Auto Wipers

1980's than

Yes but it wasn't mainstream then.

It simply cannot be 'significant' though. If it were, engines on the extended oil change plans would be failing. There are loads of 320d and 520d fleet cars in the UK and they won't be on short oil changes or gently driven or on low mileage.

months) on that

I wouldn't touch a car that only did 3000 miles per year because I'd be thinking there was a good chance of high water content in acidic oil.

I've never had to do that on any car I've owned/driven in the last 30 years. Why have you needed to do it?

I'd challenge the use of the word 'need' there. A good common rail diesel (of any vintage) that isn't too high powered shouldn't smoke very much at all. Unfortunately, there's a crowd who insist 'diesels are smoky' due to cars/lorries/busses from a while back and politicians have got involved and..

At this point, it's your desires against BMWs claims.

20 years ago, I knew a chap that drove his Fiat for 80,000 miles without an oil change. If junk like that could survive such extreme oil abuse (rust eventually killed that car) then I could *believe* a modern long life oil in a modern engine doing 30,000 miles without harm as long as it was done with long distance, oil-friendly driving.

I used to do oil changes on my cars but I didn't find it an interesting or satisfying job so now I pay servants to do it for me. Nevertheless, you do sound a bit paranoid on the whole issue. How long are you planning to keep the 335d? I have a suspicion it won't be long enough to see any benefit from your oil change regime.

That is likely true for 99% of those who are paranoid about oil changing. The vast majority who buy new cars change them regularly - and well before they are worn out in any way.

BMW wouldn't have used Nikasil if they'd known it would cause problems with some petrol. And they weren't unique in being caught out by this.

Still, when you sell a car to someone else, it's good to know that you are handing them over something that will treat them well rather than something with hidden problems due to your lack of maintenance.

It's just polite to treat machinery well.

--scott

No, Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30 & 5W-40 is LL04. Mobil 1 0W-40 is LL01. Mobil 1 0W-40 is not a low-ash (super) oil necessary for the diesel engines.

FloydR

"Zathras" wrote

"Need" is indeed needed. The filter gets the small particles that you can't see. PM10 means "Particulate Matter smaller than 10 microns". Just because your eyes can't see them doesn't mean they don't exist and are dangerous.

FloydR

I wasn't suggesting maintenance should be neglected - quite the reverse. That's a different matter from changing oil etc too frequently.

I stand corrected on that.

My point about "market pricing," and the huge cost difference between the US & the UK for these oils remains though.

Long-life special oils are not comparable to lesser oils of previous generations, are they ??

IIRC, you have a recent 325d which, if it has a DPF, *must* use low SAPS oil. The previous generations of oil would not be correct. I think you will find that VW 507.00 is quite expensive too.

Best wishes

David Skelton

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It was necessary for some cars. In the 1980's, Mobil-1 0w-40 used to cost me around £35 for 4 litres. Now, I can get 'long-life special oil' for £33 for 5 litres.

There are loads of failed BMW diesel engines due to the extended oil change, and the way they are driven by company car drivers. Google 'BMW swirl flaps' and you will find out more.

That depends on the oil, and the trip. When Castrol oil was used in our Audis, there was a *lot* more condensation in the valve covers than when it was replaced with Motul. Now, the trips to work are at a different time of day, and instead of being a 7 minute 4 mile run, it is now a 25 minute 4 mile run. The engine gets to a better operating temperature now. We only use the 335d for trips of longer than 60 miles.

Imagine a trip of 11 miles with light traffic in ambient temperature of about 8 degrees C, would you expect the radiator fan to be running. I found that the cooling system of that car serioulsy restricted. The car was two years old with 35,000 miles on it, bought second-hand with full main dealer service history.

Most others were when changing coolant which a lot of cars require every two years, finding the expansion tank stained with rust. Thus requiring a chemical clean and flush. This happened more often that I would have liked.

If using cheap fuel, then the cars are more likely to smoke. Have you never been behind a car whose driver used the accelerator as a switch ?? Full on, or nothing. It's very frustrating driving through clouds of particulate matter. Common rail or not. They still smoke if driven poorly, maintained poorly and cheap fuel used to fill it up.

BMWs claims are to enable them to sell as many cars as possible. Hence, the poetic licence in their advertising.

Fiat actually make reasonable engines. The gearboxes and electrics fail if the tin worm does not strike first.

I've never found anyone would do a job properly, and with due care, if they were not watched at the time. We do not plan on changing the 335d for a long time, and we did not intend to but new either. The car we went to view was sold while we were en route, the dealership was 1.5 hours away. It turned out, with some haggling and dealer incentives, we were able to order a new car with options we chose for less than the 9 month old 4,500 mile car we went to view.

