Who does their own oil change?

[brracing]

Hey guys!
I would love to know who does their OWN oil change on their 1 series? Always interesting to find out who takes their shop to a dealer and who doesnt!

[int2str]

I do - if my work schedule allows.
Otherwise I have my independent shop do it when they prep my car for track duties

[Dackelone]

I do mine myself as well. I change the oil and filter every 8K kms or three months -which ever comes first.

I have also changed my own manual trans fluid and diff fluids too.

[NorthernDancer]

on 4 cars we have here and I'm a really old fart. But, I've been doing it all my life. Ramps in the driveway.

[MightyMouseTech]

Been a licenced tech for 12 years, I better be doing my own. LOL!

[SteveAZ]

Oil, oil filter housing, oil cooler, valve cleaning....whatever it takes.....

My car last week....

[jkoral]

I have done my own oil changes, but don't currently and have never done one on my 135i.

Curiosity: I had been paying a local independent shop to do the oil changes on my previous off warranty BMWs. When I bought the 135i, I resumed going to the dealer (since it was under warranty, two birds with one stone, etc.) and was shocked that the dealer was cheaper for oil changes.

I don't find it's worth it for oil changes, especially in the winter. I have done and will do my own brakes and spark plugs however. In those cases I can't stomach the prices at the dealer (I was recently quoted $450 for spark plugs).

[bmw1racer]

I've changed the oil on my current BMW (break-in, 1200 miles) and every BMW I've owned since 1984.

[Rodzilla]

Originally Posted by jkoral

(I was recently quoted $450 for spark plugs).

Jeez, Insane.

I did in my older cars, and I'm getting all the tools to start doing it on my 1er.

[nacaruh]

I'm getting a 2009 128i coupe with 47k miles on it. Now I've been reading around (forums and google) that oil changes usually come around every 10-15k miles. But as the car get older, I'm assuming you'd have to change it sooner.... So how soon? Hehe

[JimD]

I believe Mike Miller recommends about every 7,500 miles on full synthetic (like BMW) oil but also recommends considering duty and getting an oil analysis.

I've been letting the dealer do mine every year which for me is less than 7,500 miles. I drive my SUV back and forth to work most of the time. I did two oil changes early, however, and will do my own at about 5,000 mile intervals starting late this year when the warranty/maintenance runs out. It takes less time to change it than to take it in for them to do it. I bought a cap wrench for the filter housing and had everything else, including a 3/8 torque wrench I use for the drain plug. I may start skipping that, I never do it on other cars.

Ordering an oil change kit from Tischer isn't cheap but it makes the whole process pretty painless. The kit comes to the house and I just spend a few minutes when convenient changing it. I save a 5 gallon polyurethane can from when my house was built that I use for the oil before taking it to the recycler. I have some ramps but I don't like them and they are hard to use by myself so I just jack it up.

There are DIYs in that section - including one I wrote on the 128. I didn't know it at the time but some n52s drain at an angle. My soon to be wife's 2013 automatic does (I've changed it once too). That makes things a little messier but not if you make a splash guard from a piece of cardboard and wedge it between the under the car pan and the car before pulling the plug.

Jim


First Oil Change on my 128i Convertible
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=301440


.

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by JimD

... I bought a cap wrench for the filter housing and had everything else, including a 3/8 torque wrench I use for the drain plug. I may start skipping that, I never do it on other cars.....

Jim

Very good idea to always use a torque wrench for the drain plug. I always use one on my own, and customer cars.

[jkoral]

Originally Posted by Rodzilla

Jeez, Insane.

Called another dealer and they quoted me $370. Better, but I'll still do plugs myself.

[crystaweizen]

Originally Posted by brracing

Hey guys!
I would love to know who does their OWN oil change on their 1 series? Always interesting to find out who takes their shop to a dealer and who doesnt!

i always do mine using pennzoil ultra 5w40. i should be running 0w40 bu i have good oil temps and my engine always gets hot to burn off any condensation. so until i have problems going to stick with it!

[brracing]

Check out our site for all your maintenance needs!!
http://www.brrperformance.com/store/...7_268_287_2754

[hydroboy35th]

Ill be doing my first one (on this car) this weekend!

[AlanO]

Originally Posted by SteveAZ

Oil, oil filter housing, oil cooler, valve cleaning....whatever it takes.....

My car last week....

Gotta love the Persian rug. Now "that's" a nice garage...

[GermX-85]

Originally Posted by brracing

Check out our site for all your maintenance needs!!
http://www.brrperformance.com/store/...7_268_287_2754

[Mutilator]

Originally Posted by AlanO

Gotta love the Persian rug. Now "that's" a nice garage...

lol yeah I was gonna say "What'd your wife say when she found out you took the rug out of the living room and put it in the garage for an oil absorbent mat?"

And of course I change my own oil, and spark plugs, and auto trans fluid... but I dunno if I'd go quite as far as SteveAZ has in that pic. Wow, that's some dedication there.

[RimasRS]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

I do mine myself as well. I change the oil and filter every 8K kms or three months -which ever comes first.

I have also changed my own manual trans fluid and diff fluids too.

Dack really? Every three months wow you love your baby.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by RimasRS

Dack really? Every three months wow you love your baby.

Yea... every three or four months.

Right now I have gone the longest... bc my car is tucked away for the winter. I am going on six months, but only a few thousand kms. But as soon as Spring arrives here in DE... I will be changing my oil(again) and I also want to change my trans and diff fluids to Redline.

I am thinking about changing my coolant when I replace the electric pump - before it fails. I think at the end of this year. And maybe also sucking out all the PS fluid and replacing the PS res (since the PS filter is built into it) as preventive maintenance.

[RimasRS]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Yea... every three or four months.

Right now I have gone the longest... bc my car is tucked away for the winter. I am going on six months, but only a few thousand kms. But as soon as Spring arrives here in DE... I will be changing my oil(again) and I also want to change my trans and diff fluids to Redline.

I am thinking about changing my coolant when I replace the electric pump - before it fails. I think at the end of this year. And maybe also sucking out all the PS fluid and replacing the PS res (since the PS filter is built into it) as preventive maintenance.

Well great to hear... Sorry but what is the PS?
Ahh sorry PS - Power steering. got it thanks.
Isn't that to much? I mean it is great to maintain your car but replacing even PS res... I would do that only if my PS pump would fail. Also you really need to know how to properly change PS fluid to avoid damaging PS pump with air which can get in during the change.