Will the dealership change the oil more often if requested?

[crzy4135i]

I plan on keeping the 135i for awhile and don't agree with changing the oil on any turbo car for 10k+ miles. I know the car has free maintenance but I plan on paying them to change the oil every 5k miles. Turbos and the related high temps are not as easy on oil. Do you think they'll give me a hard time.. or just take my money and do the oil changes?

[FairfaxM3]

They will, of course, do oil changes as often as you want--so long as you pay for them.

The only ones that will be free will be the scheduled ones, per the BMW schedule.

[BMWfan]

They won't argue with you if you insist. You'll just end up paying for every 2nd oil change out of your own pocket. They still cover the big inspection I and II services.

[PA135i]

Yes. They will change it if you want to get it changed early. I've been doing it for my current length of ownership on my 325. You can tell them not to reset the service interval indicator, but they wont anyway if its an eatly oil chnage.

I plan on getting one at 2000, 7000 then when the indicator hits zero. Of course I'll be paying for 2 of those changes. After that we'll see, maybe every 5000 or 7000.

[Tom K.]

I've been doing it with no problem. If you drive less than ca. 15k in a year, you will get a free oil change. If not, ask for an "Interim" oil change (ca. $100), not an "Oil Service (ca. $300).
With synthetic oil which is OEM in all BMWs, I have one change in between scheduled services and virtually never have to add oil between changes.
Tom

[crzy4135i]

Originally Posted by Tom K.

I've been doing it with no problem. If you drive less than ca. 15k in a year, you will get a free oil change. If not, ask for an "Interim" oil change (ca. $100), not an "Oil Service (ca. $300).
With synthetic oil which is OEM in all BMWs, I have one change in between scheduled services and virtually never have to add oil between changes.
Tom

So you're saying they'll change the oil due to time and not miles? I won't drive the car to work every day so I'll only end up driving around 10-12k/yr. I would change the oil myself but I want it on the official dealer service records.

[nachob]

The dealership will change it more often if you pay for it. I do. I change mine every 7500 miles and it costs me $112 with my BMWCCA parts discount. I wholeheartedly agree, I am not gambling on a 15K oil change with thin fuel efficient oil on a sports sedan motor, driven like a sports car. The only way you will get a free 5K oil change is if you only drive 5K per year as BMW will change the oil at 15K or 1 year whichever comes first. They call it a low mileage change. Also, Castrol is recommended by BMW USA but I believe in Europe, BMW recommends Pento-Synth which you can find here in some places in the US. The make a long life Pento-Synth 5w-40 w which is what I would run in a 135i, not the US spec 5w-30.

IB

[PA135i]

Just FWIW, whenever I had an oil change service performed at my dealership when it was due, it never reset to 15,000. Mine always read around 13,300 after a reset. So, cutting that in half might be OK for long term care. Unless you drive very aggressively.

[ichiban]

where can i obtain the oem bmw synthetic oil? I'm planning on doing the oil change myself, but i dont want to do it with mobil 1 synthetic and then have them use oem bmw synthetic during my scheduled maintenance.

[crzy4135i]

Originally Posted by nachob

The dealership will change it more often if you pay for it. I do. I change mine every 7500 miles and it costs me $112 with my BMWCCA parts discount. I wholeheartedly agree, I am not gambling on a 15K oil change with thin fuel efficient oil on a sports sedan motor, driven like a sports car. The only way you will get a free 5K oil change is if you only drive 5K per year as BMW will change the oil at 15K or 1 year whichever comes first. They call it a low mileage change. Also, Castrol is recommended by BMW USA but I believe in Europe, BMW recommends Pento-Synth which you can find here in some places in the US. The make a long life Pento-Synth 5w-40 w which is what I would run in a 135i, not the US spec 5w-30.

IB

I run 5W40 Mobil 1 full synthetic turbo diesel truck oil in my S4. It meets the highest specs called for heavy duty diesel truck engines. That's what I'll use if I end up changing the oil myself.

[colonel1961]

My experience over many years and BMWs is that they will change the oil and do anything else that is needed under the program - no charge, no hassle - and will occasionally throw in a freebie. If you are a repeat customer, they should do an interim oil change at least every other request. Just my experience and humble opinion...

They also do minor services such as adding wiper fluid or changing wiper blades - they get paid from BMW - so don't be bashful in telling them that your blades are streaking!

[crzy4135i]

Originally Posted by colonel1961

My experience over many years and BMWs is that they will change the oil and do anything else that is needed under the program - no charge, no hassle - and will occasionally throw in a freebie. If you are a repeat customer, they should do an interim oil change at least every other request. Just my experience and humble opinion...

They also do minor services such as adding wiper fluid or changing wiper blades - they get paid from BMW - so don't be bashful in telling them that your blades are streaking!

Agreed! Our dealer has been nothing but helpful with our '06 325i. Every time she takes it in they are very nice about everything and give a loaner no problem, etc. We had the runflats replaced with 10k on the car due to sounding like snowtires. She had to pay around $350. I received a refund check in the mail a week later because, apparently, there was a recall on those bridgestone runflats.

[Ty Vil]

BMW NA will pay for oil changes as the service interval indicator requires them OR annually - which ever comes faster.

Any other oil service will be paid by the client.