[ZoranTerzic]

Hi guys, picked up my 2021 X5 x30d a couple days ago from a country BMW dealer. It has 68,000kms (42,000 miles) on the clock. Previous owner used the car to commute between country towns. Absolutely love it, drives like a dream and is in beautiful arctic gray, M sport trim and on 742m wheels. Purchased on a 5 year lease.

The vehicle was advertised as a “BMW premium certified used vehicle” - in Australia it means, and I quote “All vehicles pass a 360-degree mechanical and safety check and come with verified service history, 6-month/10,000km service free period”

That said, I’ve checked the idrive system and it hasn’t missed a service - however the first oil change was at 58,000kms (36,000 miles), with a second oil change done when I picked it up at 68,000km! It did have a break-in oil change completed at 1200km.

To me this is absolutely crazy?! and I’m starting to second guess my purchase. I understand sensors and computers advise when the oil and oil filter services are due, but this to me seems far too long. I’m having to trust the vehicles systems and bmw techs over my gut feeling here.

FYI - The vehicle was first registered in February 2021, so previous owner traveled 68,000kms mostly highway driving.

What’re your thoughts here? Need some advice on what to think/do next.

Thanks guys.

[Marty in NY]

Originally Posted by ZoranTerzic

That said, I’ve checked the idrive system and it hasn’t missed a service - however the first oil change was at 58,000kms (36,000 miles), with a second oil change done when I picked it up at 68,000km! It did have a break-in oil change completed at 1200km.

To me this is absolutely crazy?!

That does seem way too long, even for a diesel. Go back to your dealer and have them verify this for you. However, it could be the previous owner either did his own oil changes or had an indy do it so therefore it's possible a BMW dealer may not have the records. All highway driving will extend the mileage between oil changes but 36K minus the 1200 break-in seems far too long, I think there might be a story there somewhere.
What did you look at in iDrive that gave you that info?

[streborx]

The service indicator triggers every 10K miles or 12 months, whichever occurs first. Resetting the indicator doesn't verify that any service was actually performed however. Without service records and receipts, it seems impossible to determine if oil changes were performed.

[Pro55]

I have same 30d m sport in the uk. Had from new. Mainly highway, very little stop start. I drive gave first oil service at 16000m. Second service, major at about 33000. third at 50000 just oil change. Fourth at 66000 miles. Major service. So I feel the system gives you by default 16000 between oil changes and then increases or reduces a bit depending on your driving style. Each country is different though but remember its the same car made in the same factory!!!

[streborx]

Hey, how do you guys down under change your oil anyway? Doesn't it collect in the valve covers instead of in the oil pan where the drain plug is?

(Sorry, sorry, sorry - I just couldn't resist - lol).

Seriously though, with respect to "verified service history", I think an attorney would argue that "verified" merely means that the information being presented is truthful, and not that it implies compliance with service recommendations.

[eelnoraa]

Originally Posted by streborx

Hey, how do you guys down under change your oil anyway? Doesn't it collect in the valve covers instead of in the oil pan where the drain plug is?

(Sorry, sorry, sorry - I just couldn't resist - lol).

Seriously though, with respect to "verified service history", I think an attorney would argue that "verified" merely means that the information being presented is truthful, and not that it implies compliance with service recommendations.

How can oil be collected at vavle cover?

The official way by bmw is alway drain at drain plug. After all, it is called drain plug. For car still with dip stick, DIYer have been using device like MytiVac to pump oil out through dip stick tube, but this is only be dip stick tube goes all the way down to oil pan, so effectively it is still getting the oil at the bottom.

As to OP, if first oil change is at 36k km, this is very long, especially for a diesel.

[streborx]

Originally Posted by eelnoraa

How can oil be collected at vavle cover?

Just poking fun at those yanks among us who think everything in Oz is upside down.

[jad03060]

In the USA, the default oil change interval starts out at 10K-miles (16Km) for the petrol (gasoline ICE vehicles), but is a condition based calculation, so will vary from there, up or down depending on the use. Plus, they want you to change the oil at 1-year intervals (unless done earlier), regardless of the mileage. I would think the diesel would be similar. From the forum, it appears that the recommended oil change intervals are longer in some markets.

For example, some years ago with my ICE BMW, I started a long trip with the computer indicating 4K-miles to the next oil change...I drove over the next few months, from NH to NY to MI to TX and then back home nearly 5K-miles...when I got home, the computer still said 4K-miles to the next oil change. The vast majority of the miles were non-stop, highway, and through most of those parts of the country, relatively flat (i.e., no climbing mountains or crossing deserts).

[ZoranTerzic]

Bit of an update.. service agents are totally useless at this country BMW.. they put me on to the salesman who sold me the car to explain to me how bmw servicing works and that bmw oils last “a long time”. I asked if he would buy a vehicle that went 56,000 kms between oil changes, and he replied “well if that’s what the idrive says then it’s fine”. So essentially I got no where with them.

I called the BMW center I take my cars to and they’ve provided me with the below screenshots. They cannot see oil changes in the idrive but have sent me the screenshots for piece of mind??

I can’t quite make out if there was an oil change or not with these, but I’m hoping someone can?

Please help

Thanks for all your replies thus far guys

[Tejas1836]

OP, nothing that you can do about it now. Just change the oil every 5,000 miles from here on out

[ZoranTerzic]

Originally Posted by Tejas1836

OP, nothing that you can do about it now. Just change the oil every 5,000 miles from here on out

Yep, 100%. I’m just worried about long term damage to the engine now.
Best course of action is to look after it and pray lol.

[SwissBeemer]

Originally Posted by ZoranTerzic

Yep, 100%. I’m just worried about long term damage to the engine now.
Best course of action is to look after it and pray lol.

