Dealer has used wrong oil on service

M

Meesch

Member
Hello,

Bit of advice needed please. Had an oil service done a few hundred miles back and after having a sneaky suspicion that wouldn't go away I confirmed that the (main) dealer has not used the correct oil in my car. Not the TWS Motorsport recommendation or any of the alternative viscosities listed in the manual.

What do I do from here? (Apart from speak to them in the first instance) as I'm now concerned about my warranty, etc.

Has anyone any experience or advice to offer? Am quite concerned about it.

Many thanks.
 
Few questions for you.

Engine and year of car?
What oil did they use? Viscosity and weight
Was it full synthetic?
Wasa it a BMW main dealer or an independent?

I shouldn't think there will be any damage but i would want the oil changed asap. If it was a independent garage then i would insist that they change out the oil FOC, regarding the warranty BMW need never know and i wouldn't mention it if i were you.

The oil used in my car is full synthetic Castrol Edge 5w30 which is really thin, the reason for using thisn oil is it offer better protection on cold start and it flows more freely throughout the engine.
 
In M section, a picture of an M ... I guess it is the 3.2 Litre :P
 
How have you confirmed that they haven't used the correct oil - as I know two dealers near me who use the same code on their invoice for all oils.
 
One of two reason why I use my own oil. I know what goes in and less money comes out my pocket. :D
But seriously what a bunch of retards. :thumbsdown:
x2 re how you know it's the wrong oil.
 
peddy said:
One of two reason why I use my own oil. I know what goes in and less money comes out my pocket. :D
But seriously what a bunch of retards. :thumbsdown:
x2 re how you know it's the wrong oil.
Click to expand...

Being the doubting Thomas I am, how do you know they used your oil and not just use their's and put yours in somebody else's car?
 
BobZ4 said:
Few questions for you.

Engine and year of car
What oil did they use? Viscosity and weight
Was it full synthetic?
Wasa it a BMW main dealer or an independent?

I shouldn't think there will be any damage but i would want the oil changed asap. If it was a independent garage then i would insist that they change out the oil FOC, regarding the warranty BMW need never know and i wouldn't mention it if i were you.

The oil used in my car is full synthetic Castrol Edge 5w30 which is really thin, the reason for using thisn oil is it offer better protection on cold start and it flows more freely throughout the engine.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all responses so far .... :)

Answer to your q's as follows:

Car: As deduced.. it's a 3.2M (2006)
Oil: Castrol SLX LL04 - as listed on the service invoice. Confirmed with Castrol today that it's a 0W-30
Fully Synth: Yes
Garage: BMW main dealer

Hoping that as mentioned they just put all oils down as the same on the invoice.

Thankfully I've not done many miles in it and they've been pretty gentle.
 
Purchased a 320d once and the Indy dealer serviced before I took delivery. Cut a long story short just after a 600 mile round trip I pulled up at home and masses of white smoke come from the exhaust. Called my brother who was working at Jag at the time. The guys there said wrong oil right away. Dipped the oil and nothing there. I called the dealer and asked what kind of Oil should I use as a top up? Guy said he'd have to check with the workshop and get back to me. Called back and told to use VW PD oil, the wrong oil, so I gave him the good news, he called BMW to confirm.

Car picked up new Turbo and pipe work got the car back never drove the same just had no guts, so after some arguing I returned the car engine in my opinion damaged internally. So be careful.

Personally I prefer Mobil 1 to Castrol any day of the week.
 
srhutch said:
peddy said:
One of two reason why I use my own oil. I know what goes in and less money comes out my pocket. :D
But seriously what a bunch of retards. :thumbsdown:
x2 re how you know it's the wrong oil.
Click to expand...

Being the doubting Thomas I am, how do you know they used your oil and not just use their's and put yours in somebody else's car?
Click to expand...

Thomas,
Make them give me back the containers.
Yes, still can't be 100% sure, but improves my chances of them actually using it. :?
So what do you do then?
 
docttor999 said:
So what is the correct oil to use anyway?
Click to expand...
On p30 of the Z4M owner's manual it states that 10W-60 is the preferred viscosity, BUT as BobZ4 said above -
BobZ4 said:
The oil used in my car is full synthetic Castrol Edge 5w30 which is really thin, the reason for using thisn oil is it offer better protection on cold start and it flows more freely throughout the engine.
Click to expand...
- and as confirmed by my Indy, who is an ex BMW workshop manager, the correct oil to use in the S54 M engine is 5W-30 - certainly in my (admittedly warmer than the UK) neck of the woods.

Anybody else have a different recommendation?
 
According to the Castrol website you are 100% right about the wrong oil, I would insist that they change it. The vanos in the S54 uses a high pressure pump to to activate them which might be why they use the heavier oil.

http://www.castrol.com/castrol/iframe.do?categoryId=9024084&contentId=7044829

I recon the indy might be thinking of the M54 not the S54.
 
Yeah M's have their own oil made by Catrol and it is definitely 10w60. As i used it for my 330. Needs it for the higher revving engine.

And temps over here are fine to use that viscosity. And TBH the 5w40 etc, does not relate solely to the viscosity as it once did before. As Castrol Edge 5w40 is thinner than Castrol Edge TD 5w40 which i also used for a while, both fully synthetic.

Anyone who really cares, read the info on Castrols website, well bit long winded but fairly interesting :roll:
 
Siener2 said:
- and as confirmed by my Indy, who is an ex BMW workshop manager, the correct oil to use in the S54 M engine is 5W-30 - certainly in my (admittedly warmer than the UK) neck of the woods.
Click to expand...
Remember, being from the BMW network is no guarantee of competence.

If you're in a hotter country you normally go up the range - not the other way around.

One of the reasons for a 10w60, is that it can be used in most markets the S54 engine is sold into. If it's fine for the 0C-50C temps in Arizona then I'm sure it's fine for your temps in South Africa.

An 10w60 oil flows great at UK temps (say +5C to +30C).
If you're in a country where the lower temps don't go much below 20C then you could use a 20w50.
Conversely, if you're in a country where the upper temps don't go much above 20C then a 0w30 would be fine.

Castrol's website explains it better... - even the Castrol.za website states the oil should be 10w60 for the S54 engine.
 
mmm-five said:
Remember, being from the BMW network is no guarantee of competence.
Click to expand...
Yes, one tends to forget that when dealing with someone you know and trust :headbang:
mmm-five said:
If you're in a hotter country you normally go up the range - not the other way around.
Click to expand...
That is absolutely true - I had myself confused there for a moment... :oops:
mmm-five said:
Castrol's website explains it better... - even the Castrol.za website states the oil should be 10w60 for the S54 engine.
Click to expand...
I could not find the page you refer to on the Castrol za website.

Guess I will buy the 10W-60 today and take the Z to the Indy first thing on Monday morning, for an oil change and an in-depth discussion. :punish:
 
Don't forget there is a dedicated 10w60 oil just for the M ;.)

And I bet most will have to order two in for you :)
 
mmm-five said:
You have to select your car marque & model in this database to get it to show you what they consider the correct oil.
Click to expand...
Thank you mmm-five.
There is one type that is only available from the stealers: "[Ultimate]: Castrol TWS Motorsport 10W-60 [Refer to Authorised Agents]"
Then there is a type that is available off the shelf: "[Premium]: Castrol Edge Sport 10W-60"
Would there be a real difference between the two, or is the one from the stealer merely expensive packaging? :scratchhead:
 
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