DIY: How to get free oil change

vasillalov · 12-15-2010, 07:10 AM

Ok folks,

For some of you this may be trivial but for others I think it will be useful. Basically this is a quick DIY on updating the CBS values stored in your car computer using the BT Tool.

As some of you may know BMW has changed their policy on performing free annual oil changes in order to save money. Under the new conditions, BMW will perform an annual oil change on your car only if you have traveled LESS than 6000 miles since the last oil change AND it's been over 1 year.

I don't drive my car as much as other people but I do more than 6000 miles per year. My car normally has its oil change twice per year: an annual oil change from BMW before the winter and I would do another one in mid summer. This routine works great for me because I get about 5000 - 6000 miles between oil changes.

Bavarian Technic has recently updated their software to support reading, resetting and updating the CBS values in our cars. I called them directly to obtain some information before I did this to my car.

Here is what I did to get a free oil change:

* Connect your BT to the car and establish connection.
* Select FUNCTIONS -> CONDITION BASED SERVICE

You will see a screen like this:

Note: The image you see above was from AFTER I did this change. That's why it is showing a weird date.

Step 1: Press on the REFRESH button just to make sure you are not looking at stale data.

Step 2: Under the ENGINE OIL section, note the two values: Service Count and Due The Service Count value tells you how many times the oil was changed AND the counter was Reset! This does NOT necessarily tell you how many times the oil was changed.

Step 3: Press the Adjust Value button. A dialog box will appear and it will have two fields: one for the service count and one for percentage.
IMPORTANT:You can ONLY increase the service count. Before I changed any of the values, my service count was saying 2 and my percentage was 37%. I entered 3 for service count and 15 for percentage and then I hit save.

Be careful though. Don't just update your service count left and right. If you experiment with it too much and it says "service count 10" on a 2009 model car, it would be suspicious! Be reasonable!

This updated both the service count and the percentage left. Unfortunately, the BT tool does not have the capability to update the due date yet. The car computer automatically determined the due date and in my case it decided that the oil change was due in 2004. Weird, I know...

The next day I took my car in for oil free annual oil change and I got it!

Good luck everyone!

Thunder Dump · 12-15-2010, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vasillalov

As some of you may know BMW has changed their policy on performing free annual oil changes in order to save money. Under the new conditions, BMW will perform an annual oil change on your car only if you have traveled LESS than 6000 miles since the last oil change AND it's been over 1 year.

I don't drive my car as much as other people but I do more than 6000 miles per year. My car normally has its oil change twice per year: an annual oil change from BMW before the winter and I would do another one in mid summer. This routine works great for me because I get about 5000 - 6000 miles between oil changes.

This has since been rescinded and is back to the 1 year annual change, regardless of mileage.

vasillalov · 12-15-2010, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thunder Dump

This has since been rescinded and is back to the 1 year annual change, regardless of mileage.

Oh really! Very good to know! I guess this makes the DIY slightly less useful then, huh?

Hooy · 12-15-2010, 07:32 AM

Regardless, this was the best read I've had on here in a while.

ChasVS · 12-15-2010, 07:35 AM

Wow, and we compromise our integrity for a free oil change now... What will it be next?

pits200 · 12-15-2010, 07:49 AM

Is it really compromising your integrity when BMW claims no fee maintenance for 50k miles but then only offers 15k mile oil changes which is not the interval they recommend after you go over 50k miles....

In addition, my car keeps pushing the mileage back, 3 months ago the mileage left would have been exactly at 15k miles but now it's pushed back to 16k. A little ridiculous if you ask me.

ENINTY · 12-15-2010, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pits200

Is it really compromising your integrity when BMW claims no fee maintenance for 50k miles but then only offers 15k mile oil changes which is not the interval they recommend after you go over 50k miles....

In addition, my car keeps pushing the mileage back, 3 months ago the mileage left would have been exactly at 15k miles but now it's pushed back to 16k. A little ridiculous if you ask me.

Where does BMW say that?

poiney · 12-15-2010, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChasVS

Wow, and we compromise our integrity for a free oil change now... What will it be next?

