What Oil - B58

[hulksta]

Hi all,

Need opinion/guidance on what oil to use to service a 340i (2016) so gen1 B58.
It's a due a service, and I intend on doing the oil and filter myself.

I have had a look around (reddit, forums etc) and what BMW recommend.
Options are:
1. BMW recommendation / what they will use - 0w30 LL.
2. What I have always used in previous/all other cars - 5w30 (will be LL as per requirement)
3. Some forums/reddit posts also recommend 0w20 or 0w40.

Which would be the one to use? Will only be in the car for 10k (12k max)

Thank you

[tozerman]

It tells you in the handbook.I use Millers 0W 30 LL14 spec in my 2020 m240i.

[ian332isport]

Mine gets BMW Twin Power 5w30 LL04 every 12 months. I believe it's BMW branded Shell Helix.

BMW did spec 5w20 at some point, but only really to show a marginal improvement in MPG. Seems too thin to me though. I'll stick with 5w30 on mine.

[hulksta]

2 different replies - 5w30 and 0w30.

0w30 is considerably more expensive. Is it worth the difference?
Also should have added - it is completely stock hardware wise. Only really does a commute and doesn't get thrashed. (It gets the occasional joining the motorway blast).

I would check the handbook - but it's all in Japanese as this is a Jap import.

[tozerman]

One reason I use 0/30 is that between 2019- 2021 (doesn't apply to OP) the engines have a plastic part of the oil pump and 5w is regarded by some as possibly too thick when cold, even though my handbook says 5/30 is OK.So I use 0/30 so I get benefits when cold and hot..

[Magic919]

Can you use the BMW Guide app as a handbook?

[helix403]

LL04, choice of 0w30, 5w30, 0w40, 5w40. The choice is yours.

[Night Owl]

My BMW specialist uses 5W-30. The viscosity can cause issues with oil measurement though, causing the system to conk out at 19 percent when the engine is too warm.

[Panamax]

Night Owl said:

My BMW specialist uses 5W-30. The viscosity can cause issues with oil measurement though, causing the system to conk out at 19 percent when the engine is too warm.

Since the first figure is the cold viscosity (W standing for winter) and the second figure is the hot viscosity that seems rather surprising.

[hulksta]

5W30 is what I have gone for.

Can't go wrong at £36 for 5 litres of Castrol Edge 5w30 LL with BMW Longlife-04 listed on the label from Costco.
Plus I had 2.5 litres of Castrol Edge 5w30 M which I bought previously also from Costco. This also had BMW Longlife-04 on the label.

[MarkJS]

Is there a reason not to use BMW's recommended 0W-30 viscosity?

[hulksta]

From what I can understand, BMW use and recommend 0w30 for emissions as it thinner (very slightly) compared to 5W at startup, therefore heating up quicker etc.
Potentially it put the engine under less stress during startup.
This would likely help in the long run if oil changes are only being done at recommended intervals of 12k, 14k 16k miles.
At operating temp, the oil is the same.

Also cost:
Costco Castrol Edge 5w30 in store : £36 for 5 litres
5w30 Castrol Edge elsewhere: around £40 for 4 litres.

0w30: around £70ish for 5 litres of Castrol Edge.
Costco have 0w30 Castrol Edge, but only online delivery and that was also £55 for 5 litres.

Edited by hulksta on Thursday 10th September 13:06

[stevemcs]

I would be using 5w30 (plat plus 23quantum)

[Ed.Neumann]

MarkJS said:

Is there a reason not to use BMW's recommended 0W-30 viscosity?

Because it is too thin to truly protect long term.

To get an oil to spread from a 0 through to a 30 you need more Viscosity Improvers adding to keep the oil thick enough to protect. The problem is VI's shear down, so although you may have a 30 weight when up to temperature when you first put it in, by the time it has been used a bit it can be down to a 20 weight or even less.

Some oils have shown to shear own within a few hundred miles on cars that are driven hard. Let alone the truly ridiculous 15k mile intervals BMW use to try and make their cars look cheap to run.


A 5wXX is fine down to about -30ºc, in fact a 10wXX would be fine in the UK for 360 days of the year and for 365 for anyone living south of Newcastle.


Emissions and mpg figures will be lower with thinner oil, but at the expense of protecting your car. If you are only keeping it for a year or two, use what you want, but if you are getting up to 100,000km and expect to keep it a bit longer go with a decent oil.

Motul 8100 or something like that, Shell Helix is really good too by the way and Arnold Clark sell in 5l containers for £25 delivered, and I would go at least 5w30 every time.

[hulksta]

Done the service today.
Genuine filter from BMW dealer was around £20ish.
As above, 5L castrol edge 5w30LL from Costco at £36, plus an around another litre I had previously, oil change all done.
Oil was golden when it came out. I could basically see through it as it came out.
Really need to find out what they use in Japan.