No oil change 12,000 + miles

[ennislaw]

Hmm, aside from the acrimonious postings, it seems simple to me. If you're leasing, do whatever you want, who gives a sh!t (and one of the reasons, I'd never buy a used BMW). If you are intending on keeping the car beyond the warranty period, an oil & filter change ever 7500 miles (excepting the break-in change) is very cheap insurance for a long-term owner. Of course, this is just another person's opinion.

[singular]

Originally Posted by ennislaw

Hmm, aside from the acrimonious postings, it seems simple to me. If you're leasing, do whatever you want, who gives a sh!t (and one of the reasons, I'd never buy a used BMW). If you are intending on keeping the car beyond the warranty period, an oil & filter change ever 7500 miles (excepting the break-in change) is very cheap insurance for a long-term owner. Of course, this is just another person's opinion.

+1, with an additional change after break-in.

[akak1997]

I changed my oil at ~7000miles, and I can feel the car run noticeably better. I think changing it every 12k miles might be fine, since the engine is built that way. But if it makes the car perform better? what's 50bucks and ~30mins to DIY?

[PA135i]

I have owned 3 BMW's. The first was a '91 318is that was very used at 79k when I got it. I changed the oil in that every 5,000 miles and that was just about the time it was down a quart.

The second was a 2002 325ci I bought new. Had the 12,000 mile interval, same as the new cars and I changed that every 7,500 miles. Although that car tended to burn oil more and needed a quart at around 5,000 miles. I did not due a "break-in" oil change with that car. maybe that was the reason.

I now have a 2008 135i. Had the oil changed at 1,200 miles and at 7,000 miles.
After July 15 I will be getting the free one, whether the indicator is zero or not.
It's cheap insurance and piece of mind. I plan on keeping this car a long time.

[Mad Dragon]

Originally Posted by Evolved

There is a thread on here outlining how the maintenance schedule changed once the free maintenance program came into effect.

The maintenance schedule changed when BMW changed to synthetic oil.

[imported_Optimus Prime]

Sorry for inciting a riot. I didn't know my question was that heated.

Thanks for all the good info that everyone posted. I read a bunch of the links and the oil analyses were cool. Is Blackstone the only place that does it that anyone knows of?

I am leasing the vehicle but I am not sure if I'll keep it or not after the 3 years is up. Since I've had the car I've gotten in one accident and gotten pulled over for doing 120 in a 45. Luckily the cop wrote down 55 and I still have my license yay. But seriously its nothing to joke about, its just really hard not to get on it.

I think I will probably lease another more tame vehicle with the intention of owning it and will certainly take better care of it. I had a honda civic before the bimmer that I owned for 12 years and 180,000 miles and did the oil change every 3k on that and I have all the damn receipts to prove it and the car broke down nearly every 3 months for all manner of problems.

Thanks again for all the info and I will post the oil test results when and if I am able to get it done.

[Robert]

Originally Posted by izzodesh

LAPD planted that evidence, if the glove does not fit you must acquit! (jk)



What strikes me odd is first the universal average for a car changing at 14k interval should be a lot higher than one at 1.3k interval. The fact that those numbers remain relatively constant is interesting. Second, on the measured data, the car with 10x as much milage does not seem to have significantly more deposit than the car at 1.3k miles. In some case the new car has more deposit.

[1SerieStud]

As others mentioned before, I also chose to change mine every 7500 miles paying out of pocket for the extra changes; however, my car at 13,000 miles has already had 2 changes because I paid for a break-in oil change at 1200 and for another one at 8000 miles which is approximately half way between 1200 and 15000 miles. Car runs like a champ!

[pixelblue]

@ 11000 miles just changed the oil for the fourth time. I track my car so I don't mind paying for this insurance. Last oil change used motul 300V racing oil

[Brandon26pdx]

I changed mine at 1200 miles, and will probably let it go out 5,000 mi thereafter (assuming I still even have the car at 7,200 miles--in all likelihood I won't)

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Brandon26pdx

I changed mine at 1200 miles, and will probably let it go out 5,000 mi thereafter (assuming I still even have the car at 7,200 miles--in all likelihood I won't)

Why not?

[roo97ss]

one thing that gets me is my s54 cars must run the expensive 10w60 but the n54 which boils the oil all the time, running 230-250 all winter and i have seen 260s running some back roads last summer.

i can't imagine the basic 5w40 they use in all these models will handle that well. I had mine changed at 7k miles when i bought my car and now at 14k was when it was due. I'm at 17k now and since i won't keep my car out of warranty it will probably only get the 15k oil changes.

Honestly for bmw, what are the chances the motor will not make it 50k because of the oil allowing a bit more wear. Probably next to nothing. Even the 100k, moden engines should make it. Long term i'm sure it's worth having clean oil floating around in there, and probably more so at least more frequent changes of the filter.

If i was buying and keeping forever i'd change evey 5-7.5k but realistically if you're not going to see more than 100k why bother.

[Si-M240i]

I did 15k for the first one and as I have just got the GIAC Remap and hit 400BHP I got the oil changed this time at 8000 and will now be doing it every 7500miles to be safe

[NYC6]

Originally Posted by ianf2002

Oil is cheap, engines are not!

Short and sweet yet says it all.