Engine oil at minimum! - Page 3 - BMW 3-Series Forum (F30 / F32)

shivaswrath · 01-21-2013, 12:38 AM

Will the dealer top it off if its below max for free?

I'm going in on Wed and wanted to get group consensus...I won't make it to 17,000 miles (next recommended service) without some oil rate I'm going...

claykin · 01-21-2013, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shivaswrath

Will the dealer top it off if its below max for free?

I'm going in on Wed and wanted to get group consensus...I won't make it to 17,000 miles (next recommended service) without some oil rate I'm going...

Typically dealer will ask you to wait until it drops to minimum line. They want to be paid by BMW for the tech time to check, fill, etc. and the only way is if it meets BMW's requirements for reimbursement. Dealer can always fudge it, but that will depend on your dealers willingness to work with you.

I recommend you spend the $10 and buy a quart of BMW approved synthetic oil.

RalphT5 · 02-07-2013, 12:07 PM

Just added 2nd quart at just over 9000 miles. At this rate I will be using 3 quarts between oil changes. I'm not quite sure what to think.

Raspartan · 02-07-2013, 05:54 PM

OP here with an update. I've had the car now for almost 10 months, and it's been 6 months since the incident in the first post. I have not had another occurrence of the issue, in fact the oil measurement still reads full, so hopefully it was just a break-in period event.

Spoke to a service guy while I was at the dealership today and he indicated that an early oil change (annual) could be done if I'm well below the required mileage for the regularly scheduled one, which I am.

pcbrew · 02-15-2013, 09:39 PM

335 6MT with ~8900 miles at the time.
Got the warning today on the highway (returning from Tulsa to see The Who).

Axman85 · 02-15-2013, 09:54 PM

Wish I was a fortunate as Raspartan.
It's quart was gone at about 2300 miles. Topped it off and now 800 miles into the top off its down 25%. Expect to be top off in another month. The N55 may be nice but it's not built well and this may be an oil burner. Not sure I'm up for owning it or greeting another if this doesn't improve.

Cadi335i · 02-22-2013, 10:16 PM

What oil brand/type are you guys using to top it off? I looked up the owners manual and it says SAW 0W-40, SAE 0W-30, SAE 5W-40 and SAW 5W-30 are the types of oil that need to be used. Does anybody know what oil the stock N55 comes with? I want to make sure its getting the same oil...

ric124 · 02-22-2013, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cadi335i

What oil brand/type are you guys using to top it off? I looked up the owners manual and it says SAW 0W-40, SAE 0W-30, SAE 5W-40 and SAW 5W-30 are the types of oil that need to be used. Does anybody know what oil the stock N55 comes with? I want to make sure its getting the same oil...

Go to the dealer and they top it up for you, why waste money! They use BMW high performance oil.

Raspartan · 02-23-2013, 11:07 PM

I'd repeat the recommendation of taking it into the dealer for a top-up instead of paying for it yourself.

However, if you want to have a bottle in the garage or trunk just in case of emergencies then I used Castrol Syntec 5w30. The service people seemed OK with it too. I think I read somewhere that this is actually what the BMW oil is.

pkim1079 · 03-14-2013, 12:50 AM

If your car was reading while you were on a downhill slope. Then that is just a no dipstick fail. Happened on my 1 and i was tripping out after one hard run up and down "the snake".

shivaswrath · 04-15-2013, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snowghost

It says 1 quart, not liter. I was a quart low at about 800 miles. Put in 1 qt Mobile One and am at 2500 miles and still full. Keep 2 of the BMW Castrol on hand now in case I can't get to the dealer for top off.

I think Castrol edge 5W-30 is safest for the N55 engines in the US, correct?

rustyminded · 06-08-2013, 07:41 AM

The 328i takes 5.75 liters of oil

AMJAM · 06-09-2013, 01:13 AM

My 328i was delivered with a 1 litre bottle of oil to top up as it would use oil during break in. So far it hasn't used any 520Km

01-21-2013, 12:38 AM	#45
shivaswrath Colonel Drives: 2012 335i Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Norwalk CT Posts: 2,044 iTrader: (2)	Will the dealer top it off if its below max for free? I'm going in on Wed and wanted to get group consensus...I won't make it to 17,000 miles (next recommended service) without some oil rate I'm going... __________________ 2012 335i Mineral Gray M Performance Whore: PPK\|Exhaust\|Brakes\|Performance Suspension Struts & Springs\|Black Kidney Grilles\|CF Spoiler and Mirror Caps\|M Sport 400M\|BMWF30.com 335i brakes FS!

