1200 Mile Service Poll

[Iron Man]

I was going to have my oil changed out around 1200 miles on my own dime, so I figured I would take a poll to see how many others are changing their oil out early as well (seems several our doing so on these forums).

I planned on leaving the trans and diff alone at this time.

[bmw1racer]

Changed mine at 1500 miles... By myself... It was a snap.

[Vigilante375]

I always change the fluid in the my vehicles around that time....well maybe not the '13 Tundra since I'm not near it but my performance cars I did. You'll be surprised at the amount of crap (metal shavings) that'll come out while the engine is breaking in.

Spend the 30 minutes or so to do it and you'll feel a lot better. I did it and went in for my scheduled oil change later and the dealer didn't say squat.

[MightyMouseTech]

Doing it to my own car this weekend. Although, it will be the 4000 km service.

[3002 tii]

Yes but only oil change, not going to bother with diff or trans.

[Canasian]

You're a fellow brand new 135is owner as well. You're only doing oil and skipping differential and transmission? I'm assuming you drive a manual.

Dealership recommended against replacing the transmission fluid in my DCT as it would be $1800 O_O LOL. I'm sticking with motor oil and differential which will be $80 and $190. Folks around here seem to do all three but is it really necessary? Perhaps this is subjective to the "is break-in or break-in service necessary" debate.

[Iron Man]

I am somewhat surprised so far in the poll results. Would have expected more "No" votes, though being an enthusiast website, I did expect a high ratio of "Yes" votes.

[gregthegr8]

Originally Posted by Iron Man

I am somewhat surprised so far in the poll results. Would have expected more "No" votes, though being an enthusiast website, I did expect a high ratio of "Yes" votes.

I also wonder, though at this point it doesn't matter based on current results, whether 135 people are more likely to do so than 128 people perhaps based on the idea that there are more things to go wrong on the 135.

If you want, you can put me down for a no vote in addition to my yes one since I did not do it on my 2008 135 (had never heard of a post break-in oil change at that point and just followed BMW schedule), but did so on my new 135is.

[Iron Man]

Well this is going to be harder than I thought. So I call up my dealer and tell them I want to have an oil change and rear differential fluid change.

They try to tell me my car doesn't need it, I tell them I want it done, so they put me on hold. Finally they come back and say it will be $600 just for the rear diff change. Which is really just a way to get rid of me asking. Bunch of morons.

Oh well, time to go to an Indy shop.

[Iron Man]

Well I just got my break-in done at around 1500 miles. I had an oil sample taken and will get an analysis done at Blackstone (sample looked pretty black to me after such few miles). I will post the results if anyone wants to see them.

I changed my rear diff fluid to Redline, since I think this will probably last longer. Also, the shop used Liqui Moly 5W-40, which I was a little leery of at first, but I think it should be okay. Does anyone else have experience using this oil? I searched and found only limited info.

[JimD]

I wonder if the dealership was reacting to the lack of a drain plug on the differential. Sucking it out the fill hole isn't great but seems significantly better than doing nothing. But if they were going to pull the differential cover to allow it to drain, then that would be a pretty big job. The differential cover is tied to the suspension. I looked at taking it off and decided suctioning was good enough.

[Iron Man]

Originally Posted by JimD

I wonder if the dealership was reacting to the lack of a drain plug on the differential. Sucking it out the fill hole isn't great but seems significantly better than doing nothing. But if they were going to pull the differential cover to allow it to drain, then that would be a pretty big job. The differential cover is tied to the suspension. I looked at taking it off and decided suctioning was good enough.

That may be the case. They kept trying to tell me I did not need it done (kept asking me if I have a 1M), but I had to tell them three times I want it done. Finally, they came back with the $600 figure, so I am guessing they just did not want to do it at all.

[MightyMouseTech]

Sounds like a "fuck off" estimate.

