[BM2006i]

just wondering.. i need an oil change this month and i am not going back to the dealer, no more warranty.

im planning to take it to a local performance shop, and yes, they have worked on bmws before.

i know i will have to put FULL syn, 5w40 or 5w30.
how many qrts? and what brand is preferred?

btw, how much is for 1 qrt of the FACTORY bmw full syn. performance oil? if i get it from the dealer?

thanks

[chowser51]

you need bmw LL01 approved oil. check the back of the bottle for that.

i am still under maintenance warranty for another year, but i do my own oil changes at 6 months.

i usually wait for a sale from my local autozone, advance auto parts, etc. stores. they will usually have 5 qts of oil and filter on sale for like $40.
it is usually mobil 1 full synthetic. i forget who makes the oil filter for our cars.
i get the mobil 1 0w40 because that is their european formula which is bmw ll01 approved. i end up buying it twice so i have the required seven qts of oil. the second set i buy, i buy an oil filter for my wife's car and get her regular oil and save the synthetic for my next oil change.

[Tom K.]

You can order a complete oil change kit including filter for $69 including shipping from Tischer:

http://www.trademotion.com/partlocat...egoryID=138022

Tom

[Turkeybaster115]

Originally Posted by TrackRat

The forum search feature and your OM are your friends.

This question gets asked and answered weekly if not daily. LL-01 approved oil of the proper viscosity is required to maintain your warranty. No one except BMW can tell you if one of the LL-01 oils is better than another based on objective, scientific test data. Baseless opinions and ad hype do not make an oil appropriate or better for your BMW engine. That's why BMW and other Euro car makers actually test oils and only certify the ones that meet the lubrication requirements of your specific engine. This oil technical info. is listed in countless oil threads in this forum.

For reference:

Amsoil European Formula oils have NO API, NO ACEA, NO BMW and NO Euro Car Maker certification.

Redline oils have NO API, NO ACEA, NO BMW and NO Euro Car Maker certification

Royal Purple Street oils claim to have "some ACEA licensing" but they have NO BMW and NO Euro Car Maker oil certification.

Thus none of these "boutique" oils meet your new vehicle engine warranty requirements and should NOT be used if you value your warranty and engine.

I personally do not care what oil people use. I am just the messenger. Use whatever oil makes you happy.

Answer the following questions my friend, and quit running:

1. Why do you and the BMW website advocate LL01 oils which have weights that differ greatly from what was specified on the engine by the manufacturer?

2. You maintain that BMW LL01 testing is required for all BMW engines, yet have no explanation for why BMW does not use LL01 oil in its M engines.

3. If BMW does not require testing of LL01 above 0W40(a weight, BMW does not recommend for any of its engines, per the part number written on them), why then do quite a few oils from manufacturers such as motul, total, pentosin, etc have LL01 approved oils with weights above 0W40. Why did BMW test, and approve those oils, but not use them in the M engines?

[ceb]

Originally Posted by Turkeybaster115

Answer the following questions my friend, and quit running:

1. Why do you and the BMW website advocate LL01 oils which have weights that differ greatly from what was specified on the engine by the manufacturer?

2. You maintain that BMW LL01 testing is required for all BMW engines, yet have no explanation for why BMW does not use LL01 oil in its M engines.

3. If BMW does not require testing of LL01 above 0W40(a weight, BMW does not recommend for any of its engines, per the part number written on them), why then do quite a few oils from manufacturers such as motul, total, pentosin, etc have LL01 approved oils with weights above 0W40. Why did BMW test, and approve those oils, but not use them in the M engines?

You can regurgitate those same crappy questions all day long and it won't change the fact that non-M current 3 series cars in the US require the use of LL-01 oils in order to keep the warranty intact.

How BMW tests oils, why they test it or what they test is immaterial. The fact that BMW requires a different oil for the M series has absolutely nothing to do with this discussion with one exception - if you don't use the BMW required oil for your M, then you can kiss your M warranty goodbye.

[FrankE90xi]

quick question and this has nothing to do with the 3 series non m motors but why dont they use ll-01 oils in the m motor

[GodLy]

So what oil i need to use ? (now on bmw full synth)

[ceb]

Originally Posted by GodLy

So what oil i need to use ? (now on bmw full synth)

If you are in the US and drive a non-M E9x then you need LL-01 oil. If you're in Europe then you need LL-04 oil.

[GodLy]

Originally Posted by ceb

If you are in the US and drive a non-M E9x then you need LL-01 oil. If you're in Europe then you need LL-04 oil.

i'am in EU, and thanks for info.

p.s I'am on bmw oem full synth.

