yes any engine oil will 'work'

 

Yes... but why would you?

Buy oil directly from EEuroParts.com, in bulk.
Its cheaper, and you're not using junk.

I would use Castrol Edge Syntec, and Mobil1 if they were on sale (then, and only then).
Otherwise, its straight to the dealer for me. But I get discounts, so YMMV.

Buy the proper stuff online.

 

Buy oil directly from EEuroParts.com, in bulk.
Its cheaper

He's right. I just took a look on that website and, surprisingly, the price is the same as in EU, for the LL01 BMW oil (probably, manufactured and bottled in NA for BMW).
Liqui Moly is a reputable brand (same as Motul etc) in EU, also has some of its oils approved by BMW etc. However, I also think it is not worth it to pay more than for the "genuine BMW" brand...

I have also thought, in the past, a lot of using certain brands, read plenty of reviews, compared tech specifications but, in the end, I remained at the "genuine BMW" brand for one main reason:

BMW is a premium brand, we can all agree about that.
Therefore, they would have no self limitation to direct their customers to buy a more expensive oil or to simply sell that oil (for regular models) for a higher price, using some marketing story "our uber premium custom-formulated oyster flavoured engine oil, bottled in individual 100ml Bohemia crystal bottles... ".

Also, I am sure they have their technical reasons and limitations why an LL-01/LL-04 oil can't get a 5W-50 grade, for example (after all, wouldn't be easier to put such a wide range 5W-50 oil and just to worry less that the engine will be stressed in Nevada or California, while providing a good low temperature feedback, when same driver would be in Canada...). Especially that, at least in EU, you sometimes can find 5W-50 oil (non LL-01/04) even cheaper than the BMW genuine brand.

P.S: Based on the same sulphur content of gasoline, outside in EU (correct me if I am wrong about this reason), all LL-04 oils come with a specific note/warning that they should not be used outside European Union.
Of course, I am not that kind of owner who thinks: omg, I have just used LL-04 oil outside EU, my engine will explode I think this restriction is more emissions-based and much less related to the engine's lifespan/perforamance etc.

 

mobil1 0-40 is cheaper and better

 

LL-1 oils are for high sulfur content fuels - as in USA fuels.

LL-4 oil is for low sulfur content fuels - as in Germany/Europe fuels

 

California apparently has low sulphur fuel so it should be okay there. But there isn't much advantage over a normal LL-01 unless you have a direct injection car

Yeah, doesn't California fuel have lower sulfur content than the rest of the US? Higher than Germany but low enough for LL04?
It doesn't make sense to market oil for just one state though, so it's LL01 for all the US.

 

California apparently has low sulphur fuel so it should be okay there. But there isn't much advantage over a normal LL-01 unless you have a direct injection car

 

No you're in NA so use LL01 oil. LL04 is a low SAPS formulation for Euro fuel.

 

Apparently, it is LL-01 for the rest of the world, not just US and 04 just for EU, if we would count on the official instructions for those lubricants...

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