is Regular oil safe for '03 BMW?

[Trajan]

That's OK. I did in the first three. But in 12, not a single fact or valid theory why the OP can use dino. Lots of guesswork though. All meant well though.

But I do wonder, if dino is good enough, why doesn't the manufactuer recommend any? Could it be that they know better than we do??????

Tobin, my dear boy. Asking questions is fine. But there are two kinds of answers. The one you want to hear, and the right one. There are times they are the same. This isn't one of them.

Take your 2003 model to a dealer, and of course you're going to get the answers that you got. I'm speculating, but they won't put dino oil in an engine spec'd for synth if for no other reason than if the engine gets screwed up, you might sue them.

But, they also know far more than you about it. They also know far more than I do.

I'll cut this short. It has nothing to do with being rich. It has nothing to do with being a snob. (BTW, I don't know where you get that [censored].) Nothing to do with being elite.

It's simple economics. You said it yourself. Student loans to pay off. You can't afford $100 oil changes. Can't afford the correct octane. Your words, not mine.

If you can't afford to maintain it, you can't afford to use it. It doesn't matter if it's a BMW, Audi, Rolls, Pinto, Vega, Trabant. (You think an oil change is expensive? Wait till you need brakes/rotors... Find yourself a good mechanic, and stick with them.)

Bottom line. It's up to you what you do. Use whatever oil you want. Use whatever gas you want. Your car.

 

[GrampsintheSand]

Originally Posted By: Audi Junkie
In five pages I don't see a single fact, not even a valid theory, why the OP can't use good dino 10w-40 in his car. It's a legitimate question and there should be a little bit more focused thought put into it.

A high-miles oil like MaxLife would be excellent, UOA w/TBN to verify the interval.

Who amongst you will volenteer?

So do we ignore your previous post in this thread?
I for one would not hesitate to run a 10-40 dino for a 3-5K OCI. BMW specs are like most European manufacturers oil specs and that is based on long OCI's thus calling for synthetics.

 

[sprintman]

Tobin your a clueless d1ckhead!. There would be only one person on this forum who doesn't know I have been unempoyed since July 31st. Now be a good boy and sell your car to somebody who can at least afford the correct oil for it, it deserves nothing less.

 

[BuickGN]

Originally Posted By: sprintman
Tobin your a clueless d1ckhead!. There would be only one person on this forum who doesn't know I have been unempoyed since July 31st. Now be a good boy and sell your car to somebody who can at least afford the correct oil for it, it deserves nothing less.


Ouch! I'm headed that direction myself.

 

[sprintman]

It isn't good.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: sprintman
I have been unempoyed since July 31st.

Sorry to hear that. I hope things start looking up for you pretty soon.

 

[sprintman]

Many thanks, it looks like I'm moving into security, a big change from IT sales. Secong highest occupation to get murdered so very apprehensive..

 

[Trajan]

Originally Posted By: sprintman
Tobin your a clueless d1ckhead!. There would be only one person on this forum who doesn't know I have been unempoyed since July 31st. Now be a good boy and sell your car to somebody who can at least afford the correct oil for it, it deserves nothing less.


And I've been out of work since Feb of last year. Aren't we a bunch of rich elite snobs.

I'd give the same advice if I still owned the 97 Camaro I bought in 2002. In that case, I'd be labeled jealous?

 

[Trajan]

Originally Posted By: sprintman
Many thanks, it looks like I'm moving into security, a big change from IT sales. Secong highest occupation to get murdered so very apprehensive..


Good luck.

 

[sprintman]

If we the unemployed are the rich and elite I wonder what the OP is?

 

[Audi Junkie]

Yep, nothing rational that disproves the OP's premise, but plenty of personal attacks.

I'm not even shure who gets it and who doesn't, but I'm saying dino IS the BETTER option as long as the owner does not mind draining it out 2x as often as the synth that costs 2x as much.

All that babble about mfg specs and such, there actually ARE good and great UOAs in Euro cars from non-spec oils to put that presumption to bed. Nobody is really digging for them, but they exist. I know where I'd start looking or them, but noone seems to care, except the OP, who got my opinion already.

 

[GrampsintheSand]

I totally agree ^^^

 

[aquariuscsm]

Regular oil is safe for any passenger car.

 

[bretfraz]

Originally Posted By: Audi Junkie
In five pages I don't see a single fact, not even a valid theory, why the OP can't use good dino 10w-40 in his car. It's a legitimate question and there should be a little bit more focused thought put into it.

