Help needed with Engine Oil...really confused

[bones]

Hello everybody, and thank you for helping here.

Just few weeks back I have purchased a used BMW 325i Coupe 2007, and despite the x-owner has changed its oil before selling the car, am a bit picky so I wanna change it by myself.

However, here is the summary of my research in the last 2 weeks, and I look forward for your convenient comments/recommendations/advise:

1. BMW in ABU DHABI advised using (Castrol Professional 5w30/5w40)
2. BMW in Dubai advised using (Any FULL SYNTHETIC oil 10w40/5w40), however they said it costs around 1,000-1,500 DHS
3. Some shop in Dubai (Can't remember the name), advised Castrol 5w40, and they mentioned the price including genuine filter for DHS 510
4. John Garage in Sharjah, he's selling BMW Engine Oil 15w40 (for DHS 25/L) and (5w40 for DHS 35/L)
5. Some shop in Dubai sells Mobil's 1 0w40, told me it would costs DHS 650 for full changing with genuine filter.

Soooo....a lot of numbers, a lot of feedbacks through the web, and too many blogs.

I believe here where I can some REAL recommendations.

The (JOHN's) BMW OIL is quite cheap (even for the 5w40), and I had a look at the package behind (written MADE IN GERMANY).
What's this?

Please I need your recommendations for the Oil to use (SAE/BRAND), and advise some good affordable prices shops.

Thank you again in advance for your help.



Bones

[Wazif]

Hi Bones,

Have you checked what the owners manual recommends for the engine? I'd stick with whats written on paper.

Castrol is what BMW usually recommends, therefore keep that as your no.1 choice. Other renown brands like Mobil will also be fine as long you have the right viscosity (again as per what BMW Owners manual recommends)

Hope this helps...

[bones]

Hi Bones,

Have you checked what the owners manual recommends for the engine? I'd stick with whats written on paper.

Castrol is what BMW usually recommends, therefore keep that as your no.1 choice. Other renown brands like Mobil will also be fine as long you have the right viscosity (again as per what BMW Owners manual recommends)

Hope this helps...

Thank you Mr. Wazif for your answer.

It's mentioned in the manual to add BMW oil, and the case of not being found, use 5w30/5w40.

However, could you please give your opinion about what I found in Sharjah? The BMW 5w40 Engine Oil? Is it a good one? or Genuine? It's only DHS 35/Liter, am skeptic about it a little.

[Wazif]

I'd stay away from the SHJ oil if it is unbranded

[bones]

I'd stay away from the SHJ oil if it is unbranded

I have attached a photo for the oil I found in Sharjah....what do you think?

[Hasan Shaikh]

The BMW oil is not a true synthetic oil. It is based on group 3 base oils. This is why it sells for so less. Its fine to use if you change it after every 5k kms.

Castrol, Mobil 1 all sell semi synthetic oils in the USA branded as fully synthetic. Still the mobil1 0W-40 is an awesome oil.

Hope this helps.

Good luck

[bones]

The BMW oil is not a true synthetic oil. It is based on group 3 base oils. This is why it sells for so less. Its fine to use if you change it after every 5k kms.

Castrol, Mobil 1 all sell semi synthetic oils in the USA branded as fully synthetic. Still the mobil1 0W-40 is an awesome oil.

Hope this helps.

Good luck

Thank you Hasan for your help. :)

[mik15]

i am using Liqui Moly, LL04, 5w40 which i totally recommend it. It's an oil which is not sold/produced in huge quantities as Castrol or Mobil so the risk of counterfeiting is almost 0(unlike Catsrol, BMW, Mobil), only produced in Germany as they haven't sold the license to any other producer, have a long history in DTM, etc...i have been using it for the last 3 years and i am very happy with it.

[Hasan Shaikh]

+ 1 to lolly molly.

Very nice oil and a true synthetic oil.

- - - - - - - - - -

Do you know if they sell the 5W-50 in the UAE?

[bones]

i am using Liqui Moly, LL04, 5w40 which i totally recommend it. It's an oil which is not sold/produced in huge quantities as Castrol or Mobil so the risk of counterfeiting is almost 0(unlike Catsrol, BMW, Mobil), only produced in Germany as they haven't sold the license to any other producer, have a long history in DTM, etc...i have been using it for the last 3 years and i am very happy with it.

Thank you bro for this advise.

Could you please help me out with the following:
Where can I find this Liqui Moly?
How much is for 1L for SEA 5w40?
For how many Km does it make with this oil? is it 5k or 10k?

Please try to reply me asap..

Thank you in advance for your help.

[mik15]

the TopTec4100 5w40 i am using, they claim it can be used for Long Life services, up to 30k km, which are usual in Germany mainly, however i wouldn't go beyond 15k km here or 1 year. I usually do the oil changes on the RS6 at 9-10km and go for close to 13-14k km on the BMW. The RS gets a bit more hard driven but not even close to what it can do and the BMW is the family car and always driving with the kid and wife, so i barely touch the gas pedal :) .

