15K service done today

[TRZ06]

Ok, maybe it is my imagination, but the car seems to have a little better pick-up after its service today.

I attribute this to new oil and a new air filter, the difference isn't huge, but it seems to rev a little easier now and feels slightly stronger.

This motor seems to gets better with age/miles.

I do think though, that I won't go 15K anymore between oil changes, I really feel bad and guilty for going that long. I have never gone that long on any car in my life. I think I will do a midway change at the 7.5K from here on out.

I know BMW specs every 15K, but I don't like it.

Also since my car has that awful rough/stumbling low RPM issue, I had them order the parts for the service bulletin for the Idle Actuator and hose.

It was an all day event.

I am really surprised that the pads and rotors didn't need replacing, I am kinda hard on them. My 335i went thru pads every 12K miles and it didn't stop as good as the M3 does. Maybe it's because of the rain swipe feature on the 335i that makes them wear faster.

[CSanto]

You only changed the engine oil at 1200 and 15k right?

I'm nearing 10k and I'm confused since I've never done an oil change (except for the 1200 miles service)

[Krozi]

Guys don't wait until 15k miles....its just too long. I do mine every 5k miles...that may be a bit overkill but w/e

[Dascamel]

The mid point is perfect, unless your doing heavy tracking or other extreme high temp abuse. For the most part, the engine gets very good air flow for cooling.

[1badtantrum]

Still learning about the BMW M... Have heard varying account on oil change requirements. The SA I have seen 2x now, told me that the oil should be changed at 12 months or based on the on board diagnostics. As a result, my oil was changed at 1200 miles 11/08. Then the dealer suggested I change it this past November at ~6500 miles since it had been a year. Now have ~8000 mi and the on board diagnostics say change in 4000 miles. Not close to the 15000 miles that some report... I have heard many theories on the oil change interval but seems like there should be a clear, hard determination of when the oil should be changed. The diagnostics must be keeping track of something....total revolutions? Just another thought...I'll have to see if the 4K mile estimate is accurate to mileage or more of a moving target based on time or some combination of unknown measurements.

[Georgeair]

Tantrum - sounds like in your case they just didn't reset the interval after you one-year change. I would just quietly slide into the dealership and have them do what the car tells you to. Hey - you're just following the monitioring system they tell you to!

[ScheerSpeed]

i change my oil every 3 months

[drvai]

Originally Posted by Georgeair

Tantrum - sounds like in your case they just didn't reset the interval after you one-year change. I would just quietly slide into the dealership and have them do what the car tells you to. Hey - you're just following the monitioring system they tell you to!

They are not supposed to reset the service indicator with the 1-year oil change. He will now change oil in 4000 more miles. If by november, he still doesnt have 15k on the odo, then will need a new change anyways.

[Nawaaz]

Originally Posted by TRZ06

Ok, maybe it is my imagination, but the car seems to have a little better pick-up after its service today.

I attribute this to new oil and a new air filter, the difference isn't huge, but it seems to rev a little easier now and feels slightly stronger.

This motor seems to gets better with age/miles.

I do think though, that I won't go 15K anymore between oil changes, I really feel bad and guilty for going that long. I have never gone that long on any car in my life. I think I will do a midway change at the 7.5K from here on out.

I know BMW specs every 15K, but I don't like it.

Also since my car has that awful rough/stumbling low RPM issue, I had them order the parts for the service bulletin for the Idle Actuator and hose.

It was an all day event.

I am really surprised that the pads and rotors didn't need replacing, I am kinda hard on them. My 335i went thru pads every 12K miles and it didn't stop as good as the M3 does. Maybe it's because of the rain swipe feature on the 335i that makes them wear faster.

Yeah, I feel that the smartest bet is to change the oil every 7500 miles.

I get mine changed every 5k miles, but I think I may ease up a little and change it every 7500.

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by Nawaaz

Yeah, I feel that the smartest bet is to change the oil every 7500 miles.

I get mine changed every 5k miles, but I think I may ease up a little and change it every 7500.

+1. That compromise is plenty safe; that's what I do.

[quality_sound]

I look at it like this, we're not talking about Yugo engineers here. BMW M engineers are some of the best in the world and they wouldn't spec 15K changes with the recommended oil if it would hurt the engine. Since I have to pay for my oil changes over here I'm going to send my first oil change to Blackstone and see if they recommend earlier changes.

[roller]

Originally Posted by TRZ06

I am really surprised that the pads and rotors didn't need replacing, I am kinda hard on them. My 335i went thru pads every 12K miles and it didn't stop as good as the M3 does. Maybe it's because of the rain swipe feature on the 335i that makes them wear faster.

The M3 also has this rain swipe feature.

[Edit] nevermind.. i read it wrong

[osteome]

Originally Posted by quality_sound

I look at it like this, we're not talking about Yugo engineers here. BMW M engineers are some of the bet in the world and they wouldn't spec 15K changes with the recommended oil if it would hurt the engine. Since I have to pay for my oil changes over here I'm going to send my first oil change to Blackstone and see if they recommend earlier changes.

