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ORIGINAL: MasterG2kTR

If you can afford a Beamer you can afford to have someone change the oil for you. If you can't afford that small cost you should sell the Beamer and get something domestic that you can abuse without worry.

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ORIGINAL: DesFIP

The Man says if you already have synthetic then stick to that. But he disapproves adamantly to switching to synthetic. He tends to use 10-40 Valvoline in all the cars and he prefers a Fram filter to other brands.

I'm impressed you changed the light in a dress. We discovered that the only way to change a tail light in my daughter's Jetta was for her to curl up in the trunk. Which was a jeans process considering what else lived in her trunk.

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ORIGINAL: TheHeretic

If it isn't the bulb or a fuse, then what you have is a BMW that is starting to develop electrical cancer. My advice is to get rid of it. They are very nice cars, until they start to go, but once that happens, only suckers keep them.

I've been having this discussion with a stubborn friend who really likes her X5, and she has already reached the place where the repair bills every few months are the equivalent of the payments on a new Acura.

Of course, if you are wealthy enough to have two cars, AND put a mechanic's kids through college, by all means, enjoy the i.

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ORIGINAL: OsideGirl

We've had all sorts of BMWs. They are known to electrically quirky, but I'll also say we have a 92 325i with a gazillion miles on it that Himself is converting into a SCCA car and it's reliable on a daily basis.

According to Himself (who runs a shop specializing in European cars):

If the car already has a substantial number of miles, don't switch to synthetic. It will leak. If you've always run synthetic or the car has low miles, go ahead and switch. But, don't mix synthetic and regular.

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ORIGINAL: MrRodgers

I am going to conclude that your car takes 8 quarts same as other foreign cars and if only because you already have 6 of the Penzoil and still ask.

Here is the suggestion from an old motorhead from Detroit who has had an active interest in cars from back before I care to count.

Buy 2 more quarts of the Penzoil for changing the engine oil and keep the others for adding oil should you ever need it. You could even use it in a squirt can for household jobs.

OH yes, n e v e r mix organic and synthetic oil. One should never go from synthetic (since new) to organic and once done, one must stay...with organic.

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ORIGINAL: TallullahHk

Thank you!
She's a 2003 with less than 90k in mileage and since I work and live in the city doesn't get to stretch her horsepower too often. I would just be mixing one brand synthetic 5w40 with another brand of synthetic 5w40. Both are BMW approved.

quote:

ORIGINAL: OsideGirl

We've had all sorts of BMWs. They are known to electrically quirky, but I'll also say we have a 92 325i with a gazillion miles on it that Himself is converting into a SCCA car and it's reliable on a daily basis.

According to Himself (who runs a shop specializing in European cars):

If the car already has a substantial number of miles, don't switch to synthetic. It will leak. If you've always run synthetic or the car has low miles, go ahead and switch. But, don't mix synthetic and regular.