Oil Change
 

I have a 2008 X5 3.0 and know that BMW only recomends changing the oil every 12 months.
Should I pay to have it changed every 3 or 6 months? I tend to keep my cars for a long time, 10+ years and want to do everything I can to preserve it.

Definitely.. even though I don't plan to keep the car for long since it's a lease I am still changing it every 6k miles. BMW is crazy to recommend that kind of oil intervals..

Once a year is fine for the time-based change, but I would recommend cutting the mileage-based change to about half- of the BMW interval, or around 7,500 miles, e.g., if you do not drive 7,500 miles in a year, change it. But if you drive 7,500 miles before the 12 months is up, change it and start the 12-month clock again.

I'm on year 9 on my '01 X5 3.0--have almost 100K miles on it. I've only changed the oil at the 12 month mark with no problems whatsoever.

:confused:

What do you base that comment on?

BMW maintenance says to change it once every 12-15k miles or once every 12 months, whichever comes first. That's normal for synthetic oils.

IMO, it's a waste of money to change it any earlier than the recommended intervals.

One of a kind lessee, imo. The next owner, getting your car, CPO'd probably, will be appreciative of your diligence,
and that oil "over changing". ;)

:iagree:

BMW has been using extended service intervals for oil changes since 1991. They have used the 15,000 mile interval since 1999. We haven't seen any reports on this forum of engine wear, ring jobs, etc. We have seen photos of 100,000 mile engines that have been inspected after following the 15,000 mile interval, and they looked very good.

Haha I guess I am a little old school and it sounds horrible to not change it. I've seen people changing oil every 12k miles but changing filters every 6k and when they send their oil analysis, the oil was still good. Maybe I'll start doing it every 12k, especially since its a lease

If nothing else, a shorter oil change interval will catch situations like this sooner:

BMW OEM Filter Failure - BMW CCA

But hey, I knew a lady that left the original oil in her Toyota for 26,000 miles until the oil pressure light came on. She stopped at a gas station in Arizona and the attendant checked her oil, said it was very low, and asked here when she last had the oil changed. Her response? "You have to change the oil in cars?"

Anyway, last I heard she had over 100,000 miles on the car and the engine was still running.

My point?

Her experience says no need to change the original oil until 26,000 miles and the red oil light comes on. But I wouldn't recommend that to others, just because it worked for her. I suspect that there's a good chance a person could make it to 100,000 miles on a BMW engine, never changing it and just adding make-up oil.

Oil change intervals simply change the odds of having problems, and most engines can take a lot of abuse.

People should do whatever makes them comfortable, but in my case, based on oil analysis I have done in the past, 15,000 is too long for my taste. And if you are going to change it sooner, changing it half-way in between probably makes the most sense.