1st X3 Oil Change at 7500 Miles

[AzNMpower32]

The BMW dealer is doing my next one, in 1700 miles which will be around 31k mi.

We changed oil ourselves at around 23,500mi, so I'd figure I'll just run the maintenance meter down to <500 miles before scheduling.

[moymch]

I sure wish I had the time to change the oil in both my cars. I used to enjoy doing all my own maintenance. Now it is just easier to have someone else do it.

[dkl]

Originally Posted by vern

Sorry i'm coming in with a late answer to your oil change delimma. I just became a X3 World member a short period of time ago. The easy way to do a oil change thats quick and you don't get DIRTY is with a OIL EXTRACTOR.I could give you tons of information about the subject but the easy way is to do a search on www.bimmerfest.com. I'm sure all your questions will be answered,where to buy, price, how good does it realy work,different test results from people that have tried it, etc. Good luck
cheers
vern

Sure, the oil extractor work, but it's still very messy in cleaning up the extractor itself. How can using an extractor be quicker than just jacking up the car and just let the oil drain out? All of the oil can be drained out in about 2 minutes...can the extractor beat that? Remember, you need A LOT of pumping action to create the vacuum needed to extract the oil. So, I don't see how an oil extractor could be easier or less work.

[dkl]

Originally Posted by moymch

I sure wish I had the time to change the oil in both my cars. I used to enjoy doing all my own maintenance. Now it is just easier to have someone else do it.

Well...doing it yourself cost about $40 and change. Paying someone else to do it runs anywhere between $80 - $150. So...it's not a bad deal to put away 15 - 20 minutes worth of work and earn $40 - $110 of spending money

[vern]

Originally Posted by dkl

Sure, the oil extractor work, but it's still very messy in cleaning up the extractor itself. How can using an extractor be quicker than just jacking up the car and just let the oil drain out? All of the oil can be drained out in about 2 minutes...can the extractor beat that? Remember, you need A LOT of pumping action to create the vacuum needed to extract the oil. So, I don't see how an oil extractor could be easier or less work.

Don't want to start a feud going but my friend you don't know what your talking about.Its not messy,just pour the oil into a container and dispose of the oil,thats it.What do you mean by a lot of pumping up? If 5 to 15 pumps is a lot I guess your right but if thats to much for you to pump you might want to consider getting into a wheel chair. It takes approx.5 minutes to suck the crank case dry and there is a built in float switch that shuts off the pump when capacity is reached.so it can't get messy I do believe we are talking about a oil change in a X3 not a X5 according to the orginal post. Good luck
cheers
vern

[05Boxster]

Originally Posted by dkl

Well...doing it yourself cost about $40 and change. Paying someone else to do it runs anywhere between $80 - $150. So...it's not a bad deal to put away 15 - 20 minutes worth of work and earn $40 - $110 of spending money

I hear what you're saying.......and I do enjoy tinkering on my own car. But honestly, if you can change the oil and filter in my X3 in 15 minutes.......I'll drink the oil

[vern]

Originally Posted by 05Boxster

I hear what you're saying.......and I do enjoy tinkering on my own car. But honestly, if you can change the oil and filter in my X3 in 15 minutes.......I'll drink the oil

Just maybe you might have to start drinking.All kiding asude it shouldn't take you much longer than 15 minutes from start to finish using the Oil Extractor and not gettig dirty. I've been told that some dealers use the Oil Extractoer for oil changes where they can. Good luck
cheers
vern

[05Boxster]

Originally Posted by vern

Just maybe you might have to start drinking.All kiding asude it shouldn't take you much longer than 15 minutes from start to finish using the Oil Extractor and not gettig dirty. I've been told that some dealers use the Oil Extractoer for oil changes where they can. Good luck
cheers
vern

I was saying that you couldn't change the oil the "conventional" way in 15 minutes, when taking into consideration getting up on the ramps, draining the oil, cleaning up, removing/replacing the filter and filling the oil back up.

I would be nervous that you would miss some sediment/metal crap in the bottom of the pan with the extractor though?

[AzNMpower32]

We used the jack and drained the oil the conventional way last time........

[JCL]

Don't know if it is possible to change the oil in 15 minutes (it takes me double that) but why would you want to? For me, I want to have a chance to poke around and see if everything looks OK. Quick visual check of the CV boots (on the X5), skid pan tightened up again (on the 325xi), all levels checked under the hood, nothing loose or ratting, etc.

The oil change is just the excuse to have the hood open and get coveralls on to crawl underneath. Just my $0.02.