[OOOSQ]

It's a sign of the times I believe.

I work in the construction/mining industry around heavy plant here, and the service intervals for vehicles weighing anywhere from 20 ton through to 500 ton is stretching longer and longer with every new product release.

It's all down to more anal environmental impacts and the need to make machines/engines run cleaner for longer with whilst limiting the need to exhaust useables (oils) as regularly as in the past.

Motor vehicles will come under even harder scrutiny as the emphasis on global warming etc etc takes hold...

Manufactures have no choice but to fall in line...

[paul386]

Originally Posted by bren

I don't think anyone advocated for 3k mile oil changes. Unless they own a jiffy lube.

The only sensor in place is the one for oil level, and that hasn't exactly proven to be problem free. The only real way to tell is to send out a sample.

You are free to stick with the elaborate algorithm based purely on theory and the will of the accountants. I'll split the difference and keep the varnish and sludge out of my engine.

Wait... You are claiming that the engineers who designed and developed the engine to be basing their service intervals on "theory"? Aren't you just a consumer with absolutely no technical knowleof the engine?!?! Talk about baseless theory!

[bren]

Originally Posted by paul386

Wait... You are claiming that the engineers who designed and developed the engine to be basing their service intervals on "theory"? Aren't you just a consumer with absolutely no technical knowleof the engine?!?! Talk about baseless theory!

First, maybe you missed this. Or, maybe you don't know that the s54 is a BMW engine.

Originally Posted by bren

I've done some Blackstone test (as have friends), and seen the insides of too many s54's....

Second, show me that the engineers developed the algorithm and not the accountants. I don't believe it was done with longevity in mind and not their bottom line. You believe whatever you want.

BMW doesn't have the power to suspend wear/contamination/oil breakdown. If that's the case, then why don't they offer longer powertrain warranties? I mean, they have these magical frictionless engines and transmissions with "lifetime" oil after all.




Oh, and don't get me started on BMW engineers if they are the same goons who decided to make the e46 subfloor out of paper mache. Ask anyone how thankful they are for these guys when their low mileage car has its entire subframe tearing apart from the chassis.

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by Earlofessex

I owned my 2002 330Cic. Drove it for 126,000 miles, changed the oil every 15-16k miles (whenever the dash said oil service), and had no engine problems. Same thing with my 325i, 132,000 miles, oil changes when the car said "change my oil", no problems.

I assume that you really meant "right brain" when you said "right mind". You're correct. The analytical side of my brain says "listen to BMW because they know more about your car than the people on this forum". I'll change my oil when BMW says change it.

ME TOO Seconded.

[MattUK]

I've driven BMW's for almost 20 years and I've always followed the service intervals stated by BMW. Never had any issues with any BMW engine. Ranging from the first cars where the intervals were around 7k to the modern ones that take us to 14-17k.. result is a huge saving in overall ownership costs.

As to anyone in their right mind.. well, this seems to be a very American thing, there was even an article on the news over here about the huge usage of oil in the US because drivers change their engine oil so often, and its encouraged by oil suppliers.

Now i'm not saying one way or another what is right or wrong, I think if you own a car, then you do what you feel is the right thing for you to do.

Since I have service inclusive with my X3 I can just pop in any time to get top ups, although I doubt they would entertain changing the oil much outside the range stated by the computer.

[JatinderC]

Originally Posted by paul386

Fear mongering. BMW's brand is the most valuable asset it has... reliability, even past 100k miles, is an important part of any car brand.

I'm certain they performed a cost-benefit analysis on the oil change frequency. There is a thing called "The Law of Diminishing Returns", Change your oil 2x as frequently and increase engine life by 1%... worth it? Probably not.

Honestly, you drive a BMW not a Civic. I think it's safe to say an extra oil change before the recommended one won't necessarily put a hole in your pocket cool guy.

[ando]

I just had the dealership change my oil yesterday. I was not charged as I have owned the car for one year and had less than 6,000 miles. I asked the service advisor twice to check the bluetooth device as I have not been able to link three different phones. He kept saying he would help me when I picked the car up. Well he and a mechanic finally said my car probably has a combox issue and I need to reschedule. Oh well. I think BMW engines should have the oil and filter changed at least once per year or 12,000 miles.

[MikeBimmer]

Perhaps I'm the lucky high mileage oil change guy, my computer shows me 7000 miles to go with 13,500 on the odometer. Mostly highway miles, with one cross country trip in the first month of ownership of about 3500 miles. Will the dealer change it at 15000 or when the computer tells me to?

[n55x3]

The dealer will only change once a year OR you trigger the onboard OCI. Whichever comes first.

[128Guy]

Originally Posted by n55x3

The dealer will only change once a year OR you trigger the onboard OCI. Whichever comes first.

The owner's manual for my 2011 BMW 128i says you should change the oil at least once a year; but the manual for my wife's 2012 X3 28i doesn't say anything about a maximum time interval.

[Jan van Zyl]

Anyone with 2.0D had their 1'st service yet - mine now just over 13 000km's/8 000 miles and due in 300km/186 miles. Thanks.

[LEDZEP]

Unless you're driving really hard or in very bad conditions, the synthetic oils will handle it. The first change is the most important. I pay for a change to be done at the end of the break-in period, and then I follow the program after that.

[bren]

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

Unless you're driving really hard or in very bad conditions, the synthetic oils will handle it. The first change is the most important. I pay for a change to be done at the end of the break-in period, and then I follow the program after that.

No need to keep dragging this out, but I'd be really interested to see some oil tests after high mileage oil changes in the n55 in particular.

[RhoXS]

In my opinion, the sole and only reliable method of determining when it is necessary to change the oil in an engine is by testing the oil. Any other method, be it miles driven, time, temperature, or some combination thereof, is nothing more than an educated approximation when to change the oil. Since it is not practical or even economic for a car owner to regularly sample/test the the oil, we really have no choice but to do the next best thing and make an educated guess.

Since anything but sample/testing results in an essentially open loop feedback system, everyone is going to have a different opinion as is very evident from all the comments above. In other words, there is no right or wrong method, including BMWs wait til the computer tells you to do it system.

That being said, a few years ago I completely stopped using a local garage for tires, oil changes, and minor repairs because of their insistence on always pushing 3000 mile oil changes. I felt this was disingenuous and made me want to question any other advice they would give.

For me, I have been using Mobile One since 1979 or so and change every 7,500 to 8000 miles. Without testing, I cannot begin to mount a convincing argument that this represents the optimum interval. However, this allows me to sleep well as I perceive this is probably very conservative. Perception is reality.

[grgry]

A study by the Calif. goverm. for their fleet vehicules show you can go 30K miles between oil changes and more on the big trucks.
They lab analyzed the oil in the vehicles over a long period of time to determine the degradation of the oils.
Based on that study, we went to 15K miles oil changes on PCs that I managed in my unit. And they're not driven to go to the corner store....They're floored to the corner store...
Anyways, the quality of the oils is much better today than they were 25 years ago. Manufacturing standards are also better making for lesser engine wear (who breaks in engines anymore?http://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/images/smilies/iono.gif??). I've been on 15K miles oil changes for quite a while. My '95 318 has 198k miles on it and it's still going strong. The X3 burns about a quart every 10k miles.

[grgry]

The quality of the oil filter is as important as the quality of the oil...

[slowblackx3f25]

The 28i and 35i engines use (7) quarts of oil which is quite a lot for a 3L engine.

Note: 28i (N20) uses 5 quarts of oil...