[NewBimmerMD]

Does anyone know if it is recommended to get a post break-in oil change with the N55's ? When I had my 335xi with the N54 engine a lot of the forums were saying to get a post break in oil change despite BMW's recommended service interval of 15K miles or 1 year for the first oil change. Seems like a really long time for a turbo engine. Thoughts?

[jdizzle27]

I agree, it does seem like a long time.

New engine.
Turbo-charged.
Plan on keeping it for 4-6y.

Its worth the $130-$150 to get it done IMO. I'll probably do this at an arbitrary 1200mi.

[raleedy]

Waste of time, money and resources.

[Jon D]

Modern lubricants have been vastly improved - I think you can rest assured in the manufacturer's recommendations.

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by raleedy

Waste of time, money and resources.

Yep agreed it's designed for this high performance oil and will be fine for the duration.

[gatoman39]

If you own the car (which I do), it's a good idea to dump the factory fill at 1200 miles or so.
I am also changing the oil at 4000 miles, then 10k miles. The first three changes (1st year) I will do this at my own cost. Then I will follow Mike Miller's old school BMW maintenance schedule, which calls for semi annual oil changes or about every 7500 miles.
If you lease the car or plan on getting rid of it before 100k miles, don't bother.

[Jon D]

Originally Posted by gatoman39

If you lease the car or plan on getting rid of it before 100k miles, don't bother.

If BMW can't fix my steering I'll be getting rid of the car before 10k miles, let alone 100k

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by gatoman39

If you own the car (which I do), it's a good idea to dump the factory fill at 1200 miles or so.
I am also changing the oil at 4000 miles, then 10k miles. The first three changes (1st year) I will do this at my own cost. Then I will follow Mike Miller's old school BMW maintenance schedule, which calls for semi annual oil changes or about every 7500 miles.
If you lease the car or plan on getting rid of it before 100k miles, don't bother.

I own ALL my BMW's and this to me is a total waist of money.
The M3 yes 1200 mile service, none race type engines run with no problems for many thousands of miles.
Thats what a warrantee is for, the event of failure.
PS) 100K miles too me is another 10 new cars

[rich1068]

Originally Posted by johnbmw6

I own ALL my BMW's and this to me is a total waist of money.

I agree. And no offence intended to our American cousins but it only seems to be them that obsess about oil changes. Over the years I've been a member of many owner forums for different brands and this question crops up over and over again. NA members wanting oil changes every few thousand miles especially when the car is new and European members telling them they're wasting money. Either the oils differ greatly (which I doubt) or the dealers have been spinning a line since the 70s and they're still getting away with it because it's so ingrained in their car owning culture.

[raleedy]

Originally Posted by rich1068

I agree. And no offence intended to our American cousins but it only seems to be them that obsess about oil changes. Over the years I've been a member of many owner forums for different brands and this question crops up over and over again. NA members wanting oil changes every few thousand miles especially when the car is new and European members telling them they're wasting money. Either the oils differ greatly (which I doubt) or the dealers have been spinning a line since the 70s and they're still getting away with it because it's so ingrained in their car owning culture.

+1. there is simply no objective evidence that points to more frequent oil changes. It's superstition. Some call it "insurance", which it definitely is not.

[gatoman39]

Originally Posted by johnbmw6

I own ALL my BMW's and this to me is a total waist of money.
The M3 yes 1200 mile service, none race type engines run with no problems for many thousands of miles.
Thats what a warrantee is for, the event of failure.
PS) 100K miles too me is another 10 new cars

Since you'll own 10 new cars or about 1 a year. Surely $50 is a pittance to a man of your wealth and status.

[rich1068]

A bit of a low blow.

And anyway, how do think he affords these motors? He doesn't pay for unnecessary oil changes. That's how

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by gatoman39

Since you'll own 10 new cars or about 1 a year. Surely $50 is a pittance to a man of your wealth and status.

I usually change Cars every year, this one may stay for two years, it will get Oil when it "asks for it" and not before.

The M3 had it's 1200 mile service free, and has covered another 10K miles with NO problems and needed NO extra Oil!! speaks for it's self really.
If BMW though that there cars needed an Oil change every 5K miles, they would say so, Lexus and Mercedes, they have gone over too 15K miles or 1 Year servicing, totally money spinning and they have lost lots of sales in the UK for this move, some people only do 6/8K miles per/year and are being charged the earth for unnecessary expensive servicing.
Technology in Oil has moved on, prohaps you should too and save yourself money.

[raleedy]

Originally Posted by gatoman39

Since you'll own 10 new cars or about 1 a year. Surely $50 is a pittance to a man of your wealth and status.

That's all you've got? Shaming us into unnecessary squandering of resources? Case closed.

[gatoman39]

Originally Posted by johnbmw6

Technology in Oil has moved on, prohaps you should too and save yourself money.

You're telling me oil technology advanced to the point that BMW decided to double the oil change cycle, suspiciously the same time they decided to offer free maintenance? You should read Mike Millers BMW Maintenance Schedule.

