Need help making my mind up BMW LL-01 / B46 engine - mindlock

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Ok, yes. First of all, done a ton of research, so this isn't one of those "What approved LL-01/LL-04 etc should I use?" posts. I've narrowed it down to three suppliers and three choices, I'm just trying to weigh my options for my first oil change and will be sticking with that.

Vehicle is a 2018 BMW 330i xDrive, 27k miles. 15k miles a year, mainly highway commute. OCI is 5k miles, so 3 oil changes per year. Rarely driven and not reach full warmed up oil temps. Climate is North Carolina so mild winters, garaged, and also have a block heater / trickle charger.

I've gone round and round and spent the last few weeks trying to make my mind up, even consulted my wife on the financials to try to decide what I want to do. I'm reaching out for any insight from anyone on what they would do. For the record, our other 4 vehicles (LandCruiser, Elantra, Accord, Odyssey) all get Supertech High Mileage Synthetic 5w30 and whatever quality filters I can get on sale, I stock them up. (Wix, K&N, Mobil 1, Bosch).

The options that I can't stop racking my brain on:

"Good"
Supplier: Amazon + Walmart
Oil: Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5w40 (ONLY 5 QUARTS - will need to add 560ML "non-approved" oil, which would be the aforementioned SuperTech High Mileage Synthetic 5w30)
Oil Filter: BMW OEM filter (Mann from Amazon)
Total Cost / Notes: $39.45 with tax and free shipping, have to pick oil up from Walmart in person

"Better"
Supplier: FCPEuro.com
Oil: Liqui Moly Leichtlauf 5w40 - 6 LITERS / 6.34 QUARTS (No need to add non-approved oil, will have spare oil left over if top offs are needed)
Oil Filter: Mahle OE filter (or Mann for approx. $1 less total)
Total Cost / Notes: $68 with tax and free shipping
Lifetime warranty, can return oil and filter for around $14 flat rate box and get refunded $68 each time

"Best?"
Supplier: Amazon
Oil: Motul 8100 X-Cess 5w40 (ONLY 5 liters - will need to add 300ML "non-approved" oil, which would be the aforementioned SuperTech High Mileage Synthetic 5w30)
Oil Filter: BMW OEM filter (Mann from Amazon)
Total Cost / Notes: $56 with tax and free shipping

Total costs yearly (assuming 1st oil change with FCPEuro has already been completed)
Pennzoil: 118.35
Liqui Moly: 42
Motul: 168

 

[drtyler]

Pennzoil 5W-40 is also available as a 6 pack from amazon for $45 or so, which would avoid the walmart trip and the 1/2 quart of other oil.

I would use the Pennzoil myself.

 

[JavierH19]

You can get an stp cartridge filter for bmw's at autozone for around $10 but that's near the mann price if I'm not mistaken so maybe stick to mann. But strangely a similarly sized cartridge for another car is $5 instead.

People overthink it a bit too much to be honest and so did i for a long time. i wouldn't sweat the precise oil amount. I both overfill and underfill my engines by about a quart without a single issue. Your engine is new enough to where it shouldn't burn more than a quarter quart in those 5k intervals.

And since you're changing it every 5k and 4 months you'd honestly be fine even with just the supertech 5w-30 you use for the others and your engine will live long enough to where something else big will fail so you don't need a long life rated oil for non long life use. So just use supertech 5w-30 every 5k along with the rest.

But if you really feel that euro oil need id consider platinum 0w-40 (not the 5w-40) which is $22 online at walmart right now, quaker state euro 5w-40 which is $19, and valvoline 5w-40 for i think $23. i don't believe the Pennzoil is LL rated but that shouldn't be an issue. they're all SP rated minus for valvoline but not completely sure but none will give lspi.

 

[930.engineering]

Why 5W-40?

 

[CleanSump]

Easy. Pennzoil Platinum Euro comes in single quarts from Walmart and Amazon for $9.99.
Buy a 5 and a single. Split the single between two changes. Next change buy another 5 qt bottle. Surely you can keep a half full qt bottle in the garage between changes. It doesn't spoil like milk.
For 5k OCIs, the "better" oils aren't going to do anything the PPE won't.

 

[mattwithcats]

Pennzoil Euro, Quaker State Euro, and a few others are all the same brew.

Even more fun, the 5W-40 and 0W-40 have the same additive package…

Quaker State Euro at Maul-mart

Robot or human?

Pennzoil Euro

Robot or human?

 

[Synapse]

Why 5W-40?

The Pennzoil 5w40 was a typo, I meant the $22 jug of 0w40. It’s in stock online and on the shelf down the street.

 

[Synapse]

Pennzoil Euro, Quaker State Euro, and a few others are all the same brew.

Even more fun, the 5W-40 and 0W-40 have the same additive package…

Quaker State Euro at Maul-mart

Robot or human?

Pennzoil Euro

Robot or human?

So, considering that it’s never 0 degrees in North Carolina, I should just save the $2 and get the Quaker State Euro 5w40 vs the Pennzoil Euro 0w40 is I believe what you are insinuating.

 

[blufeb95]

So, considering that it’s never 0 degrees in North Carolina, I should just save the $2 and get the Quaker State Euro 5w40 vs the Pennzoil Euro 0w40 is I believe what you are insinuating.

