Oil advice - BMW 550i

[smithsonga]

Finally got a set of Rhino Ramps and have the option of a DIY oil change.

100k mile 2007 550i. Dealer oil changes until the most recent which was a great Indy shop that used Synpower. I actually do not know the specific Synpower used but the owner/head mechanic is an ex-BMW master tech.

The Indy offers a very reasonable rate to attempt to get repeat business and business beyond just oil changes. $69 oil changes.

Thus a DIY change will be similar in price, but offer me oil flexibility.

Valvoline website states Synpower HST 5W30/40 meets LL-01 standards...and MST 5W-40 meets LL-04 standard. I need LL-01 but HST seems difficult to find vs. MST. I found 5W40 MST for $50/case, but again, that is LL-04. The Valvoline website actually recommends Maxlife Synthetic due to my miles...and if I put in lower miles, it just states Synpower..not a specific HST/MST etc.

I could get the BMW oil...but that is more $$$

I have M1 0w-40 available locally and have used it for top offs, but it is quite expensive.

Comments? Ideas on the lower cost sources of these oils? Look for sales at Autozone, AAP etc?

thx

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: smithsonga
I have M1 0w-40 available locally and have used it for top offs, but it is quite expensive.

M1 0w-40 often goes on sale. Keep an eye on our discounts/rebates/promotions subforum and then stock up.

Other options:
- Pennzoil Ultra 5w-40, available from Amazon.
- Castrol Edge with SPT 0w-30, available from AutoZone, PepBoys, also goes on sale now and then.

 

[JavierG]

What about Rotella T-6? Heard nothing but excellent comments and opinions about it. Maybe it can be an option as it is readily available. I think the price may have gone up to $21 at Walmart for the gallon jugs.

 

[MBS500]

MAG1 5w-40 from amazon, comes around $5.50 per qt. I just posted VOA in analysis section.
Watch amazon, they do errors with oil pricing sometime. Ones I got 20 liters of LM Toptec 4100 for $70. and then 12 of LL-04 Motul for low low price.
Valvoline Maxlife 10w40 should work for half OCI per service counter just fine.

 

[smithsonga]

Originally Posted By: MBS500
MAG1 5w-40 from amazon, comes around $5.50 per qt. I just posted VOA in analysis section.
Watch amazon, they do errors with oil pricing sometime. Ones I got 20 liters of LM Toptec 4100 for $70. and then 12 of LL-04 Motul for low low price.
Valvoline Maxlife 10w40 should work for half OCI per service counter just fine.


Very interesting MAG1 oil. Anyone else try/use this oil?

 

[dparm]

Originally Posted By: JavierG
What about Rotella T-6? Heard nothing but excellent comments and opinions about it. Maybe it can be an option as it is readily available. I think the price may have gone up to $21 at Walmart for the gallon jugs.



Not MB approved but would work fine. Good value.

Valvoline SynPower HST is not readily available -- AFAIK it's the bulk product sold to shops.

 

[crw]

Seriously, Mobil 1 0w-40, on sale, is not much more than dino oil these days. I've been able to snag it at between $4 and $4.50 a quart.

Does your BMW have a top canister oil filter like most? If you have that, and an oil extractor (about as much as one $69 oil service) then you don't even need to get on the floor to change your oil.

 

[MBS500]

Originally Posted By: crw
Seriously, Mobil 1 0w-40, on sale, is not much more than dino oil these days. I've been able to snag it at between $4 and $4.50 a quart.

Does your BMW have a top canister oil filter like most? If you have that, and an oil extractor (about as much as one $69 oil service) then you don't even need to get on the floor to change your oil.

I believe filter and drain plug are hidden behind little access latch on the belly pan in 06 550i, should be same on 07.
Haven't change oil yet, it was changed before purchase, prob with BMW labeled Castrol.

 

[97tbird]

Is 0w-30 the only wight available from Edge/SPT that is LL-01?

 

[smithsonga]

Originally Posted By: MBS500
Originally Posted By: crw
Seriously, Mobil 1 0w-40, on sale, is not much more than dino oil these days. I've been able to snag it at between $4 and $4.50 a quart.

Does your BMW have a top canister oil filter like most? If you have that, and an oil extractor (about as much as one $69 oil service) then you don't even need to get on the floor to change your oil.

I believe filter and drain plug are hidden behind little access latch on the belly pan in 06 550i, should be same on 07.
Haven't change oil yet, it was changed before purchase, prob with BMW labeled Castrol.


Correct, filter is under engine.

 

[97tbird]

Originally Posted By: crw
Seriously, Mobil 1 0w-40, on sale, is not much more than dino oil these days. I've been able to snag it at between $4 and $4.50 a quart.

Does your BMW have a top canister oil filter like most? If you have that, and an oil extractor (about as much as one $69 oil service) then you don't even need to get on the floor to change your oil.


This. I just did mine for the 1st time, and was a fun/easy
thing to do.
EDIT

just saw OP's filter is underneath engine

 

[m6pwr]

The Valvoline LL01 oil used by your indie shop should be fine. Whatever oil you wind up using be sure its BMW approved LL01. Here's an interesting description of what it takes to get BMW approval: http://www.top1oil.com/USA/newsletter/2011/July.pdf and here's the web site for the independent test lab BMW AG uses as part of their approval process:
http://www.isp-testing.com/en/. Notice all the BMWs in the photos.

