I'm a total newbie to BMW. I know alot of BMW owners use synthetic oil, and I believe my car has synthetic oil in it now. I know nothing about synthetic oil. Can someone enlighten me on it, what brand etc?

Mobil 1 or Lubro Moly Voll-Synthese Motor Oil. I use 5w40 Lubro Moly (the best you can get, and it's german :)) in my 89 325iS.

This is taken from another forum (e30zone)

316,316i (M10,E30) 1982-89 15w-40 / 10w-40
316i (M40, E30) 1988 - 94 15w-40 / 10w-40
316i (M40, E36) 1991-94 5w-40 / 0w-30 / 0w-40
316i (M43TU, E36) 1998 onwards 5w-40
316i/316g (M43, E36) 1993-00 5w-40
316i/Ci (M43TU, E46) 1998 onwards 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
316ti (N42,E46) 2000 onwards 0w-30, 0w-40

318i (M10, E30) 1982-94 15w-40, 10w-40
318i (M40, E30) 1987-94 15w-40, 10w-40
318i/is (M42, E30) 1989-93 5w-40
318i (M40, E36) 1990-95 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
318i/is (M42, E36) 1991-96 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
318i (M43, E36) 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
318ti (M42, E36) 1994-96 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
318ti (M44, E36) 1995-00 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
318i/is (M44, E36) 1996-99 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
318i/Ci (M43TU, E46) 1997 onwards 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
318i/Ci (N42, E46) 2001 onwards 0w-30, 0w-40
318ti (N42, E46) 2001 onwards 0w-30, 0w-40

320i (M20, E30) 1982-93 15w-40, 10w-40
320is (S14, E30) 1988-91 5w-40
320i (M50, E36) 1990-96 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
320i (M52, E36) 1994-99 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
320i (M54, E46) 2000-01 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
320i/Ci (M52TU, E46) 1997-01 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40

323i (M20, E30) 1982-87 15w-40, 10w-40
323i (M52, E36) 1994-00 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
323ti (M52, E36) 1994-00 5w-40, 0w-30, 0-40
323i/Ci (M52TU, E46) 1997 onwards 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40

325e/i (M20, E30) 1984-93 5w-40
325ix (M20, E30) 1985-93 5w-40
325i/is (M50, E36) 1990-97 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
325i/Ci (M54, E46) 2000 onwards 0w-30, 0w-40
325xi (M54, E46) 2000 onwards 0w-30, 0w-40
325ti (M54, E46) 2000 onwards 0w-30, 0w-40

328i (M52, E36) 1997-01 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
328i/Ci (M52TU, E46) 1998-01 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40

330i/Ci (M54, E46) 2000 onwards 0w-30, 0w-40
330xi (M54, E46) 2000 onwards 0w-30, 0w-40

M Coupe, M Roadster (S50, E36) 1996-00 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
M Coupe, M Roadster (S52, E36) 1998-00 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
M Coupe, M Roadster (S54, E36) 2000 onwards 10w-60
M3 2.3 Evo (S14, E30) 1988-91 10w-40, 5w-40
M3 3.0 Evo (S50, S50US, E36) 1992-99 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
M3 3.0 Evo (S52, E36) 1996-99 5w-40, 0w-30
M3 Coupe (S54, E46) 1999 onwards 10w-60

Thanks so much. That really helps.

pelos


Mobil 1 or Lubro Moly Voll-Synthese Motor Oil. I use 5w40 Lubro Moly (the best you can get, and it's german :)) in my 89 325iS.

This is taken from another forum (e30zone)

316,316i (M10,E30) 1982-89 15w-40 / 10w-40
316i (M40, E30) 1988 - 94 15w-40 / 10w-40
316i (M40, E36) 1991-94 5w-40 / 0w-30 / 0w-40
316i (M43TU, E36) 1998 onwards 5w-40
316i/316g (M43, E36) 1993-00 5w-40
316i/Ci (M43TU, E46) 1998 onwards 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
316ti (N42,E46) 2000 onwards 0w-30, 0w-40

318i (M10, E30) 1982-94 15w-40, 10w-40
318i (M40, E30) 1987-94 15w-40, 10w-40
318i/is (M42, E30) 1989-93 5w-40
318i (M40, E36) 1990-95 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
318i/is (M42, E36) 1991-96 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
318i (M43, E36) 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
318ti (M42, E36) 1994-96 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
318ti (M44, E36) 1995-00 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
318i/is (M44, E36) 1996-99 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
318i/Ci (M43TU, E46) 1997 onwards 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
318i/Ci (N42, E46) 2001 onwards 0w-30, 0w-40
318ti (N42, E46) 2001 onwards 0w-30, 0w-40

320i (M20, E30) 1982-93 15w-40, 10w-40
320is (S14, E30) 1988-91 5w-40
320i (M50, E36) 1990-96 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
320i (M52, E36) 1994-99 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
320i (M54, E46) 2000-01 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
320i/Ci (M52TU, E46) 1997-01 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40

323i (M20, E30) 1982-87 15w-40, 10w-40
323i (M52, E36) 1994-00 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
323ti (M52, E36) 1994-00 5w-40, 0w-30, 0-40
323i/Ci (M52TU, E46) 1997 onwards 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40

325e/i (M20, E30) 1984-93 5w-40
325ix (M20, E30) 1985-93 5w-40
325i/is (M50, E36) 1990-97 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
325i/Ci (M54, E46) 2000 onwards 0w-30, 0w-40
325xi (M54, E46) 2000 onwards 0w-30, 0w-40
325ti (M54, E46) 2000 onwards 0w-30, 0w-40

328i (M52, E36) 1997-01 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
328i/Ci (M52TU, E46) 1998-01 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40

330i/Ci (M54, E46) 2000 onwards 0w-30, 0w-40
330xi (M54, E46) 2000 onwards 0w-30, 0w-40

M Coupe, M Roadster (S50, E36) 1996-00 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
M Coupe, M Roadster (S52, E36) 1998-00 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
M Coupe, M Roadster (S54, E36) 2000 onwards 10w-60
M3 2.3 Evo (S14, E30) 1988-91 10w-40, 5w-40
M3 3.0 Evo (S50, S50US, E36) 1992-99 5w-40, 0w-30, 0w-40
M3 3.0 Evo (S52, E36) 1996-99 5w-40, 0w-30
M3 Coupe (S54, E46) 1999 onwards 10w-60

this should be in sticky.... Thank you kilomph...

Interesting.

The oil sent to me by a BMW dealer and a forum sponsor is not what is on the chart for my car. I'll go with what the dealer recommended.

I'm a total newbie to BMW. I know alot of BMW owners use synthetic oil, and I believe my car has synthetic oil in it now. I know nothing about synthetic oil. Can someone enlighten me on it, what brand etc?

I just used Synthetic 10w-30. However, go with what the dealer recommends, but do some research find out what other people recommend. Apparently, BMW dealers would tell you to put Silly Putty in you're gas tank if they could find a way to make it more indiscreet.

93 Octane "Silly Putty"

I highly recommend using a top grade 5/ 50 or 10/ 50 synthetic oil in an S50. I definitely recommend against using anything like a 0/30 weight, unless you like to hear your vanos and bearings rattle. Redline's great!