Hi, hope someone can help with this....
I now own a nearly new old shape BMW 330D auto which seems to use BMW longlife-01 oil. Handbook guards against anything else - no doubt as the oil is intended to last 15k miles or thereabouts. Does anyone know whether a direct equivalent oil is available through normal autospares retail outlets rather than the BMW dealer network where I am sure the cost for their branded oil will not be cheap!
Whilst I think about it, does anyone know if this oil is syntetic or semi-synthetic (I assume you cannot mix the two)?
Oil I have available from a previous 330D (when it was only 12k miles between services) is Castrol SLX 0w-30. It would be useful to know if using this would be acceptable or not?
Finally, I'm sure I've seen HJ write about 5k oil changes etc - does that still hold true with modern oils and engines?
Many Thanks in anticipation!
Graham.
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I believe the oil that meets the BMW spec longlife 01 is Castrol SLX fully synthetic 0w-30w. That's what the dealers put in my E46 BMW ditto the independent that I now use. It's about £12/litre at the dealer, the only other place I've seen it is Halfords but it was almost as expensive at £40/ 4litre pack.
I wouldn't risk anything else as it is supposedly formulated especially for these engines. I believe Audi use a similarly named but different spec. Castrol oil but not too sure of this one (no doubt I will be swiftly corrected if I'm wrong about the Audi...)
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Whilst I use Castrol SLX 0W-30, BMW also approve Mobil 1 fully synthetic 0W- 30, which is slightly cheaper. If you are taking a cross channel trip at any time, you will find Mobil 1 at approx 40% discount in France.
I personally don`t stick to the 15k/20k oil changes that BMW operate, but follow H.J`s advice and change at 7.5k max as I intend to keep my 320d for several years.
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Iam very interested in these answers as I have been asked for advice by my soldier Grandson who has a vw golf mk v 1.4 fsi which is 12 months old, but has been laid up for 6 months due to abscence in Iraq. The service warning light came on but the main dealer said the clock had been wrongly set in the factory and the car did not need srvicing, which I thought was very honest! They have re- set the clock for 20,000 mls. but I am not very happy about this as I share HJ's views. I am at a loss as to whether to just get the oil/filter change done or go along with their advice. Also, as an aside , he has brought the car from Germany where petrol is sulphur free as this fsi engine does not like sulphur. He asks me whether shell optimax and other super grades in England are suitable for this fsi engine. Ii really would appreciate the views of you more experienced readers out there. Grandad.
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LL01 is necessary if you are on variable service.
Castrol SLX 0w-30 is not the only one, there are many out there that are BMW LL01 Approved and cost quite a bit less than the Castrol.
Motul BMW Specific 5w-30 LL01
Fuchs Titan Supersyn SL 0w-30 LL01
Castrol Formula SLX 0w-30 LL01
Mobil 1 0w-40 LL01
Castrol RS Power 0w-40 LL01
If you are on fixed servicing then a BMW Approved special oil can also be used, these tend to be 5w-40 in viscosity and are suitable as an "all year round" oil.
Motul 8100 Eco-Energy 5w-40
Motul 8100 X-Cess 5w-40
Silkolene PRO S 5w-40
Fuchs Titan Supersyn SL 5w-40
Total Quartz 9000 5w-40
Hope this helps,
Cheers
Simon
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Simon - Some very useful info there - thanks for that.
Can I come back to the oil I do have for a moment, just to be sure whether or not I can safely use that -
The oil container is marked as CASTROL Formula SLX 0W-30 (no mention of LL01 - which seems key to the variable service batch you listed) but goes on to quote:
API SJ/CF, ILSAC GF-1, ACEA A3/B3, BMW special oil listed
etc etc.....
Grateful for confirmation either way....
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Where did this come from only SLX is API SL/CF not SJ which is an old spec. We are moving to SM already.
Cheers
Simon
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This is oil I bought from a car parts place some time ago and never used.......
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Grandad, I'm a diesel driver, but according to my Golf MKV Tech. handbook
a) the 1.4 90 bhp (FSi)engine requires 95 ron petrol, and
b) the 1.6 (115 bhp)and 2.0 FSi engines require 98 (or 95 'with slight loss of power, slight increase in consumption and some knocking in the engine until the anti-knock system is activated'). There is an additional note against these 2 engines recommending low sulphur or sulphur free petrol.
From the 'Tips and Maintenance' booklet: "we recommend petrol with a low sulphur content or sulphur free petrol for use with FSI engines. This reduces petrol consumption" - nothing about do not use 'normal' fuel (which is 95).
From this I would take it that normal UK fuel was ok.
There is precious little technical info on BP Ultimate or Shell Optimax on the respective companies' websites that I could see, but I was under the impression the these 2 fuels were very low sulphur. Try them and see if there is a noticeable difference.
As this petrol question is 'off-thread' from the original question, you may want to post it as a new thread yourself.
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Thank you very much to JohnM(p) for the information about petrol for fsi engines. I am sorry I went off thread and I am content to take your advice about shell optimax and bp ultimate. My grandson is doing a 300 mile journey tomorrow on shell optimax so we will see. I know he could have filled up with the 95 ron but I thought the car might perform better on the higher grade although it is only 90bhp. Thanks again. Grandad.
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When I was thinking of buying an A2 1.6 FSI, I was specifically told that they needed sulphur free fuel, and the only example then was Optimax @ about 10ppm. BTW, using 95 RON in these engines means that the sulphur content is probably higher (cat not happy) and ignition timing has to be retarded, by the ECU. It loses some power and wastes fuel. 95 is not optimum.
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I know a lot of BMW dealerships do use Castrol SLX 0w-30,which is a very good oil.At the BMW dealership in Surrey,where my sister gets her 320i serviced,they use Mobil 1 0w-40,which IMHO is the best oil you can buy(as stated-much cheaper in france).
Frequent oil changes are still relevant even with modern engines and oils,but the type of driving and the quality of oil should be factored in.I drive between 12-14000 miles pa.On my Mazda,I change my oil every six months and use Shell Helix Ultra 5w-40
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