[Juggs]

My car just broke 2k and already ( by habit) i am thinking about a 3.5k oil change. Now i know that synthetic oil takes time to lubricate and thus you can go farther on it, and after doing significant research it seems most ppl on here are doing oil changes at around 7k. That said, should i go ahead and do it? I have heard that a newly broken in engine benefits greatly from an oil change sooner than later.


so my question - to those of you who are like me and want to do an oil change before the dealer does one for you, is it worth it?

[soulkj]

I would recommend that you change the oil at 5k (this is what i did). since you still are breaking in, the engine might have some impurities which mix with the oil. after your first oil change, if you put BMW oil that is specially specified for the e90 330i (dealer will advise better), than you can change every 10k, thats what ive been doing and i have around 25k now.

Originally Posted by Juggs

My car just broke 2k and already ( by habit) i am thinking about a 3.5k oil change. Now i know that synthetic oil takes time to lubricate and thus you can go farther on it, and after doing significant research it seems most ppl on here are doing oil changes at around 7k. That said, should i go ahead and do it? I have heard that a newly broken in engine benefits greatly from an oil change sooner than later.


so my question - to those of you who are like me and want to do an oil change before the dealer does one for you, is it worth it?

[Richwm]

Originally Posted by Juggs

My car just broke 2k and already ( by habit) i am thinking about a 3.5k oil change. Now i know that synthetic oil takes time to lubricate and thus you can go farther on it, and after doing significant research it seems most ppl on here are doing oil changes at around 7k. That said, should i go ahead and do it? I have heard that a newly broken in engine benefits greatly from an oil change sooner than later.


so my question - to those of you who are like me and want to do an oil change before the dealer does one for you, is it worth it?

For your piece of mind yes change the oil early, If your going to keep the car for 100k miles yes, BTW I also have a E46 330i with 120k miles on it oil was changed every 7500 miles no engine problems. My new mechanic (not dealer) says change it every 5k and he knows I change the oil my-self so he has nothing to gain from it.
My E90 330 has had the oil changed every 5K with Mobil-1 and once at the dealer at 21k when the light came on for an oil change curently I have 36k miles on her.

[Josh49]

Originally Posted by Juggs

My car just broke 2k and already ( by habit) i am thinking about a 3.5k oil change. Now i know that synthetic oil takes time to lubricate and thus you can go farther on it, and after doing significant research it seems most ppl on here are doing oil changes at around 7k. That said, should i go ahead and do it? I have heard that a newly broken in engine benefits greatly from an oil change sooner than later.


so my question - to those of you who are like me and want to do an oil change before the dealer does one for you, is it worth it?

Yes. Very glad I did.

[jacksonjw81]

Change it now. When you break in a car you need to change the oil.

[Juggs]

Originally Posted by jacksonjw81

Change it now. When you break in a car you need to change the oil.

at only 2k?

[lionheart]

well I know this had been discussed quite a few times before, but.....I felt after about 2500 miles my car seemed like it lagged somewhat, so I called the dealership and they said..."this car is made to not have an oil change until 15K miles, dont worry about it, besides you have a warrenty, ha ha ha" Yah, I did not find this very amusing. So back to the point, today, 8 weeks later, I am taking it in to the dealership...why you ask! Well I now have 5400 miles and guess what, I have the old warning that oil is low and I need to take it into the dealer for service....those mother f^ckers, and to think I could have avoided this possible problem quite some time ago when I called and informed them of its dwindling performance....UNF^CKINGREAL!!!
Yah, I am pretty pissed.

[Juggs]

Originally Posted by lionheart

well I know this had been discussed quite a few times before, but.....I felt after about 2500 miles my car seemed like it lagged somewhat, so I called the dealership and they said..."this car is made to not have an oil change until 15K miles, dont worry about it, besides you have a warrenty, ha ha ha" Yah, I did not find this very amusing. So back to the point, today, 8 weeks later, I am taking it in to the dealership...why you ask! Well I now have 5400 miles and guess what, I have the old warning that oil is low and I need to take it into the dealer for service....those mother f^ckers, and to think I could have avoided this possible problem quite some time ago when I called and informed them of its dwindling performance....UNF^CKINGREAL!!!
Yah, I am pretty pissed.

remember - a dealership could care less about whats good for the driver, they care about their pockets

a free oil change hurts their profits - hence why they are so eager to jump on the 15k bandwagon.

Hence why most people with leases trade in and not worry about it, but to those of us who bought the car outright - i think an oil change sooner can never hurt.

After listening to you all , my mindset right now is that I'll do my own at 6kish regardless

[obLu]

Yeah, the maintenance interval is based on the following formula:

Marketing mileage from offering "free service" - actual cost of performing service x real # of services performed during warranty period for 36mo leased cars.

which is fine, but at least at my dealer, they actively discourage you changing the oil before the maintenance indicator. They do that by quoting me $165 +tax and shop fees for an oil change. $60 for the oil and filter plus 1hr labor @ $105.

