[sajakh]

I just got my first BMW service at 21,000 miles, my "first" oil change. Now it says my next service is in 9,000 miles. That doesn't make sense?

[DasBlitz]

Isn't the first one at 15k?

[sajakh]

Originally Posted by DasBlitz

Isn't the first one at 15k?

No, my computer told me 21,000. I have a lot of hwy miles, so maybe thats why. I think 15K is an average service interval but a lot depends on how you drive it.

[vase330]

Originally Posted by sajakh

I just got my first BMW service at 21,000 miles, my "first" oil change. Now it says my next service is in 9,000 miles. That doesn't make sense?

Man, did you really go 21K miles with no oil change? If you did, that is very bad for your engine. I mean you have a turbo engine too. I never go over 7K without a change in my car. Its a small price to pay to have the engine running like new even with high miles.

[sajakh]

Originally Posted by vase330

Man, did you really go 21K miles with no oil change? If you did, that is very bad for your engine. I mean you have a turbo engine too. I never go over 7K without a change in my car. Its a small price to pay to have the engine running like new even with high miles.

No I put first in quotes because the computer/BMW dealer thinks thats when its first oil change was. I had actually did 3 oil changes before then on my dime.

[Simple1]

I got my 1st oil change from BMW @ 7000 odd miles and then it tells me again at @ 13K odd miles, I find it a lil bit weird myself also.

[doc1911]

From what I understand the car's computer "senses" the oil and determines the oil quality. If you have a lot of highway miles the car might tell you to go longer than if you have miles around town. Thatis why all different people have different miles for the oil changes.

[NaTuReB0Y]

Originally Posted by sajakh

I just got my first BMW service at 21,000 miles, my "first" oil change. Now it says my next service is in 9,000 miles. That doesn't make sense?

you're on the same schedule as i was........

I got my first "free" oil change at around the same time........but DIY at every 5k.

your next service....9,000mls is correct.....you'll hit it between 30-32k....for an Inspection I service = inspection only(no oil change or anything)

i'm at 37k+...and still waiting for my second "free oil" change.....4,000mls to go.

my car was two years old on July 15......but the dealer won't do the "free" oil change because it still had 4,000mls to go.....i guess i gotta wait til' 45k+ miles.

It's kind of dumb that all BMW dealers are not on the same page when it comes to the so-called "free" maintenance schedule service.

[sajakh]

Originally Posted by NaTuReB0Y

you're on the same schedule as i was........

I got my first "free" oil change at around the same time........but DIY at every 5k.

your next service....9,000mls is correct.....you'll hit it between 30-32k....for an Inspection I service = inspection only(no oil change or anything)

i'm at 37k+...and still waiting for my second "free oil" change.....4,000mls to go.

my car was two years old on July 15......but the dealer won't do the "free" oil change because it still had 4,000mls to go.....i guess i gotta wait til' 45k+ miles.

It's kind of dumb that all BMW dealers are not on the same page when it comes to the so-called "free" maintenance schedule service.

Makes sense.

What does Inspection I and II include, just "inspections" or any fluid/filter changes?

[PMP]

I have a feeling that this is going to come back and haunt BMW. I just can't imagine that a car can consistently go 22k miles without any kind of fluid replacement.

[tctic]

Originally Posted by sajakh

I just got my first BMW service at 21,000 miles, my "first" oil change. Now it says my next service is in 9,000 miles. That doesn't make sense?

Next service in 9000miles might be something else other than oil change. Like your brake fluid/air filter, or something that needs to be replaced based on mileage.

[DasBlitz]

Originally Posted by vase330

Man, did you really go 21K miles with no oil change? If you did, that is very bad for your engine. I mean you have a turbo engine too. I never go over 7K without a change in my car. Its a small price to pay to have the engine running like new even with high miles.

Not really, BMW uses synthetic oil I believe which last longer. Also the onboard computers tell you when the oil is no good.

[sajakh]

Originally Posted by DasBlitz

Not really, BMW uses synthetic oil I believe which last longer. Also the onboard computers tell you when the oil is no good.

I don't how long synthetic oil is supposed to last but I do know the ECU does NOT know the condition of the oil. I've changed my oil three times without the ECU knowing to reset the service interval.

I read somwhere that it bases this service interval on fuel used and start/stop cycles which could possibly correlate to city/hwy usage.

[ward]

Originally Posted by vase330

Man, did you really go 21K miles with no oil change? If you did, that is very bad for your engine. I mean you have a turbo engine too. I never go over 7K without a change in my car. Its a small price to pay to have the engine running like new even with high miles.

you have no idea if going that mileage is bad for the motor

I'm not a petroleum engineer, and I suspect that you are not either

neither you nor I know enough to tell if doing what he's done is good/bad/indifferent for the motor.

[Fredric]

The OP said that he has done 3 oil changes on his own. Perhaps that has influenced the next "recommendation" by the computer some how.

[sajakh]

Originally Posted by Fredric

The OP said that he has done 3 oil changes on his own. Perhaps that has influenced the next "recommendation" by the computer some how.

Actually, the last oil change I did was 4,000 miles before my first sercice at 21,000 miles, most of these hwy miles.

[tctic]

Originally Posted by sajakh

I don't how long synthetic oil is supposed to last but I do know the ECU does NOT know the condition of the oil. I've changed my oil three times without the ECU knowing to reset the service interval.

I read somwhere that it bases this service interval on fuel used and start/stop cycles which could possibly correlate to city/hwy usage.

A screenshot of some official BMW literature has stated that there IS a sensor that detects the quality of the oil. But it will not tell you if you just got a complete oil change or not. It will just monitor the quality of the oil (somehow, I am not sure how) and take this value into the computer and calculated the 'miles till next oil change' together with other data such as fuel economy, driving behaviour/pattern.

What I think will happen is when you change your own oil is that the 'miles till next oil change' will count down slower than if you did not change the oil yourself. But this may only be a small factor as to how the computer counts down. Also, don't expect the computer to add mileage to the countdown even with your own oil change as I believe the countdown only counts downwards and never upwards regardless of anything else.

[LittleBlue]

You are allowed per BMW 1 free oil change a year since the date of service ( car is first hits the road), or at service intervals.

[LittleBlue]

Any one knows what the best Oil to use other than the BMW Brand??? I have heard either Mobile1 or Gastrol, both Synthetic of course. THe cap says gastrol, but the manual says Mobil1, confused in MI !

[fizzle]

BMW makes these engines so that they dont have to oil changes every 3k miles. i would do it every 10k DIY...