2026 BMW m340i 0W-12 Only?

[chris719]

You confused me by stating mobil 1 ESP is not fine but then later say it is fine at 0W-30. And eq to ll04.

I know Castrol 0W-20 is LL-17Fe but if I'm looking to go to a 0W-30 should I just buy the bmw TT oil which is LL01 FE?

ESP 0W-30 doesn’t have BMW approval but 5W-30 does. I would just use the BMW LL17FE+ oil in warranty probably. If the engine can safely take a 0W-12 the 20 will provide more than enough HTHS for street driving.

 

[jackal2001]

ESP 0W-30 doesn’t have BMW approval but 5W-30 does. I would just use the BMW LL17FE+ oil in warranty probably. If the engine can safely take a 0W-12 the 20 will provide more than enough HTHS for street driving.

Castrol I know was OEM oil for bmw per their press release a few years ago. They first had 0w-20 LL-17FE. Looking at the website for 30, they have both 30 LL and 30 a3/b4. Each of those is slightly different. Which would would be best for my specific gen3 b58 with the gpf. ? According to AI the 30 LL has lower saps. So with the gpf, that would be better????

 

[edyvw]

You confused me by stating mobil 1 ESP is not fine but then later say it is fine at 0W-30. And eq to ll04.

I know Castrol 0W-20 is LL-17Fe but if I'm looking to go to a 0W-30 should I just buy the bmw TT oil which is LL01 FE?

It is fine after warranty!

 

[edyvw]

Castrol I know was OEM oil for bmw per their press release a few years ago. They first had 0w-20 LL-17FE. Looking at the website for 30, they have both 30 LL and 30 a3/b4. Each of those is slightly different. Which would would be best for my specific gen3 b58 with the gpf. ? According to AI the 30 LL has lower saps. So with the gpf, that would be better????

You CANNOT use LL01 with GPF!
Only LL22, 17, 04!

 

[shortyb]

Castrol I know was OEM oil for bmw per their press release a few years ago. They first had 0w-20 LL-17FE. Looking at the website for 30, they have both 30 LL and 30 a3/b4. Each of those is slightly different. Which would would be best for my specific gen3 b58 with the gpf. ? According to AI the 30 LL has lower saps. So with the gpf, that would be better????

The A3/B4 is the higher SAPS formulation with approvals of LL-01, VW502, etc. LL is the lower-mid SAPS with approval of LL-04, Porsche C30, VW 504, etc. Both are HTHS of 3.5 (or possibly higher in the case of the LL).

 

[jackal2001]

You CANNOT use LL01 with GPF!
Only LL22, 17, 04!

The Castrol euro 0w-30 30LL says long life 04 but then has 01 below. This is why I'm confused. Maybe approved vs recommended? I should only look at approved section?

 

[kschachn]

The Castrol euro 0w-30 30LL says long life 04 but then has 01 below. This is why I'm confused. Maybe approved vs recommended? I should only look at approved section?

View attachment 350781

View attachment 350782

One is an actual approval and one is a recommendation. Not sure what that’s confusing, it’s exactly what it says.

You can use Longlife-04 when Longlife-01 is recommended.

 

[kschachn]

I should have clarified that they state in articles and videos those new technologies require 0W-12, making me think it is a mechanical requirement, when in fact it isn't. It doesn't help the consumer that every sticker and statement in the manual says to only use 0W-12 also.

Hopefully by reading the numerous posts in this thread you’ve become less confused.

 

[shortyb]

Yes. Approvals and recommendations are different. Go with what is APPROVED. LL is approved for LL-04, but can also be used (recommended) for LL-01. Can't go the other way around with the A3/B4, ie; approved for LL-01, but neither approved or recommended for LL-04. Confused even more, aren't you?

 

[jackal2001]

Should have bought a 69 camaro instead. Lol.

So even bmw TT oil in 0W-30 LL-01 FE doesn't meet my engine requirements since I was told only LL -04, LL-17, LL-22. The Castrol 0W-30 LL is LL-04 approved which is lower ash for my GPF.

I don't know if they make a BMW TT oil in 0W-30 that meets the requirements. I haven't seen any.

