Stories from the Sales Frontlines

driver100

Well, I am trying to figure out what to do about my free oil change once again. Here's the scoop.
BMW will do a free one at 15k miles, but the sensors say I won't need it until I get to 17k miles
I am currently at 12,500 miles.
I only do about 800 miles a month whan here, so I will need an oil change when I am in Florida, and I will have to pay for that since it is outside Canada.

I was going to talk it over with the service department and tell them my problem and see if they would do it early, because of the Florida trip.

But, this is what surprised me, I checked the monitor and it said I can change oil in 5k miles, or in November 2013.

That means, if you don't change oil by mileage, the time limit is 2 years. We all agreed, including me, and all the information I could find, that oil should be changed every year.

On one post, I read this which is similar to what dino said;

The engineers at BMW have decided that the proper OCI for North America is about 15-18k miles or once a year.

For Europe, the interval is 30k km or every 3 years.

You decide who you want to believe - the engineers that designed the damn car or some internet junky who was brainwashed by Jiffy Lube?

I think I will just pay to have an oil change done now, it is almost 1 year and I will probably have to pay for it to be done in Florida. First I will call service and ask them about the trip though.

driver100

Not wanting to ruin my diet I did not eat the fries.
What a shame. The fries are outstanding.

Thanks for the heads up...Normally I would try to avoid fries too, but I can and do make exceptions.

fezo

Is it time to start the pool as to when driver's engine seizes?

jmonroe

Before doing so, I would definitely need to purchase a package of Depends!

You and me both.

Real plane take off speed is less than 250 MPH! I've never felt the need for that kind of speed or even half of that.

Like I've said before I don't really belong on this car site. I'm going to go watch the Steelers game now. Never watch Nascar.

jmonroe

tjc78

If I were you I'd change the oil (paid for or not) before the Florida trip. My Buick is at 8500 miles and going in for it's second change soon. OLM is at 38% but I don't care.

Eagles up by 7, let's see how long this lasts.

Isell, yes who would have thought?

abacomike

I think you were brave to buy...

*driver, I think the word is "stupid", not brave! You could also use these words rather than brave:

Expensive, Outrageous, Dumb, Ridiculous, Ostentatious, Foolish, Idiotic, Selfish but definitely not brave!

abacomike

It's time to start a pool as to when *driver's engine will seize...

I'm in! My guess is October 22nd.

Everyone knows my opinion on oil changes - every 8000-10,000 miles or one year, whichever comes first, so long as we are talking about full, quality synthetic. Mercedes recommends 10,000 miles or one year - with Mobil 1.

If you own your car, why not change it a little more frequently. If you lease it, follow manufacturer's recommendations. I definitely would not go more than 1 year!

abacomike

Real plane take off speed is less than 250 mph...

Actually, it all depends on what type of plane. If it's a Boeing 737, indicated air speed take off speed (V-1+10 knotts) is 150 knotts. A Cessna King Air 350 takes off at 100 knotts IAS. A Boeing 747 takes off at an IAS of 160 knotts.

Take off speed is different and variable depending on total gross weight, degrees of flaps, temperature, winds, etc. 250 mph is about 210 knotts. Most planes take off at much less than that.

driver100

Is it time to start the pool as to when driver's engine seizes?

Well, you haven't lost your sense of humor thank goodness.

Now, about the bet. I think I have a few years to go before the engine seizes.
The purchase date was about Nov 15, 2011, and the warranty is 4 years, so I'll bet Nov 16th 2015.

If you are looking for a slightly used 2012 535 mark that day on your calendar.

driver100

If I were you I'd change the oil (paid for or not) before the Florida trip.

I am seriously considering that. I checked the manual and it says the cars are made and tested to go 15K miles between oil changes, and coolant doesn't have to be changed unless you have to add more because it runs low.

It's just not worth a hassle, I'll take it to the dealer and get the oil changed and pay for it. I don't think going 15k miles is a problem, but, using the same oil for over a year just goes against my instinct. If I drive that little, and that's including about 3400 miles to Florida and back, I should be able to pay for an oil change once a year.

driver100

Everyone knows my opinion on oil changes - every 8000-10,000 miles or one year,

If you go 100000 miles in your car, and you won't, you will have to buy 10 oil changes if you do it every 10K miles (what a genious eh?).

