35is third oil top up 10500 miles

[JustCruzin]

Hi there

Been loving so many things about this thumping engine and losing my hair piece on so many occasions!

Low oil level light has flicked on again for the third time since owning from new with the engine at 10500 miles at 20 months ownership. Does this seem a little excessive or am I just being paranoid. I do the occasional warp speed manoeuvres but in all honesty I am a rather boring driver.....

No perceivable issues with the car which seems to just get better and better!

Any tips as always, warmly appreciated.

Cheers

JC

[Maniac]

Its a bit excessive over 10K miles but then if you are doing a lot of short journeys (as mileage may indicate given you've had it nearly 2 years) then oil can be used quicker due to that. I had one top up at around 6K with about 1/3 of a litre. Since then (now over 32K miles) nothing other than normal servicing. No blue smoke on startup? None during driving?

[JustCruzin]

Hi thanks

You are spot on about the short journeys. Haven't spotted any blue smoke thankfully. There was a small coolant top up needed a few thousand miles back and BMW didn't seem concerned about this unless it occurred again (striking intelligence there!).

Oil looks clean. I am due my first service this September.

I am awaiting a response from the BMW dealer.

Cheers

JC

[mattwaltersz4m]

You don't say how much you are topping it up by. 1ltr each time normal use on a turbo 4ltrs you have a problem!

[JustCruzin]

Hi Matt

I was on the impression that on a 35is that if the low oil warning light illuminates then a 1 litre top up is required and I am sure this was both in the handbook and I am sure this was corroborated by others on the forum.

Thanks

Cheers

JC

[Maniac]

That's what I was told but I needed less than half that to take the car back to max. Certainly don't top up by 1 lt. when the light comes on, you might over fill it. Perhaps put half in and see what the oil level display shows after a drive.

[Obs-Com]

Oil light came on in mine last July on return from long trip across Europe and it needed 1 and a bit litre to max. Im at 9500k and 2 years old in August so a lot of my use if shorter "fun-runs" . Level has stayed at the "OK" max level on vehicle info system since. Going in for 1st service late June soon.

I agree that the car just gets better and better though!

Just out of interest- does anyone have a rough idea of service cost on 35is via main dealer?

[KERMIT1970]

My oil light came on last week,only on 5500k miles,straight to dealer for top up. Asked the question about oil usage as the last 4/5 Bmw's I've owned never had to add oil between services. Bmw told me it's not unusual to use up to 3lt between services ! Was a bit of a shock to me. Saying that the cars just loosing up just now & is fantastic. So will keep a eye on it

[pvr]

Joy of the BMW turbo petrol engines ... Diesels are fine for some reason.

[techathy]

Apparently if you keep the revs up on the diesel engines for long periods they will also like their oil. It's just damn hard to do because the engines lose the will to live much beyond 4krpm.

[JustCruzin]

Agree and thanks.

The oil level sensor has asked for 1 litre but I did half this first (talk about paranoid- sorry!) and it was still a little low. 1 litre in and phew! All ok for now. Never owned an engine which munches so much oil!

Would dread to think the of the state of her arteries! No evidence of an oil leak in the engine bay thankfully.

Cheers

JC

[LeeZ4MR]

The N52 engine in my 330i is really thirsty for oil and it doesn't drop any and I have put 5 litres in it in only 10k miles and it is coming up for another 1 litre, I wait for it to ask me to add 1 Litre and it always tops it up to the max level fine, I will admit at first I thought it was very excessive as none of the other BMW`s I have had have been like this but apparently its normal.

[LeeZ4MR]

Joy of the BMW turbo petrol engines ... Diesels are fine for some reason.

The 4 pot Turbo in the TTS was really good in terms of oil usage and it only had 3 x 1 Litre top ups in over 67k miles, agree regards diesel and the 4.0d engine is brilliant and we have covered 22k miles in it since last November and it doesn't move off the max level, it did have an oil change 8k miles ago and still hasn't moved.

[pvr]

The N52 engine in my 330i is really thirsty for oil and it doesn't drop any and I have put 5 litres in it in only 10k miles and it is coming up for another 1 litre, I wait for it to ask me to add 1 Litre and it always tops it up to the max level fine, I will admit at first I thought it was very excessive as none of the other BMW`s I have had have been like this but apparently its normal.

Yes, I know of other owners with that engine having the same issue.

Strangely enough, my 3.0 Z did not consume any.

[Dr z4 00]

I wonder if the way the engine is run in has anything to do with oil consumption. I had an E46 320D that drank oil. I did a bit of research and found a few people claiming all new engines needed a bit of hard use to seat the piston rings etc.