It seems the 0W-20 LL-17 FE+ seems to be an easier oil to come by in either BMW TT or Castrol, or other brands.

 

[kschachn]

Should have bought a 69 camaro instead. Lol.

So even bmw TT oil in 0W-30 LL-01 FE doesn't meet my engine requirements since I was told only LL -04, LL-17, LL-22. The Castrol 0W-30 LL is LL-04 approved which is lower ash for my GPF.

I don't know if they make a BMW TT oil in 0W-30 that meets the requirements. I haven't seen any.

It seems the 0W-20 LL-17 FE+ seems to be an easier oil to come by in either BMW TT or Castrol, or other brands.

Three pages of discussion and you’re still asking this?

You’re all over the road with requirements. Go to Walmart. Buy the least expensive oil that has Longlife-04 approval. It’s easy.

 

[shortyb]

Three pages of discussion and you’re still asking this?

You’re all of that road with requirements. Go to Walmart. Buy the least expensive oil that has Longlife-04 approval. It’s easy.

And it seems Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30 meets that approval for $32 a jug. Or the same in 0W-30 if you ignore the silly oxidation stipulation that BMW requires for LL-04 approval. Whoops, more confusion .

 

[kschachn]

Cause it is what i do. Research. If my **** sticker would have said 5W-30 we would not be having this conversation.

Anyway after dumping everything into AI it said based on published numbers for hths, ash, GPF compatible it recommended 3 in this order if/when I move up to 0w30. 0w20 seems to be an easier solution, probably due to being available longer. Anyway here is 0w30 AI based on oils listed.so far.

View attachment 350791

K.

 

[shortyb]

Cause it is what i do. Research. If my **** sticker would have said 5W-30 we would not be having this conversation.

Anyway after dumping everything into AI it said based on published numbers for hths, ash, GPF compatible it recommended 3 in this order if/when I move up to 0w30. 0w20 seems to be an easier solution, probably due to being available longer. Anyway here is 0w30 AI based on oils listed.so far.

View attachment 350791

Well, at least the Motul and LM can be had at FCP Euro and come out cheap if you decide to participate in the Lifetime Replacement Guarantee program. I'm done here, my head is starting to hurt .

 

[kschachn]

Well, at least the Motul and LM can be had at FCP Euro and come out cheap if you decide to participate in the Lifetime Replacement Guarantee program. I'm done here, my head is starting to hurt .

At some point you start to wonder if a real BMW is even being discussed.

 

[jackal2001]

At some point you start to wonder if a real BMW is even being discussed.

It is real. I just got it 2 months ago. Otherwise I have better stuff to do. I have a long time to go before my 1st oil change. Another person I know just did their 1st oil change themselves and went to the liquid.moly 0W-20 LL-17. Again I'll have to talk to my dealer or do it myself. I just don't want to continue using the 0W-12.

 

[GW.]

This much worry just let the dealer change the oil….

 

[jackal2001]

This much worry just let the dealer change the oil….

You think some kid cares how long my engine lasts or won't do some other damage. I have had dents put in my car door from getting an oil change at the dealer already. They don't care.

 

[GW.]

You think some kid cares how long my engine lasts or won't do some other damage. I have had dents put in my car door from getting an oil change at the dealer already. They don't care.

Is that typical at a BMW dealership?

 

[MCompact]

I'm considering an M340i as my "retirement" car. How do you like the car? Do you have the adaptive dampers, and how is ride quality? Regarding the oil, 0W-12 is ridiculous. If I get one of those cars I'll be looking for something thicker.

I’ve had at least one BMW in the garage going back to 1983. When I owned my F22 M235i my service advisor almost always gave me an M340i for a loaner. It’s a very nice car but I was put off by the newer model’s digital touchscreen display and the fact that -for me, anyway- I didn’t find it as engaging to drive as the M235i. Note that at age 69 I’m not ready to drive something more sedate than my previous car. As a result, after several other test drives I ended up with a CPO W205 C43 (As Jared Gall put it, "...the folks in Affalterbach are the rednecks of Europe"- and the C43 certainly bears that out).
As always, YMMV.