Why do I need an oil change?

What is the one thing people would tell us when we got our first car?  The one thing parents  tell their teenage children besides "don't speed" and "always wear your seat belt"  is to always change the oil.

Of course, not all of us followed this rule of automotive maintenance and the end results were not always pretty.  As we matured, the simple act of vehicle maintenance becomes more of a religious act and the standard 3 months or 3,000 miles is learned.  Times have changed as has automotive technology.  We can't always rely on technology only..

An oil change service is the most important maintenance item for the life of your BMW, Porsche, Land Rover or Mini Cooper.  

As sophisticated as a modern car is today, engine oil is still what keeps the engine revving. Manufacturers have come a long way with production of more sophisticated  synthetic oils that help cars run smoother, cleaner and extend service intervals.  As a result, the 3 month or 3,000 mile rule is now extended to 6,000, 7,500 and even 10,000 mile intervals.  Some BMW's advise 15,500 and 19,000 mile intervals.  This approach certainly sells cars but in the long run will lead to a shorter engine life span.

Modern European cars of today have on board systems to keep track of driving habits and based on this, vary the oil change intervals.  This is done to compensate for shorter trips and infrequent driving.   These systems are not always accurate.  Furthermore, following this method will NOT lead to long term reliability.  Your BMW is in for service and the service light is reset after the service is completed.  Your next service is Service B at 10,000 miles.  Let say the car is driven less that 1,000 miles in a year with short trips.  That 10,000 miles may quickly drop down to 2,000 miles.  This is because synthetic oil can absorb moisture over time if not brought up to temperature.   Additionally, synthetic oil doesn't mean that any brand will do. Manufacturers apply stringent specifications that must meet certain criteria.  

BMW has established a maintenance system in their cars that seems to extend service intervals even longer.  Condition Based Service (CBS) is a system that determines service intervals based on fuel consumption and other things.  The main determining factor is the condition of the  engine oil.  This is done by a sensor which has the ability to detect engine oil levels and temperature  But, you just can't trust these systems.  

Our shop recommends doing oil change service on BMW  at 5,000 mile intervals. 

Bottom line - as complex and overly engineered today's vehicles are, a simple oil change should at the very least be the most important maintenance item to be done on a regular basis throughout the life of the car....that is until we start driving all electric cars or cars that drive themselves.....

For more information on vehicle maintenance, please visit our website

                            www.baydiagnostic.com