What oil should I use to top up 35iS ?

[Huzee4]

Morning all,

Please would someone recommend me what oil to buy and how much I should use to top up my 2013 35iS ?

I don’t usually bother looking under the bonnet preferring to leave this to my indy, car is due a minor service in March.

This is what iDrive is telling me, please see attached photo.

Thanks in advance

Steve

 

[Busterboo]

"Engine oil level OK" = You don't need to add any oil.

When you do, use Castrol Edge 0W-30 dexos2.

 

[mcbutler]

go to the opie oils website, you can enter your car details and it will tell you.
Castrol titanium 0W -30 is OEM. If BMW choose it then so should you.
Opie oils is the cheapest source, they also do full service kits for your car.
If you purchase once then you will receive vouchers for 10/15% off at regular intervals so it just gets cheaper..

 

[Busterboo]

Mmm … BMW will never tell you what make's in its black bottles and Opie (and other oil dealers) recommend a wide range. Jut put in fully synthetic with the right viscosity.

 

[Huzee4]

Thanks both much appreciated

 

[Huzee4]

Afternoon all from a wet and windy South Wales

After posting this thread I decided not to top up and then today a warning appeared on the control display telling me to top up with a litre of oil !
I drove a short distance and parked up, returning to the car just over an hour later I checked the oil and the vehicle status showed the oil level as ok I’ve bought oil to top up but does she need it ?

Thoughts please gentlemen ?

 

[R.E92]

The only thing that matters is that the oil carries the BMW LL01 or LL04 certification. Just because it's Castrol Edge doesn't mean it's good to put into the engine.

BMW currently use Shell for their oil. The contract with Castrol ended in 2018.

 

[step_change]

I'd put half of it in and see if the fault clears. You won't brick the engine with that amount extra.

 

[Anonymous]

Castrol Edge 0W-30 dexos2

Castrol site suggests Edge 5W-30M...

https://applications.castrol.com/oilselector/en_gb/c/recommendation?vehicleType=cars&manufacturer=bmw-(eu)&model=z4-roadster-e89-(2008-2017)&modelType=z4-sdrive35is-(2011-2017)

BMW does not recommend the variant you specified.

Opie also advise use Edge 5-40 which meets BMW spec

https://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-60457-castrol-edge-titanium-5w-40-fully-synthetic-car-engine-oil.aspx

Frankly if you change your oil like a good boy every 5-7k then you could fill it up with any of these?

 

[Busterboo]

"Approved oils fall under the viscosity grades SAE 0W-40, SAE 0W-30, SAE 5W-40 and SAE 5W-30."
p197
Owner's Handbook for Vehicle (2010)
sDrive23i
sDrive30i
sDrive35i
sDrive 35is.

 

[R.E92]

"Approved oils fall under the viscosity grades SAE 0W-40, SAE 0W-30, SAE 5W-40 and SAE 5W-30."
p197
Owner's Handbook for Vehicle (2010)
sDrive23i
sDrive30i
sDrive35i
sDrive 35is.

The owners manual also states the oil must be BMW LL01 or LL04 approved, it does state LL98 or ACEA A3 can be used but is an alterantive option when in a pinch. The viscosity rating alone doesn't make it suitable. I would have thought a pedant like yourself would be well read on a topic like this

 

[Anonymous]

Oil recommendations from both the manufacturer and oil companies change in the light of operational experience and new technical developments in oil technology...

So, for example, people found that some of the then newer oils were not very good at removing sludge from engines, especially those, at the time, running leaded fuel..so they revised the spec to address this issue..

So a 10 year old user manual could well have obsolete info that has been overtaken by these factors

 

[Busterboo]

So a 10 year old user manual could well have obsolete info that has been overtaken by these factors

Well said. The viscosity grade(s) remain the same, but advances in oil technology have brought improvements, particularly, we are told, in longevity.