02-07-2013, 12:07 PM	#47
RalphT5 Private Drives: 2013 F30 M Sport Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 33 iTrader: (0)	Just added 2nd quart at just over 9000 miles. At this rate I will be using 3 quarts between oil changes. I'm not quite sure what to think. __________________ 2013 335i M-Sport Estoril Blue II, Sport Trans w/ Paddles, Premium Pkg, Tech Pkg, Dynamic Handling Pkg, Driver Assist+

02-15-2013, 09:39 PM	#49
pcbrew Captain Drives: 2012 335i 6MT Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: DFW Posts: 731 iTrader: (0)	335 6MT with ~8900 miles at the time. Got the warning today on the highway (returning from Tulsa to see The Who). __________________ 2012 F30 335i 6MT - Imperial Blue w/Everest Gray: Sport, Adaptive M, Premium, Tech & Parking Pkgs, Assist, Apps

03-14-2013, 12:50 AM	#54
pkim1079 Lieutenant Colonel Drives: e90 ///M3 ZCP + e82 135i DCT Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: lost angeles Posts: 1,675 iTrader: (0)	If your car was reading while you were on a downhill slope. Then that is just a no dipstick fail. Happened on my 1 and i was tripping out after one hard run up and down "the snake". __________________ 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8.3 shift! (repeat!!) who needs software when you can tune the DRIVER?

06-09-2013, 01:13 AM	#57
AMJAM Second Lieutenant Drives: 2013 Alpine 328I MSport Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: What is the Matrix Posts: 258 iTrader: (0)	My 328i was delivered with a 1 litre bottle of oil to top up as it would use oil during break in. So far it hasn't used any 520Km __________________ 2013 Alpine White 328I M Sport ARRIVED

02-07-2013, 05:54 PM	#48
Raspartan Captain Drives: F30 335i Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Toronto Posts: 679 iTrader: (0)	OP here with an update. I've had the car now for almost 10 months, and it's been 6 months since the incident in the first post. I have not had another occurrence of the issue, in fact the oil measurement still reads full, so hopefully it was just a break-in period event. Spoke to a service guy while I was at the dealership today and he indicated that an early oil change (annual) could be done if I'm well below the required mileage for the regularly scheduled one, which I am.

02-15-2013, 09:54 PM	#50
Axman85 Private Drives: 335i x-Drive M-Sport Min. Grey Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: MA Posts: 51 iTrader: (0)	Wish I was a fortunate as Raspartan. It's quart was gone at about 2300 miles. Topped it off and now 800 miles into the top off its down 25%. Expect to be top off in another month. The N55 may be nice but it's not built well and this may be an oil burner. Not sure I'm up for owning it or greeting another if this doesn't improve.

02-22-2013, 10:16 PM	#51
Cadi335i Enlisted Member Drives: 2013 BMW 335i M Sport Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 39 iTrader: (0)	What oil brand/type are you guys using to top it off? I looked up the owners manual and it says SAW 0W-40, SAE 0W-30, SAE 5W-40 and SAW 5W-30 are the types of oil that need to be used. Does anybody know what oil the stock N55 comes with? I want to make sure its getting the same oil...

02-23-2013, 11:07 PM	#53
Raspartan Captain Drives: F30 335i Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Toronto Posts: 679 iTrader: (0)	I'd repeat the recommendation of taking it into the dealer for a top-up instead of paying for it yourself. However, if you want to have a bottle in the garage or trunk just in case of emergencies then I used Castrol Syntec 5w30. The service people seemed OK with it too. I think I read somewhere that this is actually what the BMW oil is.

06-08-2013, 07:41 AM	#56
rustyminded Private Drives: bmw 328i Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Cairo Posts: 85 iTrader: (0)	The 328i takes 5.75 liters of oil

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search