Quote:
Originally Posted by Crusader
There seems to be much concern about meeting BMW oil spec requirements. How many BMWs engines have failed because of lubrication issues in the last several years (like ever)? Any good synthetic oil in the proper viscosity range will do just fine. If you're going to keep the car forever, if you're seeking the absolute best change interval / whatever, go for it. But obsessing over LL1, your warranty, etc. is nonsense.
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Completely disagree. Who do you think knows more about their engines, BMW or a random person giving their opinion on information most likely read on the internet. Unless specific information regarding the differences between oils at operating conditions can be mentioned, you, me or 99.9% of us should not be ones to challenge their requirements. I am a mech engr by profession, i know a little bit about fluids but no where near enough to challenge which specific grade should be followed. For example some oils will not react kindly or coat certain metallurgical components depending on their composition. The viscosity of oil is a smaller factor when compared to the design of the oil, the additives used, etc.
So many different oil manufacturers make LL-01 oils anyways, if a company cannot be bothered to do a simple test to prove that the oil is satisfactory then is it really worth it? Royal Purple and Redline comes to mind, sure they are proven race oils, but a daily driving vehicle is completely different. I was thinking about using Redline for my Subaru but after reading that they weren't even API certified it turned me off instantly. These must be two of the last oil companies out there that do not provide a specific euro blend that is suitable for LL-01, MB, VW, etc. Motul, M1, Amsoil, Castrol and others all provide euro oils LL-01 approved, surely someone can choose between one of those premium oils.
And for jzchen, oils are always tested at the operating conditions ie when the engine is at normal operating temperature. The viscosity ratings as well are not for room temperature but when the oil is at a specific range of operating temperatures.