E85 Servicing Intervals-Still confused after all these Years

[ZermattV]

Ok so its spring time for the annual Z4 Service - My 2005 3.0i is due its annual service, Inspection II done last april and the car has done the sum total of 2000 miles ( depressing stuff)

Rang local BMW dealership.... No sir not this year if it had an Inspection II last year it is not due an oil service until 2013....

Phoned supplying BMW dealership up... No need for an annual oil change ... Z4 service intervals are every 2 years..... ( car had its oil changed by them every year)

But mine has had its oil lovingly changed every 12 months for the last 7 years ....

Oil Service locally is 235 quid .... what would you do ?

 

[a11y]

Oil Service locally is 235 quid .... what would you do ?

Firstly, tell them to stick that right up their arse - £235 for an oil service?! Obscene in my opinion.

£80 for 10 litres of oil (see http://www.opieoils.co.uk/c-686-bmw-longlife-04.aspx - although I believe LL01 will also do, but I use LL04), a tenner for a BMW filter (from the dealer) and DIY. I keep the official services with a non-BMW garage, but I change the oil myself on the years between official services, i.e. to ensure the car never goes more than 12 months without an oil change. Probably overkill given my annual mileage isn't much more than yours, but for what it costs it's worth it IMO. Honestly Rob, it's not difficult (even I can manage it ).

 

[ZermattV]

I know it is a huge amount for an oil change ...

considering that other bmw dealers down sarf will do it for about half this price...

considering either doing it myself or getting a local Indy to do it.

 

[Bing]

My local Indy quoted me about £160 for an oil service, brake fluid change and a 'free' health check that BMW charge £60 for. They even said they would give me a courtesy car. I'd seriously consider the Indy option - I'm not confident I could do it myself, but then I'm not knowledgeable about managing my cars myself after years of company cars.

 

[ZermattV]

Not much use to me but came across this web site from over in the world of Land Rovers ...

http://www.maindealerdiscount.com/search

participating dealers are all in the north west/ midlands but the oil change prices quoted seemed very reasonable based on the cost of the oil.

 

[mmm-five]

You don't need one to maintain your service history as the local/supplying dealers are correct in that you only need to do an oil service every 2 years if you don't do a lot of miles.

If you want to do an interim service (like I do on the ///M), then just do it yourself and buy the oil from Opie and fit a genuine filter. Keep the receipt from Opie/BMW for the oil & filter in your service history to show the extra servicing.

BTW, if all these oil changes have been done at dealers, then there's been no 'love' involved in your oil change.

Mine goes to BMW for the bare minimum (Oil, Brake Fluid, Insp1 & Insp2), but for non-scheduled servicing and any other jobs (pad/disc changes, interim oil service, interim brake fluid changes, wear & tear items) it goes to my specialist.

 

[Darkman]

Fully synthetic oil is good for 2 years according to the web sites if yo udo low miles, I see it as overkill changing it every year though each to there own.

 

[pembo]

I'm sure I saw Castrol Edge in ASDA the other day for £35 a bottle, might be worth checking it out, I just checked online and it's on there with about £3 delivery if it's not kept in your local

 

[mmm-five]

I'm sure I saw Castrol Edge in ASDA the other day for £35 a bottle, might be worth checking it out, I just checked online and it's on there with about £3 delivery if it's not kept in your local

About £26 in Costco nearly all the time.

 

[paulb07]

I've only done 1200 miles since oil service last year going to get mine done here http://www.national.co.uk/oil-vehicle-search.aspx Castrol Edge 5W30 Full Synthetic (includes oil filter) :!:

 

[Adamski]

I know it is a huge amount for an oil change ...

considering that other bmw dealers down sarf will do it for about half this price...

considering either doing it myself or getting a local Indy to do it.

If you find a decent Indy up your way Rob, please let me know. I've got an oil service due in another 6k miles. The only decent Indy garage I know of is B for BMW at Clydebank. Bit hard to justify a 200 mile round trip for an oil service :lol:

 

[cj10jeeper]

Did my oil service at the weekend. 2 x 4l of Castrol edge from Costco and a genuine filter from BMW. Takes about 30 mins to do.

Opted to change the cabin micro filter too. Was a real mess, black and full of leaves, so for those of you who've never changed it, then take a look and change it...

 

[Bing]

Can't join Costco - I am not the correct category of human being

 

[Stuart Truman]

The amount of oil Alpinas consume, you never need an oil change, it's pretty much all replaced every 6k or so!


Tapatalking...

 

[DrNick]

Can't join Costco - I am not the correct category of human being

surely thats a good thing 8)

 

[Cassie-UK]

Doesn't the car's computer tell you when the next service is due, or did I Imagine that?

 

[cj10jeeper]

Doesn't the car's computer tell you when the next service is due, or did I Imagine that?

That's the common mistake made and very applicable to Zed's given the low mileage many do.

Regardless of indicate mileage countdown an oil/filter change and brake fluid change have to be done every 2 years as a maximum time period.

So many cars have broken service histories as drivers use them for years until the counter trips to service being due.

 

[a340driver]

Page 89 of the manual:

Determining the maintenance intervals based on the actual loads on the vehicle covers every kind of operating situation. Minimal use drivers, who drive fewer than about 6,210 miles/ 10,000 km per year, should nevertheless have the oil changed at least every 2 years since engine oil deteriorates over time, regardless of use.