Oil schedule for super low mile N54

new2the3 · 02-16-2014, 12:18 PM

I would like to get some advice regarding how often I should change the oil on my N54. I am the first owner of the car purchased March 1, 2009. I have only averaged 5,000 miles per year as the car is about to hit 25,000 miles. Since I plan to keep this car for a very long time I have been doing oil changes every 6 months (1 free and 1 out of pocket). However, now that my car has been out of warranty I am reconsidering whether it makes sense for me to pay for two oil changes per year.

My last oil change was 8/8/13 and I had 22,945 miles on the car. As of today I have just under 25,000 miles. I do have a coupon to get my oil changed at the dealer for a very reasonable price so I am inclined to change the oil. Do you think it would be a complete waste?

When I drive the car it is unfortunately usually for short commutes and lots of stop and go traffic. I also have been tuned for the past 1.5 years. Any advice would be appreciated on how often you would change the oil on an N54 that only gets driven about 5k per year. Also should I look into changing my transmission/diff oil and/or spark plugs? Any must change items on a 5 year old car but one with only 25k miles? Thank you!

OPe92 · 02-17-2014, 06:45 PM

Change the plugs every 20k (seems too often but tuned cars require this and they are cheap). I change the oil every 6-7k miles using 0-40w mobile one synthetic (ditch the crappy oem oil). Or in your case change the oil every year. Most people will say to change the tranny oil every 50-60k if you plan on keeping the car, there is a lot of debate on this topic google search is your best friend. I used redline ATF. The same goes for the differential oil.

Jeff@TopGearSolutions · 02-17-2014, 07:31 PM

Change the oil every year or every 7500 miles. Whichever comes first. Only other way to judge your oil interval is to get an oil analysis done on the oil. That will then tell you approximately how much longer or sooner you should have got the oil changed.

Blaster400 · 02-17-2014, 07:31 PM

If you change your oil once a year and your plugs every 10K miles (with a tune) you'll be good. You have many more years before you need to worry about transmission or differential maintenance.

I had the same questions since my 2007 335 only has 18K miles. This is the maintenance schedule I follow.

Ikejones · 02-17-2014, 11:27 PM

Iv always changed my cars with full synthetic around 6-7000 miles. How come bmw sets the oil change interval in idrive to 15k?

bmwm3redblack · 02-18-2014, 09:06 AM

what about injectors??? How often they should be changed???
What are the symptoms of bad injector???

bmwm3redblack · 02-19-2014, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff@TopGearSolutions

Change the oil every year or every 7500 miles. Whichever comes first. Only other way to judge your oil interval is to get an oil analysis done on the oil. That will then tell you approximately how much longer or sooner you should have got the oil changed.

what about injectors??? How often they should be changed???
What are the symptoms of bad injector???

scottp999 · 02-19-2014, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blaster400

I had the same questions since my 2007 335 only has 18K miles. This is the maintenance schedule I follow.

Wow, that's low miles. I'm at 22,000 miles on my RB Turbo 4/2007 build. I change my oil every spring and fall. May be a little overkill, but not too bad. Since the car is tuned, changed plugs at 13,000 miles and they needed it. Will probably change them again this spring.

cotmfk · 02-19-2014, 08:18 PM

Man, some seriously low mile cars in here. I am at 115k and loving it. However, I have changed driving habits and only put about 3k miles on the car a year now.

So, I've switched to time-based maintenance. It sounds like OP should be doing the same.

Ecu335i · 08-03-2014, 12:06 PM

I changed my oil every 6 months 18.000km 01/2007 335, i used mobil 1 0w40

Andrew3424 · 08-03-2014, 05:50 PM

I don't put a lot of miles on my car but when I drive it I drive it pretty hard and because of that I feel there is absolutely zero reason to change ur oil every 7500 miles or ,ore condsering in that span ur probably topping off with at least 2 quarts I change every 4 thousand it's pretty cheap doing urself probably 60 bucks for peace of mind that I'm taking care of my engine and my oil is def gross after those 4k

