[Craigito]

I thought I read somewhere that you are supposed to receive at a minimum 3 oil changes through the 4yr/50k mile maintenance program. I drive lot of freeway to my interval is prety long like 17k mile per service (I do about 90% freeway miles). Right now I'm at 49k miles but my oil service indicator says the next schedule is after about 3k more miles.

Can I get that 3rd oil change for free even though the car isn't giving me the service warning yet?

Thanks.

[markinva]

If your indicator thing hasn't gone off within a 1 year period, You can get an annual oil change. Then you get your normal oil change per the indicator.

So you are at least entitled to 4 oil changes- even if your indicator says you never needed one.

Quick question though- have you had your HPFP fail?

[jopa489]

Originally Posted by markinva

If your indicator thing hasn't gone off within a 1 year period, You can get an annual oil change. Then you get your normal oil change per the indicator.

So you are at least entitled to 4 oil changes- even if your indicator says you never needed one.

Not always. I've put 20k miles on mine in the first 9 months, almost all highway. First scheduled service came around 17.5k. If I were to continue at this rate, I would likely only receive 2 oil changes from BMW.

[Ramos]

No the rule is one free oil change every time the car indicates / or every year whichever comes sooner.
So in the 3 year maintenance period, you do get a minumum of 3 free oil changes

[742]

The "free" maintenance period ends at 4 years OR 50,000 miles.

So yes, it is possible to only get two oil changes out of the program if the car is being driven so as to keep the CBS at a long oil change interval and at a rate that will put it past 50,000 miles in under 3 years.

This happened with my wife's 325. The "free maintenance" amounted to two oil changes and a set of wiper blades.

[Ramos]

Originally Posted by 742

The "free" maintenance period ends at 4 years OR 50,000 miles.

So yes, it is possible to only get two oil changes out of the program if the car is being driven so as to keep the CBS at a long oil change interval and at a rate that will put it past 50,000 miles in under 3 years.

This happened with my wife's 325. The "free maintenance" amounted too two oil changes and a set of wiper blades.

Again, NO you are entitled to at least 1 oil change per calendar year regardless of what the car computer says

[Bobble]

Originally Posted by Ramos

Again, NO you are entitled to at least 1 oil change per calendar year regardless of what the car computer says

No one is disputing that but what if you put 50K miles on the car in 2 years? You only get the service that the OBC calls for and if it's all freeway speed mileage you could easily have that pushed out to 17K and you would only get 2 changes, 17K and 34K with the next set to 51K which is past the 50K restriction. Once past 50K it does not matter it's all done on your cost. It's actually more common scenario than you would think and one that makes great sense for BMW. Personally I hope these folks do interval oil services or turn their cars back in from lease cuz I can't see going 17K no matter what on oil.

[742]

Originally Posted by Ramos

Again, NO you are entitled to at least 1 oil change per calendar year regardless of what the car computer says

You are not entitled to ANY oil changes once the car hits 50,000 miles, regardless of age.

[jopa489]

Originally Posted by Bobble

No one is disputing that but what if you put 50K miles on the car in 2 years? You only get the service that the OBC calls for and if it's all freeway speed mileage you could easily have that pushed out to 17K and you would only get 2 changes, 17K and 34K with the next set to 51K which is past the 50K restriction. Once past 50K it does not matter it's all done on your cost. It's actually more common scenario than you would think and one that makes great sense for BMW. Personally I hope these folks do interval oil services or turn their cars back in from lease cuz I can't see going 17K no matter what on oil.

That's my exact situation. I only get two oil changes at this rate Ramos.

[John 070]

Originally Posted by markinva

If your indicator thing hasn't gone off within a 1 year period, You can get an annual oil change. Then you get your normal oil change per the indicator.

So you are at least entitled to 4 oil changes- even if your indicator says you never needed one.

Quick question though- have you had your HPFP fail?

