How to change the oil on a 2006 BMW 530I 3.0 L I6

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
All manufactures don't want drivers/owners change their own oil or do any other any maintenance, they want us to bring our vehicles to their dealers for any service.

Right, but the difference between economy cars and luxury cars is that the owners of the latter are typically thought to be affluent enough where they either don't want to get their hands dirty or don't have time to do any maintenance because their time is a lot more valuable, and for the most part, I think this is correct.

Now, you and I as used car buyers don't fall into that category, but as I mentioned before, BMW doesn't particularly care about the used car market. They just care about new car buyers and leases, and for these, all the maintenance is already included, so again, no reason for a typical owner to even raise the hood.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: BMWTurboDzl
Agree or at least a tube to service the oil. My 335d had a dipstick. Now I gotta buy some [censored] ramps. FWIW I think Benz vacuums oil out via a tube but it doesn't have a dipstick.

Older MB like my 2000 e430 has dipstick for oil, but no dipstick for ATF since it was supposed to be lifetime fluid with sealed cap.

I bought an ATF measuring tool for $20-25.

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
From that standpoint, im glad the wife's Q5 still has a dipstick tube. And i bought her a $30 dipstick to go into it as i just dont trust these electronic level sensors too much.

It is very cheap from manufactures that sell vehicles for $40-50k or more don't include dipstick. It doesn't make any sense that owners have to buy dipstick for $30 after paid $50k for the car. If manufactures include oil dipstick with every vehicle their cost is probably $4-5 each.
That dipstick must be silver plated. Lots of jobs lost in the dipstick industry.

 

[Blurry]

It took me a while to get used to not having a dipstick on my 2006 BMW 325i Sport but, it's no issue now, I check the computer and it tells me the life and if it needs to be topped off. I use AMSOIL 5w40.

 

[Stewie]

*facepalm* what where engineers thinking when they designed it

 

[Stewie]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
All manufactures don't want drivers/owners change their own oil or do any other any maintenance, they want us to bring our vehicles to their dealers for any service.

Right, but the difference between economy cars and luxury cars is that the owners of the latter are typically thought to be affluent enough where they either don't want to get their hands dirty or don't have time to do any maintenance because their time is a lot more valuable, and for the most part, I think this is correct.

Now, you and I as used car buyers don't fall into that category, but as I mentioned before, BMW doesn't particularly care about the used car market. They just care about new car buyers and leases, and for these, all the maintenance is already included, so again, no reason for a typical owner to even raise the hood.




Good example of it

 

[fredfactory]

Originally Posted By: Blurry
It took me a while to get used to not having a dipstick on my 2006 BMW 325i Sport but, it's no issue now, I check the computer and it tells me the life and if it needs to be topped off. I use AMSOIL 5w40.

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete

From that standpoint, im glad the wife's Q5 still has a dipstick tube. And i bought her a $30 dipstick to go into it as i just dont trust these electronic level sensors too much.


BMW oil level sensors can get noisy. Sensor noise, as in bias. People have been known to way overfill because the stupid sensor wouldn't track well at first.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: Stewie



Unbelievable !

Two people are needed to open a hood(after some trainings and prartices), and have to use 2 pins or 2 screw divers to keep the hood up.

What the heck are BMW engineers thinking when they designed the car ?

 

[redhorse554]

i purchase my oil filter kit from BMW of Ontario,ca. not reviewing my costs, found i was gouged for several parts; oil filter $47.85(11-42-7-848-321)and $53.80 for 1 spark plug(12-12-0-037-581). won't be getting my parts at Penske. buyer should have checks prices.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: Stewie



What the heck are BMW engineers thinking when they designed the car ?

Again, a car like this was designed with a specific market niche in mind. The owner of this car will never bother to look under the hood.

 

[Leonardo629]

This no dipstick conundrum is way overblown.

I have an oil sensor on my M3, and I have no problem with it. Mind you I'm a DIY oil change guy myself.

I reset my oil level reading every couple of weeks, and add oil accordingly, without ever having to lift the hood.

 

[fredfactory]

Originally Posted By: Leonardo629
This no dipstick conundrum is way overblown.

I have an oil sensor on my M3, and I have no problem with it. Mind you I'm a DIY oil change guy myself.

I reset my oil level reading every couple of weeks, and add oil accordingly, without ever having to lift the hood.


