An oil change is one of the most vital services you must perform for your BMW to maintain its engine and improve its fuel efficiency.
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Ignoring the oil change can cause complete engine failure due to overheating as the internal components interact.
One of the most common questions we receive is how much to expect for a BMW oil change cost?
The purpose of this article is to provide you with the expected BMW oil change cost broken down by labor and parts costs. Furthermore, we provide additional information related to the BMW oil change.
Why does my BMW need an oil change?
Before discussing the expected BMW oil change price, it is important to make sure that you are fully understanding why does your BMW needs an oil change?
Your BMW engine needs oil to perform properly. This is because the engine’s oil provides it with the required lubrication preventing the internal moving components from wearing out against each other and elevating the engine’s temperature due to friction.
Furthermore, when your engine has the required quantity and quality of motor oil, the engine will not need a lot of energy to move the internal components as they slip easier with the oil. Thus, maintaining the right amount of oil helps improve your vehicle’s overall fuel efficiency.
Over time of use, your BMW engine collects debris and other contaminants that could harm the engine. Thanks to the motor oil for collecting these contaminants and other foreign objects as it flows.
That been said, the motor oil gets to a point where it needs to be changed to maintain these important functions and, thus, help expand your engine's lifespan.
That’s why you must change your BMW oil frequently to avoid harming the engine. Determining how frequent you need to change the oil depends on the type of oil, the driving environment, and the driving style.
The best place to get accurate estimates about how often to change your engine’s oil is your vehicle’s owner’s manual. If you don’t have a copy of the manual, you can download one from the internet or buy one from your local repair shop.
How much to expect for a BMW oil change cost?
According to Kelly Blue Book, BMW oil change cost ranges from $95 to $144 for labor and parts costs.
If you decided to perform your own BMW oil change, you could cut all the labor cost that ranges from $57 to $87.
Remember that you don’t want to attempt changing your BMW oil unless you have the required mechanical skill sets, which is relatively straightforward.
What type of motor oil can I use for my BMW?
Your vehicle’s owner’s manual is the best resource for information related to oil grade, type, and frequency.
In general, there are three most common types of motor oil in the automotive world, including:
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The conventional or traditional oil
Traditional oil is the most commonly used oil for most vehicles. It is the cheapest choice but requires frequent changes. While some repair shops might advise you to change your conventional oil once every 3,000 miles, you can still wait up to 5,000 miles before your next oil change.
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The semi-synthetic oil
Semi-synthetic oil is a combination of both conventional and synthetic oil. It is suitable for heavier vehicles with longer driving sessions.
This oil is not as expensive as the synthetic oil but also doesn’t provide the same efficiency as the synthetic oil.
When using a semi-synthetic oil, you don’t need to change the motor oil up to 8,000 miles.
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The synthetic oil
Finally, synthetic oil is the top motor oil choice for high-performance vehicles. This oil provides the highest level of lubrication and great additional performance.
If you decided to go with synthetic oil, you might not need to change your engine’s oil up to 15,000 miles.
Deciding which motor oil type to use depends on your goals and driving style. In general, automotive experts do not recommend using synthetic oil unless stated in your vevehicle’sanual because it can be very costly, and not every driver can afford it.
How often should I change my BMW oil?
Answering this question depends on your BMW model and year, driving style and environment, and type of motor oil.
According to Kelly Blue Book, you might not need to change your BMW oil up to 15,000 miles when using synthetic oil.
On the other hand, you might need to change your oil once every 3,000 to 5,000 miles when using conventional oil.
To get the most accurate information, you’d better check your BMW owner’s manual for details about the type of oil and frequency of oil change.
Most automotive experts suggest not using synthetic oil unless stated in your vehicle’s manual because it is relatively more expensive and is needed only for more heavy-duty engines and longer driving sessions.
How to change your own BMW oil?
Since oil change is a frequent repair, many people found it worth learning how to change their own BMW oil to save on labor costs.
If you feel comfortable changing your own BMW oil, here is all that you need to do:
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Prepare the required tools and parts
To change your BMW oil, you need specific tools and parts associated with the BMW vehicles, and other tools needed for any oil change.
For instance, you must prepare the right filter and oil based on your vehicle’s owner’s manual.
You will also need an oil drain plug and oil filter wrenches, gloves, dry disposable towels, and a container to collect the old oil. These tools don’t have to do with your vehicle’s make, model, or year.
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Prepare your vehicle
It is important to learn how to raise your BMW using a jack and a jack stand because most of your work will happen under your vehicle's front end, where the oil drain plug and the oil filter are located.
Thus, you can refer to your owner’s manual for some guidance about how to raise and secure your BMW safely.
- Drain the old oil
Pop-out the hood and open the oil cap to reduce the pressure and help drain the old oil smoothly.
Refer to your vehicle’s owner’s manual to locate the oil drain plug. Place the oil container right under the oil drain plug to collect the drained oil.
Using an 8 mm wrench, remove the oil drain plug and allow it to drain in the oil pan. You might need to wait for five to ten minutes for the oil to drain out of the oil container completely.
Once the oil finishes draining, close the oil drain plug. Do not overtighten the oil drain plug to prevent breaking it in your next oil change.
- Replace the oil filter
Again, refer to your owner’s manual to locate the oil filter cap and place the oil container right under it to collect any remaining oil around the oil filter.
Try loosening the oil filter cap manually and allow it to drain in the oil container before completely taking it out. If you could not open it manually, you can use a wrench to take it out gently.
Replace the old filter with the new one and replace the O-ring as well and reinstall the oil filter cap.
- Refill the oil tank
Using the required quality and quantity of motor oil, refill the oil tank after placing a funnel.
Then, close the oil cap and start the engine for a couple of seconds to allow the oil to flow in the oil filter.
Measure the oil level to ensure you have the right amount of oil and inspect for the oil leak signs.
- Reset your oil change light
Follow your BMW owner’s manual to locate the change oil light reset button on your dashboard.
Start the ignition but not the engine. Press and hold the reset button and follow the instructions on your dashboard to completely reset the change oil light.
That’s it! You’re all set!
Conclusion
It is never recommended to skip an oil change for your BMW no matter what. Without the required quantity and quality of motor oil, you scarify damaging your engine due to overheating.
BMW oil change cost ranges from $95 to $144, considered within the acceptable repair range. If you decided to change your own BMW oil, the price drops significantly to range from $38 to $57.
Whatever the final price is, do not delay an oil change. Skipping an oil change doesn’t save you money; it is the other way around; if you think that oil change will cost you money and time, think about the time and money you need to spend to get the engine repaired.