Just bought E46 M3 - low mile use, Still service each year?

Just bought E46 M3 - low mile use, Still service each year?

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HannsG

Original Poster:

3,031 posts

133 months

Sunday 23rd February 2014
quotequote all
Hi,

I have put a deposit down on an immaculate M3. A bit of a step up to be honest...

The car will see low mileage probably. Just wondering what to stick to when it comes to servicing.

Oil change every 2 years regardless if low miles? Service each year? Say I put 3000miles on it in one year should I still do an inspection service?

Can't wait to pick it up!

Thanks

EDIT: Few pics for you guys





Edited by HannsG on Sunday 23 February 19:07

Leins

9,418 posts

147 months

Sunday 23rd February 2014
quotequote all
I do small mileage in mine too, but always change the oil every year. Just a personal thing, but oil is cheap in the grand scheme of things, and 2 years no matter how little used is too long in my mind

jon-

16,497 posts

215 months

Sunday 23rd February 2014
quotequote all
When the service alert tells you too, or two years.

No need to change the oil yearly, it doesn't go off.

Stone Cold

1,543 posts

172 months

Sunday 23rd February 2014
quotequote all
jon- said:
When the service alert tells you too, or two years.

No need to change the oil yearly, it doesn't go off.
Really! so it doesn't get dirty or degrade then, just stays the same so never really any need to change it ever, ridiculous

RichardM5

1,733 posts

135 months

Sunday 23rd February 2014
quotequote all
Oil degrades when stored at low temperatures. So, probably best change the oil at least once a year in the spring, preferably twice, autumn and spring, but don't reset the service indicator unless due anyway. Do the Inspections as per the service indicator.

Gruber

6,313 posts

213 months

Sunday 23rd February 2014
quotequote all
Stone Cold said:
jon- said:
When the service alert tells you too, or two years.

No need to change the oil yearly, it doesn't go off.
Really! so it doesn't get dirty or degrade then, just stays the same so never really any need to change it ever, ridiculous
rolleyes

OP: as jon says, the car will tell you when it needs servicing. Schedule is oil, inspection 1, oil, inspection 2. It's mileage and time dependent. It's roughly 2 years or 12-15k miles (depending on useage), whichever comes first, between each stage. No need for an annual oil change, especially given the quality of modern oil tech, but if you want to pamper your car then go for it.

Stone Cold

1,543 posts

172 months

Sunday 23rd February 2014
quotequote all
Gruber said:
Stone Cold said:
jon- said:
When the service alert tells you too, or two years.

No need to change the oil yearly, it doesn't go off.
Really! so it doesn't get dirty or degrade then, just stays the same so never really any need to change it ever, ridiculous
rolleyes

OP: as jon says, the car will tell you when it needs servicing. Schedule is oil, inspection 1, oil, inspection 2. It's mileage and time dependent. It's roughly 2 years or 12-15k miles (depending on useage), whichever comes first, between each stage. No need for an annual oil change, especially given the quality of modern oil tech, but if you want to pamper your car then go for it.
Hey, each to there own but I am in the same camp as RichardM5, I do about 6k -8k in my E46 M3 and the oil is changed every 6 months regardless, just leave the service indicator alone so you know when insp 1 and 2 are due and do those to the schedule, but it is a very high performance engine whose life will only be extended with regular oil changes, IMO smile

siovey

1,632 posts

137 months

Sunday 23rd February 2014
quotequote all
Mine does 7k p/a and I change the oil once a year. As did the previous owner. Cant hurt it I suppose!

HannsG

Original Poster:

3,031 posts

133 months

Sunday 23rd February 2014
quotequote all
So the car tells you when Insp1 and 2 are due. Which is fine, does it inform you when an oil change is due?

Regardless, I'll change it once maybe twice a year.

Thanks

Stone Cold

1,543 posts

172 months

Sunday 23rd February 2014
quotequote all
HannsG said:
So the car tells you when Insp1 and 2 are due. Which is fine, does it inform you when an oil change is due?

Regardless, I'll change it once maybe twice a year.

