1200 mi. oil change denied for '03 - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

pwilliams · 27th May 2003, 22:18

Took 'er in for a 5000 mile oil change. I got my baby in October -- apparently the '03 service books hadn't been printed yet, so they gave me last year's at delivery. Got hold of the current version from a new Imola beast on the floor and showed the SA where it says oil change at 1200 mi. service, hoping to get it comped. He came back with his own black-and-white form that said otherwise (some sort of internal-use-only checklist with carbons).

pw

Digi · 27th May 2003, 22:23

It makes no sense that BMWNA can't communicate this stuff clearly, to both dealers and customers. What are the recommended oils for the M5 and why do the stickers in the engine compartment and the owner's manual continue to say ONLY 5w30? Is it really that difficult to place an addendum into new BMWs of any changes?

Also, what is the story on the 1200 mile oil change for M5s? I know someone should have the answer to this. Once again, it isn't the dealers or the customers. I really doubt that BMWNA knows...they just reference the manual and repeat the phrases like a parrot.

SouthshoreM6 · 27th May 2003, 22:46

I know the 1200 mile oil change was not covered for my 01, I paid for it myself. They do change the diff fluid as part of the service, IIR.

There are a few TSBs (and many messages from this forum on oil types), but the bottom line is that if your car is a model year 2001-on build, it's a 5-30 recommended oil car, however you can run 10-60 if you wish.

28th May 2003, 01:05

There is ample evidence on this forum that the dealers should provide a 1200 mile oil change on any 2003 M5. I am coming up on 1200 miles on my car and the dealer (Seattle BMW) has indicated that they intend to change the oil as prescribed in the maint. manual. Why there should be a different level of service between dealers is beyond me.

It says it in the book. If that is not enough, what else is wrong in the book that might bite us in the butt at some later date? In short, stick it to them and hold your ground. They wrote the **** book now they should live by it.

I guess I have been luckier than some on this forum, both Seattel BMW and BMW of Murry, Utah have been a pleasure to work with so far. Some scheduling pronblems at Murry, but otherwise great service.

BTW anyone considering the purchase of an Audi RS6 should give careful consideration to a new level of sub service. I own a S4 as well and the Salt Lake City Audi / Porsche dael is the worst excuse for a service department that I have ever seen. I will never buy any Porsche Audi product again, from any authorized dealer.

rost12 · 28th May 2003, 01:51

No oil change at 1200mls service for my April '03 built Canadian spec M5, there's no mention of oil change in the manual and service guys did not seem inclined to do it for free

Also, per my dealer, 10w60 is for M3s only, the change was made when M3 engines started popping in hopes that it would help the problem. M3s also get an oil change at 1200mls. M5s and Z8s get 5w30, just like the rest of BMWs.

Digi · 28th May 2003, 03:27

Like I say, all of these issues are as clear as mud to dealers and customers. The manual has been wrong on many things -- for instance, ever look up the folding outside mirror operation in it? BMWNA will give one customer one answer one day, and another answer to another customer another day. Meanwhile the dealers are left to try to please the confused, and angry, customer.

This is excellent customer service BMWNA? Where is your proper communication to dealers and customers, and where is the consistency in answers? You don't have a clue.

Bixenon lights were (and maybe still are) listed on the X5 sticker. has anyone actually seen a bi-xenon light on an X5 yet? BMWNA sends 4.6 X5 owners letters congratulating them on the BMW X5 M purchase. Has anyone bothered to let BMWNA know that these are not M cars?

nlk10010 · 28th May 2003, 03:35

As far as what weight oil to use....everything I've seen and read (admittedly I'm not in the "loop") says 5W-30. E-mail I received from BMWNA also says BMW 5W-30 (although it also gives alternatives for topping off). I won't argue with people who insist on 10W-60 but I don't want to outsmart myself and will stick with the 5W-30.

As to the 1200 mile oil change I've seen E-mails, sent to others, that say it's included. When I asked a Service guy at my dealership he said it's not included on 2003s and when I asked BMWNA they e-mailed me saying there's a misprint in the manual and for 2003 M5s the engine oil change is NOT included in the 1200 mile service. So I guess I'll have to pay for it (5W-30 though).

Just some more data points.

=NLK=

Digi · 28th May 2003, 03:45

TSB 110400, 10/02 changed recommendations for oil usage. Did you see or know about that? Correct, 5w30 is still OK, but 10w60 is much better for tracking or hot climates for your car. Wouldn't it be nice if the manual and stickers on the engine would reflect this revision, and that customers and dealers could be informed?

I think the 1200 mile oil change has recently been changed to be included, but we will never know, will we?

Noka · 28th May 2003, 04:00

Just caught this thread. Coincidentally, I e-mailed BMWNA last night and got this reply today w.r.t. oil change at 1200 mi:

"The M5 does not require an oil change at the 1200 mile service.
transmission fluid change. The M5 is processed at a Vehicle Distribution Center (VDC) before delivery to BMW centers. The engine oil is changed at the VDC on those models during normal processing, and therefore do not require another change at the 1200 Mile Service."

I assume this probably means that they drain the 10W-60 oil out and put in the 5W-30. She would not respond to questions about why this change is done at the VDC and referred me to the dealer.

When I inquired how this oil change at the VDC would mean that the oil is any cleaner after 1200 than if they left the original oil in (like for Europe, where the oil change is included), she politely referred me to my dealer. No surprise there.

Rgds,
Norm

Digi · 28th May 2003, 04:05

That is the most illogical response yet. Why would they change the oil on a new car that hasn't even be delivered? Please ignore BMWNA.

Sure, she refers you to the dealer as if they have better info. I always ask them to call my dealer, give them the answers, and have the dealer call me. This throws them, because they cannot provide the correct answer to the dealer, and they use this as a stalling factor to confuse the customer, making the customer mad, and making the dealer seem uninformed.

amfung · 28th May 2003, 06:23

On page 140 of my ('01)owner's manual, there is actually a stickered-on page over the original. Looking at the sticker and the original page, the difference appears to be ambient temperature range.

Original page:
-20F to 80F 0W-x/5W-x
0F to 80F 10W-x

Sticker:
-20F to 80F 0W-x/5W-x

I suspect '02 and on M5 owner's manual has 0W-x/5W-x only as well. Given that I'm in southern California, I'll stick to 10W-60.

BTW, I had to pay for my 1200-mile oil change.

hornsch · 28th May 2003, 07:03

Quote:

Originally posted by pwilliams
He came back with his own black-and-white form that said otherwise (some sort of internal-use-only checklist with carbons).
pw

those forms are outdated.

1200 mile service oil change is in US 2003 5-series Service Manual and 5w30 recommended.