[chuckles1313]

I'm currently awaiting a new 2023 M550i delivery and thinking about the maintenance schedule. Sales reps says 3 years / 36k miles of maintenance is included. Got a couple of questions for the folks on here:

1. It looks like BMW offers extended maintenance plans. Are those worth it?
2. I was also told there isn't a break in service for this car like other M cars have. What are people's thoughts on that?
3. Did you guys drive it differently for the first few weeks to let it "break in"?
4. Other than oil changes every 10k (several people recommend sooner) what other maintenance is recommended during those first 36k?

I've seen people post about the Miller maintenance stuff, seems really thorough but also overwhelming. Curious if anybody had a more modern / condensed timeline they are trying to follow.

[ppointer]

My new 540i was definitely tight for the first couple hundred miles. For example, got 16mpg on the second tank with about 300 miles on it, but now getting 30+ after 2k miles.

I don't have the owner's manual in front of me. I stayed off the highway for a couple of weeks. Did not do a multi-hour trip until after 1200 miles. No full throttle either, though with 330hp there are not a lot of places on the streets to do that anyway.

Got the first oil change at 1200, and will be doing 5k oil changes like I do on most of the rest of our cars. The 540i oil change interval is 10k miles, but that's too much for my liking. I pretty much follow the Mike Miller maintenance plan.

[chuckles1313]

I am about 250 miles from where I can pick my car up from (all highway). So I won't be able to avoid highways off the bat.

[LuvMyE92]

Originally Posted by chuckles1313

1. It looks like BMW offers extended maintenance plans. Are those worth it?
2. I was also told there isn't a break in service for this car like other M cars have. What are people's thoughts on that?
3. Did you guys drive it differently for the first few weeks to let it "break in"?
4. Other than oil changes every 10k (several people recommend sooner) what other maintenance is recommended during those first 36k?

Congrats on the new car! You'll love it. My .02
1. No. DIY or take it to an independent.
2. Don't worry about it.
3. Absolutely. First 1200 miles as stated in the manual, don't go over 4500 RPM, no full throttle, then gradually increase RPMs.
4. None. Except the brake fluid every 2 years.

Now, if you plan to keep the car for the rest of your life, or 200K, whichever comes first, then yes, I'd modify my answers and do a break-in service on the engine and differentials like the M cars do at around 1000-1500 miles.

My personal philosophy is that the reason that so many BMW engines, especially the V8s, have oil burning issues is because they don't get broken-in properly. If you drive it "normally" then the early shifts and high gear ratios will keep the RPMs low, low, low, all the time, and that won't let the rings seat correctly.

Instead: After a couple of hundred miles, start driving it occasionally in sport mode. On moderate throttle, let the RPMs run up to 3K, then 3.5K and then 4K (as you put more miles on the car) and then when you have say 500 miles on it, go on up to 4500 RPM. The engine will thank you in 10 years.

As you get 1200 miles on it, start going up to 5K and gradually let her rip.

And have fun.

[chuckles1313]

Originally Posted by LuvMyE92

Congrats on the new car! You'll love it. My .02
1. No. DIY or take it to an independent.
2. Don't worry about it.
3. Absolutely. First 1200 miles as stated in the manual, don't go over 4500 RPM, no full throttle, then gradually increase RPMs.
4. None. Except the brake fluid every 2 years.

Now, if you plan to keep the car for the rest of your life, or 200K, whichever comes first, then yes, I'd modify my answers and do a break-in service on the engine and differentials like the M cars do at around 1000-1500 miles.

My personal philosophy is that the reason that so many BMW engines, especially the V8s, have oil burning issues is because they don't get broken-in properly. If you drive it "normally" then the early shifts and high gear ratios will keep the RPMs low, low, low, all the time, and that won't let the rings seat correctly.

Instead: After a couple of hundred miles, start driving it occasionally in sport mode. On moderate throttle, let the RPMs run up to 3K, then 3.5K and then 4K (as you put more miles on the car) and then when you have say 500 miles on it, go on up to 4500 RPM. The engine will thank you in 10 years.

As you get 1200 miles on it, start going up to 5K and gradually let her rip.

And have fun.

Appreciate your advice! I do hope to own the car for awhile, so sounds like easing it into life is the best option.

Since my post, I've researched the N63 engine quite a bit. Sounds like the original N63 was a bit of a mess, but BMW has since made several of upgrades and addressed the major issues in both the TU2 and TU3 updates. Most negatives I can find now are all about the original, non updated N63. I'm hoping BMW has worked out all the kinks and this 3rd version N63 is solid. I guess time will tell huh?

Ok, I think my take away is take it easy as I work up to 1200 miles, and do a break in service like the M cars get. Oil change seems easy enough to do myself, curious how hard the diff oil change is. Does that break in service include anything else besides those two oil changes?

[LuvMyE92]

Originally Posted by chuckles1313

Appreciate your advice!
...
Oil change seems easy enough to do myself, curious how hard the diff oil change is. Does that break in service include anything else besides those two oil changes?

You are welcome, happy to help. I've yet to do an oil change on my 550 but I did one on the B7 before I sold it, which has basically the same engine, and the only issue I had was that I had no oil filter wrench that would fit, so I had to buy a new one. Always check that before draining the oil!

I've never done a differential oil change on a BMW, but I've done it on other cars. Similar advice - be sure that you can remove the fill plug before draining. It's more difficult because it's super-thick oil that you probably have to pump in there, and it stinks to high heaven. That might be one that you might just let your shop do for you.

M car break-in service doesn't do anything else - just engine and diff.