[sneaks]

Originally Posted by John 070

Seriously? BMW would do that to save themselves about $20 in parts and labor? When the flip side is repairing motors under warranty that they must cover since the owners followed their recommendation? What's the avg. IQ in Munich?

Its classic accounting vs. engineering.

[rickwjenn]

Go hands on IMO.

I LOVE to change the oil on my cars and will absolutely not wait 15k miles.

I got my new 335ix last night and plan to change the oil myself some nice Saturday afternoon in a few months at around 2k or 3k miles.

If there is a wrench around, I want to use it! Here the garages at my two houses (one obviously has a heater )

[ENINTY]

Originally Posted by rickwjenn

Go hands on IMO.

I LOVE to change the oil on my cars and will absolutely not wait 15k miles.

I got my new 335ix last night and plan to change the oil myself some nice Saturday afternoon in a few months at around 2k or 3k miles.

If there is a wrench around, I want to use it! Here the garages at my two houses (one obviously has a heater )

Hey, I've got that same gear puller! The only thing I saw missing was this:

[rickwjenn]

Originally Posted by ENINTY

Hey, I've got that same gear puller! The only thing I saw missing was this:

Yeah Baby! - Your lift is AWESOME. I bow in respect to you sir!

[John 070]

Originally Posted by Thunder Dump

Posted over on Bimmerfest:

I believe this totally applies to me, and even this month. I probably did 6350 miles, which if I understand it, means no free oil change. So that means BMW does not have to pay for anyone who drives 6,000 to 14,999 miles in a year's time, that is, until they actually do reach 15,000. So for a person who drives 6,001 (to be safe) miles per year, they will effectively get the least possible number of free oil changes in the life of the 4/50. They must think that nobody went to Princeton who drives a BMW for them to come up with these creative determinations that they try to sneak by. I know one place that seems to understand, Consumer Reports. So do edmunds, and Fox News. We're not all stupid BMW.

Munich should get even more creative and lower the threshold to 500 miles. Anyone who exceeds 500 miles per year should not qualify for a free low mileage oil change. Not only that but they should be blacklisted and probably their pets should be forcibly removed from their homes.

[faz]

I seriously think every dealer would do the once-a-year oil change for free, regardless of the 6k wording above.

As for long oil change intervals, I am of the opinion that the *engineering* side of the BMW is telling the accounting/marketing side the frequency of required oil changes, and marketing/accounting side is going with 'in that case, why don't we offer them for free?'... not the other way around.

Mercedes is no longer offering free maintenance. But they are still recommending the same long oil change schedules.

[comebackidlci]

I can't believe this is even a discussion. So you guys know more about your car then the people who actually made it? They made the car, therefore they know when it needs an oil change. Unless perhaps you are doing some seriously intense stuff to your car then maybe just maybe you need more frequent oil changes, I guess.

[cb1111]

Originally Posted by John 070

I believe this totally applies to me, and even this month. I probably did 6350 miles, which if I understand it, means no free oil change. So that means BMW does not have to pay for anyone who drives 6,000 to 14,999 miles in a year's time, that is, until they actually do reach 15,000. So for a person who drives 6,001 (to be safe) miles per year, they will effectively get the least possible number of free oil changes in the life of the 4/50. They must think that nobody went to Princeton who drives a BMW for them to come up with these creative determinations that they try to sneak by. I know one place that seems to understand, Consumer Reports. So do edmunds, and Fox News. We're not all stupid BMW.

Munich should get even more creative and lower the threshold to 500 miles. Anyone who exceeds 500 miles per year should not qualify for a free low mileage oil change. Not only that but they should be blacklisted and probably their pets should be forcibly removed from their homes.

The oil change interval in Germany is 3 years/30k kms - and the customer pays in Europe. 30k kms is about 18k miles - corresponding to the 6k per year here.

Technically they are probably correct but this does seem like cost cutting in the US. I guess they figured that if they increased the interval to 3yrs or 18k miles that there would be a bigger uproar - although this is what they've effectively done.

While not explicitly stated in the bulletin, let's take you as an example

year 1 - 6500 miles, no oil change
year 2 - 13000 miles, no oil change
year 3 - CBS based oil change at 15-18k miles.

[ska///235i]

Those garages are fuckin insane....I need to work on my garage

[BayMoWe335]

So I just did some quick math...I'll most likely be RIGHT at 6,000 miles on my 1yr in service date. Could be a little more, like 6,100.

Are you guys telling me that I'll be denied an oil change because I'm not quite low enough mileage? This seems ridiculous to me as I wouldn't get one next year if I drove another 6,000 milles (12,000 in 2 years). It's kind of sound like I'd have to wait 2 1/2 years for my first oil change at 15,000 miles?

Am I following this?

[cb1111]

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

So I just did some quick math...I'll most likely be RIGHT at 6,000 miles on my 1yr in service date. Could be a little more, like 6,100.