[Iron Man]

Well I received my oil analysis back and I'm sure glad I did the break-in oil change. As expected, the sample was high in metal levels (Al, Fe, Cu). While the lab said they expected to see much higher levels, I thought they were pretty high myself. I would hate to see how high they would have been if I waited several thousand more miles.

[MightyMouseTech]

Sorta related, but was in Montreal on the weekend, and was at a car wash getting the car cleaned inside/out. Vehicle being done in front of mine was an X5. He saw my car and commented "Nice rocket you got there". Turns out he is a BMW tech, told him I was a tech for Acura and we got chatting for an hour.

He was telling me absolutely do not follow the recommended maintenance. He tells his own customers to change the oil every 8000 km, and do the tranny and diff once every two years. If you do that, you will not have problems with scored cam shafts and require walnut blasting. Says he sees it all the time on cars that follow the recommended maintenance. Told him I do it every 5000 km and tranny/diff once a year. He said you will never have issues if doing that, and should never require walnut blasting.

Was interesting hearing this from a BMW tech.

[ND40oz]

I do the oil every 5k and the trans every other oil change, did both at 1200 though. Don't bother with the diff, if it blows it gives me the opportunity to switch over to the auto rear with a lsd.

[Dackelone]

I believe in a "break in" 1,200 mile service.

It just makes sense that no matter how much detail BMW(or who ever) puts into building an engine that little bits of metal will still be inside your new engine's oil. So I changed my oil several times before its "first" 15K mile service. In fact I had changed the oil(and filter) five times before that 15k service.

[Iron Man]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

I believe in a "break in" 1,200 mile service.

It just makes sense that no matter how much detail BMW(or who ever) puts into building an engine that little bits of metal will still be inside your new engine's oil. So I changed my oil several times before its "first" 15K mile service. In fact I had changed the oil(and filter) five times before that 15k service.

Agreed. I plan on changing it again after 3000-5000 miles or so. I only drive around 8000-10,000 miles a year, but there is no way I am waiting that long for my free annual oil change by the dealer.

After the first year, I plan on a 6-7,000 mile OCI, with Belgian Castrol or Mobil 1 0W-40. Diff, tranny and all other fluids will be to the Mike Miller recommended intervals.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Iron Man

Agreed. I plan on changing it again after 3000-5000 miles or so. I only drive around 8000-10,000 miles a year, but there is no way I am waiting that long for my free annual oil change by the dealer.

After the first year, I plan on a 6-7,000 mile OCI, with Belgian Castrol or Mobil 1 0W-40. Diff, tranny and all other fluids will be to the Mike Miller recommended intervals.

^^

One of the things I did was to install a magnetic oil drain plug. Frankly I was amazed on how much metal this magnet picked up! I would highly recommend it.

UUC magnetic oil drain plug...
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=496058

[gregthegr8]

Here's my question - I paid for my post break-in oil change at my dealer and I typically only drive about 6k miles a year. Since the dealer will supposedly do the oil change once per year as part of the free maintenance for us lower mileage folk, anyone know which date would they use for me? 1 year from when I paid to have the last one done or 1 year from when I got the car? Obviously I hope it's from when I got the car.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by gregthegr8

Here's my question - I paid for my post break-in oil change at my dealer and I typically only drive about 6k miles a year. Since the dealer will supposedly do the oil change once per year as part of the free maintenance for us lower mileage folk, anyone know which date would they use for me? 1 year from when I paid to have the last one done or 1 year from when I got the car? Obviously I hope it's from when I got the car.

They will go off of the OCI that the car tells them to. So when you change your own oil or have an idi or dealer change the oil... as long as they do not reset the BC oil change reminder... then you are fine.

[Iron Man]

Originally Posted by gregthegr8

Here's my question - I paid for my post break-in oil change at my dealer and I typically only drive about 6k miles a year. Since the dealer will supposedly do the oil change once per year as part of the free maintenance for us lower mileage folk, anyone know which date would they use for me? 1 year from when I paid to have the last one done or 1 year from when I got the car? Obviously I hope it's from when I got the car.

It should be from when you got the car.