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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Technical Forums > Mechanical Maintenance: Break-in / Oil & Fluids / Servicing / Warranty > Poll: Timing for the first oil change



View Poll Results: When is your first oil change
15,000 Miles (scheduled) 71 41.28%
7,500 Miles 31 18.02%
5,000 Miles 30 17.44%
1,200 Miles (right after break-in) 40 23.26%
Voters: 172. You may not vote on this poll

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      10-25-2005, 07:00 PM   #1
kierangu
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Poll: Timing for the first oil change

1. 15,000 Miles (scheduled)
2. 7,500 Miles
3. 5,000 Miles
4. 1,200 Miles (after break-in)
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      10-25-2005, 07:16 PM   #2
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Actually, at my free 5000km inspection, I will have the oil changed for a TRIPLE SYNTHETIC oil at my BMW dealer. Of course they will change the oil filter at the same time.

I do this more for piece of mind than anything else as I will keep my car for about 7 years and I don't travel that many kms per year although I do tend to go the long way to my desinations time permitting, just to enjoy the car.
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      10-25-2005, 08:12 PM   #3
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My 0.02, I'd do the filter @ 3,000 miles and oil & filter @ 5,000 miles.
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      10-25-2005, 08:50 PM   #4
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It's your nickel, but....

I have 2 e46's a 2000 323Ci with 110K and a 2004 325iT with 24k, I have only changed per the maintenance indicator and so far neither car has ever required any oil between changes and the performance and reliability has been best of any cars I have owned!
So if it makes you feel better change it every week, but consider this just think about all of the tremendous advances in auto technology over the years, don't you think that the oils suppliers have improved performance as well? Let alone the engine designers.
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      10-26-2005, 12:04 AM   #5
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Hrm...interesting distribution of poll answers so far...my guess is that it's either change the oil after break in or wait 'til service.
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      10-26-2005, 04:33 PM   #6
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Looks like many are following the schedule.
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      10-26-2005, 04:51 PM   #7
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My dealer told me if I am looking to keep the car for long time...every 7500 miles is good to change oil.
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      11-08-2005, 10:23 PM   #8
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I plan to change it 1,500 miles, then at 5k, then every 5K.

I plan to keep the car and I think it helps resale value if you sell to another BMW fanatic concerned about proper/over maintenance.

Oil changes don't cost a ton of money and they can't hurt...only help.
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      11-08-2005, 10:27 PM   #9
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My dealer told me: don't... as they have some sealer in initial oil from factory.

Not sure if that true or BS. With my 6 year warranty I will stick to official schedule.
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      11-08-2005, 10:45 PM   #10
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Just changed mine at 6,000 miles....but planning to do every 5,000 miles afterward.......
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      11-09-2005, 09:52 AM   #11
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i will take the dealer's word on this stuff.

even though they dont know much, im sure BMW knows what they are doing.

and there is a warranty which i plan on taking full advantage of. I dont see myself keeping the car once the warranty is finished anyway.
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      11-09-2005, 10:56 AM   #12
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An engine has never suffered from running in fresh, clean oil. Enough said.
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      11-09-2005, 11:03 AM   #13
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Here is the response I got back from Mike Miller, the BMW Car Club of America magizine "Roundel" Tech Talk expert....
****************
Hi Mike,

You'll get as many answers as people you ask about motor oil, perhaps more. All I can tell you is what I do. I adhere to the BMW maintenance schedule that was in force before BMW starting paying for maintenance, and then lengthened or eliminated all the intervals. I perform a break-in service at 1,200 miles that includes engine oil and filter, manual gearbox oil, and differential oil changes. I don't mess with automatic transmissions. Thereafter, I change gearbox and differential oil every 30,000 miles.

And by the way, you and I are old school, and it's not nonsense. Today's marketing baloney of "maintenance free cars" is nonsense. Anything can be maintenance free -- just don't maintain it.

Best regards,
Mike Miller
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Bottom line, if you like your car, care about resale value, change your oil. At a bare minimum, change it every 7,500 miles...
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      11-09-2005, 11:26 AM   #14
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I've changed my mind. Going to change the oil and filter at 1,200 miles.
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      11-09-2005, 11:46 AM   #15
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changing oil at 7500 mi ;]
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      11-10-2005, 06:53 AM   #16
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Hi David325,
I bought my new 325i at Doncaster BMW. Their instructions to me when I drove away after delivery was to follow the in-built maintenance indicator, or come in at 25000 km for the first service. No mention of a 5000 km free inspection like you. When I asked the dealer about an early service (similar to the 1200 mile break-in service that seems to be done in the US) he said this was not necessary. He also said that no particular regime needs to be followed when running the car in, apart from varying the speed as much as possible, and not using cruise control. He was fresh from a visit to the 325 assembly plant in Germany where he was amazed to see all 3-series cars were subjected to 10 minutes at full power on a chassis dynomometer as an integral part of manufacture and quality assurance. With the modern machining processes now involved in engine/transmission assembly, perhaps the 25000 km recommendation is valid?
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      11-10-2005, 09:03 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kierangu
Looks like many are following the schedule.
Looks like a good reason NOT to buy a used BMW
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      01-10-2006, 01:13 AM   #18
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I also played it safe and ignored the dealer's recommendation of 25000 km first service, and had the engine oil and filter changed at a nominal 3000 km. What probably convinced me that this was good practice was the post from the guy in the US who had had his engine oil analysed professionally after about 2000 km, and found high concentrations of metals in the oil. Yes the oil not the filter element! This can only come from the rotating or sliding surfaces in the engine and presumably represents a potential threat to long engine life. BTW, nowhere in the owners' or dealers' handbooks in Australia is the term "break-in" distance mentioned, although I notice this term frequently mentioned by US owners. Is this an official BMW term with certain connotations or merely a hangover from earlier times when manufacturers recommended engines to be "broken-in"?
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      01-10-2006, 01:52 PM   #19
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Pretty much a hangover term when speaking to us "regular" 3 series owners, "break in oil changes" is only found is the M series cars these days.
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      01-11-2006, 07:58 AM   #20
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I vote to change the oil and filter @ 1200 miles. I was on an extended trip and waited until I returned home to change my "break-in" oil. I performed the change at 3200 miles.

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      01-15-2006, 09:59 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ABR
My dealer told me: don't... as they have some sealer in initial oil from factory.

Not sure if that true or BS. With my 6 year warranty I will stick to official schedule.
sealer in the oil? negative ghost rider.
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      01-30-2006, 08:39 PM   #22
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I had my oil changed right around 1200 miles (1000km) and am running about 7300 miles now. I actually was thinking about changing it again so I thought I'd come here and check out what other E90 guys are doing, too. Good to know I'm not the only one who wants to change it more often than BMW's advised 15,000 mile interval
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