N00b Question - BMW Maintenance.

[vinazzurro]

Originally Posted by Jeff10236

Just bought an e46 (2003 325i) recently and my best friend has been driving 3-series BMWs for years (first an e36, and for the past few years he's had a 2001 330i). Yes, BMW says 15K between oil changes for most 3-series cars (the M3 is much shorter due to the stress from the high-performance engine). Of course, BMW only uses extended life synthetic oils, they only have a few allowed oils, and you are paying around $40 just for the oil itself (an oil change at the dealer can easily run over $100).

I guess that on the upside, the car will be at the dealership less, although I would probably rotate my tires sooner than 15K anyway.

In any event, synthetic or not, 15K still sounds a bit long... but if that's normal, it makes me wonder whether or not other manufacturers are saying 3K / 5K just to make more cash.

[Maximus Decimus]

Originally Posted by vinazzurro

I guess that on the upside, the car will be at the dealership less, although I would probably rotate my tires sooner than 15K anyway.

Wheels are staggered, can't be rotated in the traditional sense.

[vinazzurro]

Originally Posted by Maximus Decimus

Wheels are staggered, can't be rotated in the traditional sense.

Doh!

That takes care of that!




Current BMW owners... how do these cars feel after say... 10K miles (and no scheduled oil changes). Surely, you can feel the difference, no?

[Klinn]

I doubt you could feel the difference, it's just preventative maintenance so your wallet doesn't "feel" a big hit some time in the future! :biggrin:

Personally, I don't drive too many km, but I still like to change the oil & filter every spring & fall. Cheap insurance, and even more so for a turbo engine.

I also still believe in changing the oil not long after break-in is finished just in case there are left-over metal shavings etc in there. With modern manufacturing it is much less likely, but again, cheap insurance.

[menotakoala]

so when should the first oil change be done? and will that have to come out of our own pockets?

[vintage42]

Originally Posted by 1monkey

... what are they typical maintenance costs for a BMW (parts, oil changes, etc etc etc.)?

BMW covers service and warranty for 4 yrs/50K miles, but the engine computer will figure the oil changes at intervals that I would consider far too long for an owned car (vs a leased car).
Furthermore, in the case of 135, I would be afraid to own the car past the warranty period. The engine looks almost impossible to service and repair economically. Incredibly complex and inaccessible. One third of the engine is buried under the cowl. The engine is squeezed between the strut towers. The turbos are buried in the two exhaust manifolds, adding their bulk, accessible only from below, with air tubing crossing to the intake side. And an oil cooler is added to the radiator and condenser area. As the twin-turbo engines pass into high-miles beyond the warranty period, problems could be astronomically expensive to repair.

[Maximus Decimus]

Originally Posted by vinazzurro

Doh!

That takes care of that!




Current BMW owners... how do these cars feel after say... 10K miles (and no scheduled oil changes). Surely, you can feel the difference, no?

Honestly, I can't say I truly noticed performance of the car slipping prior to maintenance, but it felt like there was a huge difference after (even better if you pick her up and its cool outside). But I think a lot of it was in my head based on the butt dyno. :biggrin:

You can always go in prior to the scheduled maintenance point to get service. Usually around $100 - $150.

[ghusheshe]

Had a bad experience with BMW South Africa. The front fog lamp of my 130 M sport hatch burst one rainy morning on my way to work. BMW Motorplan as they call it here flatly refused to replace it under warranty saying that I must have hit something, I know I never hit anything. Ended paying R 1 500 to have fixed which is about $ 200. BMW parts arent cheap at all..:mad::mad:

[vintage42]

Originally Posted by menotakoala

15K miles per oil change? sounds too high. Shouldn't it be around 3000?

For regular oil Toyota, for instance, recommends 5K and my independent import shop recommends 3K. For synthetic oil I would use 5K and the oil mfrs often say 10K. 15K seems extreme, especially for a fine new engine that also may be subjecting its oil to the heat of a turbocharger.

Synthetic oil holds up but gets dirty like any oil, with particles suspended and bonded to the detergent additives. I guess BMW has figured that the load in the oil does no harm up to 15K. But at 15K the oil will be pitch black, and I would not want it in there that long.

I have changed my oil at frequent intervals for the past 40 years, not wanting to trust or pay others to do it. Now I understand that the BMWs don't have a dipstick. So if a dealer or Jiffy Lube were to change the oil and over or under fill, or not change the oil at all, for that matter, there would be no way to tell.

