questions on oil consumption 2002 330ci and all 3 liter owners

To all,
My 330ci has 38k miles and has always used oil.. It has no external
leak however since the last oil service approx 8800miles I have had to add two
quarts.. Prior oil change interval also needed to be topped off between oil
services. I called the dealer and they said it is normal for a BMW engine to
use oil at that rate.. I replied that it is funny that my 2.8l z3 with 37k
miles never needs to be topped off... There answer was the 3 liter motor is a
higher perf engine and is designed to consume oil as it sparys it under the
piston skirts.. My question is to all to see what kind of oil usage their
BMW's consume.. I told the dealer I want the car serviced and checked out
either way, it goes in next Wednesday.. I want some ammo before I walk in
there! It has 4000 miles before next oil service.
Please send replies via email and newsgroup..
Thanks
Walt

It is normal for the vehicle to use oil especially the M motors. It is the
way they are designed.


"WEisserer" > wrote in message
...
> To all,
> My 330ci has 38k miles and has always used oil.. It has no
external
> leak however since the last oil service approx 8800miles I have had to add
two
> quarts.. Prior oil change interval also needed to be topped off between
oil
> services. I called the dealer and they said it is normal for a BMW engine
to
> use oil at that rate.. I replied that it is funny that my 2.8l z3 with 37k
> miles never needs to be topped off... There answer was the 3 liter motor
is a
> higher perf engine and is designed to consume oil as it sparys it under
the
> piston skirts.. My question is to all to see what kind of oil usage
their
> BMW's consume.. I told the dealer I want the car serviced and checked out
> either way, it goes in next Wednesday.. I want some ammo before I walk in
> there! It has 4000 miles before next oil service.
> Please send replies via email and newsgroup..
> Thanks
> Walt

"WEisserer" > wrote
> To all,
> My 330ci has 38k miles and has always used oil.. It has no
> external
> leak however since the last oil service approx 8800miles I have had to add
> two
> quarts.. Prior oil change interval also needed to be topped off between
> oil
> services. I called the dealer and they said it is normal for a BMW engine
> to
> use oil at that rate.. I replied that it is funny that my 2.8l z3 with 37k
> miles never needs to be topped off... There answer was the 3 liter motor
> is a
> higher perf engine and is designed to consume oil as it sparys it under
> the
> piston skirts.. My question is to all to see what kind of oil usage
> their
> BMW's consume.. I told the dealer I want the car serviced and checked out
> either way, it goes in next Wednesday.. I want some ammo before I walk in
> there! It has 4000 miles before next oil service.

Although one qt. per 4K miles is a little higher than many, it's not
unreasonable.
My '01 330xi uses about 1 qt per 7500 miles. On the other hand, my '91 525i
with M50 at 145K uses about 1 qt per 2500 miles or so, and has for years.

Floyd

"fbloogyudsr" > wrote in message
>
> Although one qt. per 4K miles is a little higher than many, it's not
> unreasonable.
> My '01 330xi uses about 1 qt per 7500 miles. On the other hand, my '91 525i
> with M50 at 145K uses about 1 qt per 2500 miles or so, and has for years.
>
> Floyd

Some do some don't but expect the "it's normal" for just about
anything "wrong" with your BMW. My M3 has just used 2 litres in 8000
miles.

I change the oil every 5500 miles (Excessive? Perhaps. Read C&D's latest
editorials and YOU decide). I show minimal oil usage on the 3 liter ... not
enough to "top off" prior to the change. I wouldn't consider a quart every
4000+ miles excessive. A quart every 1K on a relatively new engine, yes
(although that's still probably within spec).

R / John

"WEisserer" > wrote in message
...
> To all,
> My 330ci has 38k miles and has always used oil.. It has no
> external
> leak however since the last oil service approx 8800miles I have had to add
> two
> quarts.. Prior oil change interval also needed to be topped off between
> oil
> services. I called the dealer and they said it is normal for a BMW engine
> to
> use oil at that rate.. I replied that it is funny that my 2.8l z3 with 37k
> miles never needs to be topped off... There answer was the 3 liter motor
> is a
> higher perf engine and is designed to consume oil as it sparys it under
> the
> piston skirts.. My question is to all to see what kind of oil usage
> their
> BMW's consume.. I told the dealer I want the car serviced and checked out
> either way, it goes in next Wednesday.. I want some ammo before I walk in
> there! It has 4000 miles before next oil service.
> Please send replies via email and newsgroup..
> Thanks
> Walt

Hi,

It's interesting to read from others as well as yourself that you all seem
to need to top up oil. I have had 2 BMWs over the past 9 years and have
never needed to top up. I check about once a month. My 330ci 's oil level
drops about 3-4 mm on the dip stick by service time. still well in the full
range.

i know the theory says that engines are suppose to use some oil as normal,
but with modern cars you shouldn't really notice. My experience is, if you
hear from a manufacturer that, "that's normal" - there's something not
right. case in point is the new Subaru 2.5l outbacks/legacy/liberty. they
first said it was normal (with lots of marketing to convince you), then they
fix it in a running update! ."common" maybe, but not "normal".

