[baz57]

How can I tell if the dealer changed the oil as requested? The car is showing 10000 on the display, the dipstick shows the oil is like a dark grey / black colour. This may be perfectly ok, as its not 20w/50 that I remember using years ago, which was light brown!
The car was bought from a BMW dealer a few days ago.

[wezzie]

sounds like they forgot!!! challenge the dealer.

[chris330D]

If they have changed the oil it will be a golden yellow colour at least until you do some miles.

[willhollin]

Diesels turn the new oil black very quickly.

Only way would be sending it away for analysis. Would be cheaper to change the oil again though!

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by chris330D

If they have changed the oil it will be a golden yellow colour at least until you do some miles.

Not the case with diesel engines, even with an additional flush the oil will look black, once the engine is run. There is too much carbon matter in the engine, to have clean looking oil after a change. So different to our petrol engines, which can even have a 'golden brown' oil at change time.

What will show, if you know how to judge it, when the dipstick is wiped on a paper towel, the amount of carbon will tell you if it is new oil, or old oil. Easiest way I can describe it, new oil doesn't have the appearance of ink on the towel.

HighlandPete

[Dr Dave]

Popular misconception with the motoring public but it is normal for diesel engine oil to look very black after even 10 mins of engine running after a change.

As Pete says, to the trained eye, on a paper towel you can tell.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Dr Dave

Popular misconception with the motoring public but it is normal for diesel engine oil to look very black after even 10 mins of engine running after a change.

As Pete says, to the trained eye, on a paper towel you can tell.

Agree, some of us have been used to dirty diesel, for many years.

My father was a true engine man, worked with them all, Caterpillar, Perkins, Cummins, etc., and he'd just put a drop of oil on a finger and rub it between fingers. Quick glance, a sniff, and make a judgement on whether an oil change was needed, and if contaminated with diesel, injector issues, etc. Even comment on the engine's condition/state of tune.

Better not recommend rubbing it between fingers these days, but have done it many times myself.

HighlandPete

[AlwynMike]

And if the iDrive is reporting 10000 miles to go, then the oil could have already done up to 8000 miles, and so will be black.

Edit:
Forget that - I should read the first post properly.

[baz57]

Originally Posted by Dr Dave

Popular misconception with the motoring public but it is normal for diesel engine oil to look very black after even 10 mins of engine running after a change.

As Pete says, to the trained eye, on a paper towel you can tell.

Thanks for the replies.

hi dave, hows it going? I stuck with BMW!! 330d SE LCI (better suited to a gentleman of advancing years)

To me, the oil does seem inky black. This after driving30 miles since the oil change. Forgive my ignorance, but after an oil change, what does the i drive show? Will it be 10000 to the next service, or 20000 or something?

Im not being picky with this dealer/oil issue, its just that a deal is a deal. They said they would, said they have, but I remain suspicious....

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by baz57

To me, the oil does seem inky black. This after driving30 miles since the oil change. Forgive my ignorance, but after an oil change, what does the i drive show? Will it be 10000 to the next service, or 20000 or something?

Im not being picky with this dealer/oil issue, its just that a deal is a deal. They said they would, said they have, but I remain suspicious....

If the oil was changed a few miles ago, you should be seeing around 20k miles on the CBS display.

I think you are right to be suspicious. If the oil is about 10k miles through the period, it will be inky black.

HighlandPete

[baz57]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

If the oil was changed a few miles ago, you should be seeing around 20k miles on the CBS display.

I think you are right to be suspicious. If the oil is about 10k miles through the period, it will be inky black.

HighlandPete

Many thanks Pete, that is enough in itself to take this further with the dealer. Im presuming they will have it in their records that this job has been done. The salesman looked surprised when I asked for the oil to be changed, he referred the question to the sales manager, who answered with the expected " the engine will tell us when the oil needs changing". But they agreed to do it when I asked.

I should of mentioned the car is 9 months old, and has done nearly 10,000 miles from new. I bought it just 3 days ago.

My reasoning for changing the oil :
1. I just think the oil service interval is too long. With huge compression pressures in a deisel, the oil really has to work hard.
2. Swarf from a new engine, constantly recirculating.
This car is to be a "keeper"....Im very happy with it. This far!

So I want to be able to say to the sales guys...."Oi - you havnt changed the oil, cos the cbs should say 18k miles or 20k miles, not 10k!" And not be wrong about it!!

I welcome guidance from this forum, from which I have had invaluable help.

[willhollin]

The mileage may well change.

