http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1061057 From 2008.
http://www.europeancarweb.com/news/epcp_0811_oe_approved_car_oils/index.html
Some people like to cry foul and say that they don't think it's right for a car manufacturer to dictate what type of oil to use, especially if another oil company says their product exceeds their specifications. The other oil company might throw up some test and show some proof that their oil is superior to an approved oil brand.
But there really is only one test for approval and that's the real-world test, which includes extensive testing of emissions, oxidation, wear-and-tear distribution on moving metal-to-metal parts, fuel economy, and severe wear-and-tear testing (about 600 hours of continued use) on your type of vehicle.
http://www.bimmerfest.com/wiki/index.php/BMW_E46#Oil_service
ADDINOL Super power MV 0537 SAE 5W-30 Addinol Lube Oil GmbH
Agip Formula LL B 01 SAE 0W-30 ENI S.p.A.Refining and Marketing Division
Agip Sint 2000 Evolution SAE 5W-40 ENI S.p.A.Refining and Marketing Division
Agip TECSINT SL SAE 5W-40 ENI S.p.A.Refining and Marketing Division
Aral SuperTronic SAE 5W-30 Aral
AXCL S-Class Motor Oil SAE 0W-30 AXCL Gulf FZE
BP Visco 7000 SAE 0W-40 BP Oil International
BP Visco 7000 Special SAE 0W-30 BP Oil International
BP Visco 7000 Turbo Diesel SAE 0W-40 BP Oil International
Castrol Formula SLX LL01 SAE 0W-30 Castrol Limited
Castrol Formula SLX Turbo Diesel SAE 0W-30 Castrol Limited
Castrol Formula RS Power and Protection SAE 0W-40 Castrol Limited
Castrol Syntec SAE 0W-30 Castrol Limited
Castrol Super Racing 0W-40 SAE 0W-40 Castrol Limited
Castrol TXT Softec LL01 SAE 5W-30 Castrol Limited
Cepsa Star Mega Synthetic SAE 0W-30 Cepsa Lubricantes S.A.
Elf Excellium LDX SAE 0W-30 Total
Formula Shell Ultra AB SAE 5W-30 Shell International Petroleum Company
Gulf Formula TLX SAE 0W-30 Total
Havoline Synthetic BM SAE 0W-30 Texaco
Igol Process Compact P SAE 5W-30 Igol France S.A.
Jet Top Level SAE 0W-40 ConocoPhillips GmbH
Labo RC SAE 0W-30 ***hs Labo Auto S.A.
Liqui Moly Longlife High Tech SAE 5W-30 Liqui Moly
megol Motoren***246;l New Generation SAE 5W-30 Meguin GmbH
Mobil 1 SAE 0W-40 ExxonMobil
Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel SAE 0W-40 ExxonMobil
Motorex Profile B-XL SAE 0W-30 Bucher AG
Motorex Select SP-X SAE 5W-30 Bucher AG
Motul Specific LL-01 SAE 5W-30 Motul S.A:
OMV full syn plus SAE 5W-30 OMV AG
Pennzoil European Formula Ultra SAE 5W-30 Pennzoil Quaker State
Pentospeed 0W-30 VS* SAE 0W-30 Deutsche Pentosin-Werke
Petronas Syntium 3000 LL SAE 5W-30 Petronas
Q8 Formula Special SAE 0W-30 Kuwait Petroleum
Quaker State European Formula Ultra SAE 5W-30 Pennzoil Quaker State
Satoil LazerWay B SAE 5W-30 Svenska Statoil AB
Shell Helix Ultra AB SAE 5W-30 Shell International Petroleum Company
Titan Supersyn SL SAE 0W-30 ***hs Petrolub AG
Valvoline SynPower MXL SAE 0W-30 Valvoline
Veedol Powertron LL01 SAE 5W-30 Veedol International
Veedol Syntron SAE 0W-30 Veedol International
Wintershall VIVA 1 Longlife SAE 5W-30 SRS Schmierstoff Vertrieb GmbH
Yacco VX 1600 SAE 5W-30 Yacco S.A.S.
Kindly list the dinos that meet the specs.
I have gone 15k. well actually 14672, as that was what the OLM indicated when I bought it. But like Quattro, I feel better going 7500-8000 between oil changes. Course if I was crazy enough to use dino, since I would have to change it twice as often, that would be no cheaper. More than likely more expensive, being that I would change the filter as well. And even more to the point, it would waste time.
Wasted money can be replaced. Wasted time, never.