Oil Change between BMW intervals

dagolfpro · 08-18-2012, 11:06 PM

I'm curious how many on this forum change their oil between BMW service intervals. I know many guys have voiced their opinion about changing oil every 7500 miles or 1 year, which ever comes first.

MysticBlue · 08-18-2012, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dagolfpro

I'm curious how many on this forum change their oil between BMW service intervals. I know many guys have voiced their opinion about changing oil every 7500 miles or 1 year, which ever comes first.

I've changed mine twice now, and let BMW do it two or three times. Did the same thing with my previous 2 BMWs over the past 10 years. Probably could be lass anal about it but I track and autox occasionally, so it make me feel better. If you're planning on keeping the car more than 4 years, as i am this one, I would recommend it. If you're leasing, and not going to keep the car, or own it but planning on trading it in before the warranty runs out, or don't track it, you'll probably be fine just letting BMW do their thing and calling good.

McKenna Performance · 08-18-2012, 11:35 PM

We recommend changing any M oil every 7,500 miles, even though BMW states every 15,000. If you drive your M3 very conservatively, don't redline, don't track, etc. you can get away with just the normal service intervals. However, most here use their M's to the fullest extent

///M Ryder · 08-18-2012, 11:40 PM

If you track most will say change it. I guess I'm ole' skool......7500 miles dictates a oil change in my book................Phil

robbiedawg · 08-19-2012, 09:21 AM

i've had a couple experienced mechanics tell me 15k is too long,change it at least every 7500k miles.btw,the service manual also says change it at least once a year.bmw calls it a low mileage oil change.

mike miller,tech expert at roundel,says that when bmw started to pay for maintenance,all of a sudden the cars started needing less.my manual says coolant is lifetime fill.i believe this minimal cbs maintenance schedule is a disservice to owners who want to keep their cars in good shape,and keep them a long time.i say this because i think it creates a feeling among less knowledgeable owners that they are doing the right thing regarding maintenance,when in my opinion it's the absolute minimum.i bought my car with 35k miles on it ,and hope to keep it a long time,and one of the major things i looked for was extra oil changes.

an s65 engine costs over $35k to replace.the redline is 8400 rpm.it's an expensive oil change,but cheap insurance.

mark896 · 08-19-2012, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ///M Ryder

If you track most will say change it. I guess I'm ole' skool......7500 miles dictates a oil change in my book................Phil

ol' Otis would definitely change the oil there boyyyy

BMRLVR · 08-19-2012, 10:17 AM

I am a mechanic and I don't believe that an oil change every 15000 Miles is adequate. I change the oil in my M3 every 5000 Miles or before I store the car for the winter, which ever comes first.

PhillyNate · 08-19-2012, 10:21 AM

In my last 2 BMW's I'm averaging only 5k miles a year. This is ideal territory for the annual complimentary low-mileage change IMO. When I'm out of the free maintenance window I will never go 15k miles between changes. I'll probably stay around 5k to 6k miles between oil changes. I drive spirited but not ballistic.

///M Ryder · 08-19-2012, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark896

ol' Otis would definitely change the oil there boyyyy

.......Elroy Preston would tell you.........car's all done sir, car's all done. And hit that famous song....."don't cha know no good".......

.....sorry OP could let the Martin reference get by. Ok back on topic. Change your oil and if nothing else have peace of mind............Phil

PhillyNate · 08-19-2012, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark896

ol' Otis would definitely change the oil there boyyyy

Quote:

Originally Posted by ///M Ryder

.......Elroy Preston would tell you.........car's all done sir, car's all done. And hit that famous song....."don't cha know no good".......

.....sorry OP could let the Martin reference get by. Ok back on topic. Change your oil and if nothing else have peace of mind............Phil

95% of the members here have no idea what your talking about. I'm sure though that Hussle Man would have delivered all the parts for the above mentioned repair.