If it has been doing loads of short journeys recently then it will call for an earlier oil change.

[gIzzE]

They may have changed it and not reset the obc, these cars will happily do between 15-20k miles between changes, if they reset the OBC it also means that your big service will come up 10,000 miles early, so will cost you far more than just changing the oil and not resetting the OBC.

I can understand why the garage was perplexed at you insisting to change the oil when it wasn't due for 10,000 miles.

What were your reasons for wanting it done now, you could have agreed the first oil change to be included and taken it in at say 15k miles.

[baz57]

well, Im old enough to remember when a new car had an oil change after driving some 500miles or 1k miles. This was to flush the engine of swarf and little particles of metal in the new engine.
Perhaps modern engineering and fine tolerances have done away with this need.
But that was my reasoning.

[gIzzE]

I don't think changing the oil as often as you can is a bad thing, and on my Merc E320cdi I tend to do it every 7500 miles (15000 between the computer telling me to do it) as it is now as 100k miles and think it can only be a good thing.
But on a new BMW with these low ash oils I am sure the 15k miles they do are fine.

I would not reset the OBC though, I would do an extra oil change and get BMW to stamp the book, but leave the computer as is, otherwise it will make the service history look a little weird when you come to sell it.

Remember all servicing is logged on the BMW system, so if you reset the oil service early you will then push the other bits forwards by the same amount, so you might get the 4 year stuff done at 2 years etc.

I think you're worrying over nothing personally, just enjoy the car.

[baz57]

Originally Posted by gIzzE

I think you're worrying over nothing personally, just enjoy the car.

You know what? You are right!! And I am enjoying the car, the SE is very different to drive than the M Sport - a bit more luxury limo than racing car.
But has a very useful turn of speed when needed, frugal when its not. Im getting just over 40mpg, which I consider fantastic for a 6 pot

[kaishang]

Indeed the 330d SE is a mighty fine vehicle

[baz57]

Originally Posted by kaishang

Indeed the 330d SE is a mighty fine vehicle

You have the SE? We are very much in the minority! But its a good luxury exec vehicle. Are you happy with yours? Any niggles? Its very different to drive compared to my previous 330d M Sport. Not as "planted" for fast cornering - but I seldom corner fast! AND....AND....I CAN go over small potholes with me ma on board without jarring her back!
Sometimes I get a "whine" from the passenger area....my missus saying "SLOW DOWN!!"

[kaishang]

Originally Posted by baz57

You have the SE? We are very much in the minority! But its a good luxury exec vehicle. Are you happy with yours? Any niggles? Its very different to drive compared to my previous 330d M Sport. Not as "planted" for fast cornering - but I seldom corner fast! AND....AND....I CAN go over small potholes with me ma on board without jarring her back!
Sometimes I get a "whine" from the passenger area....my missus saying "SLOW DOWN!!"

There's a few minor things I messed up on (since I got it new and could have specced it)..... should have got a heated steering wheel, cargo nets on the back of the seats and the shade band on the top of the windscreen. And don't know what I was thinking when I didn't cough up the extra 390 quid for the Harmon Kardon audio instead of the HiFi Biz which I did get.

The SE suspension still exceeds my driver ability and comfort level going around any normal corner. The only time I ever think the suspension could be harder is going at >130mph down some European motorway, it gets a bit floaty. But driving over potholes is a lot better than an M-sport with big wheels.

Happy motoring

BTW my car had it's first service not long ago: I had the same thought as you - has the dealer changed the oil? It was black after about 8 miles of motoring but I did pull the dipstick +before+ the oil change as well as after and on close inspection although it looked just as black, post change it seemed a bit less thick and was easier to spread over my finger.

[baz57]

Originally Posted by kaishang

BTW my car had it's first service not long ago: I had the same thought as you - has the dealer changed the oil? It was black after about 8 miles of motoring but I did pull the dipstick +before+ the oil change as well as after and on close inspection although it looked just as black, post change it seemed a bit less thick and was easier to spread over my finger.

Well, as a follow up to my original post - It turns out the dealer had "forgotten" to do the oil change, despite telling me twice it had been done! They will be changing the oil as soon as they can get me in. So again, thanks for all the help, especially when it comes to the consistancy of the oil.

[gIzzE]

Make sure they don't reset the OBC though, just change the oil and stamp the book as an 'extra oil change' between services.

[baz57]

Originally Posted by gIzzE

Make sure they don't reset the OBC though, just change the oil and stamp the book as an 'extra oil change' between services.

Good thinking. Will do!