When they work right! The slightly older (than yours) BMWs had slow oscillations in oil level readings from those level sensors, stories of people adding 3 quarts too much at times.
Example: Empty the sump out, put in 5.5 quarts into a 6.9 quart sump, and the oil level sensor will read 1/2 quart low to over a quart low, back and forth, over a period of a few days. Then when you add another quart, it will read 100% full to a quart low for a while.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Originally Posted By: fredfactory
Originally Posted By: Leonardo629
This no dipstick conundrum is way overblown.

I have an oil sensor on my M3, and I have no problem with it. Mind you I'm a DIY oil change guy myself.

I reset my oil level reading every couple of weeks, and add oil accordingly, without ever having to lift the hood.


When they work right! The slightly older (than yours) BMWs had slow oscillations in oil level readings from those level sensors, stories of people adding 3 quarts too much at times.
Example: Empty the sump out, put in 5.5 quarts into a 6.9 quart sump, and the oil level sensor will read 1/2 quart low to over a quart low, back and forth, over a period of a few days. Then when you add another quart, it will read 100% full to a quart low for a while.


Never made sense why people would do it that. If the car takes X liters then dump it in and move on. The sensor is really only good for measuring 1 liter low. You shouldn't be messing around with smaller amounts to begin with.

 

[fredfactory]

Originally Posted By: BMWTurboDzl

Never made sense why people would do it that. If the car takes X liters then dump it in and move on. The sensor is really only good for measuring 1 liter low. You shouldn't be messing around with smaller amounts to begin with.


The BMW oil level sensor from about 8 years ago measures the oil level down to 1/6 quart on the display. (It also measures oil quality indirectly with capacitance-resistance, another thread perhaps.)

I think the story I remember is a more "normal" case of an oil change, not the test I've done above! Read this a while back from a BMW tech who said they can put in 6.9 quarts, the listed amount with a filter change, in a BMW engine, and the sensor won't respond until a day or two later, so the owner keeps adding oil, checking on the display, adding more oil, scratching his head, adding another...... yes kind of stupid, yet the BMW tech said it happens often.

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted By: Leonardo629
This no dipstick conundrum is way overblown.

I have an oil sensor on my M3, and I have no problem with it. Mind you I'm a DIY oil change guy myself.

I reset my oil level reading every couple of weeks, and add oil accordingly, without ever having to lift the hood.


I'm confused, how can you possibly add oil without lifting the hood?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Osmosis.

 

[camrydriver111]

MB at least has a dipstick tube for the AT. Not sure if the new ones do though.

BMW has no dipstick tube. If I want to change my ATF I need to pump it in from the bottom of the car.

 

[Leonardo629]

Originally Posted By: Patman
Originally Posted By: Leonardo629
This no dipstick conundrum is way overblown.

I have an oil sensor on my M3, and I have no problem with it. Mind you I'm a DIY oil change guy myself.

I reset my oil level reading every couple of weeks, and add oil accordingly, without ever having to lift the hood.


I'm confused, how can you possibly add oil without lifting the hood?


I don't need to lift my hood to check the oil, but to top off...I have minions

 

[HTSS_TR]

BMW's supposed to be for enthusiastic car driver, the ones that like to tinker with their cars and DIY'ers. Now, no dipstick tube for Automatic Transmission and engine. What do BMW owners do in their spare times ?

For cars that have MSRP under $20k the cost saving of $20-30 with no dipstick tube may make sense, for cars over $40-50k it doesn't make any sense trying to cut $20-30 manufacturing cost.

What BMW will eliminate to save few bucks next time ? Oil fill cap ? Brake master cylinder reservoir cap ? Power steering reservoir cap ?

BMW is definitely not on my list of cars I will buy in a near future, may be mid summer 2016.

 

[97tbird]

Originally Posted By: Patman
I'm confused, how can you possibly add oil without lifting the hood?
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Osmosis.

Had to clean keyboard. Thanks!

 

[97tbird]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
BMW is definitely not on my list of cars I will buy in a near future, may be mid summer 2016.

Weird thing is IDK what to do when my E46 (2005) gets too old or when I need another car- I want to stay with BMW, but even the only model I like currently (333is) is full of electronic stuff and no dipstick, etc...

Sigh - my E46 is old 47k miles old, so I won't be needing a car for a good while, but you never know.

Does Audi S5 have a disptick ?