///M Ryder · 08-19-2012, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhillyNate

95% of the members here have no idea what your talking about. I'm sure though that Hussle Man would have delivered all the parts for the above mentioned repair.

ooh ooh show ya right......ooh ooh ooh.....I say Jerome in da house......... I say Jerome in da house, watch ya mouf

...............Phil

kaiv · 08-19-2012, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McKenna Performance

However, most here use their M's to the fullest extent

lulz

mark896 · 08-19-2012, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ///M Ryder

.......Elroy Preston would tell you.........car's all done sir, car's all done. And hit that famous song....."don't cha know no good".......

.....sorry OP could let the Martin reference get by. Ok back on topic. Change your oil and if nothing else have peace of mind............Phil

"Can I sing my song, ma'am? I just wanna sing my song, ma'am."

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhillyNate

95% of the members here have no idea what your talking about. I'm sure though that Hussle Man would have delivered all the parts for the above mentioned repair.

LMAO awesome!!

To the OP, sorry about the

, but like Phil said, change your oil for peace of mind.

dagolfpro · 08-20-2012, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark896

"Can I sing my song, ma'am? I just wanna sing my song, ma'am."

LMAO awesome!!

To the OP, sorry about the

, but like Phil said, change your oil for peace of mind.

no worries guys. Personally my favorite Martin character was Sheneneh and all her hand gestures.

HotIce · 08-20-2012, 12:21 AM

Change every 10k.

SD-E93-11 · 08-20-2012, 01:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robbiedawg

i've had a couple experienced mechanics tell me 15k is too long,change it at least every 7500k miles.btw,the service manual also says change it at least once a year.bmw calls it a low mileage oil change.

mike miller,tech expert at roundel,says that when bmw started to pay for maintenance,all of a sudden the cars started needing less.my manual says coolant is lifetime fill.i believe this minimal cbs maintenance schedule is a disservice to owners who want to keep their cars in good shape,and keep them a long time.i say this because i think it creates a feeling among less knowledgeable owners that they are doing the right thing regarding maintenance,when in my opinion it's the absolute minimum.i bought my car with 35k miles on it ,and hope to keep it a long time,and one of the major things i looked for was extra oil changes.

an s65 engine costs over $35k to replace.the redline is 8400 rpm.it's an expensive oil change,but cheap insurance.

BMW paying for maintenance might seem to be a reason for them to lengthen the service interval, but the intervals are similar for other European performance makers that recommend synthetic exclusively but don't pay for maintenance, and therefore have no incentive to stretch intervals out.

Questioning the extended interval was a frequent topic on Merc boards and especially so on Porsche boards for the 2005-07 models when owners were questioning the 20,000 mile interval that was recommended. But the 997/987 have been relatively trouble-free and around a good bit longer than the e9x so it has not seemed to hurt reliability. That said, it is interesting that Porsche went back down to 12000 mile intervals and then 10,000 in subsequent years on refreshed models.

Sean05 · 08-20-2012, 07:48 AM

I change mine every 7k... whats a $130 bucks... its a piece of mind. and i dont even drive it hard... 15k oil change interval is BS in my book.

ChrisK · 08-20-2012, 07:56 AM

I change mine every 6k-7k.

I don't car if the oil is still good, clean oil is always better.

exmowner · 08-20-2012, 11:03 AM

after the 2000kms break in service i changed it at
7000 kms
12000kms
17988kms
you get the picture !

robbiedawg · 08-20-2012, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SD-E93-11

BMW paying for maintenance might seem to be a reason for them to lengthen the service interval, but the intervals are similar for other European performance makers that recommend synthetic exclusively but don't pay for maintenance, and therefore have no incentive to stretch intervals out.

Questioning the extended interval was a frequent topic on Merc boards and especially so on Porsche boards for the 2005-07 models when owners were questioning the 20,000 mile interval that was recommended. But the 997/987 have been relatively trouble-free and around a good bit longer than the e9x so it has not seemed to hurt reliability. That said, it is interesting that Porsche went back down to 12000 mile intervals and then 10,000 in subsequent years on refreshed models.

that's interesting.i know i got on my soapbox a bit.one thing i haven't factored in is that oil technology gets better and better.i talked again to my friend who's a bmw master tech and he said they are seeing sludge in the oil of cars that have waited the 15k miles,so i'm more comfortable with the shorter intervals.

airwave808 · 08-20-2012, 01:22 PM

I change every 10,000 km or 6,250 miles.

