Best OIL for a 2009 BMW 328i in Florida ???

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Originally Posted By: Trajan
Originally Posted By: Mark888
BMW is advertising that they pay for free maintenance (including oil changes) for the first 48K miles or 4 years. Don't you have that deal?


But they charge you if you want the oil changed sooner.

Were it my car, I'd go with GC. It's an exceptional product; virtually the same as that used by the Bimmer guys during your "free" maintenance OCs.
 
If you are going to use BMW free maintenance service for 15K OCI, but want to do your own oil change at 7500 Miles (good idea), then I would use the exact same oil as the dealer. It is generally OK to mix oils, or to change from one brand or another, but constantly going back and forth between two brands may not be best.
 
Originally Posted By: Burpelson
The OCI is 15000 miles with the BMW maintenance plan I do have.
I will change in between at 7-7500k.

My main concern with using another oil besides the BMW branded 5w30 is mixing oils. I would use a mail order oil if there was a good oil that had the correct spec.

I am not opposed to spending a few bucks more for my ride. But I wonder about having the residual oil from the BMW 5w30 stealership fill every 15k.


i`m sorry,but 15,000 miles is just too long.i think you have the right idea dropping to 7,500.
 
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Either GC or M1 0w-40 will work in your case. If you're worried about mixing brands/grades, then just get the BMW 5w-30 oil from the dealer and use that for in-between changes. It's not a bad oil either.
 
Ask the maintenance manager if he will change the oil/filter free every 7,500 miles if you provide the BMW approved oil.
 
The Castrol OEM BMW 5W30 supposedly meets the required spec ACEA A3,B3 and LL01 (12.0 cSt @ 100C, min HTHS 3.5). BMW Australia has just changed from M1 0W40 to Castrol Edge 0W40 for all petrol/gasoline engined cars. Only U.S uses 5W30 in BMW engines (CAFE rearing it's ugly head again).
 
Is the BMW branded Castrol German Castrol as well? Is it related to 0w30 GC?
I emailed BMW but never received a response
 
From what I've read, the BMW-branded 5w-30 performance oil is the same as Castrol TXT in Europe. It is not related to GC. It is thought to be a group III oil - not that it really matters - it seems to do very well in UOAs.
 
Amsoil SSO 0W30 while a good oil imo doesn't come close to meeting the very specific oil spec for your engine, to thin and HTHS to low. Why use something that obviously doesn't meet spec?
 
The Castrol 5W30 used by BMW is not the same as GC. It may not be as good either though it's supposedly more expensive (I've never actually bought oil from a dealership).

I use GC (Castrol Syntec, Made in Germany, 0W30) in my 2000 528i. It's rated BMW LL-01. When I used to have service work done by the dealership I used to let them use their oil. I used GC for the in-between oil changes as suggested. No problems.

The dealership's advice as I was going out of warrantee was to keep up the in between changes.

I now use GC for all the changes.

Ecotourist
 
Isn't there a new BMW SLX Pro oem oil like VW's?

SLXpro.jpg


Maybe alternate that (if you can get your dealer to use it) and regular Edge or GC for the inbetween changes? Edge or GC at 7500 miles is as good as it gets. Nothing wrong with M1 0w-40, but it's a thicker formula than GC, but with the same HT/HS, making me pretty shure GC is a better oil. I mean, what happens to the M1 HT/HS after it shears? GC won't shear.

gclabel.jpg
 
I would just follow the CBS for maintenance. On the NA engines, I would feel comfortable following the computer. If it was the 335i, then I would consider doing the in-between changes.

Remember, BMW has specified 15k service intervals for ten years. There have not been any widespread oil-related problems on their engines as long as the correct oil is used and the oil is changed per the computer and/or at least annually. With the introduction of the CBS on the 2006 and newer 3-series, the oil change intervals will be even more accurate as the CBS takes into account more factors than the Service Interval Indicator.
 
It was the BMW service manager that recommended I change in between. He said that if I wanted to keep the car past the warranty it was a good idea because people had engine problems when they followed the "free" OCI after the warranty expired.
 
Originally Posted By: Burpelson
It was the BMW service manager that recommended I change in between. He said that if I wanted to keep the car past the warranty it was a good idea because people had engine problems when they followed the "free" OCI after the warranty expired.

I doubt it. A lot of people follow the service interval indicator, but they do not realize that the oil must still be changed annually if the car does not accumulate enough mileage for a scheduled oil change. I think that is how most of the problems occur.

Besides, the BMW has a 7 qt sump, which is a lot.
 
Originally Posted By: The Critic
but they do not realize that the oil must still be changed annually if the car does not accumulate enough mileage for a scheduled oil change.

Every 2 years, according to BMW.
 
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