Wait for service indicator, or do oil change now?

[JabzSA]

Hey Guys,

My service indicator is showing a due date closer to mid 2015, even though I have had the car for close to 3k miles.

In the spirit of being proactive, rather than reactive (wanting to change every 3.5k miles) when it comes to at least the oil change...should i take it to BMW and request an oil change? Is 3.5k interval too quick? Should i maybe change every 5k? or more....?

Any restriction from BMW as to changing oil outside of the computerized intervals?

[SWOT1]

Every 5-6k or minimum once a year (on low mile M's)... really no reason to change the oil more often.

[Quicksilv3r]

If you're trying to get it done under some sort of maintenance plan, they'll likely turn you away and ask that you wait for the service interval to come due or bring it by shortly before. BMW extended the oil service intervals out the way they did to cut costs; if you take it in 3x's as often as it's scheduled, BMW loses money. Can't hurt to ask though, but be prepared for a 'No' from the service advisor.

Changing it on your own dime? Do it every 5K miles.

[vividracing]

Your oil filter will make the biggest difference. I always suggest using the best oil filters that you have available as they are really the big difference in how clean your oil stays. I still prefer to change my own oil every 5k though as I tend to drive my cars very hard.

-Anthony

[Flying Ace]

3.5k is way too aggressive for standard street driving unless you idle your car excessively.

If you're using OEM oil, I would stick with the recommended interval. Others tend to change at ~7500 or 5000 miles.

[Agent-GHQ]

Why are people so paranoid to have their oil change early beyond the BMW recommend 15,000 mi or one yr? That's just a waste of good oil to change every 7,500 mi

[Don N.]

Originally Posted by Agent-GHQ

Why are people so paranoid to have their oil change early beyond the BMW recommend 15,000 mi or one yr? That's just a waste of good oil to change every 7,500 mi

Cause I've seen what engines look like that have their oil changed every 15k miles looks like, and let me tell you, it's not pretty.

I do it every 5000-7500 miles. With how finicky some of these engines can be, the cost of more frequent oil changes than 15k miles is worth the extra costs to me.

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by Agent-GHQ

Why are people so paranoid to have their oil change early beyond the BMW recommend 15,000 mi or one yr? That's just a waste of good oil to change every 7,500 mi

Well for one, BMW has since lowered their recommended interval to 10K, without making any changes to the cars themselves for the models that began production while the interval was 15K. And this happened even though they still cover the more frequent changes under Ultimate Service, where they've recently been trying to cut costs by extending the brake fluid interval to 3 years as of 3/11 (up from 2) and of course most recently by making it non-transferable to subsequent owners. So I'm sure you can read between the lines on why they reduced the oil change interval despite the added cost to them.

OP, I track my car 8-10 days per year and do about 10K miles/year. I change every 7500 miles, and my Blackstone report said that my oil was "good compared to all cars, but great for a car that sees track time." They also saw no indication that I should be changing my oil more often. Others using their cars similarly and following the same interval have gotten similar responses from Blackstone. I could probably even do 10K, but I like doing it halfway between the CBS intervals and to me 10K intervals aren't worth the cost savings.

Also note that for the time interval, the CBS shows it as two years out even though Ultimate Service will give you a free change after a year. That is IN ADDITION to your mileage-based change whenever that comes up. I hit the one-year mark before I hit 15K miles, so I got a change where they didn't reset my CBS, and then about 1500 miles later I got another one. Seemed a little weird to me, but it was on BMW's dime.

[Flying Ace]

Originally Posted by Agent-GHQ

Why are people so paranoid to have their oil change early beyond the BMW recommend 15,000 mi or one yr? That's just a waste of good oil to change every 7,500 mi

some of us are also running non-OEM oil.

[MTM]

My $0.02...

3.5k intervals gets you nothing...likely a waste of time and money UNLESS the car sees extreme conditions (driving through the desert, on the beach, tracking every day, etc.)...kind of like VividRacing's comment about driving the car hard.

I also respectfully submit that filters are important, but they are not the most important factor. The primary degradation mechanism for oil (including synthetic) is oxidation. Oxidation is a chemical reaction between the oil and O2 which usually occurs at high temperature and over a relatively long period of time. The best way to keep your oil in good condition is to make sure you do not run with too little oil (builds up heat), don't over temp the engine (again, too much heat), and don't overload the bearings (heat is still the enemy). Synthetics are much more resistant to oxidation than mineral oil, but they do still degrade. Most of the black color that oil takes on is the by product of oxidation (carbon deposits play a role, too).

Mileage, driving style, and time all affect how long your oil will retain the target viscosity range (the most important lube property). I recommend you go 10k miles, have a Blackstone report (or other analysis) and use the actual information from your actual car and your actual driving style to determine the right intervals.

When treated properly, these engines can go 15k miles between changes just fine. Don't succumb to scare tactics and one off stories (including this post). GET DATA and make an informed decision.

[Sinful]

Well I change it every 6 months, one I do, the other BMW.
It's easy to do yourself. No reason not to. I am used to changing my oil frequently with my other cars I have owned and with this car and the sensitivity of the engine it sure cant hurt IMOP. Since no one has discovered factually a remedy for the bearing problems, then saying that changing the oil frequently is a waste of time, is simply an opinion.