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      08-09-2021, 05:17 PM   #1
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5k oil change or should just wait for scheduled maintenance

I'm about to hit 5k miles on my M3 and wanted to see if fellow forum members have done an oil change at 5k or have waited till 10k
I had a 335i before and would do oil change every 4K miles with motul oil.
Just wondering if anyone has done a 5k oil change yet?
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      08-09-2021, 05:34 PM   #2
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Yes, I plan on doing mine every 5-6k miles or so. Already did one myself at about 6000 miles.
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      08-09-2021, 07:51 PM   #3
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Just wondering why. I thought the BMW systems monitor how you drive the car and adjust your services intervals based on that. I think doing it every 5k might be a overkill and a waste
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      08-09-2021, 08:50 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by modat View Post
Just wondering why. I thought the BMW systems monitor how you drive the car and adjust your services intervals based on that. I think doing it every 5k might be a overkill and a waste
Agreed, unless you're driving it very hard or on track frequently. The oil is changed at 1200 miles on the running in service so to do it again at 5k seems a bit much.

I used to change oil after every track day when I did a lot of them, but for everyday driving that sounds like
Over kill to me?

No harm though so each time their own!
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      08-09-2021, 10:48 PM   #5
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It's cheap insurance to do it every 5k. I did the same on my F87 and sent each sample into Blackstone labs. Really inexpensive for solid piece of mind.
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      08-11-2021, 09:07 PM   #6
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How long are you planning to keep the car? If you're just going to keep it for 2-3 years it doesn't matter. I always change mine at 5k, its cheap insurance and I occasionally track my cars.
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      08-12-2021, 12:28 PM   #7
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Im anal with my cars. I change it once a year. only do about 1500-2000 miles a year. If I drove it more maybe every 3000 miles. I know overkill but Im big on maintenance.
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      08-12-2021, 12:41 PM   #8
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Doesn't make sense to me. The car tells you when the change the oil. If someone says do it every 5k just to be safe, why not 3k like they did years ago. Wouldn't that be even better? Just follow what the BMW engineers who designed the car I say.
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      08-13-2021, 09:31 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gfit View Post
Doesn't make sense to me. The car tells you when the change the oil. If someone says do it every 5k just to be safe, why not 3k like they did years ago. Wouldn't that be even better? Just follow what the BMW engineers who designed the car I say.
With 0W20 oils BMW is using, I would never pass 5k if car is purchased as long term vehicle.
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      08-15-2021, 05:31 PM   #10
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Personally, I would do it 5k miles after the 1200 mile break-in (to get any additional deposits left after the break-in service) but after that I would do the BMW recommended intervals. Regardless, I always take my cars in when iDrive says 1,000 miles remaining just to stay ahead of the curve lol
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      08-17-2021, 05:31 PM   #11
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Remember that the service interval allows you to get one oil change a year no matter how many miles you have added after the "break in" service.

In my case I never hit the mileage marker (all my M's) so I just get the free annual oil change.

This will show as a time marker in your I Drive.

EG:

2018 F90 M5

Oil change at 1100 miles (break in)
Oil change at year 1 with about 2600 miles
Oil change at year 2 with about 4100 miles

All covered of course under the maintenance rules.

So even if you are not at 10k--- time will allow you for a change of oil as well.
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      01-15-2022, 12:07 PM   #12
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I just had my 1200 mile break in service done today. I asked the service person about customers doing their own oil changes and he said, "lots of owners do however if there is an issue they'd have a tough time proving they did the oil change without having a dealer do it so it's on record".

Then he said some stuff about the oil changes are free (once per year, for the first 3 years) and said why would you want to do your own when it's free and covered?

So what am i going to do?

Change my own oil half way (for instance summer time), then bring the car to the dealer by winter so they can do it again and have it recorded in the system that it's done.

Seems like a win win.
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      01-15-2022, 08:55 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BGM-M3COMP View Post
I just had my 1200 mile break in service done today. I asked the service person about customers doing their own oil changes and he said, "lots of owners do however if there is an issue they'd have a tough time proving they did the oil change without having a dealer do it so it's on record".

Then he said some stuff about the oil changes are free (once per year, for the first 3 years) and said why would you want to do your own when it's free and covered?

So what am i going to do?

Change my own oil half way (for instance summer time), then bring the car to the dealer by winter so they can do it again and have it recorded in the system that it's done.

Seems like a win win.
There's been times I've taken my BMW's in for an oil change at 2,000 miles remaining and they told me "it was too soon" and the earliest they could do it is around 1,000 miles remaining which is about the same time the service light comes on - this is in regards to the free oil changes
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      01-17-2022, 10:30 PM   #14
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I'm doing one at 5k mi.