If you go 100000 miles and do an oil change at 8K you will need 12.5 oil changes.

So, using the Driver Method of Dollar Averaging, it may cost you an additional $120 to $150 over 10 years to do oil changes a little more often.

Not a big deal in the whole scheme of things.

And, I agree, more important if you own, if you lease, who cares (as long as you don't void your warranty)!

abacomike

If you go 100,000 miles in your car, and you won't...

*driver, your sense of logic is mesmerizing! GENIUS! not GENIOUS! No, I won't make it to 100,000 miles, *driver, and neither will you! But assume 30,000 miles for either of us, and you get 3 or 4 oil changes (8,000 - 10,000 miles), It would cost me $89.00 at Mercedes since they are going to pick up the first two "A" services. All I would need to do is change the oil once.

*driver, do us all a favor, CHANGE YOUR OIL NOW! This way, we can move on to a new thread!

abacomike

I'd love to see those pictures of the Rolls...

*driver, you're good at finding things on the world wide web and posting them here on the forum. Try to find a picture or two of a black metallic Ghost sedan with chrome wheels. Then try to post it here. I can tell you one thing, it is one good looking automobile!

roadburner

And to you as well!!!

roadburner

Steve Dinan is arguably the most sophisticated BMW tuner in North America(along with Jim Conforti), and he's also been successful tuning BMW race cars. Dinan used to have an official relationship with BMW and many dealers sold and installed his engine and suspension modifications. The "official" relationship only ended when BMW NA decided to sell their own line of performance parts(BMW Performance and M Performance).

Steve's philosophy is to add performance without adversely affecting the vehicle's balance or comfort. I once heard him say that he installs parts on his wife's car and if she doesn't notice a difference then he has succeeded.

That said, he builds some outstanding cars. My dealer had a 335i automatic coupe with the Dinan Stage 3 engine kit; it made 398 bhp and when you shifted out of fourth gear(at @110 mph) the rear tires chirped. Best of all, on new cars the Dinan warranty matches the new car 4 year / 50,000 mi warranty. You pay a premium price for Dinan components, but you get a premium product.

Dinan

roadburner

You do realize you're a very lucky guy, don't you?

Oh yes!!!

roadburner

Thanks for everyone's advice. Our HVAC guy sells and install Rheem and Ruud, so that is probably what we'll end up with. Now we are just waiting to see what the cost is going to be...

abacomike

I've done some reading up on engine performance, i.e., horsepower, torque, fuel/direct injection, transmission and gear ratios, but I have not been able to find which is preferred - engines with turbos or engines without turbos.

I've owned both but there really was little difference in terms of acceleration except that I noticed a slight delay in responsiveness with a turbo.

So which, in the long run, assuming identical torque and horsepower, is better for longevity of an engine - turbo/twin turbo engines or engines without turbos? I've owned a few BMW's with twin turbos and an Audi turbo. I've owned cars without turbos, but with the same torque and horsepower. Since I don't keep cars for more than a year at a time, I never could determine which was more versatile and maintenance free.

Any comments?

bwia

Mike,

The very first step is to register and create an account with an online service such as photobucket. Here is the link. http://register.photobucket.com/

The second step is to upload your pictures to photobucket. I have never done it with an iPhone but from a PC the process is simple and straight forward.

Once the pictures are stored in your account at photobucket then you can follow the steps outlined by makola and tjc

I hope this helps.

abacomike

The very first step is to register and create an account...

*bwia, you made the process and accompanying steps easy to follow. With my slowly atrophying brain, I will try it a few times when I get onto my PC. Thanks for taking the time to lay it out for me - it is much appreciated!

roadburner

So which, in the long run, assuming identical torque and horsepower, is better for longevity of an engine - turbo/twin turbo engines or engines without turbos?

In my opinion the non-turbo engine will last longer. A turbocharged engine adds extra sensors and components in addition to the turbo itself. Then there is the fact that the turbo generates a lot of heat, which requires additional water and/or oil cooling.

The CAFE standards are the primary reason we are seeing more turbo engines; a small displacement motor with a turbo can provide good fuel economy at cruising speeds and still produce significant power at full throttle. For example, My Mazdaspeed 3 averages 26-28 mpg yet the 2.3 liter(140 ci) engine puts out 287 bhp- enough power to boost it through the 1/4 mile in a tick under 14 seconds.

