Service intervals

[Sharpy1975]

Evening all.

Just abit of advice re service intervals.

Currently have 58k on my 3.0(2004) Z4. Full BMW history. Last few services below

2015 - oil change(48k)
2016 - inspection 2(50k)
2018 - oil Change(55k)

So, currently at 58k and service indicator is saying another 15k miles. I won't be doing that. Should I be getting an inspection 1 done soon?

Any help would be brilliant.

 

[srhutch]

With only 3k since last service an oil service will be all that’s needed. It should have been done in 2020 though.

 

[Sharpy1975]

Are OK...so every 2 years.

I'll get it booked in once lockdown has loosened off.

 

[buzyg]

Are OK...so every 2 years.

I'll get it booked in once lockdown has loosened off.

I think service centres are open for business.

 

[Chris_D]

You could have a crack at doing your own oil service if you’re so inclined?
It’s very easy on the M54 engine, esp when you have the correct tools.
If so, consider investing in a Pela pump to suck the oil out of your engine as well as an oil filter removal socket. Many on here use them.
I do this every 7500 miles and it takes about 30 mins total.
I made a post about being surprised at how much oil I actually managed to remove on one occasion after the dipstick was showing normal/mid level. I think it was even 7.5L!
Go on, have a crack at it!

 

[Sharpy1975]

Thanks Chris......I have BMW insurance warranty with my car due to having a full BMW history. So not sure I can get away with doing it myself.

 

[srhutch]

Thanks Chris......I have BMW insurance warranty with my car due to having a full BMW history. So not sure I can get away with doing it myself.

That must be costing you an arm and a leg on a 17 year old car.

 

[Chris_D]

Thanks Chris......I have BMW insurance warranty with my car due to having a full BMW history. So not sure I can get away with doing it myself.

That must be costing you an arm and a leg on a 17 year old car.

Yeah, a bit of a false economy I’d suggest?
Drop that policy and start tinkering. 8)

 

[skelters]

Oil, oil filter, air filter, pollen filter, brake fluid and an alignment every year without fail.

Plugs changed at 50k miles.

 

[Scooba_Steve]

Echo the above, a dealer history isn't worth the paper it's written on (to me). The intervals are far too long, have a look for Mike Miller's Lifetime Maintenance Schedule and see if you agree.

 

[Jl-c]

oil change with a decent oil,( I use Millers nanodrive ) every 6000 miles or maximum 12 monthly. Oil is cheaper than an engine and it does no harm to change it regularly and while you are there have a look at everything else to check all good and nothing falling off

 

[sjj84]

It's inspection 1 that is due. Doesnt matter that it's not done much milage since the last service. The schedule is oil - inspect 1 - oil - inspect 2 and repeat. It should also have been done in 2020 as it's 2 years or milage whichever comes first. You mention you have warranty, you may want to check that you haven't invalidated it by not having it serviced on time, not sure how lenient they are in that respect.

 

[Scooba_Steve]

check that you haven't invalidated it by not having it serviced on time, not sure how lenient they are in that respect.

And for God's sake - get it in writing! The sceptic in me says ANY excuse to wiggle out of a claim.

 

[srhutch]

It's inspection 1 that is due. Doesnt matter that it's not done much milage since the last service. The schedule is oil - inspect 1 - oil - inspect 2 and repeat. It should also have been done in 2020 as it's 2 years or milage whichever comes first. You mention you have warranty, you may want to check that you haven't invalidated it by not having it serviced on time, not sure how lenient they are in that respect.

That is not the case. The service book states that where the mileage is not reached then an oil service should be carried out every two years.

No way would i get an inspection service done on my car every 4 years @ 8k.

 

[Scooba_Steve]

Not that there is much on the Insp 1 over and above an MOT.
Body Corrosion check
Coolant check and top
Brake fluid (2 years anyway)

 

[sjj84]

It's inspection 1 that is due. Doesnt matter that it's not done much milage since the last service. The schedule is oil - inspect 1 - oil - inspect 2 and repeat. It should also have been done in 2020 as it's 2 years or milage whichever comes first. You mention you have warranty, you may want to check that you haven't invalidated it by not having it serviced on time, not sure how lenient they are in that respect.

That is not the case. The service book states that where the mileage is not reached then an oil service should be carried out every two years.

No way would i get an inspection service done on my car every 4 years @ 8k.

You are indeed right, I've never noticed that before although to be fair I've never really looked that closely. Mines had more than it's needed over the years then.

 

[pr117]

If you really care about your ride oil should be changed every year, even if you don't drive it. Oil is losing its quality even if it is standing still in the engine as it takes in moisture etc.
There have been years i only drive few hundred km and still do the change every spring.
Service books are for.. services - so that the engine (and the car itself) would eventually fail.

 

[srhutch]

Not that there is much on the Insp 1 over and above an MOT.
Body Corrosion check
Coolant check and top
Brake fluid (2 years anyway)

Valve shim checks on the ///M also.

I send my oil away for analysis every time its changed (2 years). If somebody can give me a scientific reason for changing every year then I would love to see it. For old mineral oil I can understand more, but fully synthetic doing only long journeys so always warmed up then I need to be convinced.

It's like all things soo many variables If somebody does 10 miles a day, 5 each way their oil is going to degrade differently to somebody who's car gets warmed thoroughly all the time.

 

[pr117]

I'm not gonna argue, i just feel better with smaller intervals. Google has a lot of info on this, I have never tested mine in a lab. As someone said- engine costs more then oil but on the environmental side it is a lot of waste for sure.
Totally agree that synthetic oils have improved and the length of daily journey is important.

 

[Scooba_Steve]

Valve shim checks on the ///M also.

Rgr - I speak only for non-M ref the OPs car.

When it comes to the annual debate it's personal choice, if you're doing the change yourself it's relatively cheap insurance for £30/40 to do the oil and filter.

When it comes to distance again I agree with Mike Miller that the intervals used to be shorter, on similar but older spec oils, and the intervals went up with the inclusive service packages. "Lifetime" isn't really a word you want to see and is certainly one I can't see the engineers using.