02-16-2014, 12:18 PM	#1
new2the3 Colonel 392 Rep 2,067 Posts Drives: 2020 X3M Competition Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: San Diego iTrader: (0)	Oil schedule for super low mile N54 I would like to get some advice regarding how often I should change the oil on my N54. I am the first owner of the car purchased March 1, 2009. I have only averaged 5,000 miles per year as the car is about to hit 25,000 miles. Since I plan to keep this car for a very long time I have been doing oil changes every 6 months (1 free and 1 out of pocket). However, now that my car has been out of warranty I am reconsidering whether it makes sense for me to pay for two oil changes per year. My last oil change was 8/8/13 and I had 22,945 miles on the car. As of today I have just under 25,000 miles. I do have a coupon to get my oil changed at the dealer for a very reasonable price so I am inclined to change the oil. Do you think it would be a complete waste? When I drive the car it is unfortunately usually for short commutes and lots of stop and go traffic. I also have been tuned for the past 1.5 years. Any advice would be appreciated on how often you would change the oil on an N54 that only gets driven about 5k per year. Also should I look into changing my transmission/diff oil and/or spark plugs? Any must change items on a 5 year old car but one with only 25k miles? Thank you! __________________ 2020 X3MC 2009 135i: AW/CR Aluminum Trim, 6 speed, M-Sport, Premium, Heated Seats, Ipod, BMW Performance Pedals, BMW Performance SSK, BMW Performance Exhaust, BMW Performance Grills E93 M3 FSB
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02-17-2014, 06:45 PM	#2
OPe92 Lieutenant 31 Rep 452 Posts Drives: 2008 335i 6AT SGM Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Santa Barbara iTrader: (3)	Change the plugs every 20k (seems too often but tuned cars require this and they are cheap). I change the oil every 6-7k miles using 0-40w mobile one synthetic (ditch the crappy oem oil). Or in your case change the oil every year. Most people will say to change the tranny oil every 50-60k if you plan on keeping the car, there is a lot of debate on this topic google search is your best friend. I used redline ATF. The same goes for the differential oil. __________________ GIAC, Alpina TCU Flash, Ohlins, Brembo, Eisenmann, Quaife, Evolution Racewerks, Wagner Tuning, AFE, M3 suspension bits
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02-17-2014, 07:31 PM	#3
Jeff@TopGearSolutions 3474 Rep 79,211 Posts Drives: C6 Z06, 09 335i, 10 335xi Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: www.TopGearSolutions.com iTrader: (37)	Change the oil every year or every 7500 miles. Whichever comes first. Only other way to judge your oil interval is to get an oil analysis done on the oil. That will then tell you approximately how much longer or sooner you should have got the oil changed.
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02-17-2014, 07:31 PM	#4
Blaster400 Captain 129 Rep 866 Posts Drives: BMW X3 35i, Porsche Macan S Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Scottsdale AZ iTrader: (3) Garage List 2018 Porsche Macan S [0.00] 2012 BMW X3 35i [0.00]	If you change your oil once a year and your plugs every 10K miles (with a tune) you'll be good. You have many more years before you need to worry about transmission or differential maintenance. I had the same questions since my 2007 335 only has 18K miles. This is the maintenance schedule I follow. __________________ MOTIV 750 ST \| MOTIV PI \| 100% E85 \| Fuel-it Stage 4 LPFP \| MOTIV Boost Box + MHD Protune \| Quaife \| Öhlins \| Brembo \| Akrapovic
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02-17-2014, 11:27 PM	#5
Ikejones Private First Class 26 Rep 122 Posts Drives: 2007 335i Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: United States iTrader: (1)	Iv always changed my cars with full synthetic around 6-7000 miles. How come bmw sets the oil change interval in idrive to 15k?
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02-18-2014, 09:06 AM	#6
bmwm3redblack Captain 63 Rep 886 Posts Drives: BMW ///M3 E46, BMW E92 335Xi Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: e13 osl iTrader: (0)	what about injectors??? How often they should be changed??? What are the symptoms of bad injector??? __________________ Bmw 335xi/FBO/ black on black/ 6sp manual/Cobb AP/BMS DCI/AA BOV KIT/VRSF DP'S/VRSF 7'FMIC /FULLY CATLESS/H&R sport springs/ 19' ac schnitzer wheels.
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02-19-2014, 08:18 PM	#9
cotmfk Major General 2151 Rep 6,178 Posts Drives: M3 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Somewhere between DC and FL iTrader: (12)	Man, some seriously low mile cars in here. I am at 115k and loving it. However, I have changed driving habits and only put about 3k miles on the car a year now. So, I've switched to time-based maintenance. It sounds like OP should be doing the same. __________________ When you say impact instead of affect/effect, you are communicating that you don't understand the difference between the two words, and are too lazy to learn.
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08-03-2014, 12:06 PM	#10
Ecu335i Private 7 Rep 93 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Guayaquil-Ecuador iTrader: (1)	I changed my oil every 6 months 18.000km 01/2007 335, i used mobil 1 0w40
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08-03-2014, 05:50 PM	#11
Andrew3424 Private First Class 10 Rep 111 Posts Drives: 08 e92 335i Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Long island iTrader: (0)	I don't put a lot of miles on my car but when I drive it I drive it pretty hard and because of that I feel there is absolutely zero reason to change ur oil every 7500 miles or ,ore condsering in that span ur probably topping off with at least 2 quarts I change every 4 thousand it's pretty cheap doing urself probably 60 bucks for peace of mind that I'm taking care of my engine and my oil is def gross after those 4k
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