I agree with you. The only way I could envision not getting 4 is when you're like me and you didn't understand how it worked so you don't get your oil changed in a year, because the car only went 2-3k so you delay a month or two (why not it's only 400 more miles) and everything gets thrown off.

[TheTallJS]

why not drain some oil so the oil indicator light comes on saying you don't have a minimum level of oil in ur engine... This way, they gotta put some oil in your car... right?

[poiney]

I thought that the annual oil change required at least one year, which I thought implies 3 oil changes in 4 years -- unless you always manage to do your oil change exactly in one year intervals.

I've had 3 oil changes, but am wondering if I am allowed a 4th since it would need to occur ~ 11 mo from my last one.

[Richwm]

Originally Posted by jopa489

Not always. I've put 20k miles on mine in the first 9 months, almost all highway. First scheduled service came around 17.5k. If I were to continue at this rate, I would likely only receive 2 oil changes from BMW.

That is the way it was for me first Dealer Oil change was 21k miles and the 2nd was a little over 40k. But I did my own every 5K with Mobil-1 and let them due thier change when the car called for it. BTW im doing 30-35k a year so I didnt get any free annual oil changes.

[Craigito]

Originally Posted by markinva

If your indicator thing hasn't gone off within a 1 year period, You can get an annual oil change. Then you get your normal oil change per the indicator.

So you are at least entitled to 4 oil changes- even if your indicator says you never needed one.

Quick question though- have you had your HPFP fail?

I've only had the car for about 2 yrs and 6 months so I'd still be shy of one per year minimum. And no my HPFP has never gone out.

[Craigito]

Originally Posted by jopa489

Not always. I've put 20k miles on mine in the first 9 months, almost all highway. First scheduled service came around 17.5k. If I were to continue at this rate, I would likely only receive 2 oil changes from BMW.

I'm in the exact same boat. 49k miles in 2.5 years. First oil change was the same miles as you.

[Craigito]

Originally Posted by 742

The "free" maintenance period ends at 4 years OR 50,000 miles.

So yes, it is possible to only get two oil changes out of the program if the car is being driven so as to keep the CBS at a long oil change interval and at a rate that will put it past 50,000 miles in under 3 years.

This happened with my wife's 325. The "free maintenance" amounted to two oil changes and a set of wiper blades.

Thanks for the response and all the other posts! Time to go old school and get my hands dirty.

[742]

Originally Posted by Craigito

Thanks for the response and all the other posts! Time to go old school and get my hands dirty.

May I suggest some bedtime reading?

http://www.amazon.com/BMW-E90-E91-Se...2&sr=8-1-spell

And to be fair to BMW, we also got a brake fluid change. So 2 oil changes, wiper blades and brake fluid.

[jayely1]

You get 1 free a year my SA told me..

[sekitori]

Originally Posted by poiney

I've had 3 oil changes, but am wondering if I am allowed a 4th since it would need to occur ~ 11 mo from my last one.

According to my dealer, you can get a free oil change a year and a day after you take possession of a new car. You would then have to wait a year and a day to get the next one. If you got three of them after waiting a year and a day for each one, that means that your fourth oil change would be scheduled after four years and four days and therefore would be beyond the four year limit.

In this case, one free oil change a year really means only three in four years.

[Wires]

You should get all services down free during the warranty period (oil changes, brake flushes, etc). Once you've exceeded that warranty period (via time or mileage), then you're on your own. (My first service included oil, brake flush and cabin filter change -- When the SA said that's what they were doing, I started to panic thinking what that was all going to cost. But at the end it was a whopping $0 + my signature).

According the the warranty manual, it's their commitment to ensuring that their vehicles are safe (and if they do it, you'll do it, and that works great for them offering "Certified Preowned BMW's", since they know it's been properly maintained.).

[jayely1]

Off subject but what other companies do the free maintenance?

[Wires]

Originally Posted by jayely1

Off subject but what other companies do the free maintenance?

I've never heard of anyone else doing that (other than a deal specifically done at a particular dealership where they'd cover oil "x" oil changes.