Yes, also no 0W-40 oil is LL-01 approved anymore.

 

[Egg_Head]

blocker heater in High Point, NC? I presume either you purchased the BMW used and it came that way or you moved from Manitoba?

 

[BMW Dom]

Anything with the ll-01 approval is good. I’m not sure why you’re planning to add non approved oil. You’ll find ll-01 in Euro 5w-30 and 5w-40. Edy VW has a lot of knowledge so he might chime in.

If you’re not tracking this car, you’re overthinking it, just grab 6 quarts on an ll01 and go.

 

[tblt44]

Castrol 5w 40 ll-01 at walmart.
But I would use there 0w 40

 

[mightymousetech]

Why would you put in 5 qt of PP Euro and then use something else to bring it up to the full mark? Just get several jugs, and save the rest for the next oil change. I also hope the 5W40 was NOT a typo, 0W40 has no BMW approvals.

Here is my decision.

 

[ET16]

Can you really return used motor oil?

 

[930.engineering]

The Pennzoil 5w40 was a typo, I meant the $22 jug of 0w40. It’s in stock online and on the shelf down the street.

So why 0W-40, why a 40? Meaning I'd suggest a 5W-30 LL-01 or LL-04.
.

 

[RhondaHonda]

Total Cost / Notes: $68 with tax and free shipping[/B]
Lifetime warranty, can return oil and filter for around $14 flat rate box and get refunded $68 each time

Help me understand this. You would return the used oil and filter each time you change it? Is this some sort of warranty loophole you are exploiting or what exactly is going on?

 

[BMW Dom]

So why 0W-40, why a 40? Meaning I'd suggest a 5W-30 LL-01 or LL-04.
.

What's wrong with an ll-01 5w-40. Most ll-01 approved oils are in the 5w-40 viscosity (Valvoline 5w-40, Pennzoil 5w-40, Castrol 5w-40, LiquiMoly 5w-40)

 

[BMW Dom]

Help me understand this. You would return the used oil and filter each time you change it? Is this some sort of warranty loophole you are exploiting or what exactly is going on?

You return the old oil in the package that the same new oil came in. It's not a loophole, it's legit. But the user has to pay for return shipping.

 

[RhondaHonda]

You return the old oil in the package that the same new oil came in. It's not a loophole, it's legit. But the user has to pay for return shipping.

That’s what I presumed. Seems like something a cheap ass would do in all honesty. Like returning Kirkland Oil because Costco has a generous return policy. It’s freakin motor oil, use it, recycle it and buy some new. I can’t believe anyone would consider using this option even if the manufacturer or retailer allows it.

 

[Synapse]

blocker heater in High Point, NC? I presume either you purchased the BMW used and it came that way or you moved from Manitoba?

I recently bought the car used, and it came with a BMW/Mann block heater. It was originally sold in the DC area, not sure why. It is on the original window sticker. It is also xDrive which isn't really necessary in DC or High Point, but I've got it anyway. I was originally looking for a 330i RWD, but a killer deal came up on this 330i xDrive and I pounced on it.

Anything with the ll-01 approval is good. I’m not sure why you’re planning to add non approved oil. You’ll find ll-01 in Euro 5w-30 and 5w-40. Edy VW has a lot of knowledge so he might chime in.

If you’re not tracking this car, you’re overthinking it, just grab 6 quarts on an ll01 and go.

The only reason I was planning to add the "non-approved oil", is that I've already got 20x 5 quart jugs of the Supertech, and already have several open I use to top oil off. The other vehicles are on 7500 or 10k OCI, and I absolutely despise buying 1 quart jugs, especially for only 300ml.

Why would you put in 5 qt of PP Euro and then use something else to bring it up to the full mark? Just get several jugs, and save the rest for the next oil change. I also hope the 5W40 was NOT a typo, 0W40 has no BMW approvals.

Here is my decision.

You are correct, the original 5W40 was based off approvals - I was wrong in assuming I had meant 0W40. I'm not dead set on the approvals, just want to get my mind wrapped around one and stick with it.

Can you really return used motor oil?

Help me understand this. You would return the used oil and filter each time you change it? Is this some sort of warranty loophole you are exploiting or what exactly is going on?

Answering both of these at once. Yes. FCP Euro has lifetime warranty on just about everything. There are a few things not covered like oil additives, but you can most certainly send back used oil and filter in a flat rate box, they give you an account credit for the amount you paid and your only cost is shipping and your time. I'm just not 100% sure if I want to dedicate myself to that. I'm pretty sold on the Motul, but I just don't think it's necessary for a daily driver that isn't tracked with a 5k mile OCI. https://www.fcpeuro.com/page/lifetime-guarantee

What's wrong with an ll-01 5w-40. Most ll-01 approved oils are in the 5w-40 viscosity (Valvoline 5w-40, Pennzoil 5w-40, Castrol 5w-40, LiquiMoly 5w-40)

Nothing is wrong with an LL-01 or LL-04 approved oil, especially with no sulphur in the gas in the US anymore. Based on recommendations I had read doing research on BimmerPost, 5W40 LL-01 was a solid choice for any B46/B48 car with 5k OCI with the interest being long term wear protection - the price I paid for this car was basically theft, and I plan to keep it as it's immaculate.