Which oil should I use?

[Bulk]

I Have an 04 4.4L N62. Doing my first oil change and am wondering what you all would recommend for grade. Climate here is pretty mild, it never gets below zero (32 fahrenheit) and we have a few hot days in summer but we don't really get extremes of temperature here.

[motordavid]

Did you use Search Tab, and read any of the pages of full threads on 'which oil to use'? My suggestion is that there is a large volume of 'opinion' already posted, as opposed to a handful of posters that may respond to your post.
GL, mD

[HuskerX5]

Honestly, with the 25% CCA discount at my local dealership (BMW of Lincoln), I use the OE BMW oil and filters. The filter kit is $13.50 and oil is less than $6 a quart..... It's always a personal choice, but I like using the fluids and filters that were designed specifically for the engine it's going into. As I've stated before, just because it says Castrol on the bottle at XYZ parts store, it is in no way similar to the Castrol at the dealership. The OE oil is custom blended with additive packages specifically to BMW engineering specifications, as are the filters, to be compatible with all the different metals and bearings inside the engine. Not that there aren't other great oils out there, and there are....it's just my personal choice not to out think the engineers at BMW trying to select a different oil choice.

One other thing I do is change the filter at 7k miles and top off the oil with 2-3 fresh quarts. We all know these engines burn a little oil by design, so at 7k, the combination of oil lost changing the filter and normal consumption, 2-3qts is about right. That said, all oil is changed at 15k or one year, whichever comes first. That's just my $.02....

[BavariaTexan]

I use a Mann oil filter and 5w-30 Castrol
2001 4.4

[SlickGT1]

Dealer filter. As far as oil, I would go with Mobil1 5w-30 full synthetic. Just don't keep it in there for a million miles that the BMW monitor shows. My belief is that the monitor thing was made to have your car last till 100k miles. After that, BMW doesn't give a shit if your engine fails.

[Ricky Bobby]

Personal preference and as MD said a good "search" in the FAQ would turn up a lot of results.

I use personally OEM filters with Mobil 1 0w-40 European blend, but my last shop used 5w-40 Amsoil. Basically whatever is BMW spec approved.

[FSETH]

I know the U.S. manual recommends 5w-40 or 5w-30 for an 04 4.4i. Not sure if it is any different in your part of the world or not. I would only use the weights recommended in your owners manual.

[BavariaTexan]

i have 208k on my engine, I also sub a quart for Lucas Oil.

[ECS Tuning]

We recommend BMW 5w-30 BMW High Performance Synthetic in your X5. I have oil change kits available HERE which make an oil change in your X a one stop shop!



ECS Tuning

[TriX5]

I use Mobil1 full syn 10-30 and keep it in for about 8-10k miles.