I like working on my cars. Plus, another excuse to put it on the lift and see what's going on underneath (visual inspection) and admire the unsung heroes of engineering that don't get the light of day (suspension, drive shaft, rear diff., etc.)
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      01-18-2022, 01:56 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jonahk View Post
It's cheap insurance to do it every 5k. I did the same on my F87 and sent each sample into Blackstone labs. Really inexpensive for solid piece of mind.
Genuinely curious, is the concern engine performance or a more extreme case like a blown gasket?
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      01-18-2022, 06:50 PM   #16
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Run in service, 6kmi, dealer is doing freebie at 10k, alternating afterwards. I'll have to do mine again in July I believe.
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      01-31-2022, 12:22 AM   #17
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I will be doing the initial break in service at 1200 miles & then changing the oil myself every 5k miles.

On any care I recommend 5k miles or 1 year for oil changes.
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      01-31-2022, 08:31 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by corbinwilliams View Post
There's been times I've taken my BMW's in for an oil change at 2,000 miles remaining and they told me "it was too soon" and the earliest they could do it is around 1,000 miles remaining which is about the same time the service light comes on - this is in regards to the free oil changes
But isn't it 10k miles OR 1 year, which ever comes first?

If i'm going to have oil changes recorded, wouldn't i want to go once a year to get that free oil change even though i didn't complete 10k miles?

I am not driving the car often because it's winter and i'm on summer tires but when nice weather comes around i'll be using it a lot more. I highly doubt i'll get to 10k at the end of 2022 though since i have other cars to use.

If i'm at 6-7k miles, but it's already been 1 year, wouldn't they do the free oil change?
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      02-03-2022, 01:41 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BGM-M3COMP View Post
But isn't it 10k miles OR 1 year, which ever comes first?

If i'm going to have oil changes recorded, wouldn't i want to go once a year to get that free oil change even though i didn't complete 10k miles?

I am not driving the car often because it's winter and i'm on summer tires but when nice weather comes around i'll be using it a lot more. I highly doubt i'll get to 10k at the end of 2022 though since i have other cars to use.

If i'm at 6-7k miles, but it's already been 1 year, wouldn't they do the free oil change?
Yes, That sounds like my driving, but the first one comes 1 year after the break-in service, not 1 year after delivery
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      03-07-2022, 08:53 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gfit View Post
Doesn't make sense to me. The car tells you when the change the oil. If someone says do it every 5k just to be safe, why not 3k like they did years ago. Wouldn't that be even better? Just follow what the BMW engineers who designed the car I say.
BMW engineers don't want your engine to last a "lifetime". They want you to buy another BMW as soon a possible. "Lifetime" fluids are a joke. 10k OCIs are questionable. Either go conservative or base your OCI on Blackstone analysis for your actual car, driving habits, etc. Oil changes are so cheap in the grand scheme.
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      03-08-2022, 09:13 AM   #21
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      03-23-2022, 05:09 PM   #22
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For those who are questioning why we wouldn't just "trust" what BMW is suggesting…..here's two comments:

1) As someone brought up earlier….they want to sell you more BMWs down the road when yours doesn't last forever.

2) I owned a 2013 335i (before recently ordering my g80 M3)…..and in trying to be overly conservative, I asked for an oil change well before the computer suggested it. Not only was that first oil change on my dime…..but, you would have thought I asked the SA to write me into his will….. hE wAs So AgHaSt ThAt I wOuLd AsK fOr An OiL cHaNgE bEfOrE iT wAs DuE. And then it happened again…..and again…..and again. Like clockwork, every time I'd ask for an extra oil change on my dime before the computer said it was due…..I'd get the same, "why would you want to do that??" response from the SA. At some point, as my car became less and less special to me, I quit the "extra" changes and just rolled with the BMW recommended intervals. Fast forward 5 years. I bring my 335i in for some oil leaks out of warranty. In my conversation with my SA (different SA than the ones from years earlier)…..I asked him why these gaskets go so early and why these oil leaks start occurring after only 5 years. No joke…. he goes, "Yeah, you should probably have been bringing this in for more frequent oil changes than what BMW recommends. These engines start showing these wear issues earlier than normal because customers wait all the way until the computer says to change the oil. And over time, these engines just can't take that." I almost crapped my pants.

I guess the point is…..no one knows for sure. BUT, if you think it brings some added insurance to have the oil changed more frequently, that absolutely makes good scientific sense. I know I'll be changing the oil more frequently on my g80 when it arrives.
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