For the record, I am a victim of Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

Yes, I probably am paranoid too.

regards

David Skelton

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..and there lies the problem. Someone at BMW guessed wrongly. You do kinda hope that your pride and joy was tested and not just designed on hope and a prayer. Joking aside, it's fairly fundamental that an internal combustion engine can burn the fuel available in its market area without self destructing in the process.

..which is why it's more expensive to put oil in your average car these days. Engine oil still does the same basic things it's always done.

What I meant by 'type' was a 'middle of the road diesel' (like I have) not 'my car' IYSWIM.

That's the sort of point I was trying to make.

Having done that, it would appear that the swirl flaps themselves and the local actuator are not in contact with engine oil so I'm somewhat confused how the swirlflap issue relates to engine oil.

Yep..sounds exactly like my trip to work.

Not in the UK.. :-(

Last time I saw much of that was years ago when some manufacturers toyed with direct injection diesel before common rail. Economical but smoky!!

So can petrol cars fitting those criteria. Indeed, it's petrol exhaust that I find more irritating to my nose and lungs than diesel these days (even before DPFs).

There's a difference between poetic licence and lying. BMW also have a reputation to try and protect. You don't sell as many cars as possible by destroying your reputation as a builder. Ask, Lancia.

They also invented common rail diesel but it would be a brave man that said Fiat engines were better than BMW ones. As far as I know, Fiat gearboxes and electrics are ok these days. Certainly, from personal experience, my last Fiat 5 speed manual was a significantly sweeter box than my current 6 speed BMW one. Aren't Fiats galvanised now too?

There's certainly a truth in there.

I'm sorry to say I had to look that one up. I'm glad to see no evidence of it in your writing!

Ah ha.. ;-)

Mobil 1 5W-30 ESP Formula VW TDI specification 507.00/504.00 is only $8.25/liter in the US, if you shop around.

There simply *isn't* any good reason for the oil companies to be raping you the way they are. It's simply market pricing. You aren't helping by trying to find excuses and justifications for them to do it...

Recirculated exhaust gasses containing crankcase oil vapours, over time clogging up the EGR valve and building up on the flaps. Crankcase oil unable to function correctly because of contamination due to the way the car is driven, and extended oil changes. Also, oil baking on the turbo spindle and creating seal leaks when the engine is shut down without an idling period after a 'blast'. Even synthetic oil will carbonise when it gets too hot. I have seen turbo charger casings glow red hot, that is above 700 degrees C.

But does your radiator cooling fan run at the time when the car is not enthusiastically driven ???????????

Supermarket fuel is what I mean...

I see it every day down here ....

Not all diesels have DPFs today. But, I agree, old carburettor engines in poor tune, or with too much 'choke' irritate my breathing too.

BMW do lie in their advertising: In electrical engineering terms, Brake Energy Regeneration is nothing like what is happening with BMW Efficient Dynamics.

"BMW also have a reputation to try and protect", yes, that is why they advise you how to run-in their engines. But most of their reputation is in the minds of the public due to effective advertising. Just like VW, whose vehicles are not as reliable as people are made to believe.

That is not a statement about BMW reliability, but about brand perception.

You are twisting my responses, I did not write that they are better than BMW engines, I wrote that they make reasonable engines. The Fiats I have had had failed electronic parts and gearboxes, and rust too.

Yes, because most info out there relates to kids, not mid-forty year olds. We still learn, but differently. I delete more than I let stay in my posts.

I'm am not worried about admitting mental illness. I have seen many types of 'trick cyclists', most of whom are out of their depth.

regards

David Skelton

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But it is not more expensive now. In the 1980s, Mobil-1 cost around £35 for 4 litres, I can now but 5 litres for £33. What would that be, accounting for inflation, £20

-£25. If one chooses to get ripped off at the main dealer, then that is one's choice, not the

*only* choice.

Oil has different requirements in different engines, that is why there are so many specs from manufacturers. But, basically to lubricate, separate, cool, disperse and contain and neutralise unwanted particles.

A BMW 325d is not a middle of the road car. A 407, an Insignia, a Mondeo, a Laguna, an Avensis are MOR cars.

It is part of being Autistic, I do not get what you mean, it needs to be stated. I cannot "read between the lines", nor do I understand facial expressions, nor do I "get the gist".

OK.