OC3 · 08-20-2012, 02:04 PM

I just passed 30,000 mile mark and have changed oil 6 times
(and, Diff fluid twice & DCT transmission oil once).

View Poll Results: Oil Change between BMW intervals
Yes, I drive hard and believe it needs to be changed every 7,500 miles.	81	80.20%
No, don't need to waste the $125 DIY or $200+ at the dealer.	20	19.80%
Voters: 101. You may not vote on this poll

08-18-2012, 11:06 PM	#1
dagolfpro Lieutenant Colonel Drives: 2011 E90 M3 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: SF Bay Area, CA Posts: 1,767 iTrader: (6)	Oil Change between BMW intervals I'm curious how many on this forum change their oil between BMW service intervals. I know many guys have voiced their opinion about changing oil every 7500 miles or 1 year, which ever comes first. __________________ 2011 E90 AW \| DCT \| ZCP \| ZCV \| ZCW \| ZP2 \| Prem Sound \| Moonroof \| BMW Apps \| Evolve Exhaust \| M Perf Steering Wheel \| Tint \| Lux \| Painted Reflectors \| Hardwired V1 \| KW V3 \| Volshlag CP \| Brembo BBK \| 18" Volks TE37SL Pressed Graphite \| Yokohama AD08 \| Schroth 4 Point Harness \| Challenge GT Diffuser \| I lied earlier, I wasn't done with mod, but I swear, I'm done now, no more mods...
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08-18-2012, 11:40 PM	#4
///M Ryder Grown Azz Man Drives: 2011.5 Dinan ///M3 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Sugar Land Posts: 2,424 iTrader: (5)	If you track most will say change it. I guess I'm ole' skool......7500 miles dictates a oil change in my book................Phil __________________ 2011.5 E92 Dinan///M3: SSII DCT- Comp, Prem 2, and Conv Pkg, Heated Seats, Enhanced Prem Sound, Edition Grills/Gills, M Performance Steering Wheel, Carbon Fiber Performance Spoiler, BMW Pedals, Dinan Exhaust, Dinan X-Pipe, Dinan Carbon Fiber Intake, Dinan Software Tune, Dinan DCT Tune, Dinan Pulley Kit, Dinan CH-R Wheels, Dinan Carbon Fiber Strut Tower Braces, Arkym Lip, IND M5 Mirror Caps, Carbon Reflectors, Lux H8 V3, Brembo 365mm BBK
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08-19-2012, 09:21 AM	#5
robbiedawg Lieutenant Drives: 2008 ib e90 m3, 1995 acura nsx Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: chapel hill, nc Posts: 455 iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 BMW M3 [0.00] 1995 ACURA NSX-T [0.00]	i've had a couple experienced mechanics tell me 15k is too long,change it at least every 7500k miles.btw,the service manual also says change it at least once a year.bmw calls it a low mileage oil change. mike miller,tech expert at roundel,says that when bmw started to pay for maintenance,all of a sudden the cars started needing less.my manual says coolant is lifetime fill.i believe this minimal cbs maintenance schedule is a disservice to owners who want to keep their cars in good shape,and keep them a long time.i say this because i think it creates a feeling among less knowledgeable owners that they are doing the right thing regarding maintenance,when in my opinion it's the absolute minimum.i bought my car with 35k miles on it ,and hope to keep it a long time,and one of the major things i looked for was extra oil changes. an s65 engine costs over $35k to replace.the redline is 8400 rpm.it's an expensive oil change,but cheap insurance. Last edited by robbiedawg; 08-19-2012 at 09:33 AM.
	0

08-19-2012, 10:17 AM	#7
BMRLVR Grease Monkey Drives: 2011 E90 M3,1994 Euro E36 M3/4 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada Posts: 2,301 iTrader: (3)	I am a mechanic and I don't believe that an oil change every 15000 Miles is adequate. I change the oil in my M3 every 5000 Miles or before I store the car for the winter, which ever comes first. __________________ 2011 E90 M3 ZCP - Individual Moonstone/Individual Amarone Extended/Individual Piano Black With Inlay:LINK!!! 1994 Euro E36 M3 Sedan - Daytona Violet/Mulberry:LINK!!!
	0

