2021 X5 service question Scam?

[jamesinaz]

2021 X5 with 23K miles. These are benign miles no racing and car is stored in a garage. Mind you the garage this time of year is 100 degrees (40 for our metric friends).

Last service under warranty was at 14,200 miles by a BMW dealer. So I have 8,800 miles since last oil change etc. Last oil change was 6/5/23.

The display is now saying "oil service" needed.

I thought the new synthetic oils could go up to 15K miles. Is this a case of BMW programs the thing to bring you back over a specified "time" to get more maintenance income?

As it is no longer under BMW service warranty I don't plan on dropping large money at a dealership in any event.

So quetions in all this are:

Do I really need an oil change yet?
If not how do I reset that stupid alert?
If so does anyone recommend a decent non-dealer service center for BMW in the greater Phoenix area?

Thanks all.

[Josh-PA]

1 yr or up to 15k miles depending on how you drive. Lots of short trips w/ stop and go will shorten oil life. The over a year will also tell the display to trigger oil change needed

[jamesinaz]

Originally Posted by Josh-PA

1 yr or up to 15k miles depending on how you drive. Lots of short trips w/ stop and go will shorten oil life. The over a year will also tell the display to trigger oil change needed

Thanks. Yes it is stop and go. But 8800 miles? What if I drove 15K in a year of stop and go? I guess I'm not getting the "1 year" thing.

[MassWholeBimmer]

I've always found the "Computerized oil alerts" to be pretty accurate... Knowledge limited to my ex Rav4, current F150, and X5. I don't think the computer is over selling oil changes. I'd change it at whatever place you feel comfortable at when "Hal- 9000" tells you to.

[thebmw]

OP, you are not a newbie so I am a bit shocked by your question and confusion. It is WIDELY known that you never go 15k miles between oil changes. If you do, that's when you (or the next owner most likely) has all these engine, gasket, and other issues after 60k miles. Thanks to all the cheapskates out there that don't do preventative and appropriate maintenance!

It should be changed every 5-10k miles depending on driving style. To be clear here, stop and go in awful Arizona heat is closer to 5k miles, but never after 7500. Highway driving would be 10k miles max.

So yes, you are overdue. Come on OP, $70-100K car and you're going to wait a few extra miles for a $100-$150 oil change? It's not a "stupid alert". It is stupid to silence it and not do proper maintenance. And why the hell are you going to the dealer for an oil change? That's stupid.

[jamesinaz]

Originally Posted by thebmw

OP, you are not a newbie so I am a bit shocked by your question and confusion. It is WIDELY known that you never go 15k miles between oil changes. If you do, that's when you (or the next owner most likely) has all these engine, gasket, and other issues after 60k miles. Thanks to all the cheapskates out there that don't do preventative and appropriate maintenance!

It should be changed every 5-10k miles depending on driving style. To be clear here, stop and go in awful Arizona heat is closer to 5k miles, but never after 7500. Highway driving would be 10k miles max.

So yes, you are overdue. Come on OP, $70-100K car and you're going to wait a few extra miles for a $100-$150 oil change? It's not a "stupid alert". It is stupid to silence it and not do proper maintenance. And why the hell are you going to the dealer for an oil change? That's stupid.

Ouch. Dude that is pretty harsh. I'm here asking a reasonable question. I don't drive a lot and service intervals for me are rare. For all I know modern cars don't need oil changes as often.

One question was suggestions for places to get it done in my area other than a dealership. I know I'm not going there. Also note I am not cheap. Just put new tires on it and went with the $2600 Michelins instead of the cheaper options.

[allinon72]

X5 never raced, thanks for clarifying Sorry couldn't resist.

The maintenance intervals are monitored for miles and time. It's not a scam, BMW has no incentive in blowing components of the vehicle while it's still under warranty. It's a good idea to follow it for the health of your vehicle and for the service history.

[thebmw]

Originally Posted by jamesinaz

Ouch. Dude that is pretty harsh. I'm here asking a reasonable question. I don't drive a lot and service intervals for me are rare. For all I know modern cars don't need oil changes as often.

One question was suggestions for places to get it done in my area other than a dealership. I know I'm not going there. Also note I am not cheap. Just put new tires on it and went with the $2600 Michelins instead of the cheaper options.

Not harsh, just tough love .

Hopefully anyone who views this thread in the future will know, without any doubt, that they need to listen to their car (literally and figuratively), do proper maintenance, realize that there is no "magic" oil that lasts 15k miles, learn that southern cars are subject to more wear and tear (everyone thinks southern owned is better not realizing the heat destroys adhesives, plastics, trim, leather, etc), and know that dealers are the last place to go for anything out of warranty.

[jamesinaz]

Originally Posted by thebmw

Not harsh, just tough love .

Hopefully anyone who views this thread in the future will know, without any doubt, that they need to listen to their car (literally and figuratively), do proper maintenance, realize that there is no "magic" oil that lasts 15k miles, learn that southern cars are subject to more wear and tear (everyone thinks southern owned is better not realizing the heat destroys adhesives, plastics, trim, leather, etc), and know that dealers are the last place to go for anything out of warranty.

It's OK. I'll recover.

I can find garages here that work on German cars but if anyone reading this knows of a legit BMW shop that doesn't charge dealer prices I'm all ears.

[alex2364]

I’ve never heard of 15k mile interval for oil changes. It’s usually 1 year or 10k miles, whichever one comes first. That means that my 4 year old M4 with 3k miles has had 5 oil changes if you include the 1200 mile break in service.

[tracer bullet]

Originally Posted by jamesinaz

I can find garages here that work on German cars but if anyone reading this knows of a legit BMW shop that doesn't charge dealer prices I'm all ears.

You never said where you were. Under your name says AZ but that's a big state and you may have moved to NYC since then.

Just go to the dealership. Any decent Indy shop is the same cost, and any shop less than that is probably using crappy oil and will drip the filter all over the place when they take it out. Ask the dealer if they're running any specials and just do it.

Originally Posted by alex2364

4 year old M4 with 3k miles

Dang! I thought my 2k miles a year was low!

Also, for oil, you might actually be changing faster than needed, but that's a different subject and of course it's fine if you wish to do so. I'm guessing you've considered it so nevermind.