Hey guys

so winter will be upon us soon and I was told by my dealer that bmw does not have a block heater for my car? They suggested a sort of built in trickle charger that I would plug in to ensure that I always had enough cold cranking amps in the battery, but I still feel uncomfortable with the idea of frozen cold oil being able to move through the engine fast enough upon startup. Does anyone here us a block heater if so where did you get it?

I think that 5w30 oil we let you start in cold conditions, maybe you should get Mobil One 0w30?

Not true.

My dad's E60 530dA has a block heater installed. Works very well.

The block heater installed in our car is from Defa (www.defa.com), and they have a heater for a 530i (M54) as well.

This block heater will work in your car: http://www.defa.com/doc/800/855.pdf

Good luck!

cool thanks,

does anyone suggest anything different or other then a block heater?

I have 545i and it survived the 2 Canadian winters and never uses block heater. Use 0W40 oil Castrol Synec.

I was lookinga t the website are there products available in North America?

anyone know if the defa products are available in Canada or US, it seems there stuff is very popular in European countries. I'm interested in the Defa WarmUp but can't find any north american retailers.

I have the block heater + cabin heater*. Works great, but need of course
a electric plug some where.

A Webasto or Eberspr?cher system is better in that way, that it uses the cars
own fuel and is nor depending on electricity.
Is also at least 4 times more expensive.

* See pic from my old '05 E60.
.

I don't think the systems that use the vehicles fuel are allowed in Canada, and most cars here all rely on plug in in the winter so thats ok. Would you happen to know what the cost on the defa warmup system is?

A block heater is a must in cold climate countries. The engine can start without the heater in very cold weather, but it would stress the engine immoderately every time you do it. I use the block heater when the temperature goes under 0?C. So go for it.

Cabin heaters are not very expensive. Here In Finland you can have a very good cabin heater less than 100?. But you will need a power cord drawn into your cabin too.

I guess that getting the block heater + power cord + power cord into cabin + cabin heater installed could cost approx. 500? here.