Are you guys telling me that I'll be denied an oil change because I'm not quite low enough mileage? This seems ridiculous to me as I wouldn't get one next year if I drove another 6,000 milles (12,000 in 2 years). It's kind of sound like I'd have to wait 2 1/2 years for my first oil change at 15,000 miles?

Am I following this?

Correct - and the 15k is approximate because it is condition based. Check your vehicle status to tell you in how many miles yours is due.

[kurtural]

I do not understand why everybody on this board immediately transforms into a chemical/lubrication engineer once the topic of oil change pops up. Are you aware that the most Renaults now only require an oil change every 30,000 km? So, your 3-series is probably OK with the CBS or the 15K mile interval.

[BayMoWe335]

Originally Posted by cb1111

Correct - and the 15k is approximate because it is condition based. Check your vehicle status to tell you in how many miles yours is due.

Mine currently says 10,000. Why does it go down so much? I do almost 100% city driving.

[cb1111]

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

Mine currently says 10,000. Why does it go down so much? I do almost 100% city driving.

City driving is harder on engines. Accordingly, your next oil change is due in 10k miles.

[hipnotic]

dealers right

[BayMoWe335]

I understand their rules, however, they seem stupid.

Why change the oil on a "low mileage" BMW with say, 5,500 miles and not on a BMW with 6,500? Isn't the one with 6,500 more "in need" of the change? Seems arbitrary.

[chiaobaby]

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

Mine currently says 10,000. Why does it go down so much? I do almost 100% city driving.

If your concerned your oil you should take an oil sample from the filter housing and submitted to blackstone how much metal is inside your oil. If your changing your at less than 7500 miles your wasting your money because synthetic oil has much longer life than standard oil. What would help is if you change your oil filter every 4-5 K miles this will filter out more particles . I use to use amsoil in my truck and would run the oil for 18 months and just change the filter every 6 months and the oil would look cleaner .

[IN54NITY]

Originally Posted by ENINTY

Hey, I've got that same gear puller! The only thing I saw missing was this:

F€£¥ing-A crowbar. I'm jealous! (But good for you!)

Hey Rick, do you have a spare 2002 somewhere on those shelves?

Unless you're leasing, just remember everyone, it's not BMW's car anymore, it's yours. (Sorry to state the obvious.) To the point, IMHO, 15k is too long of an interval period. To those who follow BMW's maintenance schedule, fine. But I sleep better at night by changing at 3k (for the car's first 12k) and every 5k after that. Excessive considering it's synthetic? Yes, maybe, but the extra couple hundred bucks is worth it to me.

[roundle]

Greetings All,

Just an FYI:

BMWs do not come with free maintenance in Europe. In fact, they generally come with a 2 year, unlimited mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and that is all. When you get your oil changed at a European BMW dealership, you pay from day one. Despite this fact, the oil change intervals (and all maintenace schedules) are roughly the same as in the states.

We have a 2011 US-spec 328iT. When I asked my local dealer in The Netherlands about having the oil changed every 5K (which I'd have to pay for, like all oil changes), he advised me to not waste my money, to have it done every 14K (miles).

[IN54NITY]

Originally Posted by roundle

Greetings All,

Just an FYI:

BMWs do not come with free maintenance in Europe. In fact, they generally come with a 2 year, unlimited mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and that is all. When you get your oil changed at a European BMW dealership, you pay from day one. Despite this fact, the oil change intervals (and all maintenace schedules) are roughly the same as in the states.

We have a 2011 US-spec 328iT. When I asked my local dealer in The Netherlands about having the oil changed every 5K (which I'd have to pay for, like all oil changes), he advised me to not waste my money, to have it done every 14K (miles).

Again, I'll say it's not his car. I have no trust of any dealer, especially if they have a service department. But hey, do whatever you want with your car.

[MOTO69JOE]

DIY

[John 070]

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

So I just did some quick math...I'll most likely be RIGHT at 6,000 miles on my 1yr in service date. Could be a little more, like 6,100.

Are you guys telling me that I'll be denied an oil change because I'm not quite low enough mileage? This seems ridiculous to me as I wouldn't get one next year if I drove another 6,000 milles (12,000 in 2 years). It's kind of sound like I'd have to wait 2 1/2 years for my first oil change at 15,000 miles?

Am I following this?

Can you imagine, you look at your odo and you've gone 5,994 miles, and your dealership is 7 miles away. You can't drive there or you pay $139 for the oil change when it should be under free maintenance. Of course, you have a****** forum members who say you as a low mileage driver have less rights than they do. I'd tell them to their faces to shut the f*** up or you are free to tell me to my face that I shouldn't get a free oil change as they do.

Anyway, I got my oil changed on Thu. and I did have about 6350. Maybe BMW is watching and retroactively billing me as I type.