[menotakoala]

Originally Posted by vintage42

For regular oil Toyota, for instance, recommends 5K and my independent import shop recommends 3K. For synthetic oil I would use 5K and the oil mfrs often say 10K. 15K seems extreme, especially for a fine new engine that also may be subjecting its oil to the heat of a turbocharger.

Synthetic oil holds up but gets dirty like any oil, with particles suspended and bonded to the detergent additives. I guess BMW has figured that the load in the oil does no harm up to 15K. But at 15K the oil will be pitch black, and I would not want it in there that long.

I have changed my oil at frequent intervals for the past 40 years, not wanting to trust or pay others to do it. Now I understand that the BMWs don't have a dipstick. So if a dealer or Jiffy Lube were to change the oil and over or under fill, or not change the oil at all, for that matter, there would be no way to tell.

So then is it possible to change the oil myself at home? If not, I just might have to reconsider the 135i.

[grant]

Originally Posted by menotakoala

So then is it possible to change the oil myself at home? If not, I just might have to reconsider the 135i.

Of course you can. Just need to know how much to add and then confirm with the dashboard display.

[inTgr8r]

Originally Posted by grant

Of course you can. Just need to know how much to add and then confirm with the dashboard display.

^WHS^ :smile:

[Octothorp27]

What few people seem to know about is the extended maintenance program which can be added on anytime prior to the initial warranty expiring. I added it to my 2003 330ci for about $1300 and it covers all maintenance items to 100,000 miles.

Since i bought the car pre-owned and the original owner thought the clutch petal was optional I got a brand new clutch and fly wheel for free. Don't forget too that a brake job or two, and the 3+ oil changes the extra 50,000 miles mean would cost you far more than $1300 at the dealer.

[135i_]

Originally Posted by grant

Of course you can. Just need to know how much to add and then confirm with the dashboard display.

Might be going out on a limb here but I'd say 3 L.

[vintage42]

Originally Posted by vintage42

... The engine looks almost impossible to service and repair economically. Incredibly complex and inaccessible. One third of the engine is buried under the cowl. The engine is squeezed between the strut towers. The turbos are buried in the two exhaust manifolds, adding their bulk, accessible only from below, with air tubing crossing to the intake side. ... As the twin-turbo engines pass into high-miles beyond the warranty period, problems could be astronomically expensive to repair.

In another thread here, someone reported that to replace one of his defective catalytic converters, the engine had to be removed. The 128i and 135i engines have split manifolds, with a converter integral in each manifold. Then the 135i would also have a turbo on each manifold. Apparently the engine must be out of the car to replace these items.

[bats]

Originally Posted by vintage42

In another thread here, someone reported that to replace one of his defective catalytic converters, the engine had to be removed. The 128i and 135i engines have split manifolds, with a converter integral in each manifold. Then the 135i would also have a turbo on each manifold. Apparently the engine must be out of the car to replace these items.

Wow....

[vintage42]

Originally Posted by grant

... need to know how much (oil) to add and then confirm with the dashboard display.

Do BMWs without a dipstick have a dashboard display of the amount of oil in the sump?
I ask because one thread said the only way to tell was to drain the sump and measure.

[bmwzimmer]

Originally Posted by Octothorp27

What few people seem to know about is the extended maintenance program which can be added on anytime prior to the initial warranty expiring. I added it to my 2003 330ci for about $1300 and it covers all maintenance items to 100,000 miles.

Since i bought the car pre-owned and the original owner thought the clutch petal was optional I got a brand new clutch and fly wheel for free. Don't forget too that a brake job or two, and the 3+ oil changes the extra 50,000 miles mean would cost you far more than $1300 at the dealer.

BMW's 6yr/100K extended maintenance for a 325/330 should be around 900-1000. You overpaid at 1300. It's totally negotiable. I shopped around for an extended maintenance plan for my E46 M3 and it only cost me $1190. I never tracked the car but it needed pads every 12-15K miles and rotors every 30K. 4 rotors and 4 pads would normally cost around $1000 w/o the free maint.

I would expect the ext. maintenance plan for the 135 to be under $1,200.
Remember that it's not the same as extended warranty. If you want an extended warranty, you can pick one up for 2-4K depending on the coverage/years/miles you need...