Surprisingly, some Porsche spec oils are cheaper. This is mainly because Porsche specs are for 'older' types of lubricant which contain higher levels of zinc and phosphorus. Porsche have actually reduced the service interval of their newer cars, when compared to that of their older cars.

It may be we will see that low SAPS oils are not conducive to longer engine life due to their extended drains and lower levels of zinc, phosphorus and sulphated ash necessary to prevent premature DPF and cat. failures. Also, the HTHS of recommended oils is lower than I would like to see too, mainly though due to their lower viscosity.

I choose to change the oil more often than the manufacturer recommends because I do not use the car as the manufacturer expects. If I did 20,000 miles per year in it, that would be different.

Once out of warranty, I think I will change to mid SAPS oils.

best wishes

David Skelton

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Actually that *is* a good reason. Some might not like it though..

I think you might be slightly overestimating the power I have over oil companies there.

Using your criteria, it'll be a rip off anywhere in the UK. Cheapest (Google) I've seen here is about 10UKP per litre for Castrol Edge/SLX but it's often 15-16UKP per litre.

Just to be clear, *I*'m happy to pay exorbitant prices for oil because I have no desire to DIY oil changes any more and would not trust local independents to not just toss in their standard semi-synthetic 10W40 when I wasn't looking. So I get it done by a main dealer and the last time that was an impressive120UKP including the filter.

contain and

As I said, "Engine oil still does the same basic things it's always done".

I know what you're saying but in the UK, apparently, there are more BMW 3 series cars sold than Mondeos, and although I've not checked, that might be the same for other cars on your list too. Regardless, in the UK a BMW 3 series cannot possibly be far from middle of the road if it isn't exactly middle of the road. This wasn't the case a few years ago.

The 325d is the most detuned of any BMW diesel engine and isn't (on paper) a worthwhile upgrade on the standard rep-mobile spec 320d. I would debate that this makes it similar in terms of desirability and status to a standard-issue 320d and, therefore, a common 3 series car.

As an aside, I chose mine due to a rather strict overall spec requirement not just the engine and I've ended up with an extremely rare spec car (the only one I could find on second hand sale in the UK at the time). Indeed, it's not even possible to get my spec on a 335d and they're like hens teeth in 330d tune.

stated. I cannot

I'm not deliberately trying to be obtuse. If you're having difficulty with what I'm saying, maybe it's a cultural difference and/or I'm no good at explaining myself. I'm happy if it's my fault. You've got an interesting but, in my opinion and experience, extreme view and treatment of engine oil.

No..in a diesel, oil in the exhaust will be entirely made up of unburnt diesel not engine oil. Any tiny amounts of engine oil will be completely and massively irrelevant compared to the unburnt diesel oil quantities.

See above.

Indeed but I'd suggest that isn't the fault of the oil and more the impossible situation it's put in by an ignorant driver. I've never had any turbo problems. My last car had a VNT turbo and used semi-synthetic 10W40 - no oil-related problem ever. Stopping an engine with a red hot turbo is abuse in my books. However, leaving your engine idling in the UK can be illegal so I would not expect this advice in vehicle instruction manuals.

I would be prepared to believe someone who told me my fan never operated to cool the engine. It never did on previous non-aircon cars I owned - even in the traffic I have to deal with. It's not easy to tell with the 325d as it doesn't have an engine temperature gauge and I run the A/C all the time which uses the fan quite a lot.

There's far too much smoke and mirrors in that debate. I treat fuel as fuel and get it wherever and whenever is convenient and cheapest. Supermarkets here tend to compete with local oil company franchises and the bizarre result is that I can regularly get Shell cheaper than Tesco round here. I've not been convinced by the cheap/expensive fuel debate - particularly for diesel.

Maybe I should try specsavers..

What's a carburetor? Last time I had one of those was in..er..1980? Fuel injection when the engine is cold goes for my nose.

Don't they recover energy from the alternator on some models when braking? On mine ED seems to be an indicator that tells me to change up a gear at 1300rpm..

Actually I haven't thought of VW as reliable for over 10 years now. In the same way, I don't believe Merc quality has been that good for a number of years either and Audi appear to be slipping. It's just that owning a BMW, I do genuinely get the feeling that someone at BMW cares just a little more than the equivalent person at other German car manufacturers.

No. With you're reply, you implied that the reason the Fiat engine went 80,000 miles without an oil change was because they made reasonable engines. However, from what you've been saying earlier about BMW engines, you don't think a BMW engine would cope with that treatment.

Not recently though?

LOL..maybe you're a bit more normal than you think.

Here's one who isn't..ride with it..some of his stuff is staggering.