Oil changes for the 520D

[VVC-Geeza]

Discrepancies appear to exist between the book and actual practices.

The official BMW distances or times are unexpectedly lengthy; may this indicate contemporary advancements in manufacturing tolerances, resulting in reduced smoothing of cylinder bores by piston rings, for instance?
The machinery that manufacture engines are markedly distinct from those of the past.


BMW is not unique; our Golf has endured 7 to 8 years of a comparable maintenance regimen without visits. Should I subject my BMW to the same evaluation?

I am quite interested in understanding what members consider to be the acceptable interval or distance to utilise, and whether regular long versus short travels should be taken into account.

[vitessear3]

10,000 miles or 12 months

The rationale for extending the intervals is to enhance their attractiveness to leasing businesses. I have observed numerous BMW diesel vehicles operating under the CBS system, all of which exhibit sludge accumulation.


The oil maintains significant carbon when subjected to CBS, which substantially contributes to premature chain failures and the spinning of bottom end bearings, resulting in extensive and costly damage.

Considering the cost of oil and filter changes, performing them every 10,000 miles or annually is an obvious choice for me.

[DMGRS]

The service intervals were determined by marketing initiatives rather than engineering considerations. They determined that servicing might be extended to approximately 15-18k without incurring significant claims on the 100k warranty.

In actuality, even contemporary and entirely synthetic oils deteriorate. The pivotal threshold for the majority of engine oils occurs at approximately 6,000 miles or more. By 12,000, they are all essentially exhausted. I cannot remember the source of the study links (perhaps Bob is the oil expert), but there has been an investigation of used engine oils indicating that a significant reduction was observed at the 6,000-mile mark.

[Flexfer]

Several years ago, a relative of mine acquired a Mercedes E220 for himself. The vehicle, around five years old, was rather impressive; his typical preferences are the Honda Accord or Nissan Primera.

This was his first prestigious German automobile, and he was understandably excited. He guided me on a tour and took me on a drive. What emerged from his mouth astonished me. He informs me that this Mercedes requires servicing every two years or after 18,000 kilometres, indicating low operating costs. He typically drives approximately 5,000 miles, resulting in no funds available for two years. He informed me that this car will entail lower service costs compared to his last Honda Accord.


He was willing to maintain the Mercedes less regularly than the Honda, which he would service for every MOT, despite having spent a considerable amount on the car. I attempted to suggest that he disregard the service indicator and invest some funds in car maintenance; nevertheless, he was unyielding, since the computer dictated otherwise.

Three decades ago, driving a BMW or Mercedes was regarded as a symbol of prestige, particularly when the streets were predominantly populated by Ford Sierras and Vauxhall Cavaliers. Prior to the Mondeo and Vectra. One required substantial financial resources (in my region, akin to a drug king or pimp) to operate a BMW or Mercedes.

They have now extended the program to include three years of complimentary access. Over a span of three years, BMW may perform only one oil change, resulting in minimal costs for them. A recent acquisition of a BMW now appears comparably priced to a Mondeo and Vectra.

Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear stated that BMWs will be more prevalent on the streets than Mondeos.