I just change it myself. Keep an accurate record and receipts and you should be good to go.

I have about 8K on the M, but did not quite get the chance to change it before winter due to a bunch of TDY. I will do it when it comes out of storage, and then next year after the upcoming deployment. I doubt that there will be more than 3 to 4K miles added to it in the next 17 months or so.

[E90M3CDFR]

One reason why the car may feel like its running better is the change in air filter. Here is what mine looked like at 14,000 miles (this is after picking off a couple of twigs with leaves that I find hard to believe were sucked in through the lower intake).

Quite amazing how much debris is vaccumed up by the engine, but I remember reading it inhales a lot of air.

I am going to make it a habit now every couple of months to open the air cover and pick off the big stuff, and I may change air filters with every oil change rather than every 2nd.

[quality_sound]

Originally Posted by osteome

I just change it myself. Keep an accurate record and receipts and you should be good to go.

I have about 8K on the M, but did not quite get the chance to change it before winter due to a bunch of TDY. I will do it when it comes out of storage, and then next year after the upcoming deployment. I doubt that there will be more than 3 to 4K miles added to it in the next 17 months or so.

If it was just a scheduled change I would but since it's the 1200 mile scv and needs the tranny and diff changes I'm not going to do it. After tht I'll do them on my own I think. I always have with all my other cars.

Originally Posted by E90M3CDFR

One reason why the car may feel like its running better is the change in air filter. Here is what mine looked like at 14,000 miles (this is after picking off a couple of twigs with leaves that I find hard to believe were sucked in through the lower intake).

Quite amazing how much debris is vaccumed up by the engine, but I remember reading it inhales a lot of air.

I am going to make it a habit now every couple of months to open the air cover and pick off the big stuff, and I may change air filters with every oil change rather than every 2nd.

Wow, I'm surprised at all the cigarette butts in there. I did notice a lot of Parisians smoke (just an observation not a generalization) but to get that many IN the filter housing really is surprising.

[osteome]

Originally Posted by quality_sound

If it was just a scheduled change I would but since it's the 1200 mile scv and needs the tranny and diff changes I'm not going to do it. After tht I'll do them on my own I think. I always have with all my other cars.

That makes sense. I did the 1200 mile service myself, but had a BMW tech walking me through it. He was a civilian dependent, but was able to get my service book stamped by the German dealer through his connections. Unfortunately, they PCS'ed, so I am now on my own.

It was a pretty straightforward service. I will just tackle a 8/9K oil change in the spring...its cheap insurance.

[E90M3CDFR]

Originally Posted by quality_sound

Wow, I'm surprised at all the cigarette butts in there. I did notice a lot of Parisians smoke (just an observation not a generalization) but to get that many IN the filter housing really is surprising.

Not a generalization at all...smoking rates in Paris are very high. And lots of people throw trash out of their cars on the highway so would not be surprised if these are being sucked in while driving. I was wondering if I should put a thin screen of some kind on the front of the lower intake to make it easier to clean off the "FOD" before it hits the air filter. That lower intake in the front left of the bumper seems to be the main culprit, although some of the bees/insects were pulled in from the top "blowhole".

[Trier Germany]

Originally Posted by E90M3CDFR

Not a generalization at all...smoking rates in Paris are very high. And lots of people throw trash out of their cars on the highway so would not be surprised if these are being sucked in while driving. I was wondering if I should put a thin screen of some kind on the front of the lower intake to make it easier to clean off the "FOD" before it hits the air filter. That lower intake in the front left of the bumper seems to be the main culprit, although some of the bees/insects were pulled in from the top "blowhole".

Did you replace with OEM or aftermarket?

[quality_sound]

Originally Posted by E90M3CDFR

Not a generalization at all...smoking rates in Paris are very high. And lots of people throw trash out of their cars on the highway so would not be surprised if these are being sucked in while driving. I was wondering if I should put a thin screen of some kind on the front of the lower intake to make it easier to clean off the "FOD" before it hits the air filter. That lower intake in the front left of the bumper seems to be the main culprit, although some of the bees/insects were pulled in from the top "blowhole".

If you have a way to secure it something like pantyhose works well.

[M-Tuned]

question: let's say I change the oil at 7500 miles on my own or in a shop, does BMW still change the oil at 15k miles for free?

[quality_sound]

yes

[L-Altos]

You should be able to get a "low mileage" oil change for free. I asked my SA about getting a free one a year after the 1200 mile service and he said they would have to charge me. After reading the info on this board, I realized that I should be entitled to one. A few months later I called the dealer back, and spoke to a different SA. He said "absolutley, its free" and told me to bring it in.

Originally Posted by M-Tuned

question: let's say I change the oil at 7500 miles on my own or in a shop, does BMW still change the oil at 15k miles for free?