Originally Posted by raleedy

That's all you've got? Shaming us into unnecessary squandering of resources? Case closed.

If you are so concerned about unnecessary squandering of resources, why on earth do you drive a BMW, when you can drive a Prius or ride a bike? Why do you turn the lights on in your house and waste precious coal, when you can use candles? Why did you waste precious jet fuel to fly to Europe to take a unnecessary vacation to pick up your car?

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by gatoman39

You're telling me oil technology advanced to the point that BMW decided to double the oil change cycle, suspiciously the same time they decided to offer free maintenance? You should read Mike Millers BMW Maintenance Schedule.


If you are so concerned about unnecessary squandering of resources, why on earth do you drive a BMW, when you can drive a Prius or ride a bike? Why do you turn the lights on in your house and waste precious coal, when you can use candles? Why did you waste precious jet fuel to fly to Europe to take a unnecessary vacation to pick up your car?

This is laughable, since when did BMW double there Oil change interval?, not in the uk in the last 6 years anyway. I am not sure what cars your used to driving, I have owned at least 20 new cars, Audi's Lexus, BMW, never topped an engine with Oil, never had "Out of scheduled" Oil changes and NEVER had a problem, I think "Paranoia" could be your problem.

[gatoman39]

Originally Posted by johnbmw6

This is laughable, since when did BMW double there Oil change interval?, not in the uk in the last 6 years anyway. I am not sure what cars your used to driving, I have owned at least 20 new cars, Audi's Lexus, BMW, never topped an engine with Oil, never had "Out of scheduled" Oil changes and NEVER had a problem, I think "Paranoia" could be your problem.

In the United States I believe BMW free maintenance program began in 2001. So apparently oil technology changed so much that before you couldn't change your oil enough. Once the free program started, voila 2 year or 15k miles. Like the article mentions, all cars will run fine for 100k miles with minimal maintenance. I tend to buy my cars new and keep them for a long time. Since you change your car more than people change their shoes, you will never see any benefits.

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by gatoman39

In the United States I believe BMW free maintenance program began in 2001. So apparently oil technology changed so much that before you couldn't change your oil enough. Once the free program started, voila 2 year or 15k miles. Like the article mentions, all cars will run fine for 100k miles with minimal maintenance. I tend to buy my cars new and keep them for a long time. Since you change your car more than people change their shoes, you will never see any benefits.

Well you may win the lotto or something, anyway I am retired early (through hard work) and my only vice is Cars, so when I get bored I change it.
100K miles is off my radar I am afraid.

[gatoman39]

Originally Posted by johnbmw6

Well you may win the lotto or something, anyway I am retired early (through hard work) and my only vice is Cars, so when I get bored I change it.
100K miles is off my radar I am afraid.

That's a great vice to have. With the rate you're going 1 free oil change may be off your radar. Anyway, we've strayed way off topic
To the OP. If you're gonna keep the car for the long haul dumping the factory fill early is not a bad idea. Then either follow the manufacturers change interval, or the old school interval depending on how long you plan to keep the car.

[1HOT BMR]

I agree with most that it is probably a waste of money for short term ownership, however, if you are going to keep your car for a long time I believe it does make a difference. Mercedes went to a 15K miles oil change interval in the mid nineties and they got sued and lost millions to lawyers (for us customers we got a free oil change) because engines malfunctioned - sludge, clogged filters, pump failures. The "problems" were that people used regular non synthetic oil and some people never checked the oil between changes so they ran out of it. We sold that Mercedes after 11 years of ownership and 190K mi + showing on the odometer. That engine was as strong as new and it didn't burn a drop of oil at sale time. I replaced the oil at 1,500, then at 7,500 and every 7K mi thereafter. Would it be that good if I hadn't done anything different to it? Perhaps. But the few extra dollars I spent doing what I did sure paid off for me in the long run.

If you use full synthetic like BMW requires you are GUARANTEED that the engine will last 100K miles with oil changes every 15K mi - way beyond the end of BMWs warranty. If it fails it will be for another reason, not the oil change intervals. Whatever oil change interval you choose it will be OK. I will continue to choose to "waste" my money and do what I do.

[Jimefam]

Perhaps it's because people drive less in Europe that it may make less sense to change the oil every 15k miles. But 100k miles seems like nothing to me as far as life expectancy for an engine. I have a 2006 Toyota 4runner that I use for business it has 126k miles and has never been in the shop other than routine service. I have a 1989 240sx track car that has over 300k miles and the freaking car just keeps going. 100k is definitely not life time for me, I bought this 550i to replace the 240sx in a few years as the car to play around with(not on a road course, I know the car doesn't handle that well) and plan to get as much horsepower as I can out of it. I plan to put over 200k on this engine and have had good experience with taking good care of my cars.

[JOHNBMWM5]

Where I live in the UK, it's like a small "State" compared to the USA, and the mileage is not going to be anywhere near yours, so maybe that would be the main factor. We over here do not cover the kind of miles you guys do.