What grade of oil to supply for a service

chris145 · 08-26-2011, 04:08 AM

What grade of oil are you guys using when you supply your dealer with oil for a service.

I should have maybe checked before, but the oil top-up thing came on the iDrive on Wednesday night. The car had been booked in for an oil service on Friday. So I thought why not buy 8 litres and top up the 1 litre necessary (as I had a 100 mile journey to get home), and they can use the remaining 7 litres for the service. After searching this forum and checking the Opie oils website I gathered that Castrol Edge 5w30 was the one to use.

So today I get there to drop the car off, I inform him that I had oil they could use in the boot. He then asked the grade, I replied 5w30. He said oh no you can only use 0w30 for servicing, it’s a professional grade oil and you can’t get it in the shops, the 5w30 is fine for top-ups but not servicing. I told him they did have 0w30 in the shop but I was under the impression 5w30 was the one to use.

I didn't have time for an argument so just accepted it and left. On my walk home (I wasn’t actually offered a lift, but I had planned to walk anyway), it got me thinking, maybe I need to check with BMW direct, and kick up a fuss if they confirm 5w30 would be ok.

willhollin · 08-26-2011, 04:23 AM

5W30 would be fine.

JLR1969 · 08-26-2011, 05:06 AM

seems strange that 5W-30 is ok for top ups but not servicing. Personally I would use the same grade for both.

Both grades can be bought anywhere. Halfords etc.

Billyray911 · 08-26-2011, 05:50 AM

I've just been given some mobil 1 ESP formula 5w 30 from Sytners.
Albeit to top up,but I asked the question and it's what's used for oil changes too.

ALF_E90 · 09-02-2011, 12:29 PM

There are certainly oils that are 5W 30 and support the BMW LongLife 04 standard - including the Millers stuff I use.

That said, for any application a lower smaller number (e.g. a 0W 30 instead of a 5W 30, or a 5W40 instead of a 10W 40) will always be fine. The lower number on an oil is the cold viscosity, and a smaller number means a thinner oil at cold temperatures. That is generally a better thing - it can't do harm like running an oil with the wrong warm viscosity (the higher number) might do.

I would have thought 0W 30 or 5W 30 would be fine but the critical thing is that it supports the relevant BMW Longlife standard for your car - if various BMW LL standards are supported, then ideally the later one (probably LL04). If you use an oil that is not BMW LL approved then BMW could turn around and say it is not warranted... And to my mind they would be more within their rights than for example the BS around "needing" RFT.

08-26-2011, 04:08 AM	#1
chris145 New Member 1 Rep 25 Posts Drives: 335i Sedan Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Swindon iTrader: (0)	What grade of oil to supply for a service What grade of oil are you guys using when you supply your dealer with oil for a service. I should have maybe checked before, but the oil top-up thing came on the iDrive on Wednesday night. The car had been booked in for an oil service on Friday. So I thought why not buy 8 litres and top up the 1 litre necessary (as I had a 100 mile journey to get home), and they can use the remaining 7 litres for the service. After searching this forum and checking the Opie oils website I gathered that Castrol Edge 5w30 was the one to use. So today I get there to drop the car off, I inform him that I had oil they could use in the boot. He then asked the grade, I replied 5w30. He said oh no you can only use 0w30 for servicing, it’s a professional grade oil and you can’t get it in the shops, the 5w30 is fine for top-ups but not servicing. I told him they did have 0w30 in the shop but I was under the impression 5w30 was the one to use. I didn't have time for an argument so just accepted it and left. On my walk home (I wasn’t actually offered a lift, but I had planned to walk anyway), it got me thinking, maybe I need to check with BMW direct, and kick up a fuss if they confirm 5w30 would be ok.
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08-26-2011, 04:23 AM	#2
willhollin Major General 272 Rep 9,914 Posts Drives: VW T5 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Worcestershire iTrader: (1) Garage List 2007 BMW E92 330d SE [10.00] 2010 Transporter T5 ... [0.00]	5W30 would be fine. __________________
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08-26-2011, 05:06 AM	#3
JLR1969 Major General 1840 Rep 7,000 Posts Drives: Kubota GR1600 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: England iTrader: (1)	seems strange that 5W-30 is ok for top ups but not servicing. Personally I would use the same grade for both. Both grades can be bought anywhere. Halfords etc.
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08-26-2011, 05:50 AM	#4
Billyray911 Brigadier General 198 Rep 3,491 Posts Drives: Blah Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Mind your own business...no,really. iTrader: (6)	I've just been given some mobil 1 ESP formula 5w 30 from Sytners. Albeit to top up,but I asked the question and it's what's used for oil changes too.
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09-02-2011, 12:29 PM	#5
ALF_E90 Second Lieutenant 18 Rep 280 Posts Drives: E91 330i - see classifieds... Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Winchester iTrader: (0)	There are certainly oils that are 5W 30 and support the BMW LongLife 04 standard - including the Millers stuff I use. That said, for any application a lower smaller number (e.g. a 0W 30 instead of a 5W 30, or a 5W40 instead of a 10W 40) will always be fine. The lower number on an oil is the cold viscosity, and a smaller number means a thinner oil at cold temperatures. That is generally a better thing - it can't do harm like running an oil with the wrong warm viscosity (the higher number) might do. I would have thought 0W 30 or 5W 30 would be fine but the critical thing is that it supports the relevant BMW Longlife standard for your car - if various BMW LL standards are supported, then ideally the later one (probably LL04). If you use an oil that is not BMW LL approved then BMW could turn around and say it is not warranted... And to my mind they would be more within their rights than for example the BS around "needing" RFT.
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