[JackSpadesSI]

Seeing as I'm meticulous about my car I want to get an oil change soon. The car only has 1,500 miles on it, but it is the factory oil and it went through break-in. This thread is not to debate the merits of an early oil change, though.

What I'm wondering is which oil I should use. I've always sworn by Mobil 1 synthetic oil for all of my other cars (past and present). However, the dealership just told me that they don't carry Mobil 1 and that BMW recommends Castrol.

After some googling I learned that Mobil 1 is considered the highest grade of oil (I forget the terminology used in oil classifications). It seems that Mobil 1 0w-40 synthetic oil is highly regarded.

Which oil should I use for my oil change (please recommend both brand and weight). I don't care about price (to a reasonable degree) but I DO care that the oil doesn't void any warranties - whatsoever.

If it matters, I live in Michigan where it is 5-10 F outside this week. I drive a very short distance to work (<10 miles) and not much else with this car. Next summer I plan to take it to the track, but I will almost certainly change the oil before then.

Thanks!

[fdriller9]

0W-30?

Recommended is 5W-30 but if your in cold weather it might help to put in 0W-30.....then swap to 5W-30 in warmer weather.

I stick with OEM, 5W-30. Works fine in North East weather.

[Kolyan2k]

Mobil1, Castrol, BMW High Performance oil, all are good. 5w-30 < to avoid all confusion.

[BQTuning]

This is one of those things I have been struggling with. I have always used Royal Purple for all the cars I owned. This is the first car I have not gone to Royal Purple yet with. Its driving me craxy

RP seems not to be on the approved list by BMW and not on an approved list with another company that suppliments BMW.

[Rick4345]

I know what you mean about Royal Purple. I never knew about it until my department used it in our 95 Chevrolet Caprices that had the LT-1 motor. My district used it as an experiment. Not one engine failure... I use Mobil 1 in all my vehicles also. As soon as BMW quits paying for my oil changes, that is what I am going to use. I just keep letting the dealer use Castrol, as that is all they carry. I don't even want to give them an excuse to not honor a warranty claim, should the need arise.

[Turkeybaster115]

Originally Posted by JackSpadesSI

Seeing as I'm meticulous about my car I want to get an oil change soon. The car only has 1,500 miles on it, but it is the factory oil and it went through break-in. This thread is not to debate the merits of an early oil change, though.

please do a search. Engine oil is the most debated topic on the forum.

[JackSpadesSI]

Originally Posted by Turkeybaster115

please do a search. Engine oil is the most debated topic on the forum.

Exactly - so much so that the discussions end up saying nothing relevant to me.

I drive a 2011 E90 335i. I don't care what someone puts in their 2006 330i. I don't care what someone puts in their M3. I don't care what someone puts in their car with 150,000 miles. I don't care about the oil best suited for someone who lives in Arizona's heat who spends their life at the track.

By posting my own question I am most likely to receive input most suited to my needs.

I can't stand people who jump on to every thread to point out that it has been discussed (in some way) before. Most threads on the general forum have already been discussed dozens of times! Heck, if all posts which are similar to any previous ones were blocked this site would barely be worth visiting anymore.

Don't act like my pseudo-re-post is going to consume all of the bandwidth for this entire forum.

[MatchesMalone]

Originally Posted by Turkeybaster115

please do a search. Engine oil is the most debated topic on the forum.

+1

Originally Posted by TrackRat

Welcome. Did you read the Owner's Manual? The best oil for your car is what BMW recommends not what people on a forum who have zero objective BMW LL-01 test data say to support their beliefs.

The fact that you live in MI means nothing as the BMW LL-01 oils are tested for all climates. As long as you use a BMW LL-01 approved oil of the proper viscosity, that's as good as it gets. It's also a requirement to do this to maintain your engine warranty.



http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Conte...ngineOils.aspx

+1

Also, Elf Excellium has an oil that supposedily is LL-01 approved as well.

Any of those will do just fine for your not-so-specific application. Any of these are good for any climate, and there are probably a hundred threads on oil for 335's. If you ask 5 different people, you will probably get 5 different answers. Heck, if you read 5 different technical studies, you will probably read 5 different conclusions about which one is best.

If you want a more definitive answer, do a couple of your own oil changes with different oils, at the same interval (say, 5000 miles or so) and send the used oil to Blackstone for analysis. Then you would have hard data for your specific car and climate that you can compare and decide for yourself.

Also, if you head over to the Bobistheoilguy forums, you will find more reading than you can handle on this subject.