I can highly recommend to check the used oil coming out of the car. I do this with all my cars and it gives great indicators as to:

- The state of the oil (Could it have gone longer or should it have been changed a long time ago?)
- The state of the engine (Traces of certain metals in the oil can indicate if there's any issues and especially when doing multiple checks you can see a trend and judge if something is normal or out of the ordinary.)

These are around 40-50$ around here and are done by companies that usually check oil/grease/etc for huge engines/machines.

Especially with modern diesels you will see that diesel/soot in the oil is quite a big issue and that some of the intervals given by BMW are quite short. (€dit: Obviously I meant long) On my 750d I used to change the oil every 10.000-15.000km (6.000-9.000mi) and that was actually already borderline due to soot and diesel in the oil while BMW recommended 30.000km (18.000mi).

[ZoranTerzic]

Originally Posted by SwissBeemer

I can highly recommend to check the used oil coming out of the car. I do this with all my cars and it gives great indicators as to:

- The state of the oil (Could it have gone longer or should it have been changed a long time ago?)
- The state of the engine (Traces of certain metals in the oil can indicate if there's any issues and especially when doing multiple checks you can see a trend and judge if something is normal or out of the ordinary.)

These are around 40-50$ around here and are done by companies that usually check oil/greas/etc for huge engines/machines.

Especially with modern diesels you will see that diesel/soot in the oil is quite a big issue and that some of the intervals given by BMW are quite short. On my 750d I used to change the oil every 10.000-15.000km (6.000-9.000mi) and that was actually already borderline due to soot and diesel in the oil while BMW recommended 30.000km (18.000mi).

Thank you mate! I will give this a go. Appreciate all your input

[SwissBeemer]

There's forums with tons of knowledge where you can post the results so people can help you interpret them. (I only know the German oil club forum unfortunately but I'm sure there's english forums as well, worst case use oil club with a translator or even english.)

[streborx]

You could install an oil plug with a magnet insert next oil change and see if any debris collects indicative of unusual engine wear. You could also have a compression test done. If there's nothing abnormal, you'll at least feel a bit better.

[jad03060]

One thing that is often done on aircraft engines is to cut apart the oil filter during an oil change to verify there are no metal shavings...the consequences of an aircraft engine failure are potentially much worse than in a vehicle, but the principle is still the same...look for signs there's something wrong.

I'm in favor of having the oil analyzed at your next oil change as well...I haven't done it recently, but on one vehicle, it alerted me to a coolant leak way before there was a wear issue that was addressed as a result. I also found that in that case, the manufacturer's oil change interval, when I switched to a synthetic oil was WAY short of what was needed. Almost tripling their recommendation showed the oil was still in good shape, and there was no subsequent rise in wear metals in the oil.

How and where you drive can make a huge difference in the oil's life. A better generic measure would be engine hours, but the computer in the vehicle is smarter than that.

[ZoranTerzic]

Thanks for all of your replies guys. I have an update - and it’s a good one.

I got an email from the service manager. Email below:

“Hello Zoran,

looking at the BMW history there is a missing service. The service has been completed but looks as if it hasn’t transferred. Please find attached the missing service. Vehicle has full-service history with both oil service completed at blacklocks.”

I have attached the document outlining the service indicating oil change at 31,000kms.

Huge relief!!! Now how to get this on to my idrive?! Surely they can do it?

I am going to run an oil analysis, I think that’s a great idea.

Thank you all

[SwissBeemer]

Originally Posted by ZoranTerzic

Huge relief!!! Now how to get this on to my idrive?! Surely they can do it?

It used to be that the iDrive was a separate memory that was fed with the cloud data from BMW every time it was at the dealer and connected to the system. So you could plug in an oil-change that you did yourself but it would be overwritten by the dealer later on.

I'd guess this changed though and think it's up to the dealer to make sure that whatever service they did is actually in both their database and your car. It was paid for at some point and this should be included.

[ZoranTerzic]

Originally Posted by SwissBeemer

It used to be that the iDrive was a separate memory that was fed with the cloud data from BMW every time it was at the dealer and connected to the system. So you could plug in an oil-change that you did yourself but it would be overwritten by the dealer later on.

I'd guess this changed though and think it's up to the dealer to make sure that whatever service they did is actually in both their database and your car. It was paid for at some point and this should be included.

Good to know mate. Hopefully they can do it remotely as this dealer is 4 hours away from me.

Appreciate all your input 😁😁

[Marty in NY]

Originally Posted by ZoranTerzic

Thanks for all of your replies guys. I have an update - and it’s a good one.

I got an email from the service manager

I have attached the document outlining the service indicating oil change at 31,000kms.

Are you saying that its oil changes were at 1,200, 31,051 and 36,000? That still doesn't sound right to me. In looking at the chart you posted, what was done at 19,568? It just says Service - standard s

[streborx]

I think I'm lost. Are you saying that the vehicle's printed maintenance booklet entries, the vehicle's computer and the dealership's records cannot be reconciled for a vehicle that has been exclusively dealer maintained?

I do all my own scheduled maintenance, and I keep comprehensive records including receipts for all maintence item purchases, service dates and mileage, and service indicator resets. I also periodically run an OBDII scan and print out its report. IMO, a single thoroughly documented service record set is more convincing than 3 sets that need to be stitched together in order to make any sense.

[ZoranTerzic]

Originally Posted by Marty in NY

Are you saying that its oil changes were at 1,200, 31,051 and 36,000? That still doesn't sound right to me. In looking at the chart you posted, what was done at 19,568? It just says Service - standard s

First oil change 1200km
Second 31000km
Third 58000km
4th 63000km

The first oil change is at 31000 is still long, but given it was 95% Highway driving I’ll take it..