Thanks
it goes like this
1200 miles running in service
approx 15000 miles or after 2 years Oil service
approx 15000 miles or after 2 years Inspection 1 service
approx 15000 miles or after 2 years Oil service
approx 15000 miles or after 2 years Inspection 2 service

and repeat, apart from the 1200 mile running in, which you must make sure has been done, if you haven't checked and seen the service book stamped please make sure you do, but I am sure you know that already smile

The oil changes as discussed above are personal preference not BMW std intervals, but they will of course do the oil, stamp the book and leave the service indicator as is for the next 'scheduled' service as above


HannsG

Original Poster:

3,031 posts

133 months

Sunday 23rd February 2014
quotequote all
Cheers for the info

Edited the first post to add a few pics

NickXX

1,546 posts

217 months

Monday 24th February 2014
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Lovely car - same colour as mine smile

I also do very few miles, and never enough to trip the service indicator on a mileage basis. I service mine every 2 years at a main dealer as per the BMW service interval.

MP85

697 posts

194 months

Monday 24th February 2014
quotequote all
currently thinking of chopping in my 330d for a similar m3.....

i probably only really do 8000 a year, now.... i'd also probably take it to an indy for insp 1 + 2's but aside from that an il change is hardly breaking the bank compared to a bufggered engine!

just a quickie to any existing m3 owners - ive already told myself the mpg is going to hurt after having a 330D, but on a casual motoway jaunt, are we looking around the 30mpg mark?

Op: The new car looks very nice indeed!

161BMW

1,697 posts

164 months

Monday 24th February 2014
quotequote all
This is interesting thread as I was wondering whether mine was due:
08/12 BMW Oil Service including gearbox, LSD, brake fluid, coolant, air filter, fuel filter, BMW Double VANOS filter - 32500 miles (this was due)
05/13 BMW Oil Service as an interim including gearbox, LSD, air filter and brakes discs and brake pads all round - 33990 miles
Mine is due BMW Inspection II Service this year and only on 35800 miles ATM :-)

HannsG

Original Poster:

3,031 posts

133 months

Monday 24th February 2014
quotequote all
MP85 said:
currently thinking of chopping in my 330d for a similar m3.....

i probably only really do 8000 a year, now.... i'd also probably take it to an indy for insp 1 + 2's but aside from that an il change is hardly breaking the bank compared to a bufggered engine!

just a quickie to any existing m3 owners - ive already told myself the mpg is going to hurt after having a 330D, but on a casual motoway jaunt, are we looking around the 30mpg mark?

Op: The new car looks very nice indeed!
30mpg should be achievable. When I went to see mine, it was showing 26mpg and thats from local driving.

The seller told me he had never reset the clock.

jon-

16,497 posts

215 months

Monday 24th February 2014
quotequote all
Stone Cold said:
jon- said:
When the service alert tells you too, or two years.

No need to change the oil yearly, it doesn't go off.
Really! so it doesn't get dirty or degrade then, just stays the same so never really any need to change it ever, ridiculous
Yes, oil gets dirty and degrades with use. Which is what the service indicator factors in. If you only did 100 miles a year would you still change it yearly..?

30mpg is fine on a run, throw in much stop start and it drops.

Mine is averaging about 18-20mpg per tank at the moment, but only gets driven fairly hard as it's a second car.

Leins

9,418 posts

147 months

Monday 24th February 2014
quotequote all
jon- said:
If you only did 100 miles a year would you still change it yearly..?
Yes, yearly oil changes for my cars regardless of mileage. As I said before it might just be a personal thing, but oil is cheap in the greater view of things

Rick101

6,959 posts

149 months

Monday 24th February 2014
quotequote all
Re MPG 'actual' figures I've got 24 on a motorway run and 18 on a blast.

Re servicing just go by the indicator. Min is 2 yrs if you don't do the mileage but I'd be inclined to do it annually.

johnfm

13,668 posts

249 months

Wednesday 26th February 2014
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Leins said:
jon- said:
If you only did 100 miles a year would you still change it yearly..?
Yes, yearly oil changes for my cars regardless of mileage. As I said before it might just be a personal thing, but oil is cheap in the greater view of things
Yep, its not like those BMW engineers know anything about engines or the oil they specify...



Leins

9,418 posts

147 months

Wednesday 26th February 2014
quotequote all
johnfm said:
Yep, its not like those BMW engineers know anything about engines or the oil they specify...
I'll try and find the guys who built mine and ask them to point out what more frequent oil and filter changes will damage then, shall I?