Getting back to the longevity question, for the average driver who doesn't keep a car much past 100,000 miles, the question is essentially moot- assuming the car is properly maintained. And I would definitely use a quality synthetic in any turbocharged vehicle.

abacomike

In my opinion, the non-turbo engine will last longer...

You mentioned additional maintenance and/or the need to monitor turbo engines more closely due to the additional heat produced by turbos. Do these turbos foul-up causing either loss of power or longer delays in delivering the boost of power needed upon an abrupt kick-down of the accelerator?

We mentioned in previous posts the potential for direct injection causing carbon build-up on the valves and the steps that manufacturers are taking to limit this build-up. If you had a choice between two engines, both with the same horsepower, torque and fuel economy, which would you choose?

roadburner

Do these turbos foul-up causing either loss of power or longer delays in delivering the boost of power needed upon an abrupt kick-down of the accelerator?

No, the turbos are fairly robust units. The bearings and/or seals are what eventually fail, as they are subjected to extremely high temperatures and rotational speeds.

If you had a choice between two engines, both with the same horsepower, torque and fuel economy, which would you choose?

I'd choose the naturally aspirated(non-turbo) motor- and that was a factor in the selection of my wife's 2009 328i; inline six, no direct injection, and no turbo. A recipe for a long and problem-free life- but note that we will probably be keeping the car for 8-10 years...
Finally, my Mazda had a turbo with a bad oil seal that was replaced under warranty at 26,000 miles(a common problem that only affected the early cars). 82,000 miles later the replacement is doing fine. So a turbo won't necessarily be less reliable than a normally aspirated engine- but the potential is certainly there...

abacomike

No, the turbos are fairly robust units

Thanks, *roadburner, I learned quite a bit from your last two posts.

I guess with all the pressure being exerted by the EPA and the Congress and Administration, auto manufacturers have been hard-pressed to deliver higher and higher miles per gallon out of an internal combustion engine. They have had to adjust and adapt these engines using different add-ons such as turbos and direct injection and will probably have to come up with entirely new adaptations to meet with these stricter standards.

Just a few years ago, a 6 cylinder engine was an underpowered higher mileage engine that we had to settle for while the big V8's were the top choice for power. Today, 6 cylinder engines are the preferred engine for power and economy while 4 cylinder engines have taken the place of the old 6 cylinder engines. Many manufacturers don't build a V8 for certain models.

In a few years, the 4 cylinder engine will be commonplace on most cars - at least that is my take on the near future.

In a few years, the average car will be required to deliver 45 mpg's highway. Tough to do that with a 6 cylinder engine, but you will with a 4 cylinder engine.

Thanks much for all the info - I appreciate your time and effort!

roadburner

Glad to help!

fezo

driver -- don't change the oil until after 11/15. 11/14 is my day in the pool.

explorerx4

In some ways, it's not like car manufacturers haven't been through this before.
In the late 70's I drove a Duster 6 cyl which was good for 17 mpg highway.
After that I had a VW Scirocco 4 cyl, which was good for 30 mpg.
In 1983, I bought a Tbird Turbo coupe, a 4 cyl engine, good for about 23 mpg.
By 1986, the domestics got their V8's back in the game, and I bought a 5.0 Mustang GT (22 mpg).
It could happen again, although a V8 will not be high volume choice.

abacomike

Although a V8 will not be a high volume choice...

I agree, *explorer, unless they are able to more quickly develop the hydrogen fuel cell for engines. BMW has been testing a fleet of 7 Series vehicles with hydrogen fuel cell technology in California for the past several years. I don't know the results, thus far, or whether they consider the hydrogen fuel cell a reasonable alternative worthy of continued experimentation.

But, the future of the internal combustion engine lies with the 4 cylinder engine in the near future.

Good points * explorer.

driver100

driver, do us all a favor, CHANGE YOUR OIL NOW! This way, we can move on to a new thread!

That's the plan.......it's too hard to try to get a free one this time around.

jmonroe

Ah come on, considering my output around here my batting average ain't too bad.

