Bmw oil change every 2 years

Q: How often do you need an oil change in a BMW?

Even your BMW owners manuals recommend an oil change every 15,000 miles. And on most BMW cars, the reminder lights on the instrument panel are set to remind the driver to change their oil at this time, too.

My oil change was due in May, but due to circumstances I cannot bring my car to a dealer for the maintenance service. Would it damage my car in anyway if I change the engine oil a month late? My car is driven less than 3000 miles per year. Since last oil change in May 2017, I accumulated less than 5500 miles. I drive my car approximately twice a week. No short stops - the car is never turned off until warmed up or traveled at least 8 miles. The car is mostly driven in the city where average speed is 15 mph (maybe 90% of the driving).
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How often do you need an oil change in a BMW?
Is it OK to change engine oil after 2 years?
How do you know when your BMW needs an oil change?
How often should you change the oil in a BMW 3 Series?

Depends on when the car was manufactured. BMW changed the interval programmed into CBS at least once during the production run. For a while it was two years, then it was one year, or vice versa, or perhaps both.
Change it at least once per year regardless of mileage. If the CBS counts down to zero on mileage before a year elapses, change it. If you want to follow "old school" maintenance change it every 12 mo/7,500 mi, whichever comes first.
In virtually no event will missing a scheduled change by a month, or even a few thousand miles, do major harm to the engine.

Assuming you don't drive the convertible much at all in Toronto Winters, 2 years & 5,500 miles at the driving conditions you describe is certainly NOT going to do anything to harm your engine. If you have a shop change your oil, ask them what mileage and/or TIME INTERVAL they recommend for OCI or Oil Change Interval, and what they set your CBS (Condition Based Service) to when changing oil.

You didn't say, but I presume that the "Service" warning icon came on, and using "Check Control" you see an "Oil Service Due" warning? If that is the case, you can check the date that CBS Oil Change Interval was set to. If it was 5/2019, and the warning light just came on in June, then NO PROBLEM. It came on due to the setting, and NOT actual OIL CONDITION.

The OZS or Oil Condition Sensor measures OIL CONDITION along with oil level and oil temperature. See the attached screenprint from Bentley that explains that function of the OZS. I have NOT seen any studies, or Oil Testing results that suggest that the OZS Oil Condition function is NOT reliable.

I recognize that in the Dino-oil (Conventional Oil) days, the universally-accepted OCI was 3,000 miles or ONE YEAR, whichever occurs first. Clearly the mileage interval has increased to AT LEAST 7,500 miles and BMW may have used an interval of up to 15,000 miles for new vehicles under warranty, using Full-Synthetic oil. It would seem to make sense that if the mileage interval for Full Synthetic is 2.5 to 5.0 times as great as for Conventional Oil, that the TIME INTERVAL should be at least 2 times as great, at least absent any test results to the contrary.

Given that the vast majority of vehicles on the road these days see 7,500 miles BEFORE a year elapses, there is NOT a lot of market for TIME INTERVAL evaluation or Oil Condition Testing of Full Synthetic, and the ONLY people who would pay for such testing are the few owners putting >5,000 miles per year on their vehicles, hence NO Testing.

ANYONE who knows of any Tests/Studies done on TIME INTERVAL affect on recommended OCI with FULL SYNTHETIC, please advise. It should be noted that Bentley states at 020-41, p.112 of pdf:

CAUTION-
***8226; In the interest of engine longevity, change oil at 7500 mile
intervals or once a year, whichever comes first.

There is NO discussion of HOW either the mileage or TIME intervals were arrived at, and I would be very interested in knowing why 7,500 miles or TWO YEARS, whichever comes first is NOT a properly-conservative OCI. Unless I misjudge the facts, THAT IS IN FACT the OCI that OP's Dealer used in 2017 when Re-setting the CBS.

BTW, Yes, "this IS sort of an oil thread" BUT: I've NEVER seen anyone address the TIME INTERVAL aspect of the OCI, other than to blindly apply the same "or one year, whichever comes first" remnant of the "Dino-oil" OCI. The OLD QUESTION which has NEVER been answered AFAIK (other than with Web-legend ;-) is WHAT is a proper TIME INTERVAL for Full Synthetic at the driving conditions OP describes. Please do NOT inject other variables such as pulling a trailer, racing, driving in small town, 2-3 miles at a time, etc.

George

When Should You Change Your BMWs Oil?

It's can either be an easy or a hard question to fully answer. But it's one that can be a little more complex than you might think. BMWs are special vehicles and the newest models are engineered to use synthetic oils and fluids that require less changing than traditional oils. They're designed to last up to 12,000 and even 15,000 miles, roughly one driving year, between oil change intervals. Even your BMW owner's manuals recommend an oil change every 15,000 miles. And on most BMW cars, the reminder lights on the instrument panel are set to remind the driver to change their oil at this time, too.

But, changing your oil sooner can help prolong engine life and performance. However, despite the old wisdom of changing your oil every 3,000 miles, as vehicle technology has improved, that number has been changed for most modern vehicles. It's more wallet, engine, and environmentally friendly to get your engine oil changed about every 7,500 to 10,000 miles (depending on driving habits and climate).

For city commuters and those who live in a more temperate climate, they have more flexibility when it comes to when they should get an oil change. For those living in less forgiving climates or with tougher jobs, an oil change every 5,000 miles might be more in line for both your vehicle and your wallet.

Think it might be time to get your car's oil changed, but not exactly sure if the time is right? Here are some things to keep in mind:

Know what kind of driving you do
Record when the last time you had your vehicle's oil changed
Change your motor oil according to the auto manufacturer's recommendations

And, if you're still unsure, ask a professional at Santa Monica BMW to take a look.

Oil Change Services in Santa Monica

Santa Monica BMW is the Bay Area's best provider of BMWs cars for sale, and we also have one of the best auto service centers to keep those cars running as best as possible, for as long as possible. Our technicians are BMW trained in just about every type of maintenance and repairs. Our staff knows that when it comes to working on your car, whether large repairs or routine maintenance, people want to go to an auto mechanic they trust to not just do the job right, but also but do it right quickly and without any hidden fees or extra costs.

So when it comes time to get an oil change in Santa Monica, or any other service in the greater LA area, whether that's a BMW or a different brand altogether, make sure Santa Monica BMW is your first stop. We want to be the local service center you trust to get the job done right for a great price and in a timely manner. If you think it may be time to get your car's oil changed in Santa Monica, book an appointment online to reserve time with a BMW trained specialist.

How often do you need an oil change in a BMW?

Even your BMW owner's manuals recommend an oil change every 15,000 miles. And on most BMW cars, the reminder lights on the instrument panel are set to remind the driver to change their oil at this time, too.

Is it OK to change engine oil after 2 years?

Simply put, as a general rule, manufacturers recommend that you change the oil for a gasoline engine every 10,000 to 15,000 km, or about once a year for “regular” usage (frequent but not intensive) or once every 2 years if used less frequently.

How do you know when your BMW needs an oil change?

If your engine seems to be louder than normal when driving or when you start up, the oil may be too old and need to be changed. Another easy way to tell if your BMW is in need of an oil change is if you are experiencing "sputtering performance".