How often do I have to change oil?

wrote

The manual is actually quite clear, as is the car. The car's computer counts down - look at the message line in the instrument panel - and tells you when. Once yearly or about 15K miles.

Many people halve the 15K.

FloydR

Agree, with synthetic oil, if you do alot of "city" driving, change oil every 7.5K-8K; if alot of "freeway," then 10K-15K. Also, don't forget to change the oil filter too!

You couldn't? Because it's pretty clear BMW says it's needed every

15,000 miles, as part of the scheduled services. If I waited that long, my oil would be several years old by the time it was changed, so I change it myself at the 7500 mile mark. epbrown

-- "Everybody wants a normal life and a cool car; most people will settle for the car." Chris Titus

2003 BMW 325i Black/Black, 2003 BMW Z4 Black/Black

Like everyone said, its about 15K according the manual. Myself I change the oil every 3-4K.

-Branden

Thanks a lot, guys!

Change it when the service indictor tells you to - it is explained in the handbook. The specified oil is expensive synthetic designed to have a long life. Changing it earlier than when indicated is simply throwing away money and will have no effect on the engine's life.

in my 1998 the original oil wasnt synthetic.so i dont know about using the manual.

for synthetic i change the oil filter when the green lights are gone. then i wait till the next time the lights are out or once a year to change the oil . i use Mobil 1 0W40

Overkill with synthetic.

R / John

BMW now recommends at the service interval or once a year, whichever occurs first.

R / John

I understood the time interval is now two years if the indictor hasn't come on. I'm not certain, though.

IIRC, that was the case a few years back. But it's now one year - at least in the U.S.

Tom K.

US dealers ("free" maintenance) will service the oil if its been over one year, regardless of service interval light.

R / John

Ah. Sounds like it's the reverse in the UK. IIRC, the change came in with fully synthetic.

Actually, I just checked my 1999 E46 manual (first year for OEM synthetic) and it calls for the one year change!

Tom K.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote

Maybe in the UK, but in the US the dealers use Castrol 5w-30 synthetic which has been proven to not handle long intervals such as 15K miles very well. There have been cases of sludged up engines as well, using this oil. I'm sure there are other oils that can do better though.

Do you recall which particular oil the UK dealers use?

Cheers, Pete