BMW-525I - oil change frequency

"Fred W" > wrote in message
...
> R. Rikoski wrote:
>> What is so magic about a year?
>>
>> I'd follow the manufacturer's recommendation. The manufacturer has to
>> uphold the warranty and if the recommended intervals are too long and the
>> reliability degrades, this will cost BMW dearly.
>
> Nothing magic... just that I thought I that recalled that being the time
> period recommended by BMW in the owner's manuals. But I checked and found
> out that I was wrong, and you were correct. It is actually 2 years.
>
> That is good to know. So if you do not reach the mileage for any other
> service by 2 years you can have the oil, coolant and brake fluids all
> changed together.
>

Can't see why you would change the brake fluid or particularly the coolant
every two years. Every fourth year is fine for brake fluid AFAIK and five to
six years for good quality coolant or at every 60,000 to 100,000 miles or at
every radiator/pump or other component change.
Manufacturers usually quote three years for brake fluid [depending on
territory] and five years for coolant these days.

Huw

"Huw" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Fred W" > wrote in message
> ...
> > R. Rikoski wrote:
> >> What is so magic about a year?
> >>
> >> I'd follow the manufacturer's recommendation. The manufacturer has to
> >> uphold the warranty and if the recommended intervals are too long and
the
> >> reliability degrades, this will cost BMW dearly.
> >
> > Nothing magic... just that I thought I that recalled that being the time
> > period recommended by BMW in the owner's manuals. But I checked and
found
> > out that I was wrong, and you were correct. It is actually 2 years.
> >
> > That is good to know. So if you do not reach the mileage for any other
> > service by 2 years you can have the oil, coolant and brake fluids all
> > changed together.
> >
>
> Can't see why you would change the brake fluid or particularly the coolant
> every two years. Every fourth year is fine for brake fluid AFAIK and five
to
> six years for good quality coolant or at every 60,000 to 100,000 miles or
at
> every radiator/pump or other component change.
> Manufacturers usually quote three years for brake fluid [depending on
> territory] and five years for coolant these days.
>

I've seen 1 year old brake fluid boil on the track -- the car was brand new,
1 year old.

Never seen it happen with fluid younger than that.

YMMV.

-Russ.

In article >,
"Dave Plowman (News)" > wrote:

> In article >,
> R. Rikoski > wrote:
> > Some people like to waste their time changing oil (and degrade the
> > environment in the process) by changing oil every 3000 miles. I'm not
> > one of them.
>
> I'd love to have definitive proof that early oil changes extend engine
> life. Plenty will say that they change every 3000 or whatever and their
> engine does 300,000 miles, but then that doesn't tell what it would do
> with maker's oil changes. My brother's E28 520 is approaching 250,000 with
> the oil changed as per the lights. The engine's fine, but the rest falling
> apart. ;-) Mainly rust or corrosion related.


Yes, precisely. And who besides a Lebanese taxi driver with ten kids to
feed wants to drive a car with 300,000 miles on it anyway?

In article >,
R. Rikoski > wrote:
> > My brother's E28 520 is approaching 250,000 with
> > the oil changed as per the lights. The engine's fine, but the rest
> > falling apart. ;-) Mainly rust or corrosion related.

> Yes, precisely. And who besides a Lebanese taxi driver with ten kids to
> feed wants to drive a car with 300,000 miles on it anyway?

Heh heh. My brother, for one. He wants to get it up to at least 250,000
miles. Despite having a 6 car garage with an Austin A95 and Riley 1.5 as
restoration projects - with near enough all the spares needed. Several
times over. And a Triumph Stag.

He's a retired teacher.

Living in London with only the street to fix cars in, I *really* envy him
his garage.

--
*If work is so terrific, how come they have to pay you to do it?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:

> In article >,
> R. Rikoski > wrote:
>
> > Yes, precisely. And who besides a Lebanese taxi driver with ten kids to
> > feed wants to drive a car with 300,000 miles on it anyway?
>
> Heh heh. My brother, for one. He wants to get it up to at least 250,000
> miles. Despite having a 6 car garage with an Austin A95 and Riley 1.5 as
> restoration projects - with near enough all the spares needed. Several
> times over. And a Triumph Stag.
>
> Dave Plowman London SW
> To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Me too. Everytime I take my E36 for a drive I confirm that I want this car
to last forever. I've had virtually no problems with it, and it drives like
a fantastic dream. After cruising 600 miles in a day, my wife almost has to
pry my hands from the steering wheel when we arrive at our destination. Have
no desire for a newer E46 or E60 after reading about all the failures that
seem to occur with these newer cars and all their gizmos. Buttons on the
steering wheel - to me that is one of the world's dummer ideas - except for
the horn.

