Oil recommendation please

[kiko]

Vehicle is a 2000 BMW 528i. I am the third owner. Previous owner most likely followed BMW's recommendations of 15k oil changes. I will run auto rx in the vehicle asap. I plan to do my own oil changes (as soon as I figure out how to jack up the darned car). It sits so low I'm afraid to use a floor jack. I'm planning to use GC at about 7.5k oil changes. Can I use some other filter other than OEM like Purolator or Napa (Wix)?

Any other recommendations you guys could provide will be helpful and is very much appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[buster]

Sounds like a good plan to me. Just run the AutoRx then use the GC.

 

[FowVay]

If your car is in original condition then there should be some nice, square, hoist pads just behind the front wheels that you can use to place the jack on when lifting the car. They are the black, square, plastic blocks.

Your oil choice sounds like a good one. I have also used Valvoline 5w-40 SynPower with good results in my BMW. I believe that the MaxLife Synthetic 10w30 would also be a good choice.

You can buy OEM filters from Rockauto dot com for $4. They offer either Mann or Mahle. They're hard to beat.

 

[Louie's gone fishing]

Buy some plastic ramps and be done with it.

 

[KJA426]

Some Advance Auto Stores now carry the Mobil 1 filter.

 

[Al]

Rhino Ramps are the way to go.

 

[kiko]

Thanks for the info guys. One more question if you don't mind. Where can I buy Rhino Ramps in Southern California? Thanks.

 

[KieferS]

Mann filter = #1 for german cars.

 

[gtx510]

quote:

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Originally posted by Al:
Rhino Ramps are the way to go.

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Just don't drive right over them...

I think I got mine at Pepbys, ended up never using them, and giving them away.

IIRC, Purolators from Pepboys are reboxed Mann filters.
www.germanfilters.com $50 for 10 filters
and AutohausAZ sell'em for about $4.50

Does M1 make a BMW filter?


edit: GC is a good choice. Check the GC/Euro forum for the "hitlist" thread.
GC in SD http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=51;t=000931;p=2#000048

 

[Old Mustang Guy]

Some BMW's have aluminum oil pans, if so be careful not to strip the threads. Some dealers suction the oil to avoid problems.

 

[bottgers]

Go with M1 EP with a 12K OCI and PureOne filters. Can't go wrong with this combo.

 

[Louie's gone fishing]

The first time you use the plastic ramps, you'll never want to go back to a jack and stands. Also it's very difficult to drive over them. I know, by brother tried to drive off his ramps going forward, with several attempts failed. He then figured out his problem and backed down in the correct direction.

 

[labman]

One disadvantage of jacks and jack stands is the need for space for both the jack and the jack stand. At least with the cartridge filter on my new car, I can now do both it and my truck with them flat on the floor.

I am rearranging the storage in my garage. I may relegate the seldom used ramps to a less accessible place.

 

[bottgers]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Louie's gone fishing:
The first time you use the plastic ramps, you'll never want to go back to a jack and stands. Also it's very difficult to drive over them. I know, by brother tried to drive off his ramps going forward, with several attempts failed. He then figured out his problem and backed down in the correct direction.

---

Maybe it's just a "comfort" thing with me, but I don't trust those plastic ramps. Wal-Phart sells the metal ones and the cost about the same. Get the metal ones.

 

[XS650]

quote:

---

Originally posted by bottgers:
Maybe it's just a "comfort" thing with me, but I don't trust those plastic ramps. Wal-Phart sells the metal ones and the cost about the same. Get the metal ones.

---

Just don't get the cheap stamped and folded sheet metal ones that are held together with a few spot welds.

 

[gtx510]

quote:

---

Originally posted by bottgers:
Go with M1 EP with a 12K OCI and PureOne filters. Can't go wrong with this combo.

---

There isn't a Pure-One for the BMW canister filters.

quote:

---

Originally posted by gtx510:
IIRC, Purolators from Pepboys are reboxed Mann filters.
www.germanfilters.com $50 for 10 filters
and AutohausAZ sell'em for about $4.50

---

 

[bottgers]

quote:

---

Originally posted by XS650:

quote:

---

Originally posted by bottgers:
Maybe it's just a "comfort" thing with me, but I don't trust those plastic ramps. Wal-Phart sells the metal ones and the cost about the same. Get the metal ones.

---

Just don't get the cheap stamped and folded sheet metal ones that are held together with a few spot welds.

---

The ones I have aren't welded at all, but are a one-piece stamped unit. Very strong and much better than those cheap plastic ones.

 

[Louie's gone fishing]

Plastic, metal who cares, they are just a lot more convient and safer than jacks and jackstands.

On a trip to the desert we backed up a 40 foot motorhome onto a pair of those 'cheap' plastic ramps and they worked just fine. Nothing cracked or failed, although we did put a tree stump under the differential, just to be sure. I would not want to be out there is all that heat pumping on a floor jack.

 

[Hermann]

Got my Rhino Ramps at AAP for about $30 plus tax.

 

[WishIhadatruck]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Old Mustang Guy:
Some BMW's have aluminum oil pans, if so be careful not to strip the threads. Some dealers suction the oil to avoid problems.

---

Don't most vehicles have aluminum oil pans now? My '94 Grand Prix does with the 3100. My '01 Grand Prix with the 3800 does not but I thought it was becoming pretty common. Maybe I'm wrong. The only car I ever had bad threads on the oil drain plug was a car I bought used and it had a steel pan.