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BMW oil change interval?

T

todras

Pretty fly for a white guy *cowbell*
Joined
May 29, 2000
Messages
13,188
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Thought the brighter minds hung out here so that's why I'm posting here. Was talking to my buddy about his BMW and then I asked what oil he ran in it. He has 55k and has only done 2 changes on it! I was baffled. I guess the oil they use goes 25k between changes! Why is BMW the only one who does this?

http://techmax.ca/elf.htm

"As part of its ongoing efforts to improve its range, ELF has costume-engineered a synthetic Motor oil for BMW cars: Elf EXCELLIUM XLL. This does more than comply with BMW's LL-01 standard; the XLL in the name stands for Extra Long Life, and points to the fact that this new lubricant can withstand about 40,000 km before it needs to bechanged"
 
What model does he have? I thought BMW called for 15,000 OCI. Don't care what oil you use, it is still too long IMHO.
 
Ok BMW intervals are 25,000km or 1 year which ever comes first. The service interval goes Oil Service, Inspection 1 and brake flush, Oil Service, Inspection2 with coolant flush and brake flush. BMW uses Castrol syntheic oil. The inspection2 is the big service and it really only done once every 4 years (that of course is if you go by the averager driving which is 25,000km per year).

Aaron
 
I'm pretty sure that the newer BMW models use an OLM (oil life monitor) that calculates the need for an oil change based on vehicle use. When it is time for an oil change, a light on the dash comes on.

Yes, under mild driving conditions it can be as much as 25,000 miles.
 
EDIT: This is the service interval for American cars (hence Millage). Canadan cars are listed at oil services every 25,000 Kilometers. (Which comes to about every 15,534 Miles...give or take a meter.)


I have worked for BMW for over 3 years...... its every 15,000 miles NO MORE....BMW even says to not go past the reconmended oil change intervals or your warranty can be void.


Please, for the love of god, tell your friend to change his oil and kick the ass of who ever told him that his current intervals are normal.


The warranty on cars prior to 2007 is 4 years 45,000 miles. 2007 and newer is 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Tordas, I PMed you my work number in case your buddy has any more questions.

By the way, the oil is 5w 30 Castrol sythetic with a BMW logo on it.


Lupe



EDIT: Big Jim is correct on the E36 and earlier cars, they use a light system to let you know when service is due. It ended up being between 15,000 and 17,000 (was not very accurate) the new system uses a Millage countdown that counts down from 15, 000 miles till its reset by a service tech after the oil change, or by anyone who purchased a oil service reset tool for Snap-On or Mac tools.
 
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todras said:
Thought the brighter minds hung out here so that's why I'm posting here. Was talking to my buddy about his BMW and then I asked what oil he ran in it. He has 55k and has only done 2 changes on it! I was baffled. I guess the oil they use goes 25k between changes! Why is BMW the only one who does this?
If you look above Tordas use "25K" and "55K" which to me refers to thousand. If he ment Kilometers it would ahve "KM". I believe thats where the confusion is.



Lupe
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I just put it in KM because I didn't know what it was in Miles. Either way it turns out to be the same, sorry for any confusion.

Aaron
 
I think he said 2 or 3. I'm guessing it's 3. So if he had one every 15000 then he should be fine per recommendations.
 
My comments about going longer that 15,000 miles was based on my daughter's experience with her Mini Cooper. Perhaps I should not have extrapilated that experience to BMW, but I thought I heard from other sources that BMW was the same. Mini Cooper is a BMW product. Indeed, her OLM did go over 20,000 miles on one occasion. That was a surprise because prior to that the common wisdom was that the oil change interval was a maximum of 15,000 miles.
 
Mini's and BMWs' have the same service intervals BigJim. So you 15,000 mile assesment is correct.

I work for BMW and Mini of Mountian View, so deal with both, but mainly BMWs on a regular basis.


The new cars (BMW's atleast) cout down from 15000 miles....once it reaches "0" it begins to flash when you turn the car in the on position, and begins to count "-" milage. Milage is reset back to 15000 after your service, with the reset tool.

Its my knowledge that Minis work in a similar way. Only Minis (atleast here) are more prone to go over because service appointments are anywhere between 2-4 weeks out because of the shear volume of services we do for Mini.


Lupe
 
So why are they so long? What is different about the oil/engines that the intervals are so far apart? What if you did this in say a Duratec? Not that I would.
 
First remember that they use synthetic oil.

Second, realize that the green movement in europe is pushing for improving the environment and that they feel that changing oil too often is generating an unneeded waste stream as well as depleting resources. As a result many if not all european automakers are pushing long oil drains and many cars now have oil life monitors.

I'm still of the old school. I still think of a 5,000 mile oil change interval as being an extended interval. I must admit though that the oils are getting better and can hold up much better than even oils of 10 years ago. Also the engines are getting much better with better materials and much tighter manufacturing process controls. The future does hold that longer oil change intervals will become more common.
 
SVT SNOB said:
BMW uses Castrol syntheic oil.
Click to expand...
However that is Castrol for "outside the North American Market." (i.e. European spec) That is a true synthetic and not the hodge podge with high ash content they push on our market due to our lack of an honest definition of synthetic oil.

~~~

25,000km is ~15,000 miles. I bet that is their typical service cycle. However what is their severe duty service cycle? Any significant city driving is considered severe duty because of the short engine run times coupled with stop and go driving.

For reference I change the wife's oil (Mobil 1 in her Z24) every 10,000 miles and it always checks out fine when analyzed. They've recommended 12-15k intervals.
 
Good food for thought. Thanks guys. I have been running MC semi synth in the womans mazda 5. I was going to change it out tomorrow since it's traveled 4k since the last one. Guys on Bob is the oil guy have stated that samples have come back (Blackstone) saying that the oil should have no issues going 5k. But then again what will the temps be outside in 1k? LOL!
 
The one big problem I have for extended oil change intervals is that most people (non-CEGers, of course) do not bother checking the oil level on a regular basis and should a gasket leak occur, could end up with a toasted engine. The 3K/3 month interval does help as a cheap insurance (besides having half quart above max line for the stock Duratec 2.5L). I do try to check the oil every other fill up or so (some weeks I fill up once every two days :blackeye: ).
 
DemonSVT said:
However that is Castrol for "outside the North American Market." (i.e. European spec) That is a true synthetic and not the hodge podge with high ash content they push on our market due to our lack of an honest definition of synthetic oil.

~~~

25,000km is ~15,000 miles. I bet that is their typical service cycle. However what is their severe duty service cycle? Any significant city driving is considered severe duty because of the short engine run times coupled with stop and go driving.

For reference I change the wife's oil (Mobil 1 in her Z24) every 10,000 miles and it always checks out fine when analyzed. They've recommended 12-15k intervals.
Click to expand...

Good point on the synthetic oil. As for the driving cycle my guess is that's why BMW changed their system because they now all adjust accordingly to how the driver drives. The computer system is amazing everything gets stored on thr key, so when you go into the dealership they put the key into a key reader and it gives you a printout of when you should change your oil, brakes, coolant flush and all that stuff.

Aaron
 
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