I also have a 1971 muscle car and it doesn't need topping up either. Luckily
my 2004 Subaru GT doesn't either. The Maxima I had for 3 years should not
have had hood lever, just drive! And I drive all my cars hard.


"WEisserer" > wrote in message
...
> To all,
> My 330ci has 38k miles and has always used oil.. It has no
external
> leak however since the last oil service approx 8800miles I have had to add
two
> quarts.. Prior oil change interval also needed to be topped off between
oil
> services. I called the dealer and they said it is normal for a BMW engine
to
> use oil at that rate.. I replied that it is funny that my 2.8l z3 with 37k
> miles never needs to be topped off... There answer was the 3 liter motor
is a
> higher perf engine and is designed to consume oil as it sparys it under
the
> piston skirts.. My question is to all to see what kind of oil usage
their
> BMW's consume.. I told the dealer I want the car serviced and checked out
> either way, it goes in next Wednesday.. I want some ammo before I walk in
> there! It has 4000 miles before next oil service.
> Please send replies via email and newsgroup..
> Thanks
> Walt

I have a '94 325i with the M50 motor, which I *think* is the same motor as
you have. Anyway, I NEVER need to put in any oil, and I have racked up
200,000 miles. I reject the explanation that the dealer service guy is
trying to give you.





"WEisserer" > wrote in message
...
> To all,
> My 330ci has 38k miles and has always used oil.. It has no
external
> leak however since the last oil service approx 8800miles I have had to add
two
> quarts.. Prior oil change interval also needed to be topped off between
oil
> services. I called the dealer and they said it is normal for a BMW engine
to
> use oil at that rate.. I replied that it is funny that my 2.8l z3 with 37k
> miles never needs to be topped off... There answer was the 3 liter motor
is a
> higher perf engine and is designed to consume oil as it sparys it under
the
> piston skirts.. My question is to all to see what kind of oil usage
their
> BMW's consume.. I told the dealer I want the car serviced and checked out
> either way, it goes in next Wednesday.. I want some ammo before I walk in
> there! It has 4000 miles before next oil service.
> Please send replies via email and newsgroup..
> Thanks
> Walt

The modern BMW engines are designed this way although one quart every 4000
miles seems more than normal unless you run the car hard.

"Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
...
> I have a '94 325i with the M50 motor, which I *think* is the same motor as
> you have. Anyway, I NEVER need to put in any oil, and I have racked up
> 200,000 miles. I reject the explanation that the dealer service guy is
> trying to give you.
>
>
>
>
>
> "WEisserer" > wrote in message
> ...
> > To all,
> > My 330ci has 38k miles and has always used oil.. It has no
> external
> > leak however since the last oil service approx 8800miles I have had to
add
> two
> > quarts.. Prior oil change interval also needed to be topped off between
> oil
> > services. I called the dealer and they said it is normal for a BMW
engine
> to
> > use oil at that rate.. I replied that it is funny that my 2.8l z3 with
37k
> > miles never needs to be topped off... There answer was the 3 liter motor
> is a
> > higher perf engine and is designed to consume oil as it sparys it under
> the
> > piston skirts.. My question is to all to see what kind of oil usage
> their
> > BMW's consume.. I told the dealer I want the car serviced and checked
out
> > either way, it goes in next Wednesday.. I want some ammo before I walk
in
> > there! It has 4000 miles before next oil service.
> > Please send replies via email and newsgroup..
> > Thanks
> > Walt
>
>

"John Carrier" > wrote
>I change the oil every 5500 miles (Excessive? Perhaps. Read C&D's latest
>editorials and YOU decide). I show minimal oil usage on the 3 liter ...
>not enough to "top off" prior to the change. I wouldn't consider a quart
>every 4000+ miles excessive. A quart every 1K on a relatively new engine,
>yes (although that's still probably within spec).

Actually, *new* engines usually use oil until they get broken in.

Floyd

"fbloogyudsr" > wrote in message
...
> "John Carrier" > wrote
>>I change the oil every 5500 miles (Excessive? Perhaps. Read C&D's latest
>>editorials and YOU decide). I show minimal oil usage on the 3 liter ...
>>not enough to "top off" prior to the change. I wouldn't consider a quart
>>every 4000+ miles excessive. A quart every 1K on a relatively new engine,
>>yes (although that's still probably within spec).
>
> Actually, *new* engines usually use oil until they get broken in.

They're pretty near broken in from new these days. The last four vehicles
I've owned didn't lose enough oil to notice at the first oil change.
Certainly there are exceptions and it would make sense that oil consumption
would be somewhat higher at the start of the life cycle, settle to a
relatively low value for the mid-life, and then begin creeping up as wear
became a greater factor. I've only seen the consumption rise on a hard use
truck over 100K miles (lots of towing, etc).

R / John