Going to change the oil, where are the jacking pts and oil drain?

[Bill K]

Guys, I dont think this subject should be too complicated. BMW says to use BMW longlife -01 oil. Mobil 1 0w-40 is listed as meeting the spec for BMW longlife -01. Why shouldnt it be used then? Also, this is the oil that Porsche and Mercedes use from the factory. I cant believe that if its good enough for them, its not good enough for a BMW. Now, I know someone will chirp in and say the BMW engine is entirely different than a Porsche, etc engine (which I disagree with).
Besides, if BMW is using 5w-30, I'd feel better having a 0w-40 in my engine since it has a higher hi temp weight. Cripes, as far as longevity, I'm not going to go more than 7k miles per oil change. But I really have an issue with 14k mile change intervals (as the free service gives you). I get the feeling BMW doesnt give a crap about the longevity of your engine once its outside of it's warranty.
Besides, I have 240k miles on my 95 M3 and 190k miles on a 01 X5 which have been fed M1 15w-50 for many years.

[ard]

Originally Posted by Bill K

Guys, I dont think this subject should be too complicated. BMW says to use BMW longlife -01 oil. Mobil 1 0w-40 is listed as meeting the spec for BMW longlife -01. Why shouldnt it be used then? Also, this is the oil that Porsche and Mercedes use from the factory. I cant believe that if its good enough for them, its not good enough for a BMW. Now, I know someone will chirp in and say the BMW engine is entirely different than a Porsche, etc engine (which I disagree with).
Besides, if BMW is using 5w-30, I'd feel better having a 0w-40 in my engine since it has a higher hi temp weight. Cripes, as far as longevity, I'm not going to go more than 7k miles per oil change. But I really have an issue with 14k mile change intervals (as the free service gives you). I get the feeling BMW doesnt give a crap about the longevity of your engine once its outside of it's warranty.
Besides, I have 240k miles on my 95 M3 and 190k miles on a 01 X5 which have been fed M1 15w-50 for many years.

There are two totallly UNRELATED ISSUES:
1. What oil(s) does BMW recommend for FILL?
2. What oils are suitable for use in a BMW"

Lets dispense with #2 first: Many oils are fine, perhaps better than BMWs limited recommendations and will give great performance and life. The issues involved are so complext that they are beyond 99.99% of the members on bimmerfest. I include myself in the ignorant group

That leaves question #1: I guess I can assume you are not used to carefully reading statements, legal documents and contracts.



The question was, specifically what oil is "Approved". This thread and BMWs publications establish that BMW only approves BMW oils for FILL and permits other oils for top off. (Your characterization that "BMW says use LL01 oils" is a blatant (or is that ignorant?) misreading of their statement. Saying 'use LL01 for top off" is not the same as "Only use the Approved Oil, and if that is not available you may use an oil whcih is LL01 rated such as XYZ"


You- and many others- seem to have assumed that BMWs specs on the top off oils somehow connote that any oil meeting those specs are therefore approved as fill oils. That is an incorrect read of the document, as written by BMW legal.

It should not be that complicated, but BMW has made it so with their language. If you are unconcerned with warranty it is much, much easier- there is nothing special about BMW oils.

Your assertions that 'if it is good enough for Porsche and MB, it is good enough for BMW' almost caused me to give up. I could name 5 more complex and expensive engines that use oil that would be unsuitable for your motor.... do people really make oil decisions based on what is stickered on the side of a Nascar race car???

Enjoy.

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by Bill K

Guys, I dont think this subject should be too complicated. BMW says to use BMW longlife -01 oil. Mobil 1 0w-40 is listed as meeting the spec for BMW longlife -01. Why shouldnt it be used then?

Don't confuse the performance spec with the viscosity spec, as these are different items. I don't know if BMW has approved 0w-40 viscosity, but simply having the BMW longlife -01 spec does not necessarily mean the particular viscosity is approved for use.

I don;t think it should be too complicated either. While under warranty, just make sure you use an oil on BMW's approved list, and if you want to make it real simple, just use BMW oil until the warranty period is over.

I personally don't see any reason to potentially complicate things while under warranty, and so I use BMW oil to keep things simple. I buy the oil and filter for the next intermediate change when I get the BMW-provided change at the dealer, so it is even more convenient than a separate trip to Wally World or a parts store for oil.

Once out of warranty, I typically use the appropriate Mobil 1 oil.

[autoque]

I use Castrol Edge Sport 0w40. I can get it cheaper than the BMW branded ones and at least I don't think it'll damage the engine, plus it's the top of the line Castrol stuff.

[motordavid]

In reading here since about Day 1, I don't recall ever reading a post where an X owner had some kind of engine failure, or even engine problem, related to or an effect of what brand/viscosity of oil he had in his sump...and, that failure or problem was denied by BMW, under orig warranty or CPO, due to his brand or viscosity rating.

I suspect parsing to parse...especially since BMW is 'providing' maybe four oil changes at best, over 50,000 miles. Mountain out of a molehill, imo.
GL, mD

[ard]

Originally Posted by motordavid

Mountain out of a molehill, imo.
GL, mD

Agreed.

Once you get past the fact that "BMW Only recommends [one] oil for fresh fills", the next question is "how big a risk is it to use unapproved oils"...or how big a risk to use 'top off' oils for fresh fills.

I am arguing a legal issue, perhaps a contract issue, and not the question of "what is the best oil".

THAT I will not discuss.

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by motordavid

In reading here since about Day 1, I don't recall ever reading a post where an X owner had some kind of engine failure, or even engine problem, related to or an effect of what brand/viscosity of oil he had in his sump...and, that failure or problem was denied by BMW, under orig warranty or CPO, due to his brand or viscosity rating.

I suspect parsing to parse...especially since BMW is 'providing' maybe four oil changes at best, over 50,000 miles. Mountain out of a molehill, imo.
GL, mD

I agree, but what's the point in assuming the risk; however small, when it can be so simply avoided by using BMW oil while in warranty?