Frank

In article >,
"Dave Plowman (News)" > wrote:

> > Yes, precisely. And who besides a Lebanese taxi driver with ten kids to
> > feed wants to drive a car with 300,000 miles on it anyway?
>
> Heh heh. My brother, for one. He wants to get it up to at least 250,000
> miles. Despite having a 6 car garage with an Austin A95 and Riley 1.5 as
> restoration projects - with near enough all the spares needed. Several
> times over. And a Triumph Stag.
>
> He's a retired teacher.
>
> Living in London with only the street to fix cars in, I *really* envy him
> his garage.

He is a car guy, I understand that. But a Riley and an Austin? When he's
done; he still has an Austin and a Riley, for all of his efforts.

(I'm envious of his six car garage, though. I'd just pick different
cars. (Does he have a wife? And does she control his car budget?).

Rick

In article >,
R. Rikoski > wrote:
> > > Yes, precisely. And who besides a Lebanese taxi driver with ten kids
> > > to feed wants to drive a car with 300,000 miles on it anyway?
> >
> > Heh heh. My brother, for one. He wants to get it up to at least
> > 250,000 miles. Despite having a 6 car garage with an Austin A95 and
> > Riley 1.5 as restoration projects - with near enough all the spares
> > needed. Several times over. And a Triumph Stag.
> >
> > He's a retired teacher.
> >
> > Living in London with only the street to fix cars in, I *really* envy
> > him his garage.

> He is a car guy, I understand that. But a Riley and an Austin? When he's
> done; he still has an Austin and a Riley, for all of his efforts.

The Riley 1.5 is actually quite a nice car. Bit like an earlier version of
an E30. Small and light with a relatively big engine and very quick
steering. Did well in competition in its day.

And as did the A95 - but it's big and heavy.

> (I'm envious of his six car garage, though. I'd just pick different
> cars. (Does he have a wife? And does she control his car budget?).

Heh heh. He bought the Stag for her as an anniversary present. She didn't
speak to him for weeks - and still goes tight lipped when it's mentioned.

--
*Dance like nobody's watching.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article >,
"Dave Plowman (News)" > wrote:

> > Yes, precisely. And who besides a Lebanese taxi driver with ten kids to
> > feed wants to drive a car with 300,000 miles on it anyway?
>
> Heh heh. My brother, for one. He wants to get it up to at least 250,000
> miles. Despite having a 6 car garage with an Austin A95 and Riley 1.5 as
> restoration projects - with near enough all the spares needed. Several
> times over. And a Triumph Stag.
>
> He's a retired teacher.
>
> Living in London with only the street to fix cars in, I *really* envy him
> his garage.

He is a car guy, I understand that. But a Riley and an Austin? When he's
done; he still has an Austin and a Riley, for all of his efforts.

(I'm envious of his six car garage, though. I'd just pick different
cars. (Does he have a wife? And does she control his car budget?).

Rick

In article >,
"Dave Plowman (News)" > wrote:

> Heh heh. He bought the Stag for her as an anniversary present. She didn't
> speak to him for weeks - and still goes tight lipped when it's mentioned.

The Stag is the last of the 60's run of TR-3; TR-4;
TR-4A.......Triumph's, yes? Was it an eight cylinder?

I'd love to get an old Morris Minor from the late 50's; something about
appreciating petite women.

In article >,
R. Rikoski > wrote:
> > Heh heh. He bought the Stag for her as an anniversary present. She
> > didn't speak to him for weeks - and still goes tight lipped when it's
> > mentioned.

> The Stag is the last of the 60's run of TR-3; TR-4;
> TR-4A.......Triumph's, yes? Was it an eight cylinder?

Not really the same; it was intended as a grand tourer rather than sports
car - a sort of M-B SL competitor. Very nice when running, but all sorts
of design problems - mainly engine/cooling system. But most sorted by now.
The engine was unusual in that it was only used on that car - most other
BL cars shared theirs with others. It was essentially two 4 cylinder
Dolomite engines - and that was the same basic unit SAAB also used for
years, although they refined it somewhat ;-)

> I'd love to get an old Morris Minor from the late 50's; something about
> appreciating petite women.

There are no less than four of them in my neighbourhood. Plenty still
around. Also, I passed my driving test in one in 19 mumble mumble...

--
*I get enough exercise just pushing my luck.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.