acribb

I have a 2004 530i and am going to change the oil on it myself tomorrow. I know it's been at least 10K miles and the dealer won't do it for free because the computer still says I have 6K left for some reason. I also don't want any more scratches on my car. Every time I bring the car to the dealer, a new nick or scratch in the paint appears in the immediate area they work on.

What oil should I buy? Mobil 1 Synthetic? I live in Florida.

Will a Fram oil filter be good enough?

Do I need anything from BMW, such as the brass washer for the oil plug? I hope not, since tomorrow is Sunday.

I know that there is a cover to the oil plug I am going to need to remove.

Are there any instructions (with pictures hopefully) that I can follow?

Thanks for any help.

P.S. I've changed oil in other cars, just not in BMWs.

info@trinityautosport

when i had the warning to add a quart of oil, i remember before that bmw recommended castrol full synthetic. members will say just make sure it is synthetic oil. for the viscosity, check the manual, as i was assured to do recently. i beieve it says that 5w 30 or 5w 40 is recommended for all temperatures, correct me if im wrong. sorry i cant help about the other questions.

acribb

The 2004 manual says only to use "BMW Approved Synthetic Oils" and to call your dealer or BMW NA for more information.

I'm thinking Castrol Full Synthetic 5w 30?

nickolas_g

Well, you might be delayed a bit. The BMW filter is not like any you can buy in Pep Boys or Adavance Auto. You need to buy it from the dealer or from bavauto.com. It is easy to do install, it is right on top of the engine. Next the drain plug is under a body panel on the bottom. Suggest getting some cardboard or something when the oil comes rushing out like a squirt gun.

Then I think that any FULLY synthectic oil will be fine per my SA. He stated that he has seen engines destroyed with mix and regular oil. Sythetics penetrated everything internally.

I hope is goes well!

iversonm

You'll need oil that meets the BMW longlife (LL) requirement. Read the fine print before buying, and check your manual for the exact grade.

Many have found that the cheapest place to get the oil is the dealer. With a CCA discount, it will be $1-2 cheaper per quart than an auto store, and you'll definitely get the right oil.

acribb

Further research shows that there are also 3 O-rings that need/should be replaced on the oil filter cap as well as a sealing ring for the
oil drain plug. You're right, it looks like I will need to go to the dealer and get:

1. 7 quarts of BMW Synthetic Oil
2. BMW Oil Filter
3. 3 O-Rings for oil filter cap
4. Drain plug sealing ring

I'm guestimating that these parts will total up to about 50 bucks with a 10% discount.

What does it roughly cost for an oil change out of pocket from the dealer?

BrianTx5

I just had my oil changed yesterday at a dealer in Houston, TX. I pay for an oil change between the "free" 15,000 mile intervals.
The breakdown on the cost:
Labor..................$26.50
Filter......................14.45
7 quarts 5W30......65.66
Tax..........................6.61
Total..................$113.22


And since I was experiencing the squeaking doors, I also had all four door seals replaced at no charge. By the way, I read about the Door Seal Service Bulletin here in the e60.net forum. Thanks!

2005 545i 6MT, 32,000 miles.

fjwagner

You can buy the synthetic oil at Auto Zone (I use Mobil 1) for around $6/liter which saves $23.00. You can knock a few dollars off the filter using your CCA discount at BMW parts dept. I use Advantage in Houston since they are a few blocks from my office. No labor if you do it yourself. Just make sure you get a new crush washer for the drain plug and the filter will come with a new o-ring. Buy a drain pain from the auto store and then take it to your neighborhood gas station for disposal.

acribb

I just got back from my dealer.

1 quart of 5W-30 BMW Synthetic - $5.40 x 6 = $32.40
1 filter which includes the filter cap O-ring and brass crush washer for the drain plug $7.80

Total cost out the door with tax, about $43.00.

I'm satisfied.

I'm sure you can get this even cheaper from Newport BMW. I'll have to check next time to weigh the discount vs. shipping costs.

Thanks for everyone's help!

jordan23junkee

I went to my local bmw parts, and they told me just as the engine cap says use CAstrol synthetic , and indeed the oil packaged in the BMW bottle is castrol synthetic , but at $12 /bottle. Castol synthetic at autozone is $6 a bottle which is the exact same oil. Also when I replace my oil filter the old one was slighlty larger than the new dealer purchased OEM filter. The old one was the Mann filter andseemed thicker. I recommend gettting the MAnn filter from BAvauto or ebay. They seem of better quality.