New BMW Owner

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Originally Posted By: Fleetmon
BMW's are actually very simple to work on....in my experiences, and unfortunately, a fair amount of dealerships have very few really qualified technicians. I'm not condemning them by any means but a lot of times repairs mean parts changes rather than true troubleshooting. Good indys can make your BMW experience truly enjoyable after the warranty ends.


Agreed, they are pretty easy to work on
thumbsup2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: Clevy
Canadian tire then.


I haven't seen it there yet. I've been checking
wink.gif


I'm shocked. We've got it on the shelves at the 2 we have here.
Usually Ontario gets all the good stuff before we do,but now our napa has ultra,and our Canadian tire had castrol 0w-40.
We must be on the map now. Woohoo
Well overkill. Looks like your gonna have to put on some dingy sweats,pulled up past your stomach,put on a pair of aviators and do the Walmart thing.
I'd go for ya but that's way to far a commute. Maybe this summer I'll come stock you up.
 
Originally Posted By: Mark_Walk
I need to find an oil filter wrench that fits the cartridge filter holder.

Isn't it just a 36mm socket? Unless they changed it recently...
 
Congrats on the new Bimmer; The E90 and the N52 motor are just about bulletproof if maintained properly. I currently own one Mazda and it has required more warranty work and repairs than all three of my newer BMWs combined. I may stray off the Bavarian reservation again, but likely only as far as Zuffenhausen- and in any case it will definitely be something European...
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: Mark_Walk
I need to find an oil filter wrench that fits the cartridge filter holder.

Isn't it just a 36mm socket? Unless they changed it recently...


Nope; it now takes a 86.5mm, 16 flats cap wrench...
 
Originally Posted By: m6pwr
Hmmm. Where's the sludge?

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1143203&fpart=1

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1196764#Post1196764

The naturally aspirated port injected BMWs (like yours) are very easy on oil. You've got about 2 years /23k mi of free maintenance at BMW dealers. If you don't put enough miles on the car to set off the ecu cbs (condition based service) in one year from last oil change, BMW will give you a free one in between (in between the other free ones at cbs-dictated changes). BMW calls this the low-mileage annual oil change service.

BMW uses a good oil life monitor in the sump, made by Continental Temic. It's used in virtually all late model BMWs. Check it out: http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/562/oil-change-filter-sensors. BMW began using these about the same time the dip sticks disappeared.

I've owned 18 BMWs and found them to be very durable cars, requiring no more than average maintenance (maybe less) than the other cars we've owned (variety of Detroit iron, with a few VWs thrown in). And maybe I've been lucky but I've found the BMW dealer service in areas where I've lived to be excellent. The only time I've used "indies" has been to do aftermarket performance mods which most dealers won't touch. As far as indies are concerned, some are very good, some not so much. Look for ones that have BMW-trained Master techs. A personal anecdote: I gave my daughter a '88 528 at about 150k miles. In spite of my every effort she didn't understand the concept of periodic maintenance. After many years, I finally sat down with her and tried to sort out the service invoices she had kept to try to figure out what had been done and what needed to be done. I noticed that many of the invoices showed the same mileage: 356k. Turns out the odo had gone south at 356k mi. I think she had close to 500k on the car with minimum and sporadic service.


Interesting reading....thanks for the links. The sales guy at the dealership said when he first started working there about 12yrs ago he would have people from Europe or India stop in and ask to see the BMW's with the highest milage. He said he couldn't figure out what they were doing until he talked to a guy who had worked there for 20yrs. He told him they used BMW's as cabs in Europe and they knew how long the cars would last.
 
Originally Posted By: MCompact
Congrats on the new Bimmer; The E90 and the N52 motor are just about bulletproof if maintained properly. I currently own one Mazda and it has required more warranty work and repairs than all three of my newer BMWs combined. I may stray off the Bavarian reservation again, but likely only as far as Zuffenhausen- and in any case it will definitely be something European...


I've bought 4 new Mazdas, three 3's and one 6. For all four cars there have been 2 warranty items done, the spider recall and replace drivers side sun visor, both on the 6....and it was built in Michigan. All three 3's never had any warranty work done...all built in Japan....either Hiroshima or Hofu.
 
So, any concerns about the XDrive? Owners manual says transmission is sealed and never needs service and also says never need to change coolant although I'm sure at some point i will service these items.