A high-miles oil like MaxLife would be excellent, UOA w/TBN to verify the interval.

Who amongst you will volenteer?


You want us to disprove your claim? If it's your assertion, you assume the burden of proof and validate your own theory.

 

[Audi Junkie]

I'll settle for just a competing theory.

 

[bretfraz]

Your "theory" was refuted before you offered it.

 

[Trajan]

Originally Posted By: Audi Junkie

I'm not even shure who gets it and who doesn't, but I'm saying dino IS the BETTER option as long as the owner does not mind draining it out 2x as often as the synth that costs 2x as much.

All that babble about mfg specs and such, there actually ARE good and great UOAs in Euro cars from non-spec oils to put that presumption to bed. Nobody is really digging for them, but they exist. I know where I'd start looking or them, but noone seems to care, except the OP, who got my opinion already.


Ok. You say that syn oil cost twice as much as dino. But you say drain the dino twice as often. The OP wants to save money. Thus the next paragraph.

If 7 qts of syn cost $50, and 14 qts of dino cost $50, with the added expense of two oil filters rather than one, just where is he saving money? Just how, in your words, is that the better option?

And post those UOA's you speak of. It is possible I can be convinced to switch to that dino that is 1/2 the price of the synth. Of course, if I change it twice as much, it will cost more. Unless I reuse the filter?

 

[sprintman]

AJ for somebody who purports to drive an Audi you don't make any sense and you know bugger all about BMW's. Am E46 engine has a propensity to shear oil (timing chain design/VANOS etc). Hence all the sludged BMW engine pics on U.S BMW forums where almost to a man they have used an oil that comes nowhere near spec. BMW and the oil companies spent millions to arrive at a spec that woulod do the job required, and it wasn't with 10W40 dino. Get a grip man!

 

[Islandvic]

Tobin, congrats on your BMW.!!

I read about half the posts, so I may be repeating what has already been stated.

If you have a FREE BMW, and you want to keep it, do what BMW requires and get BMW spec'd oil LL-01.

Putting cheap dino in it equates to when I see a practically new high performance or luxury car with the cheapest off brand tires available (saw a '07 Lexus ls430 yesterday w/ tires that didnt even have a name on them).

If you are on a budget and dont want to take it to the dealer (which I wouldnt do anyway), buy the required ammount of oil and a filter, and take it to a quick change oil/lube store and pay them $20 for the labor to do the change for you. Watch them do the labor and watch them put YOUR oil in the engine and you will be good to go!

Buy a Mann cartridge filter (local or off the internet) and Valvoline Maxlife SYNTHETIC 10-30 or 10-40. It's one of the few readily available oils that is not very expensive. It meets and exceeds many euro specs, including your BMW LL-01 spec.


It's an excellent oil, I have used it a lot. It gets very good reveiws on this forum.

Good luck and keep us posted on what you decide.

 

[Audi Junkie]

Originally Posted By: sprintman
AJ for somebody who purports to drive an Audi you don't make any sense and you know bugger all about BMW's.

WHERE DOES IT SAY I DRIVE AND AUDI?

Am E46 engine has a propensity to shear oil (timing chain design/VANOS etc).

NOT A SINGLE UOA HERE SO POST A LINK PROVING SHEAR.WHAT MAKES A G-III SHEER AND A G-2 NOT?

Hence all the sludged BMW engine pics on U.S BMW forums where almost to a man they have used an oil that comes nowhere near spec.

NO, THEY EITHER RAN THE BMW OIL WAY BEYOND RECOMMENDATION OR BULK OIL TO 15K+++. SHOW US THE LINK WHERE DINO OIL TURNED TO SLUDGE, OPERATING AS I PRESCRIBED


BMW and the oil companies spent millions to arrive at a spec that woulod do the job required, and it wasn't with 10W40 dino.

"MILLIONS"? WASN'T THAT SPEC INTENDED FOR EXTENDED OCIS? ALL THE CONTENT ON THIS FORUM AND NOW ONLY A SINGLE SPEC OIL WILL DO? FYI, THERE ARE GOOD UOAS of 15w-40 DINO AND SYNTH 5w-30 IN AUDI TURBOS. 4cyl 20v w/ TURBO OH,I GUESS THE STRAIT-6 IS HARDER ON OIL.

Get a grip man!

5w-40 vs 10w-40? WHAT WAS I THINKING?