BMW says the E46 needs an oil change once every 15,000 miles, or once per year, whichever comes first. Though most people feel that's too long an interval (I do mine every 7500 miles), truth is everyone that's had an engine oil analysis done has found the oil is indeed fine at 15k. In sum, if it makes you uncomfortable, more frequent changes are cheap and won't hurt, but the factory interval is fine.

Syntec blend in synthetic and dino oil, and not as durable as 100% synthetic (Syntec).

 

After I had my inspection 2 done the computer said next oil service in something like 9500 miles. Doesn't this adjust according to your driving style? So if I did a lot of motorway driving the service interval would extend?

 

it's the one really effective thing you can/must do to maintain longevity of the engine so 10 000km for me. oil degrades over time/use it doesn't switch off its effectiveness at a magic number.

 

Some others told me to change 5000km.

What idiot told you that? An Exxon employee?

Changing your oil any more often than every 7500 miles (as opposed to the ~2272miles "suggested" to you) is a complete waste of time, money, and natural resources.

 

I try to at every 5,000. I wouldn't go farther than 7500 max.

You will not get a firm answer on this topic, just different opinions.

 

You will not get a firm answer on this topic, just different opinions.

Hmm, typically the issue is that the question is poorly phrased, like in this thread. The real question is "how often should you change you oil?" Motor oil should be changed when its performance degrades, and it's been scientifically proven - numerous times, as in todd92's post - that BMW's recommended 15,000 mile interval is correct. At that point the oil's effectiveness is starting to degrade, but you've still got some leeway. Changing the oil and filter sooner derives no proven benefits. Not once has someone's oil analysis come back with results indicating the oil and filter should be changed sooner than factory interval. That is a fact; the rest is unsubstantiated opinion.

 

once a year for me.

 

Nothing but pure synthetic and check for A3-B3 on the label. Minimum wt, if it's other than BMW 5-30 oil, is 5-40 or maybe 0-40 Mobil 1. General consensus is 7,500 miles or once a year. You might notice that most oil companies are coming out with a 5-40 for european cars. Forget the 5-30 and most certainly the 0-30 oils. If you're in a hot climate got to 10-40 or 15-50.

 

Every 5000 miles. Now using Redline but will switch back to the stuff from the dealer at next change. :str8pimpi

 

ok look
3000 miles just silly
5000 miles a bit silly
7500 miles very prudent (me, actually verging on a bit silly as i change at 6,500)
10000 miles normal sensible
15000 miles a bit careless (BMW!)
once a year ??!!??

and dont forget your engine breather

 

I change every 5 to 7k.

 

new category ....daft lol

 

BMW Says every 15,000 miles. Thats way to much for me. I'll go for about 9000 miles and then chage it. usually last me more then a few months. Also you can change the oil filter in your car with out having to drain the oil. that alone should give you a few more thousand miles. And oil filters are cheap.

 

revised....

2000 miles daft and idiotic
3000 miles just plain silly
5000 miles a bit silly
6000 some do if fanatical
7500 miles very prudent (also me, actually verging on a bit silly as i change at 6,500)
9000 change filter only ...sound advice but maybe better at midway between oil change
10000 miles normal sensible mr normal average
15000 miles a bit careless but probably ok if you want to keep the car 10 years (BMW just showing off!)

once a year ??!!??

AND dont forget your engine breather!!!!!!!!

 

Every 6k miles with mobil 1.

 

7500

I wouldn't say anything is a waste, some people just feel more comfortable doing it at a sooner interval.

 

yeah the save the earth argument is a bit naff seeing as you put xxxx gallons of refined oil in the petrol tank every time you fill up

 

The "petrol" doesn't need to be disposed of and recycled in an ecological manner like waste motor oil does. Wastefulness is wastefulness, whether you're changing your oil more often than necessary because it's "cheap insurance" or you're driving a truck that gets 10mpg because you "can afford to do it". Every little bit of conservation helps.

 

Mostly due to my car having 105k miles, I plan on going every 5k mile changes with full synthetic, and for the fact I drive fairly hard. Going above 10k miles changes with a car over 100k is suicide imo. I guess it all depends on how clean/smooth you want to keep the engine for the long haul, if only keeping car for a year or two, 10-15k seems fine.

 

I just waited till the service lights came on. 17,000 miles. I had the oil analyzed by Blackstone Labs. The oil was spent, but there were no signs of any engine wear. One of the reasons the oil was spent was that in 17,000 miles I only had to add 0.7 quarts, and makeup oil is the only way to replenish the additives in oil. What a shame, my car uses virtually no oil. The car has 38,000 miles on it now and I'll change when the service lights come on again. Something else will wear out or break in the engine years before anything related to oil change intervals will. If ever.

 

7500 miles is a good basic, but if you put less than that a year on your car, then yes change once a year.

 

im sorry but petrol is in fact disposed of into the atmosphere. if youre into conservation get a bike not a bmw

 

wow, i guess i change my a bit too soon... i do it at 7 000km with filter, i use 0w40

 

For Toronto I would reccomend:

Summer - OEM 5w30 from he dealership / with an OEM Filter.

Winter - Germam Castrol (GC) 0w30 has a green label, and says 'Made in Germany' on the back. Gets too cold in TO for the 5w30.

kbsilver - "The first number relates to cold viscosity. Anything lower than a 5 is assigned a 0 (otherwise with the new synthetics we would be into negative numbers). At operating temperature a 0-30 and a 5-30 are exactly the same (they both are a 30 weight equavalent). The difference is when you get to sub zero temperatures (like -40 or lower) the 0-30 might still pour when the 5-30 won't. Except for very few of us, 0 weight oil is never needed. It won't hurt, but not needed."

I do my oil every 10K kilometers that seems like a nice even number, easy to remember.

 

whats wrong with 0w40?

i don't drive my car in the winter so no need to worry there

is it bad to keep on changin oil brands and grade? e.x 0w40 to 5w30 to 0w30 and soo on..

 

Mobil 1 completed a study and found that older synthetic oil lubricates better than new synthetic oil. Thus, I change at 15k, and do my filter ay 7.5k. I think this is a good practice.

 

Can somebody post a link to this study?

 

bmw says every 25000 km

 

lol the salesman told me about the story.

If you buy a new car you can get the free oil change for 4 years.

Now they said 25000km because they don't want people come to the service desk and ask for the oil change every 5000k.

They told me you can get the oil change everyday for free if your car has a warranty. impin:

 

I would do 10k KM, that's like 6500 Miles, on synthetic of course.

For the 3000 Mile ones, I guess if they are using regular oil they need to do that.

 

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