And we wonder why BMW (or any other company) requests proof when we want to repair something under warranty and they won't just take our word for it.

cb1111 · 12-15-2010, 07:57 AM

So you are advocating fraud?

12-15-2010, 07:10 AM	#1
vasillalov Mad Linux Guru On The Loose 1121 Rep 5,396 Posts Drives: 2008 335i Sedan, 2023 M3 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Chicago, IL iTrader: (5) Garage List 2023 BMW M3 [0.00] 2008 335i E90 [8.00]	DIY: How to get free oil change Ok folks, For some of you this may be trivial but for others I think it will be useful. Basically this is a quick DIY on updating the CBS values stored in your car computer using the BT Tool. As some of you may know BMW has changed their policy on performing free annual oil changes in order to save money. Under the new conditions, BMW will perform an annual oil change on your car only if you have traveled LESS than 6000 miles since the last oil change AND it's been over 1 year. I don't drive my car as much as other people but I do more than 6000 miles per year. My car normally has its oil change twice per year: an annual oil change from BMW before the winter and I would do another one in mid summer. This routine works great for me because I get about 5000 - 6000 miles between oil changes. Bavarian Technic has recently updated their software to support reading, resetting and updating the CBS values in our cars. I called them directly to obtain some information before I did this to my car. Here is what I did to get a free oil change: * Connect your BT to the car and establish connection. * Select FUNCTIONS -> CONDITION BASED SERVICE You will see a screen like this: Note: The image you see above was from AFTER I did this change. That's why it is showing a weird date. Step 1: Press on the REFRESH button just to make sure you are not looking at stale data. Step 2: Under the ENGINE OIL section, note the two values: Service Count and Due The Service Count value tells you how many times the oil was changed AND the counter was Reset! This does NOT necessarily tell you how many times the oil was changed. Step 3: Press the Adjust Value button. A dialog box will appear and it will have two fields: one for the service count and one for percentage. IMPORTANT:You can ONLY increase the service count. Before I changed any of the values, my service count was saying 2 and my percentage was 37%. I entered 3 for service count and 15 for percentage and then I hit save. Be careful though. Don't just update your service count left and right. If you experiment with it too much and it says "service count 10" on a 2009 model car, it would be suspicious! Be reasonable! This updated both the service count and the percentage left. Unfortunately, the BT tool does not have the capability to update the due date yet. The car computer automatically determined the due date and in my case it decided that the oil change was due in 2004. Weird, I know... The next day I took my car in for oil free annual oil change and I got it! Good luck everyone! __________________ 6MT \| COBB \| AR \| AE \| Forge DV \| HPF \| P3 Gauge \| Hybrid Intake \| O.S.Giken TCD \| All M3 bits \| TCKLine \| StopTech \| UUC \| ER \| SPEC
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12-15-2010, 07:32 AM	#4
Hooy Colonel 205 Rep 2,770 Posts Drives: E92 328i, E92 M3 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Houston, TX iTrader: (12) Garage List 2008 E92 328 [5.00]	Regardless, this was the best read I've had on here in a while.
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12-15-2010, 07:35 AM	#5
ChasVS Colonel 40 Rep 2,431 Posts Drives: 2012 MB ML350 Bluetec Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Central FL iTrader: (10)	Wow, and we compromise our integrity for a free oil change now... What will it be next?
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12-15-2010, 07:49 AM	#6
pits200 Colonel 547 Rep 2,590 Posts Drives: 09 335i X-Drive Black Sapphire Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Pittsburgh iTrader: (1)	Is it really compromising your integrity when BMW claims no fee maintenance for 50k miles but then only offers 15k mile oil changes which is not the interval they recommend after you go over 50k miles.... In addition, my car keeps pushing the mileage back, 3 months ago the mileage left would have been exactly at 15k miles but now it's pushed back to 16k. A little ridiculous if you ask me.
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12-15-2010, 07:57 AM	#9
cb1111 I ask the questions you're afraid to ask. 44 Rep 2,489 Posts Drives: 335xi Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: DC iTrader: (2)	So you are advocating fraud?
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