[ENINTY]

So as part of your purchase of your BMW, you bought rights to some of BMW's intellectual property. Part of that IP is BMW's extensive testing of motor oils in durability testing of the N54 engine. BMW has provided this intellectual property information royalty free for as long as you own your car. I suggest that you do what BMW recommends. Tischer BMW in Silver Springs, Maryland sells an oil change kit for your car at a very reasonable price and is the same materials your car would get at the dealer if taken there for service. It's a can't miss situation.

[Evan@Tischer]

yessur.....we have the oil change kits on special here.

[F32Fleet]

Originally Posted by Evan@Tischer

yessur.....we have the oil change kits on special here.

Just an FYI you may want to update your site for the diesel change kit.

""low wash" synthetic Castrol SLX Professional OE SAE 5W-30 oil."

I should read as "Mid-SAPS" or possibly "Low-Ash". It's an ACEA C3 oil.

[coco savage]

cool, like that tischer kit!

[VTECaddict]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but your 2011 335i isn't special. It uses the same LL-01 spec oil as all of the other the non-diesel and non-M BMWs. BMW 5w30, Catrol 0w30, Mobil1 0w40 are the top 3 choices.

[roundle]

Originally Posted by Socom

Just an FYI you may want to update your site for the diesel change kit.

""low wash" synthetic Castrol SLX Professional OE SAE 5W-30 oil."

I should read as "Mid-SAPS" or possibly "Low-Ash". It's an ACEA C3 oil.

BMW Dealers in Europe use the Castrol SLX Pro 0W30 for N5X motors (and many Diesels). It's LL04, I believe.

[Outlaw 06]

See attached BMW Current Listing of Synthetic Oils (for the US Market).

[AlanAZ]

Castrol Syntec European Formula SAE 0W-30 Synthetic Oil would give better cold start and cold weather protection (0 Weight) with the same high temp protection (30 W) as the BMW factory oil.

For the track, the M1 0W40 would provide a little better high temp protection (40 W). It is the factory fill for Porsche, AMG Mercedes, Aston Martin.

[F32Fleet]

Originally Posted by roundle

BMW Dealers in Europe use the Castrol SLX Pro 0W30 for N5X motors (and many Diesels). It's LL04, I believe.

Does not surprise me. In the U.S. the gas powered BMW's are required to use LL01 because of the sulphur and ethanol levels. Funny that US gas has more sulphur in it than diesel.

[brentseay]

I've used BMW 5w-30 in both of my cars. No ticking or reduced performance so far. The temps around here have been hitting 20F and there's yet to be a problem starting the cars.

BMW 5w-30 is cheaper than the Mobil 1 0w-40 LL01 ($5 vs $7 /qt). But I guess if you don't live next to a dealer (w/CCA discount) and don't like ordering stuff over the internet, then you're stuck with finding LL01 oils.

Brent

[jaybird124]

LubroMoly from Bavarian Autosport is a decent deal and a good oil.

[123Britt]

I agree it is a good deal -- but with a 335i and DI = Fuel Dilution + US gas means that LL-01 is what we need --- but then again if you change often it does not matter.
.
I do like GC 0W-30 but when the M1 OW-40 went on sale -- I purchased 3 oil changes worth.
.

.
I am sticking with LL-01 and change it every 5-7k.

[jaybird124]

Originally Posted by 123Britt

I agree it is a good deal -- but with a 335i and DI = Fuel Dilution + US gas means that LL-01 is what we need --- but then again if you change often it does not matter.
.
I do like GC 0W-30 but when the M1 OW-40 went on sale -- I purchased 3 oil changes worth.
.

.
I am sticking with LL-01 and change it every 5-7k.

If you're worried about fuel dilution, Renewable Lubricants has the best oil for DI engines.
I used it in my 335, no problems to report, but didn't have the car for 100k so hard to see the benefits on my particular vehicle.

[Dackelone]

I would say to follow BMW's reccomendation: USE "Castrol Synthetic oil"

I used Mobil-1's 0w40 LL-1 (black label, euro blend - the only M1 oil that you should use anyway) oil for my first three oil changes. Then I started to realize that since I am using German low sulphur fuel, maybe I should use what BMW says to use: ie LL-4 oil - for low sulphur German fuel. That is when I started to use German Castrol (G.C. $14 per liter with my discount!) 0w40 LL-4 full synthetic oil.

Without wanting to start a flame war... all I will say is I should have used G.C. from the beginnning. My engine runs so much smoother and makes less metalic noise on cold starts (compared to the Mobil-1 oil). I really believe what Castrol write on their bottles: Castrol oil IS liquid engineering!

IF I was living in the USA I would only use the Castrol oil that your dealer sells. NOT oil sold from anywhere else! Period.

Dackel