08-18-2012, 11:35 PM	#3
McKenna Performance BimmerPost Supporting Vendor Drives: M3 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Norwalk, Ca Posts: 405 iTrader: (7)	We recommend changing any M oil every 7,500 miles, even though BMW states every 15,000. If you drive your M3 very conservatively, don't redline, don't track, etc. you can get away with just the normal service intervals. However, most here use their M's to the fullest extent
	0

08-19-2012, 10:21 AM	#8
PhillyNate ENTHUSIAST Drives: 2014 Toyota GT-86 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 1,997 iTrader: (0) Garage List 2014 Toyota GT-86 [0.00]	In my last 2 BMW's I'm averaging only 5k miles a year. This is ideal territory for the annual complimentary low-mileage change IMO. When I'm out of the free maintenance window I will never go 15k miles between changes. I'll probably stay around 5k to 6k miles between oil changes. I drive spirited but not ballistic. __________________ "what I'm driving here...is an ending." Jeremy Clarkson 2014 Whiteout Toyota GT86 6mt(Presently enjoying WAY more than anticipated) 2011 Alpine White BMW M3 6mt ZCP Coupe(forced retirement 06/06/14) 2008 Alpine White BMW 328i 6mt Coupe(retired 06/21/11)
	0

08-20-2012, 12:21 AM	#15
HotIce Banned Drives: 2013 BMW M3 Join Date: May 2010 Location: I'm not telling some creeper where I live! Posts: 445 iTrader: (0)	Change every 10k.
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08-20-2012, 07:48 AM	#17
Sean05 Putcha ang ganda... Drives: 08 MR E92 M3 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Los Angeles, Brea CA. Posts: 5,287 iTrader: (9)	I change mine every 7k... whats a $130 bucks... its a piece of mind. and i dont even drive it hard... 15k oil change interval is BS in my book. __________________ Last edited by Sean05; 08-20-2012 at 08:28 AM.
	0

08-20-2012, 07:56 AM	#18
ChrisK Brigadier General Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: IL Posts: 4,855 iTrader: (4)	I change mine every 6k-7k. I don't car if the oil is still good, clean oil is always better. __________________ 2011 E92 M3: AW/BLK • DCT Europäische Lieferung am 6. August 2010
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08-20-2012, 11:03 AM	#19
exmowner Captain Drives: ESS 625 M3\\\ Join Date: May 2010 Location: Montreal Posts: 957 iTrader: (4)	after the 2000kms break in service i changed it at 7000 kms 12000kms 17988kms you get the picture ! __________________ ESS VT2-625 For sale! l Brembo 380mm F/R SOLDl BBS Fi TitaniumSOLD! l Eisenmann race l Challenge Sport X pipe FOR SALE!l Challenge GT diffuser + FR Lip l Stack gauges FOR SALE!l BMW Performance wheels SOLDl Ohlins R&T SOLD l LUX V4 For Sale l Euro Bumper FOR SALEl [/b][/color][/size]
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08-20-2012, 01:22 PM	#21
airwave808 First Lieutenant Drives: MCB E92 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Toronto Posts: 310 iTrader: (1)	I change every 10,000 km or 6,250 miles.
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08-20-2012, 02:04 PM	#22
OC3 Havin' a blast! Drives: 2013 M3 E92 Jerez Blk DCT ZCP Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: SoCal Posts: 4,654 iTrader: (0)	I just passed 30,000 mile mark and have changed oil 6 times (and, Diff fluid twice & DCT transmission oil once). __________________ BRP CW13 1:58 \| CVR CW 2:01 \| CVR CCW 2:02 \| ACS 1:53 \| WSIR 1:34 2013 E92 M3 Jerez Black DCT ZCP \| JRZ RS Pro \| Brembo BBK \| Endless ME20 \| Volk TE37 18x10.5 squared \| NT01/TD
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