[carseatsm5]

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My 3yr free maintenance expires this May. Car only has 10K miles on it. I can go now for my final free maintenance visit (iDrive telling me it’s time).

I’m wondering is there any strategy here related to the timing of this final free service? If I wait until May can I ask them to include something else I am “almost due for” as part of that visit? Or in general has anyone had any luck pulling forward anything into this last free service?

I seem to recall reading something around certain service items depending on exact timing for final free service. I also could be misremembering.

[DanG]

Check iDrive for other required maintenance. Three year maintenance usually includes brake fluid and spark plugs plus cabin filter besides an oil change.

I am betting that your iDrive is telling you it is time for a brake fluid change only and that oil etc. is due in May. The three year brake fluid is from the date of manufacture not the date of first delivery.

[carseatsm5]

Thanks for that. As of now iDrive says brake fluid yes and oil in February. Doesn’t mention plugs and cabin filter (maybe a mileage thing?). But that’s sort of what I’m after now you’ve got those on my radar to ask for anyway.

[tturedraider]

Unless I’m seriously mistaken spark plugs replacement is at 100k miles. (slight possibility at 60k miles. Definitely not time based.)

What makes you think this has to be the final free maintenance? Whatever maintenance iDrive tells you is required within the first 36 months is free (with the exception of brake pads and/or disks). Free maintenance includes an annual oil change for low mileage drivers.

[DanG]

Originally Posted by tturedraider

Unless I’m seriously mistaken spark plugs replacement is at 100k miles. (slight possibility at 60k miles. Definitely not time based.)

What makes you think this has to be the final free maintenance? Whatever maintenance iDrive tells you is required within the first 36 months is free (with the exception of brake pads and/or disks). Free maintenance includes an annual oil change for low mileage drivers.

Actually this is not true. BMW maintenance calls for spark plug change every third oil change.

[________]

Originally Posted by DanG

Actually this is not true. BMW maintenance calls for spark plug change every third oil change.

Source?

[DanG]

Originally Posted by Onesie

Source?

All the M2s are getting new plugs at the third oil change under the maintenance plan. Here is one discussion about it. https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...ht=Spark+plugs

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by DanG

Actually this is not true. BMW maintenance calls for spark plug change every third oil change.

2018 3 Series, see page 7. Spark plugs at 60k miles. https://www.bmwusa.com/content/dam/b...aintenance.pdf

[DanG]

Originally Posted by tturedraider

2018 3 Series, see page 7. Spark plugs at 60k miles. https://www.bmwusa.com/content/dam/b...aintenance.pdf

Op has an M5. Your chart says every third oil change. Thank for the documentation.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by DanG

Op has an M5. Your chart says every third oil change. Thank for the documentation.

Sure thing. Yep, I didn’t notice the ///M5.

[cooolone2]

I would be very weary of using the manufacturer suggested vehicle maintenance intervals. There's definitely issues because of their revised schedules occured once they started providing it for free... ie, nobody in their right mind would change their oil at 10k mile intervals as an example.

So maintain your car the way it should be, not because they tell you. Just do it and keep records.

Look for Mike Miller's "Lifetime Maintenance Schedule" for those who want their cars to last past the warranty, lol.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by cooolone2

I would be very leery of using the manufacturer suggested vehicle maintenance intervals. There's definitely issues because of their revised schedules occured once they started providing it for free... ie, nobody in their right mind would change their oil at 10k mile intervals as an example.

So maintain your car the way it should be, not because they tell you. Just do it and keep records.

Look for Mike Miller's "Lifetime Maintenance Schedule" for those who want their cars to last past the warranty, lol.

It’s not the least bit hard for modern, fully synthetic oils to run 10,000 miles. In Europe the recommended intervals are even longer. BMW extended their recommended oil change intervals roughly twenty years ago and I have never seen any study at all that indicates the change had any ill effect on reliability.

[LogicalApex]

Originally Posted by cooolone2

I would be very weary of using the manufacturer suggested vehicle maintenance intervals. There's definitely issues because of their revised schedules occured once they started providing it for free... ie, nobody in their right mind would change their oil at 10k mile intervals as an example.

So maintain your car the way it should be, not because they tell you. Just do it and keep records.

Look for Mike Miller's "Lifetime Maintenance Schedule" for those who want their cars to last past the warranty, lol.

I always scratch my head at these claims.

My initial question is always if BMW interval is wrong then what is the “right” interval? Is it 9K Miles, 5K Miles, 1K Miles? Usually it is some number that makes someone “feel better”. But that’s not empirical. Does changing oil too often hurt the car? Obviously not, but it is wasteful for the wallet and environment.

The other claim you made is a weird one too. That BMW stretched the interval to save money on the oil changes, but since it will “last the warranty” they don’t need to care. That ignores the fact that their 10K mile interval is inline with other OEMs using fully synthetic oils who provide no free maintenance (like Mercedes). The biggest wrinkle in that theory though…

How could BMW offer CPO warranties (with an optional extension to 7Y) with unlimited miles if their oil change interval leads to an uptick in engine failures after 4Y/50K miles? Wouldn’t that increase their losses negating any “savings” they got from the reduced oil changes? Oil changes that they offer at $199 now for 3Y unlimited changes even?