This sounds convenient but it simply not true.
(In the US), the ca. 15k oil interval came with the change to OEM synthetic oil in '99. My '97 Z3 2.8 had factory dino oil and a countdown system which called for oil changes about every 7,500 miles. It also had 3 year/36k mile free maintenance; although brakes were not included at that time.
Tom
Indeed. And then there's the fact that BMW didn't introduce inclusive servicing in all countires at the same time.
Might just as well as been the other way round - the advent of long life oils made inclusive servicing more economical.
I just go in when the computer tells me to, and do whatever they tell me needs to be done. I went beyond that with the tranny and diff fluids, having them changed at 90k miles.
As for the engine oil, I figure that engine wearing out due to "old oil" is about the least of my concerns, here in the land of salted roads and suspect transmissions. 8)
It has a little over 100k on it now, and I figure if it lasts to 200k, it's done its job and and then some.
I had one of the first 24 valve 'production' engines in a '92 525. Ran it to 160,000 miles with only scheduled oil changes - and that was dino oil. Ran, if anything, better than new.
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