Servicing 2005 E90 330i

[JimClark49]

The servicing of my 330i (N52) is due soon and I have some questions I hope you can help with:
1) Should I get genuine BMW oil filter and air filter or will aftermarket MANN ones be OK?
2) where is the best place to get service parts for these cars?
3) I will be using Shell Helix Ultra 5w40 oil. Am I correct in thinking that it takes 6.5 litres?
4) I currently have full BMWSH, but car is at an age where I am happy for an indy to service it. Alternatively, would servicing myself (and keeping invoices) put potential buyers off if I were to sell, or do some of you service yourself?
5) Is it easy to reset iDrive service indicator if I were to service myself?

Edited by JimClark49 on Sunday 28th April 15:49

[chan61922]

After taking ownership on my n53 5 years ago, I always sourced service parts myself and had my mechanic service for me, I always used maan filters and Castrol oil, ngk or Bosch plugs. Reason being, I knew exactly what was inside my car. No probs with filters or any other part at all, recently sold my car along with all invoices for service parts, and buyer was impressed, shows you have a interest in your car, so I wouldn’t worry too much about maintaining a full bmwsh. Your correct, Oil is 6.5litres, I usually wait for a deal on euro car parts or get my mechanic to do through his trade account, works out about 150/160 quid all in plus whatever you pay for labour.

[helix402]

1) Should I get genuine BMW oil filter and air filter or will aftermarket MANN ones be OK?

Mann, Mahle or gen BMW filters. Mann and Mahle make the filters for BMW.

2) where is the best place to get service parts for these cars?

Car Parts for Less for service parts.

3) I will be using Shell Helix Ultra 5w40 oil. Am I correct in thinking that it takes 6.5 litres?

Yes, 6.5l, Shell oil is very expensive, this is good:


4) I currently have full BMWSH, but car is at an age where I am happy for an indy to service it. Alternatively, would servicing myself (and keeping invoices) put potential buyers off if I were to sell, or do some of you service yourself?

Diy

5) Is it easy to reset iDrive service indicator if I were to service myself?

Yes.

Edited by JimClark49 on Sunday 28th April 15:49

[/quote]

[naturalaspiration]

Mahle (also Filtron - owned by Mahle - so many filters produced by Filtron bear Mahle badge) - cheap at autodoc.

[Mr Tidy]

It looks like all your questions have been answered except one - would it put potential buyers off?

Well if all the receipts for parts were available it wouldn't put me off FWIW.

But I won't be a potential buyer as I bought one myself last month.

[JimClark49]

Thanks to all who replied with excellent information.

Mann oil and air filter ordered from car parts4less, and 20L 5w30 oil from the ebay seller mentioned above.
I will do the service myself then!

MrTidy - welcome to the six cylinder club. I see you brought a manual. I have the Auto, which suits the driving style I have adopted since becoming a father!

As an aside, I cleaned and swapped my VANOS solenoid valves and the car is running like normal again. I hope they don't play up again.

One more question if I may - is the thermostat easy to change on these? I had a fault code (2EF5) come up last week for this. Is it safe to continue driving until sorted?

[helix402]

Thermostat will be fine. It’s a little buried down on the water pump. All it means is the car will take longer to warm up.

Sump plug torque is 25Nm.

[Mr Tidy]

JimClark49 said:

MrTidy - welcome to the six cylinder club. I see you brought a manual. I have the Auto, which suits the driving style I have adopted since becoming a father!

Thanks for the welcome.

But I've been there before - it replaced an E91 325i that replaced an E46 325ti! I just can't seem to find anything I'd rather have.

[JimClark49]

Two more questions:

1) Where is the best place to purchase an appropriate oil filter removal tool?
2) There is a jacking point on the front of the car just a little under the front bumper. I plan to use my hydraulic jack to lift car from there and then place axle stands at the normal sill jacking points. Is this the way you guys lift the car too?

[helix402]

This is the tool I use:









Your jacking plan is fine but you may find the jack is in the way of the oil draining out. I use two jacks, one on each front jacking point and put an axle stand on the central jacking point.

[JimClark49]

OK, so all the service parts are here and I am ready to service the car.

I have what might be a 'trivial' question before I start. Can somebody advise me if it is OK to directly place my Halfords axle stands (https://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/garage-workshop/axle-stands/halfords-2-tonne-axle-stands) on the rectangular jacking points on the sill?

I am concerned that the rectangular jacking points might 'cave in' under pressure. I have read that some people use fabricated rectangle moulds that fit into the gap in the jacking point. Do I need such adapters, or do the jacking points support the load on the actual exposed rectangular part?

The adapter I mean is like this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/For-BMW-3-4-5-Series-E4...

Edited by JimClark49 on Thursday 9th May 22:01

[helix402]

The inserts are good however I have never seen the standard jacking point inserts bend under load when axle stands are placed on them.

[Mr Tidy]

No, I've had tyres changed on my BMWs and tyre places don't use any sort of insert but nothing has broken yet!

But I use an insert like the one on the link twice a year when I swap from winters to summers, and vice versa.