3 years ago i could buy it directly from the importer for a super price, but then they've changed their policy and they don't sell anymore directly to private persons, only to garages or large shops that can pay on the spot for large quantities, looks like they got burnt by small shops which didn't pay, that was the breaking point when they've changed the policy and also raised the prices or so they have told me.

The place i am buying it from is on SZR, as you go to the Renault dealership, is on the left side of a luxurious and expensive car dealer whose name i can't remember now. I don't like this guy and his attitude of dealing with clients and he will try to ripp you off if you let him, so just so that you know 2 weeks ago i paid 175AED for a 5L bottle of oil of TopTec4100 5w40. Be sure to mention that if he will ask you for more.

haven't found yet another distributor, but as soon as i will i'll get rid of this one. As much as i dislike feeding his business, i am afraid we have no other choice if we want this oil. His phone number is: 050-281-2292 or 043285076(this one is busy most of the time).

Hassan, give this guy a call and ask about the 5w50. They can bring any of the oils advertised on the official LM site, it just that you have to wait about 30 days or more, depending on when the container gets shipped from Germany.

I have also used their gearbox oil and was happy with it.

[bones]

the TopTec4100 5w40 i am using, they claim it can be used for Long Life services, up to 30k km, which are usual in Germany mainly, however i wouldn't go beyond 15k km here or 1 year. I usually do the oil changes on the RS6 at 9-10km and go for close to 13-14k km on the BMW. The RS gets a bit more hard driven but not even close to what it can do and the BMW is the family car and always driving with the kid and wife, so i barely touch the gas pedal :) .

3 years ago i could buy it directly from the importer for a super price, but then they've changed their policy and they don't sell anymore directly to private persons, only to garages or large shops that can pay on the spot for large quantities, looks like they got burnt by small shops which didn't pay, that was the breaking point when they've changed the policy and also raised the prices or so they have told me.

The place i am buying it from is on SZR, as you go to the Renault dealership, is on the left side of a luxurious and expensive car dealer whose name i can't remember now. I don't like this guy and his attitude of dealing with clients and he will try to ripp you off if you let him, so just so that you know 2 weeks ago i paid 175AED for a 5L bottle of oil of TopTec4100 5w40. Be sure to mention that if he will ask you for more.

haven't found yet another distributor, but as soon as i will i'll get rid of this one. As much as i dislike feeding his business, i am afraid we have no other choice if we want this oil. His phone number is: 050-281-2292 or 043285076(this one is busy most of the time).

Hassan, give this guy a call and ask about the 5w50. They can bring any of the oils advertised on the official LM site, it just that you have to wait about 30 days or more, depending on when the container gets shipped from Germany.

I have also used their gearbox oil and was happy with it.

Thank you Mik for this great efforts here...really much appreciated...

Today I've called some shop in Sharjah (called M. Al Khatib Auto Maintenance....I got their # through LM website)

He explained the VERY stock shortage in the market of this LM oils, and he said he only has 0w40, and the total cost for changing oil is (Dhs 750)! Expensive!

So since I needed to make my decision today, I went for the next step as below....read it please and share your thoughts :)

- - - - - - - - - -

I wanna share a story that happened today with me at (John's Auto Spare Parts), and I really wish to see some comments/criticisms.

As I mentioned before, I am a newbie in the BMW world, and my first car here in UAE was Ford Escape and brought brand-new from Al Tayer with 100K bumper-to-bumper service contract, and after giving this ford to my wife and brought this BMW 325i Coupe, today it was my first time changing Oil in UAE.

However, as I told about the BMW Engine Oil that I found at John's place in Sharjah, I went there today, and have chosen the 5w40 (cost is Dhs 35/L).

According to them, I needed 7L + New Filter (Dhs 40), and doin the math here it cost me (Dhs 285).

I was really fine with that, until they finished changing the oil, and came to the Question: (How much you want for the CHANGING service)?

It was shocking for me when he asked (Dhs 150)!!!!

Did I get dumped or what? Back to my country (Jordan), when at anyplace you buy the OIL, they do the changing service for FREE, not to mention giving you free car wash.

Is this Normal here in UAE? for 10 minutes of extracting out old oil, and topping in the new one? Dhs 150?

Sure I paid because it was my fault for not asking about the fees off the beginning (I actually was thinking I pay only for the Oil).

Let me hear your feedback please.

Thank you everyone who's interacting with my topic here.

[Hasan Shaikh]

You have to pay for the oil and the service charge. Its like this here.

[bones]

You have to pay for the oil and the service charge. Its like this here.

Obviously yes Hasan, but such service cost 150? Is it like this all places? I mean, 285 for the oil and 150 for the labor charges? That what made me confused!

[Hasan Shaikh]

Labour is very expensive here.

Obviously yes Hasan, but such service cost 150? Is it like this all places? I mean, 285 for the oil and 150 for the labor charges? That what made me confused!