Says who. You're probably figuring that average using Canadian math. You know, about 30 points higher than the guys here in the US, with shear perseverance, haver been able to squeeze in a couple swings in between yours. :P

jmonroe

driver100

black metallic Ghost sedan with chrome wheels.

Not sure if this is it. I'll try again tomorrow, it's too late tonight. This may not be it but it must be close, and it is one beautiful car if it is close. There just isn't an American or Asian car that can match the beauty of this Bentley.

jmonroe

This went on for 2 or 3 more months, with the warnings coming more and more frequently, even without rain or thunder, etc. BMW decided to take the car back and built another car for me. I got the replacement car 7 weeks later. It was an exact duplicate of the first one.

Seems logical to me. If it was "an exact duplicate of the first one", why would you expect it to be different than the first one? :confuse:

jmonroe

driver100

That said, he builds some outstanding cars.

Thanks for the explanation. Maybe one day I'll get a Dinan or Alpina BMW.

driver100

Glad to help!

Yes, I read your answers and learned a lot too. You kind of confirmed what I expected, but explained it all so even I could understand.

I like turbos, the engine seems pretty tame for most driving, but it has unexpected power when needed. To me, non turbo engines are more boring, the power is always there.

I know that won't make sense to any normal person, but, I really like turbo engines.....but, I suspect turbos spinning at 1000s of revolutions a second is going to lead to more maintenance at some point.

But, I enjoyed reading your expert thoughts.

driver100

driver -- don't change the oil until after 11/15. 11/14 is my day in the pool.

lol....You're back! I'll see what I can do but no promises.

driver100

You know, about 30 points higher than the guys here in the US,

Yeh, well how are you doing on your quota? Aren't you supposed to be at 1000 more posts by the end of the year, to maintain your free membership.

You were slacking off a few weeks ago so you better increase your output until the end of the year. How did your team do?

driver100

Seems logical to me. If it was "an exact duplicate of the first one", why would you expect it to be different than the first one?

That is funny. I didn't think of that. BMW probably thought he liked being warned about storms that don't exist, so when he ordered a second car they probably made it exactly the same. They probably thought he was a hypochondriac and liked to worry about everything, so they built the 2nd car with the same weather feature.

jmonroe

You were slacking off a few weeks ago so you better increase your output until the end of the year.

I'm shooting for quality not quantity. I'll let others get me to my goal.

How did your team do?

The Steelers won but it doesn't take much to beat the Jets. They are 1-1 now but it's a long season. More of a marathon than a sprint. Very unlikely that they won't lose another couple before it's all over. Just don't want to see their final loss coming in the Super Bowl. They've done that twice already. Pretty bad for prestige.

jmonroe

mako1a

The Steelers won

I got a big banner from my wife that says "You're In Steeler Country" .

No birthday, anniversary, nothing...except I've wanted one for years.

It's going on the front of the house or tree to tree across the driveway.

abacomike

Not sure if this is it...

Yep! You nailed it again *driver! That is the car! For under $300,000, it it one gorgeous automobile. Black is beautiful, but the upkeep is tough. A silver or a cream white would be better to care fore, but definitely not as rich looking.

I would be skiddish to park that car at a mall or restaurant - with scratches and dings! I understand that they ride like you're floating on a cloud.

Thanks for finding one to post, driver.

abacomike

Seems logical to me!

Never thought of it that way, *jmonroe! If I try to explain "exact duplicate" to you and what I meant my that phrase, I'd be falling right into your trap! But that's what you expect me to do, so why should I disappoint you?

Same color and same options - a duplicate, *jmonroe, but definitely not a clone!

abacomike

The Stelers won but it doesn't take much to beat the Jets...

I sure hope you are right, *jmonroe. My Dolphins won yesterday, too, and the Jets are in our division, as are the Patriots, who also lost yesterday. The Dolphins actually looked good yesterday after losing their 4 pre-season games and their first game of the season.

Dolphins sure took a chance on our rookie quarterback, Tannehill. He finally got some protection from our front line and Bush and Miller looked great in the running game.

If you saw the HBO Specials during the past 8 weeks, you sure got an inside look at the development of the Dolphins in preparation for this season. Quite frankly, if you got a chance to watch the game, the stadium was half empty which showed how South Florida fans felt about their Dolphins. I'll bet that the are sold out for their upcoming game.

