Mobil 1 0W-40 is listed right on the BMW USA web site as approved:

BMW North America

You are correct that most Mobil 1 products have not been certified to the BMW spec, but the 0w-40 has and is widely available.

Not at all what it says!

You should carefully read that web page you linked....

M1 0-40 (along with the others they list) are ONLY "OK" to "top off" if required... NOT for a full oil change.

Silly, but true. BMW has only 3 oils "approved" in the USA: BMW High Performance 5W30, the TWS 10W60, and the "castrol SLX 5w30 low ash" for the diesel.

In every place where they discuss oils they always talked about "approved" oils separately from that you can use to top off. Furthermore, the BMW LL04 rating is ONLY a spec for change interval - NOT on the overall suitability of the oil for a full fill.

Confusion reigns....

That 0W-40 is one oil that is on the list.(for a top off which means it simply does not meet the 'long life') The others are not. As said the vast majority of what is sold under the Mobil1 brand in the US is not approved for BMW and honestly not approved for much more as well. It is a cracked synthetic blend.


Shell Rotella T is an exceptional oil and meets or exceeds all of those specs except for BMWs own 'Long Life' which is just their justification for buying their dealer oil which seems to be the only oils on the planet that meet that spec.

http://www-static.shell.com/static/r..._approvals.gif

It's fun to talk about oil and what is correct spec and what's is not. I can speak from experince. In my 184,000 miles of ownership I have never used BMWs oil. I have used castrol synthetic, mobile 1 and royal purples. What ever is cheapest from Wal mart. Every third or fourth change I will use the royal purple oil. Usually 5-30 stuff and I just find any old filter that fits or what ever is in stock at car quest or napa. And you know what the X runs like a champ.

Mobil 1 0W-40 meets the BMW Long-Life 01 spec.

Regarding Mobil 1:

Mobil 1 0W-40 meets the BMW Long-Life 01 spec
Mobil 1 ESP Formula 5W-30 meets the BMW Long-Life 04 spec

The online circular says 29.99 for 5 Qts and the filter....Not 21

The sale is for a Mobil 1 filter and 5 quarts of M1 for 29.99, my autozone also has 0w30 german made syntec and a fram toughguard filter for the same. I am going to go with the german castrol syntec this time, it says on the bottle that it meets BMW LL01 spec and it is supposed to be very good. I have been using bmw or m1 0w40 and the x seems to run better with m1 0w40.

I picked up the M1 0w-40 on the AutoZone deal. Saved about $30. I am set for oil changes in 2010.