Oil and filter

[dagoo98]

Originally Posted by thebmw

Pennzoil is owned by Shell. BMW oil used to be Castrol. I'm sure Shell makes different types of synthetics, but Pennzoil Euro Platinum is probably the best oil (per expert opinion, not necessarily mine) and the cleanest.

$25 for labor is not bad and keeps the lights on at the shop. Paying more does not mean better quality. Remember, many shops charge $19 for the ENTIRE oil change (non-synthetic oil). Many of these shops do it to get you in the door with the hopes you'll come back for bigger issues if they arise. Kind of like Discount Tire doing free plugs, air fills, etc. They are one of the best in the tire industry so free does not imply they are awful.

I'm still not sure what makes Liquid Moly, Motul, and all those other non-mainstream brands good, especially compared to Pennzoil Euro Platinum, which is not even made from crude oil. Please explain the science behind their oils and why they are better.

I've had nothing but good experience switching my customers from BMW, Mobil 1 oil, etc to Liquimoly. Quieter engines, smoother idles, etc. I'm speaking from personal experience although I've never tried Pennzoil Euro Oil.

In my market, the average regular oil change is $40 unless you go to those quicky places which usually have a unqualified tech working on your vehicle. In my opinion, performing a proper oil change service on a BMW, topping up fluid, changing all O-rings included in Filter packaging, and resetting I-Drive is worth way more than $25 in labor and I wouldn't begin to waste my resources or take on that liability for that price.

Secondly, most reputable shops do not accept parts or fluids so unless you find a shop trying to tread water or a tech working in their driveway for extra cash bringing your oil is probably not an option. The shops that still accept parts and fluids (For the most part at least in my market) usually don't have the working capital to maintain a proper stock on High Quality oils and filters.

[dagoo98]

Originally Posted by MichaelInChicago

There are a few types of LiquiMoli motor oils (all 5W-30):

- Long Time Hi-Tec
- Special Tec LL
- Top Tec 4200
- Top Tec 4605

Any idea what the differences are?

Thanks

Mileage interval differences and they all don't meet the same manufacturer standards.

[thebmw]

Originally Posted by dagoo98

If you actually look at the BMW bottle, their oil only meets the BMW LL-01 standard which is their old standard. It does not meet their current standard which is BMW LL-04 which is pretty crazy. Some of the oils that were mentioned in this thread (Luquidmoly, Motul, etc meet BMW LL-04). This fact alone is proof in my opinion that this is a "cheaper" quality oil.

LL-04 is for diesel engines and low sulfur gas engines only (Europe). So do not use LL-04 specific oil for US non-diesel cars:

"BMW Longlife-04 (BMW LL-04)
Special BMW approval for fully synthetic long-life oil. Viscosities are SAE 0W-30, 0W-40, 5W-30 and 5W-40. Usually required for BMWs equipped with a diesel particulate filter (DPF). Can also be used where a BMW Longlife-98 or BMW Longlife-01 oil is recommended."

[MichaelInChicago]

I have brought all of the maintenance parts I have bought online to my local mechanic and he is very happy to do the work at a reasonable rate. This way, I can pick my own parts and have a professional do the work.

[thebmw]

Originally Posted by MichaelInChicago

I have brought all of the maintenance parts I have bought online to my local mechanic and he is very happy to do the work at a reasonable rate. This way, I can pick my own parts and have a professional do the work.

Agree. I do the same. Even if a shop promises they use a certain oil, you can never guarantee that that's the oil they actually put in your car. I do think that some shops say one thing but put a cheaper alternative in because there's no way of knowing what they actually did. Care to share what shop you go to in the Chicago area?

[arucano]

Look at this link for the approved oils:

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/f...ine/1VnZ1vFi9W

this one for the type of oil by engine:

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/f...engine/1PSryV8

[Frupal]

Originally Posted by Derekz4

I just had an oil change at the dealer 2 days ago and this is what they used. Oh, they also replaced an oil pan gasket.

BMW Group LL-01 FE 0W-30
Manufacturer # 83212450384

They do that oil pan gasket under warranty? I heard that repair can be pricey...

[Derekz4]

Originally Posted by Frupal

They do that oil pan gasket under warranty? I heard that repair can be pricey...

Yes, I am a month out from expiring and I had them look at everything.

One thing that I made sure is that I had it on record.

You need to call out everything individually too. Calling it out will most likely get you to a higher level than just the guy that changes the oil. Trust me, that’s not the guy you want looking over your car.

" Customer states, Coolant light comes on"

"Customer states, Noise coming from front suspension"

"Customer states, Burning smell after driven and parked in garage"

It sounds bad, but when I worked at the dealer this was the best way to document things.
If something fails a year later, they may help you out with a "goodwill" repair.

[Frupal]

Originally Posted by Derekz4

Yes, I am a month out from expiring and I had them look at everything.

One thing that I made sure is that I had it on record.

You need to call out everything individually too. Calling it out will most likely get you to a higher level than just the guy that changes the oil. Trust me, that’s not the guy you want looking over your car.

" Customer states, Coolant light comes on"

"Customer states, Noise coming from front suspension"

"Customer states, Burning smell after driven and parked in garage"

It sounds bad, but when I worked at the dealer this was the best way to document things.
If something fails a year later, they may help you out with a "goodwill" repair.

Solid Advice!!

[KMP259]

FYI.....Mobil 1 came out with a new Mobil 1 Supercar oil....5w50 that has more ZDDP that is up to 1200ppm and should be perfect for the BMW engine....have already installed it in CTS-V, M6, Porsche GT-2, & new Corvette which is what it was designed for....

https://www.mobil.com/en/lubricants/...supercar-5w-50

[arucano]

Note that the statement "Catalytic converter compatibility (only applicable for Mobil 1™ Supercar 0W-40)" implying the 5W-50 is not.