With our Marlins losing all the time even in their new 600 million dollar stadium and our Panthers losing, we sure could use a pick-me-up with our Dolphins.

jmonroe

I got a big banner from my wife that says "You're In Steeler Country" .

It's going on the front of the house or tree to tree across the driveway.

I don't have one of those but they are not uncommon here. I see several while driving down the street during football season. Especially on game day. I also see to a much less extent Go Penguins banners. Pirate banners? C'mon man. :sick:

jmonroe

jmonroe

With our Marlins losing all the time even in their new 600 million dollar stadium and our Panthers losing, we sure could use a pick-me-up with our Dolphins.

Losing is not fun. I know. My father took me to Steelers games back in the 50’s and they lost… regularly. I rarely walked out of Forbes Field with a smile on my face. In fact, the Steelers were known as The Lovable Losers of the NFL…not anymore. The problem with the Dolphin franchise is they are always “rebuilding” and looking for immediate results. You have to have a plan and stick to it. It doesn’t happen over night. The draft is set up to help the poor performing teams. Having good scouts and good football minds takes advantage of that. Flavor of the day game plans don’t work. They have proven that.

My Delray Beach brother goes to a local sports bar to watch the Steelers games and he says the place is loaded with one time Pittsburgher’s but says there are not too many there that want to watch the Dolphins.

jmonroe

driver100

That is the car! For under $300,000,

Price $293,440.To be exact!
Color: Diamond Black
Interior: Moccasin
Stock#:
R13001
VIN:
SCA664S55DUX51674
Transmission:
Automatic 6-Speed You would think they would use an 8 speed transmission
Odometer:
21 mi.

It is one beautiful car!

sterlingdog

There is a guy down the street that owns the RR Phantom. He's had it a couple of years---2010 I think. The thing that kills me is that he usually parks it under the pine trees in his side yard! He has a garage;so go figure. I've known him for years in civic dealings. He's a slum lord with about 200 apartments and small shacks. When we tried to develop the old down town area ten years ago, he was the real obstacle. He wouldn't renovate his buildings or sell them to us (city development commission) so that we could move forward.

He used to have the RR Silver Cloud which was a beautiful automobile. Our nearest RR dealer is in Greensboro, NC. I've been in their showroom a couple of times to just drool. Off and on over the years, I've thought about buying a used one. Now that I can afford it, it is a tempting thought. My wife would probably have the men in the white jackets to come after me.

Richard

abacomike

it is one beautiful car!

Yep! Standing right next to it gave me the "chills"! They had one there in a Pearl White with Saddle interior a few weeks ago (which is what turned me on to that combo for the new E350) and I had to control several urges that began to overtake my very "essence" (how's that for cleaning up a sentence?)!

Thanks for the post *driver!

abacomike

...men in white jackets...

Richard, I think you meant "men with crooked noses" to literally "take you out!"

The Phantom is way too big and gaudy looking, but the Ghost is perfect in size, stance and performance. Once you see them side-by-side, you'll see what I mean.

The Bentley sedan just doesn't compare in style and looks and refinement. Both cars are assembled in the UK but most of the pieces come from Germany (engine, transmission, chassis/frame, etc.). There must be some contractural limitations as to where the final assembly must be when these companies where taken over by the German manufacturers. I believe Bentley is BMW and Rolls is Volkswagen/Audi, is that correct?

sterlingdog

Mike, you got it backward. In 2003, the agreement between BMW and Volkswagen was that Volkswagen would build the Bentley and BMW would build the Rolls Royce.

Personally, I never cared for the Bentley. It reminded me of an attempt to copy the Rolls Royce, and that attempt went bad.

Richard

abacomike

Mike, you got it backward.

Don't I always? I can tell you one thing - I've been inside a new Bentley and a new Ghost and the luxury and quality of the Rolls is miles above the Bentley. The Bentley seemed more sporty than the Rolls.

But you have to admit, for under $300,000, that Rolls Ghost is truly a magnificent automobile. I believe the Bentley Sedan is around $235,000 nicely equipped. We have a neighbor here in our community whose son-in-law owns a Dark Green Bentley Sedan which they drive here every so often. There is no comparison to the Rolls.