[ceb]

Originally Posted by GodLy

i'am in EU, and thanks for info.

p.s I'am on bmw oem full synth.

Then your oil change intervals are 30k km or 3 years. This has been standard in Europe for over a decade.

[roundle]

Originally Posted by GodLy

i'am in EU, and thanks for info.

p.s I'am on bmw oem full synth.

Note: If you're in Europe, BMW Syn is full PAO (Castrol SLX, LL04), not the crap (Castrol Softec) that BMW sells in the US.

[Socom]

Originally Posted by roundle

Note: If you're in Europe, BMW Syn is full PAO (Castrol SLX, LL04), not the crap (Castrol Softec) that BMW sells in the US.

Interesting. The only pao castrol sold in the US is a 0w-30. The slx oe professional sold here is gr3.

[roundle]

Originally Posted by Socom

Interesting. The only pao castrol sold in the US is a 0w-30. The slx oe professional sold here is gr3.

The "Castrol SLX Professional Powerflow" that my dealer uses is indeed a 0w30.

[Bme30]

just talked to the dealer and they said 5w30

[Socom]

Originally Posted by roundle

The "Castrol SLX Professional Powerflow" that my dealer uses is indeed a 0w30.

Is that llo4? What llo4 do you get from the dealership?

[roundle]

Originally Posted by Socom

Is that llo4? What llo4 do you get from the dealership?

Yup, LL04 0W30. Here's a picture of the stuff:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=433503

[Socom]

Originally Posted by roundle

Yup, LL04 0W30. Here's a picture of the stuff:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=433503

Good stuff. That is definitely PAO base per Castro MSDS (it says poly-alpha-olefin). I wonder if I would buy that over SLX OE PROF or M1 ESP being that both have MB 229.51 and/or VW 507

[Chriztofor]

Take a look at Castrol 5w-40 it states on the label that it is designed for bmws. It also meets all certifications for Castrol 0W-30. If you go by certification you would think that Castrol 5w-40 is the same as Castro's 0w-30. However, Castrol's website shows that their 5w-40 is NOT for bmws that require LL01 ( see link, page 2) [http://www.castrol.com/liveassets/bp...syntec_usa.pdf This LL01 cert must mean something. Why risk using royal purple or amsoil or any other oil without that LL-01 certification? Castorl 0W-30 and Mobil 1 0-40 have that certification. The complete list can be found on BMW's website http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Conte...ngineOils.aspx

[Socom]

Originally Posted by Chriztofor

Take a look at Castrol 5w-40 it states on the label that it is designed for bmws. It also meets all certifications for Castrol 0W-30 and even has a certification that Castro 0w-30 doesn’t have. If you go by certification you would think that Casrol 5w-40 is superior when compared to Castro's 0w-30. However, Castrol's website shows that their 5w-40 is NOT for bmws that require LL01 ( see link, page 2) [http://www.castrol.com/liveassets/bp...syntec_usa.pdf This LL01 cert must mean something. Why risk using royal purple or amsoil or any other oil without that LL-01 certification? Castorl 0W-30 and Mobil 1 0-40 have that certification. The complete list can be found on BMW's website http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Conte...ngineOils.aspx

Yep the 5w-40 meets LL98.

[hankcah]

I went to BMW and they gave me 5w-30 for my 335i with an oil filter with the rubbers and crush washer. Cost me around $50-60. Better than $120 for them to do it.

[Chriztofor]

Originally Posted by Socom

Yep the 5w-40 meets LL98.

Castrol 0w-30 and 5w-40: Does not meet API SN, Does not meet SM, meets SL, SJ, ACEA A3, B3, and B4. 0w-30 is LL-01 approved and 5w-40 is not, why?


By the way, Castrol 10w-40: MEETS API SN, SM, SL, SJ, ACEA A3, B3, and B4 but why isn’t it LL-01 approved? This oil meets two other criteria API SN and SM more than 0w-30 and 5w-40 and it is not LL01 approved or LL-98 approved, why?

[Socom]

Originally Posted by Chriztofor

Castrol 0w-30 and 5w-40: Does not meet API SN, Does not meet SM, meets SL, SJ, ACEA A3, B3, and B4. 0w-30 is LL-01 approved and 5w-40 is not, why?


By the way, Castrol 10w-40: MEETS API SN, SM, SL, SJ, ACEA A3, B3, and B4 but why isn’t it LL-01 approved? This oil meets two other criteria API SN and SM more than 0w-30 and 5w-40 and it is not LL01 approved or LL-98 approved, why?

Perhaps it has something to do with VANOS & whether there is a market for it to be certified for LL01. The 0w-30 is the darling for Castro with its multiple approvals.