Question...

[850CSi]

My car is supposed to be serviced for the first time at 15K. It's at 15300 right now, I haven't serviced it because I'm off at school. My dad told me that it'll be fine if I service it in a couple of weeks [winter break].

Is he right, or should I be worried? I know Synthetic oil is meant to last for 15K+ but am I stretching it?

[ro51092]

You're gonna be okay, but get it in to the dealer as soon as you go home.

[ifcar]

There's no set point where your oil suddenly stops being usable, and BMW was almost certainly erring on the side of caution with the maintenance schedule. It's a non-issue.

[sandertheshark]

Yeah, a few hundred miles over can't possibly hurt it.

[giant_mtb]

Psh, bitch plz. 

[TheIntrepid]

Psh, bitch plz.

What do you drive again?

[sparkplug]

It's junk now.  :P

[S204STi]

Don't those have an oil life monitor anyway?  It should go into panic mode as soon as it decides the oil is junk.  Personally I am amazed by the 15k oil change interval, but whatever. 

[280Z Turbo]

Don't those have an oil life monitor anyway? It should go into panic mode as soon as it decides the oil is junk. Personally I am amazed by the 15k oil change interval, but whatever.

Europeans don't usually seem to go by our strict 3000 mile oil change intervals. Supposedly, there's no difference in engine life whether you change it every 3000 or 6000 miles.

[J86]

Sounds like the car is worthless to me.  Can't sell it either, after flagrant abuse of its maintenance schedule.  As a public service, I'll take it off your hands, however.

[Danish]

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What a good samaritan

[S204STi]

Europeans don't usually seem to go by our strict 3000 mile oil change intervals. Supposedly, there's no difference in engine life whether you change it every 3000 or 6000 miles.

I think it depends on the vehicle and the climate.  I wouldn't go much more than 5,000 on any of mine, and I know the that is coming out is still good for a little while, but I have seen vehicles out east that get their oil changed every 5-6k and the stuff comes out pretty poorly.  One has to wonder how good a job it is  doing.  BMWs and other german and japanese cars do seem to be clean-running however.

[JWC]

My Saab recommended 10k service intervals, Mobil 1 oil.

Because I commute to work on a bicycle, the car didn't get driven much, less than 3k per year.  I changed the oil when I first acquired it, then at 2500 miles...about ten months later.

The amount of crap on the dipstick put me into a panic. 

Short drives are killers.  I don't own that car anymore. 

[JYODER240]

15K intervals!?

I change my oil every 5k.

[saxonyron]

I went in for my 1st service at 5,000 miles, but I was a little late.? Closer to 6,000.? When I approached the dealer for my 15,000, I told them I figured I'd better be on time since I was late for the 1st one.? He told me not to worry - in fact, hold off for another 500 or 600 miles so the interval was closer to 10,000 between oil changes.? Basically, there was no downside to me overshooting the 1st visit by 1,000 miles.? I've always changed my oil at 5 or 6,000 miles, and my engines always last long.? Lately, I don't keep my cars as long, but when I did, they lasted all lasted 150k and higher.? All these cars except one were sold still running fine.? Don't be a slave to the 3,000 mile oil fallacy.? (Unless you only? drive 3,000 mi/yr like JWC.? Wow!? You must almost forget where the controls are when you take the wheel!? ? )

[S204STi]

I went in for my 1st service at 5,000 miles, but I was a little late.  Closer to 6,000.  When I approached the dealer for my 15,000, I told them I figured I'd better be on time since I was late for the 1st one.  He told me not to worry - in fact, hold off for another 500 or 600 miles so the interval was closer to 10,000 between oil changes.  Basically, there was no downside to me overshooting the 1st visit by 1,000 miles.  I've always changed my oil at 5 or 6,000 miles, and my engines always last long.  Lately, I don't keep my cars as long, but when I did, they lasted all lasted 150k and higher.  All these cars except one were sold still running fine.  Don't be a slave to the 3,000 mile oil fallacy.  (Unless you only  drive 3,000 mi/yr like JWC.  Wow!  You must almost forget where the controls are when you take the wheel!    )

I changed the oil in a Buick Lucerne today with an oil life monitor.  Before the service I noticed the oil life was estimated at 74%, and that was after 3000miles.

However, older engines seem to be a different animal. 

[r0tor]

my car would run out of oil wayyyy before 15k  :P

[Catman]

Just don't go over 15400.

[S204STi]

my car would run out of oil wayyyy before 15k  :P

What is the change interval on the Wankels?  And how often do you need to add oil?

[heelntoe]

i guess you should be fine. our car gets coupons for servicing so if we go past 15000(or whatever interval, ours is 18000) they would void the first service coupon and use the second one, that probably shouldnt be problem for you though because BMW makes you buy the service plan right?

my car would run out of oil wayyyy before 15k  :P

is that due to the recall thing?

[J86]

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What a good samaritan

[r0tor]

What is the change interval on the Wankels?? And how often do you need to add oil?

by the book its every 5k... i usually do it every 3k and add a quart in between

[TurboDan]

I've always done it "by the book" with 3K.  As I was browsing the manual for the new VW last night, I found a page in the "notes" where the previous kept a list of dates and mileage of oil changes.  He did them every 5K.

Alot of this stuff has to do with what the car is used for, I think.  Driving 10-20 miles to work on a highway every day probably wouldn't warrant an oil change every 3K.  Driving through NYC in constant stop-and-go traffic, quick accelerations to highway speeds then quick braking back to 0MPH?  Maybe if you're in the Middle East and your car is dealing with 120+ degree temps everyday?  I'd get it changed as much as possible!

[Raza]

Fuck a service schedule, I use fully synthetic and I change it every 3-5K.

[Raza]

I've always done it "by the book" with 3K.  As I was browsing the manual for the new VW last night, I found a page in the "notes" where the previous kept a list of dates and mileage of oil changes.  He did them every 5K.

Alot of this stuff has to do with what the car is used for, I think.  Driving 10-20 miles to work on a highway every day probably wouldn't warrant an oil change every 3K.  Driving through NYC in constant stop-and-go traffic, quick accelerations to highway speeds then quick braking back to 0MPH?  Maybe if you're in the Middle East and your car is dealing with 120+ degree temps everyday?  I'd get it changed as much as possible!

I was told 5K also, but I regard that as a ceiling.

[850CSi]

Don't those have an oil life monitor anyway?? It should go into panic mode as soon as it decides the oil is junk.? Personally I am amazed by the 15k oil change interval, but whatever.?

I should probably go outside and check the oil level. I don't completely trust computers, though.

[850CSi]

Okay, discovered what the car wants. Maintenance system told me it wants an oil change within ~700 miles. I checked the oil level and according to the computer it's within the OK range so I should be fine. 

[Raza]

Did you walk up to your car and say:

"Car: Check oil level now."

?

Or did you get intimate, pop the hood, and pull out the dipstick?

[The Pirate]

Doesn't the E90 not have a dipstick?  Not a good thing IMO.

[Raza]

Doesn't the E90 not have a dipstick?  Not a good thing IMO.

Apparently E90s don't need them.  Another thing they don't need is the steering wheel.  It's just there for looks.