I wouldn't recommend using any LL04 oils even though you can run across these oils in the US. BMW recommends they not be used in North America. Has something to do with the relatively high sulphur content of US gas and the propensity to form acids, I think. LL04 oils are low or mid saps oils that start out with relatively low acid-fighting alkalinity - - not a problem in Europe where they have low sulphur gas.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: 97tbird
Is 0w-30 the only wight available from Edge/SPT that is LL-01?

5w-40 also.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: 97tbird

EDIT

just saw OP's filter is underneath engine

On top of that, I'm not sure if his engine still has an oil dipstick.

 

[97tbird]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: 97tbird
Is 0w-30 the only wight available from Edge/SPT that is LL-01?

5w-40 also.


Thanks! - I need to buy 1 qt. of some LL-01 oil; I always keep 1 qt in my trunk, as a habit, although I don't have any leaks.
Wish AAP carried this. AZ is further from my place than AAP.

 

[skyship]

Originally Posted By: smithsonga
Finally got a set of Rhino Ramps and have the option of a DIY oil change.

100k mile 2007 550i. Dealer oil changes until the most recent which was a great Indy shop that used Synpower. I actually do not know the specific Synpower used but the owner/head mechanic is an ex-BMW master tech.

The Indy offers a very reasonable rate to attempt to get repeat business and business beyond just oil changes. $69 oil changes.

Thus a DIY change will be similar in price, but offer me oil flexibility.

Valvoline website states Synpower HST 5W30/40 meets LL-01 standards...and MST 5W-40 meets LL-04 standard. I need LL-01 but HST seems difficult to find vs. MST. I found 5W40 MST for $50/case, but again, that is LL-04. The Valvoline website actually recommends Maxlife Synthetic due to my miles...and if I put in lower miles, it just states Synpower..not a specific HST/MST etc.

I could get the BMW oil...but that is more $$$

I have M1 0w-40 available locally and have used it for top offs, but it is quite expensive.

Comments? Ideas on the lower cost sources of these oils? Look for sales at Autozone, AAP etc?

thx


Don't use HM oils unless you have a real need, like bad cam shaft oil leaks that are beyond economic repair. HM oils are just basic dinos or part synthetics plus some stop leak additives and a bit more Zinc in some cases. If you don't have significant oil leaks or a high oil consumption stick to a major brand 5/40 that is fully approved or at least recommended by Castrol, Liqui Moly, Mobil, Shell or Valvoline (The only engine oil companies that the German BMW owners trust) in their oil finder guides.

Always use a real BMW oil filter unless you are 100% sure the alternative is a top quality filter and think about your OCI in terms of the amount of stuck in traffic plus very short trips time vs highway time to figure out if your useage is severe or not. Start by reducing the OCI from the max figure once you spend more than one quarter of your time at low power. So if half your time is inner city driving use half the normal interval. Then do a UOA to see if you can increase the OCI. If you have a BMW and spend much more than half your driving time at low power, sell it and buy a hybrid.

It's unlikely you will notice a difference between the major brands, but if you don't get the OCI right or never get to drive along an empty highway, or use too much right boot when the engine is cold, then those negative factors will seriously effect the main block life expectancy.

 

[MBS500]

His Bimmer should shorten OCI itself for severe driving(cold,stop and go and short trips).
At least my FSS does in MB (both have dielectric sensors). Miles left were counting very slowly when I took it for a trip across states to Florida coasts all the way to Key West. I drove 3200 miles, and FSS went down only about 2000 miles.
Now It is short tripper mostly, so FSS ticks down very fast.

 

[typ901]

Originally Posted By: smithsonga
Originally Posted By: MBS500
MAG1 5w-40 from amazon, comes around $5.50 per qt. I just posted VOA in analysis section.
Watch amazon, they do errors with oil pricing sometime. Ones I got 20 liters of LM Toptec 4100 for $70. and then 12 of LL-04 Motul for low low price.
Valvoline Maxlife 10w40 should work for half OCI per service counter just fine.


Very interesting MAG1 oil. Anyone else try/use this oil?


..it is in my 01' M-B E320; and it works fine. On paper it is not as good as M1 0w-40, but it works well in my application, measured by my butt-dyno..meaning i noticed no difference with Mag1, M1 or GC.

 

[Noobie]

Originally Posted By: MBS500
His Bimmer should shorten OCI itself for severe driving(cold,stop and go and short trips).
At least my FSS does in MB (both have dielectric sensors). Miles left were counting very slowly when I took it for a trip across states to Florida coasts all the way to Key West. I drove 3200 miles, and FSS went down only about 2000 miles.
Now It is short tripper mostly, so FSS ticks down very fast.

True, the oil life sensor usually goes a lot faster when driving in severe conditions.
My E60 usually starts at 12K OCI's but since i drive almost 100% city after just around 4000 kilometers it went down 8400 kilometers in the "countdown".
Still, i will do the oil change before it reaches 0, better safe than sorry. With so many city driving the oil must have a high fuel dilution and the add packs must be pretty screwed up.

 

[smithsonga]

Thread revival.

I just order the MAG1 5w-40 from amazon. Subscribe and Save comes to $55 for 2 cases delivered...or $4.60/qt.

To clarify, the 2007 550i has a oil filter beneath car and it does have a dipstick.

my 2011 335i, everything is up top.

My 550i is over 100k miles and I plan on changing every 7500miles.
My 335i is only 15k miles, but I plan on changing it every 7500...DIY plus Dealer half n half.