I've since invested in ramps and an oil pan.

[lionheart]

again, this is a case where not only does it "feel" like I need an oil change or newer, fresher, cleaner oil, the car is now throwing a warning light informing me to do so. Again....this could have been avoided so easily at the point when my initial concern took place. I will let you all know how it panned out in about 48 hours....

[rkg]

Spend the $50 bucks and do it yourself. It will never hurt to remove impurities in an engine no matter what the oil type or some marketing influenced indicator specifies. It has got to be one of the easiest engines to do an oil change ... the filter location alone should be reason enough to do it often.

[bimmer4me]

I just had my oil changed for the first time at 13800 miles. WOW, what difference in performance it makes! Vrooommmm!!!

[ganeil]

Originally Posted by Juggs

remember - a dealership could care less about whats good for the driver, they care about their pockets

a free oil change hurts their profits - hence why they are so eager to jump on the 15k bandwagon.

Hence why most people with leases trade in and not worry about it, but to those of us who bought the car outright - i think an oil change sooner can never hurt.

After listening to you all , my mindset right now is that I'll do my own at 6kish regardless

I may be mistaken but I would assume that the dealership is paid for all of the oil changes it performs. BMWNA picks up the tab for the recommended service just as they would for warranty work. It seems the dealership would love to have you in more often for oil changes if they can charge you $100+ for $50 worth of oil and a filter.

It seems to be in neither BMW's nor the dealer's interest to shortchange an engine of needed oil changes. The guys who designed and built the engines set up a pretty elaborate system to determine when it needs service and I am hard pressed to find a reason to question them.

Then again, I am leasing so...

[reddragon]

Just got back from the dealer today since my Car has 15K miles on it and the computer says to change it in June 07/8000 miles and I'm like "I think is time to change it", they said no. I brought my own oil since in Germany you dont get free oil change, they said keep driving the car until the computer tells you. I was like 23k miles? is that real? The munich BMW mechanics say the computer analyzes your daily mileage, RPM's, speed, etc.. that is how it computes how the oil is being burned. They say "Americans baby BMW's too much"

[BK]

^^ Yes, we may baby our cars, but I can live with that. I'm planning to change the oil when I put on my snow tires, right around the end of the month. I'll have around 4500 miles by then. I don't feel right about a 15K interval, either. For $100 or less, the peace of mind is worth it to me.

[ZuerstBMW]

In conclusion, if you bought the car you should change every 5K, if you leased then just change it when the car tells ya. 15k+

[CALIF65GM]

I paid for my 1st one at 6700 miles and got my free one yesterday. I plan to change it every 7500 miles. The reset now shows 19000 to the next free one.

[Pretender]

I change half way of the on board reading myself. I think BMW should set the oil change intervals at 10kmiles instead of what the f.ck ever the indicator shows. In my car, it shows 19kmiles, wtf?

[hav2flynow]

My computer reads 4/2008 9000. It was built in April (4) got it in May 2006. Do they expect you to wait 2 years if you dont drive much? However, I have 10,000 mi in Six months. The last 1000 mi its been on 9000 to go, and has not changed. I was starting to get concerned as to when to change the oil. Im not waiting until 19000 mi or 2008 to change the oil for free. A former post said the computer takes in consideration rpms and engine stress, i mostly drive HWY miles, but that is crazy to wait that long. Anyway, my dealer said to bring it back in one year for service even if the computer did not indicate it was time. (i presume that should be free), of course at my current rate of driving i wont make it to one year. But 19000 doesnt seem right either. What is the BMW minimum for the free service, or is it up to the computer to decide?

[NaTuReB0Y]

got my first free oil change at around 20k miles(cause the computer said so!)

but i did my own oil change at 5k, 10k, 15k, and 25k......$45 each time

i won't be getting another free oil change until 40k miles.......that's whacked!

[Richwm]

Originally Posted by reddragon

Just got back from the dealer today since my Car has 15K miles on it and the computer says to change it in June 07/8000 miles and I'm like "I think is time to change it", they said no. I brought my own oil since in Germany you dont get free oil change, they said keep driving the car until the computer tells you. I was like 23k miles? is that real? The munich BMW mechanics say the computer analyzes your daily mileage, RPM's, speed, etc.. that is how it computes how the oil is being burned. They say "Americans baby BMW's too much"

That is a BS statment the oil change interval is determined buy fuel consumption at like 21 mpg. so if you average 21 mpg your oil gets changed at 15k miles but if you drive mostly highway like me and get 29-30 mpg they change your oil at 22k miles or one year. I do mine every 5K myself I bought mine and I plan on keeping it awhile.
If you want proof read this TSB http://www.alldata.com/tsb/BMW/11334...05/122505.html

[RaptorKTM]

well despite what others say i waited till 13000 miles and they changed mine. my car has almost no diffrence. by the way always take 2000 off the miles for oil cause you can go within 2000 miles of what the idrive says. anyways id just stick with it.