Trouble Searching "BMW" OCI Info

[Blue_Angel]

I'm not sure why, but I can't get any search results for BMW. Maybe the word is too short for the forum's search engine?

Anyway, my better half drives a 2011 323i. It's basically the same as a 328i but with a smaller 2.5L 200hp version of the straight six.

Her maintenance is covered for the first four years/80,000 kms, including oil changes. The dealer will not change the oil until the OLM says to do so, and that is happening every 24,000 km (15,000 mi). The car just had its second oil change after 48,000 kms...

Does anyone know which oil BMW is using? Are there any UOAs from late model 2.5L or 3.0L straight sixes on this forum to view? This car doesn't even have a dipstick... I like to know a little bit about what's going on under the hood but this car is pretty secretive.

 

[LotI]

Paste this into Google
bmw uoa site:www.bobistheoilguy.com

 

[Mark_Walk]

Dealer should be using the BMW High Performance Synthetic 5w30 motor oil. I believe it's supplied by Castrol. I've been doing an in between oil change at home using German Castrol 0w30.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Blue_Angel
The dealer will not change the oil until the OLM says to do so, and that is happening every 24,000 km (15,000 mi). The car just had its second oil change after 48,000 kms...

FYI, in the US (maybe in North American in general), BMW cut down the intervals to 10K miles max starting with 2014 model year. Apparently those 15K OCI were just a little too much...

However, they did not seem to back spec it for earlier years. Go figure...

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/bmw-drops-oci-to-10-000-miles.200806/



I change the oil in my 530i once a year. This happens to be at about 6K miles. You can see some of my past UOAs here, although mine is somewhat older (still has a dipstick):
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/02-bmw-530i-pennzoil-ultra-5w-40-sm-5-300-miles.195723/

 

[Blue_Angel]

Originally Posted By: Lotl
Paste this into Google
bmw uoa site:www.bobistheoilguy.com

Thanks, that works nicely!

Originally Posted By: Mark_Walk
Dealer should be using the BMW High Performance Synthetic 5w30 motor oil. I believe it's supplied by Castrol. I've been doing an in between oil change at home using German Castrol 0w30.

I wasn't sure if they were using a 5w30 or a 0W-40, thanks for confirming. An in-between change is on my mind as well... maybe I'll pull the oil fill cap and see if there's any varnish building up in there.

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
FYI, in the US (maybe in North American in general), BMW cut down the intervals to 10K miles max starting with 2014 model year. Apparently those 15K OCI were just a little too much...

However, they did not seem to back spec it for earlier years. Go figure...

Yes, just read that. Even the "large" sumps don't seem to be a guarantee of better long life oil performance.

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
I change the oil in my 530i once a year. This happens to be at about 6K miles. You can see some of my past UOAs here, although mine is somewhat older (still has a dipstick)

I can't believe they deleted the dipstick... that should almost be mandated by law!

Thanks for the info.

 

[JC1]

Originally Posted By: Blue_Angel
I'm not sure why, but I can't get any search results for BMW. Maybe the word is too short for the forum's search engine?

Anyway, my better half drives a 2011 323i. It's basically the same as a 328i but with a smaller 2.5L 200hp version of the straight six.

Her maintenance is covered for the first four years/80,000 kms, including oil changes. The dealer will not change the oil until the OLM says to do so, and that is happening every 24,000 km (15,000 mi). The car just had its second oil change after 48,000 kms...

Does anyone know which oil BMW is using? Are there any UOAs from late model 2.5L or 3.0L straight sixes on this forum to view? This car doesn't even have a dipstick... I like to know a little bit about what's going on under the hood but this car is pretty secretive.


Searching on google it says capacity is 6.5 quarts. A few co-workers have BMWs and say oil changes are approx $250 CDN from the stealership.

Regards, JC.

 

[Blue_Angel]

Originally Posted By: JC1
A few co-workers have BMWs and say oil changes are approx $250 CDN from the stealership.


Yeeaaaahh - I don't see signing up for too many $250 oil changes...!!!

 

[Quattro Pete]

19K miles on BMW 5w30 oil:
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/bmw-5w30-19-000-miles-35-700-miles-11bmw-x3-28i.201943/

 

[Blue_Angel]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
19K miles on BMW 5w30 oil:


19k miles, pretty good!

I'm not TOO worried about her car since she drives a highway commute that most likely gets the oil temps up 5 days a week. She's a leadfoot and is always cruising at 75-80 MPH (yet complains about her mileage...!). The gearing on this car isn't exactly tall, so with the engine reving the way it does the oil should get plenty toasty, even in the winter months.