I've done a drain and fill on the Mazda tranny at 36,000 and will do another one soon.
 
Originally Posted By: Mark_Walk
So, any concerns about the XDrive? Owners manual says transmission is sealed and never needs service and also says never need to change coolant although I'm sure at some point i will service these items.

I've done a drain and fill on the Mazda tranny at 36,000 and will do another one soon.


I prefer RWD; the transfer case may die north of @150k, even with regular fluid changes. I change the ATF in my Bimmer slushboxes at 60k. Ditto for manual boxes that don't see the track. I change the coolant at 3-4 year intervals- using BMW coolant only.
 
Originally Posted By: Mark_Walk

I've bought 4 new Mazdas, three 3's and one 6. For all four cars there have been 2 warranty items done, the spider recall and replace drivers side sun visor, both on the 6....and it was built in Michigan. All three 3's never had any warranty work done...all built in Japan....either Hiroshima or Hofu.


Prior to 60k my Mazdaspeed 3 needed:
1 turbocharger
1 LF strut
1 variable valve timing actuator
1 EGR valve
The first three items were covered under warranty. From 60k-120k it has only required rear shocks, but it will definitely need front struts/mounts/bearings if I decide to keep it much longer. I still like it, but I'm sorely tempted to move on...
 
I asked this in the GC thread as well.....

I bought some German Castrol 0w30 at AutoZone and it's coded M02XXXXX

Made in 2002

Does this stuff have a shelf life?
 
Personally, I wouldn't use oil this old, but there are BITOG'ers on here that will be willing to pay you top dollar for this vintage of GC.
 
Oil filter wrench for those looking, also fits Volvo

http://www.amazon.com/Assenmacher-Specia...lter+wrench+bmw

ALso, those pics shown are of the older M52/M54 motors while the newer ones use the N52k. A much different animal, considering the engine does not run under engine vacuum, its all about managing "pumping losses" Almost like an infinitely variable vtech, available at any rpm. I believe that they could vary valve lift from .08mm at idle to something like 7mm in 100 milliseconds, if needed. All in the name of progress haha.
 
Originally Posted By: Mark_Walk
I have found a great independent mechanic who worked on my sons subaru. This guy drives a BMW so should be set once warrantee runs out.

The oil was changed during the certification process so I'm going to wait a few thousand then change it. I need to find an oil filter wrench that fits the cartridge filter holder.


I bought mine for the Fusion cartridge at O'Reilly's. They order it. Mine was less than 10 bucks.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Audios
Oil filter wrench for those looking, also fits Volvo

http://www.amazon.com/Assenmacher-Specia...lter+wrench+bmw

ALso, those pics shown are of the older M52/M54 motors while the newer ones use the N52k. A much different animal, considering the engine does not run under engine vacuum, its all about managing "pumping losses" Almost like an infinitely variable vtech, available at any rpm. I believe that they could vary valve lift from .08mm at idle to something like 7mm in 100 milliseconds, if needed. All in the name of progress haha.


I have that oil filter cap wrench, buy it with confidence. It will outlast the BMW.

Originally Posted By: Mark_Walk
I've spent the past week reading over the owners manual and have scrolled through the maintenance menu to see when various items are due for check/change.

Interesting thing...this car has no dip stick!

Just check the oil while your driving down the road.


One of the perks of owning a newer BMW . . . NO DIPSTICK!
mad.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Noobie
Originally Posted By: Audios
Oil filter wrench for those looking, also fits Volvo

http://www.amazon.com/Assenmacher-Specia...lter+wrench+bmw

ALso, those pics shown are of the older M52/M54 motors while the newer ones use the N52k. A much different animal, considering the engine does not run under engine vacuum, its all about managing "pumping losses" Almost like an infinitely variable vtech, available at any rpm. I believe that they could vary valve lift from .08mm at idle to something like 7mm in 100 milliseconds, if needed. All in the name of progress haha.


I have that oil filter cap wrench, buy it with confidence. It will outlast the BMW.

Originally Posted By: Mark_Walk
I've spent the past week reading over the owners manual and have scrolled through the maintenance menu to see when various items are due for check/change.

Interesting thing...this car has no dip stick!

Just check the oil while your driving down the road.


One of the perks of owning a newer BMW . . . NO DIPSTICK!
mad.gif

ya. My 2010 335d is one of the last models with one.
 
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