketbook). Charge for a change there was about $120. I may have to learn how to do it on my own in the future.
 
B

Big Daddy

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I change my own oil and filter, using Mahle or Mann filters (OEM German) and Mobil 1 synthetic oil. Out of pocket expense is about $33.00! $4.00 @ qt. for the 7 qts. of oil and just about $5.00 for the filter. I use a reset tool to clear my service indicator lamps.
 
Zchild

Zchild

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[thumb] Hey there gearheads and bimmer dreamers, I always enjoy the oil change discussions on the bimmer websites. I started out as a mechanic with various and sundry vehicles and had to work my way up to bimmer ownership. I usually changed my oil in all of my other vehicles at 5-7.5 thousand using Mobil 1 motor oil. Since I bought my bimmer and the waranty expired I change my oil religiously at 7.5 thousand miles. I personally do not have the time to do it myself like I used to do before I bought my bimmer so I go to a local independent and pay about $74.00 for an oil change with filter using BMW synthetic motor oil. I tried the every 5 thousand mile thing however that proved too much and too often. Just my two and a half cents worth, Happy Motoring...
[driving2]
 
E

epj3

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#11
jrt67ss350 said:
What?? [confused]
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What do you mean "what?" People waiting 15k miles before changing the oil because they thought they heard they could. NO THANKS!!! Not gonna buy a used e46 when the motor possibly had only 3 oil changes in its lifetime.
 
jrt67ss350

jrt67ss350

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#12
epj3 said:
What do you mean "what?" People waiting 15k miles before changing the oil because they thought they heard they could. NO THANKS!!! Not gonna buy a used e46 when the motor possibly had only 3 oil changes in its lifetime.
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Oh, ok - I understand now. I misunderstood the point you were making - I agree with you 100%.

But, I'm not sure how this is much different than in the past. The SI lights in my e30 don't indicate an oil service until about 13,000 - 15,000. If previous owners had just had the oil changed according to the SI lights, then these cars would have suffered from the same type of neglect.
 
Chicago-Spike

Chicago-Spike

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I love a good oil debate as well. I am a huge poster(Top 1 in fact) on a Honda VTX motorcycle message board www.vtxoa.com and we debate the oil thing there all the time. I am also an AMSOIL dealer and I have had my oils tested by independant labs and with all of them I have gotten results that indicate that the oil would be good for at least 15,000 miles or more. In my bike I had my Mobil 1 15-50 tested with @7,500 miles on it, the labs indicated the viscosity , the shear stability, the high temp/high shear viscosity(how well it lubes at high/running temps), and volatility(evaporation) were all well above specs and was recommended that it would be good for another 7,500 or more. The AMSOIL 10-40 I had tested at @10,000 miles on my bike was the same and the labs recommended the oils be checked again in 7,500 miles before changing. I take very good care of my vehicles and would not subject my show winning bike to poor PM and bad oil. 15,000 miles on a good full synthetic oil is not something to be overly concerned about. [:)]
 
Section_8

Section_8

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#14
1. Yes

2. No

IIRC, pull the terminals from your battery for 10-15 mins, this should reset any codes your ECU has currently flipped including the oil change one. If it's not already flipped, you'll need a tool I believe to 'reset' the counter, or wait for it to 'countdown' then do the battery terminal trick.
 
Kirby

Kirby

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Chicago-Spike said:
I love a good oil debate as well. I am a huge poster(Top 1 in fact) on a Honda VTX motorcycle message board www.vtxoa.com and we debate the oil thing there all the time. I am also an AMSOIL dealer and I have had my oils tested by independant labs and with all of them I have gotten results that indicate that the oil would be good for at least 15,000 miles or more. In my bike I had my Mobil 1 15-50 tested with @7,500 miles on it, the labs indicated the viscosity , the shear stability, the high temp/high shear viscosity(how well it lubes at high/running temps), and volatility(evaporation) were all well above specs and was recommended that it would be good for another 7,500 or more. The AMSOIL 10-40 I had tested at @10,000 miles on my bike was the same and the labs recommended the oils be checked again in 7,500 miles before changing. I take very good care of my vehicles and would not subject my show winning bike to poor PM and bad oil. 15,000 miles on a good full synthetic oil is not something to be overly concerned about. [:)]
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Did the tests you had performed include chemistry, ie. acid/alkalai concentration, etc? I agree that the performance/durability specs of synth oils can probably support a 15K mile change. But it's less clear when you consider that acids are formed in the oil as a by-product of combustion, and this can contribute to etching, accelerated bearing wear, seal damage, etc. At some point the neutralizing additives in the oil are "consumed" and chemistry becomes a concern.
 
Chicago-Spike

Chicago-Spike

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Yes, the tests did include acid neutralization Ifailed to include that and other tests and they all were well within new oil specs to absorb acid and detergents to keep the motor clean all held up enough to go for the suggested miles [:)]
 
codex57

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I don't go to the dealer when I have to pay for the oil change myself. I know the owner of the shop I now go to so I pay a slight discount of about $73 after taxes. I'm not charged too much for labor and since I don't have the equipment, it's not a big deal. I like to change every 7500 miles. BMW says 15,000 miles. The oil possibly could last that long, but the oil filter likely won't. Since I plan on keeping the car, I'm doing it every 7500 to be safe.
 
E

epj3

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#20
jrt67ss350 said:
Oh, ok - I understand now. I misunderstood the point you were making - I agree with you 100%.

But, I'm not sure how this is much different than in the past. The SI lights in my e30 don't indicate an oil service until about 13,000 - 15,000. If previous owners had just had the oil changed according to the SI lights, then these cars would have suffered from the same type of neglect.
Click to expand...
Yes but in our service manuals it says 3,000 - 5,000 miles, even in the "dealer stamps" part.
 
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