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Ant318is 
Groupie
Joined: 18-September-2003
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 72
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 Topic: What Oil???
Posted: 01-November-2003 at 18:46 |
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I just want to top up my engine with oil. Just wondering what oil you guys recommend. Have been told that Castrol SLX is the prefered choice. Would you agree? Thanks.
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Ants318is
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falkster
Bavarian-Board Contributor
Joined: 12-August-2003
Location: Yorkshire
Status: Offline
Points: 825
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Posted: 01-November-2003 at 22:51 |
Depending on the age of the engine. The older the engine the lower the viscosity rating would be needed.
Get some Asda 20/50 this will be fine.
Sorry only joking Castrol GTX is a good oil for your car or even the semi synthetic GTX magnatec
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Z3M Roadster (gone....just...but not forgotten...yet)
E30 M3 (Toy)
Alfa 147 (just gone)
BMW 330d (new work horse)
Daimler Double 6 (no idea yet)
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Ant318is
Groupie
Joined: 18-September-2003
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 72
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Posted: 02-November-2003 at 20:41 |
whats the difference between GTX and SLX? I have been told that SLX is approx. £14 per litre ooooooouch! 
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Ants318is
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andygriff
Groupie
Joined: 27-October-2003
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 76
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Posted: 02-November-2003 at 20:45 |
SLX is a fully synthetic oil - recommended for later BMW multivalve engines with longer service intervals. Is very pricey and not really worth using in your 318is. Use a good brand semi synthetic oil.
Andy
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heraclitus
Newbie
Joined: 02-November-2003
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 4
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Posted: 02-November-2003 at 23:52 |
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It shouldn't cost too much to fill it up with Mobil 1, which is a decent fully-synthetic oil. If you shop around, you could probably get a 4 litre tub for £30 or less. Halfords sell it for about £35, but they are always expensive anyway.
Edited by heraclitus
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Mark R
Really Senior Member I
Wimborne, Dorset
Joined: 24-February-2003
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 436
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Posted: 03-November-2003 at 00:08 |
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I have just started using Magnatec in my 144K miler 318is, it does run quiter than it did on bog standard 10/40W Castrol.
I just paid £13.50 for 4.5 Litres from Makro. In Halfords I believe they charge approx £23.
If you have or know someone with a Makro / Costco 'cash n carry' card it's worth checking them out for car bits, especially when they do 2 for 1 offers!
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Mark Roberts 
E30 318iS
Wessex Region Secretary
E30 Registrar & committee member
Someone left a note on my windscreen. It read 'Parking Fine' that was nice
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Ant318is
Groupie
Joined: 18-September-2003
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 72
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Posted: 03-November-2003 at 00:18 |
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do you guys think mileage plays a big part in the oil to choose? my 318is has only done 40K.
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Ants318is
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b318isp
Moderator Group
Joined: 10-October-2002
Location: Ireland
Status: Offline
Points: 2057
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Posted: 03-November-2003 at 13:41 |
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You must have an E36 318is. I would choose a 10W40 or 10W50 fully synthethic, Mobil 1 being a top contender.
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dave 328
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 21-October-2003
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 835
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Posted: 06-November-2003 at 10:02 |
I only use Mobil 1 5W 40 - the new blend stuff. I also used it before this new blend.
I pay about £20, its about £30-35 in Halfords and £24+vat trade.
I get several gallons from France as like the beer its cheaper. So when I do a beer run to France, I do an oil run too!! 
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hornydevil
Groupie
Joined: 06-October-2003
Location: Glos
Status: Offline
Points: 73
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Posted: 06-November-2003 at 14:25 |
Hi,
As I'm new to BMW's, which oil could someone recommend for a '99 323Ci. (40k mileage).
Thanks for your help
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ANDY: E46 M3 SMG INDIVIDUAL; SILVERSTONE BLUE
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dave 328
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 21-October-2003
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 835
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Posted: 06-November-2003 at 14:39 |
I would say, spend about £20 on 4-5 litres and you will get a decent oil.
I would get Mobil1 (fully synthetic) or Castrol Magnatec (semi-synthetic) is also good.
Basically if you pay about £5 a litre it is good stuff.
Don't get cheap 'Highway' motor oil at £2.50 per 4 litres.
Comma Triple R is also decent, about £15-20 for fully synthetic.
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Alex
Senior Member I
SW Region Member
Joined: 15-January-2003
Location: England
Status: Offline
Points: 148
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Posted: 17-November-2003 at 18:39 |
When choosing an oil you have to decide on what viscosity and what quality you want to use.
The viscosity is specified by the car manufacturer. e.g. for my 1990 E30, the manual says 15W-40 for ambient temperatures between -20°C and 30°C, which pretty much covers any conditions in the UK. 10W-40 is recommended for -30°C to 15°C, so on a warm day it might be a bit thin. Using a lower viscosity oil (than specified) is pretty pointless since it will just get used up faster and may not provide the required protection.
The quality of an oil is tested by the API and the ACEA. The API grades for petrol engines run from SF (crap) to SL (best). For diesels, the best grade is CF. Castrol GTX is SJ rated (pretty good). The ACEA grades go from A1 to A3 for petrol engines and B1 to B4 for diesels. Good oils also have recommendations from manufacturers. So a totally kick-arse oil would be API SL, ACEA A3/B4, recommended by VW and BMW, for example.
Whether it's mineral or synthetic is not really important in itself - a good semi-synthetic is better than a poor fully synthetic oil. Personally, I wouldn't run an older engine like mine on synthetic, because it's not available in a high enough viscosity.
Also, the brand is not really important either - the quality certifications are what you should go by.
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Alex Shirley
1990 E30 325i
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Badger 540
Really Senior Member I
Joined: 23-October-2003
Location: West Midlands
Status: Offline
Points: 451
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Posted: 17-November-2003 at 18:57 |
I remember reading an article about synthetic oil some years back. It stated that the change to synthetic is best done early in the engine's life (but after it'[s fully run in). People that changed over on higher mileage motors had no end of problems with oil leaks. These didn't seem to be resolved even after changing back to a full mineral base oil or a semi synthetic again. 
I ran my Maserati Biturbo on Valvoline Synpower from when I had it at 35K miles, (3 years old) up until recently when I took it off the road, with no leakage problems. I guess I was lucky. 
I use Magnatec in the 540, but change it more regularly than the service indicators would dictate.
Andy 540i Birmingham
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Badger540 West Midlands
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heraclitus
Newbie
Joined: 02-November-2003
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 4
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Posted: 17-November-2003 at 20:34 |
 Alex wrote:
When choosing an oil you have to decide on what viscosity and what quality you want to use.
The viscosity is specified by the car manufacturer. e.g. for my 1990 E30, the manual says 15W-40 for ambient temperatures between -20°C and 30°C, which pretty much covers any conditions in the UK. 10W-40 is recommended for -30°C to 15°C, so on a warm day it might be a bit thin. Using a lower viscosity oil (than specified) is pretty pointless since it will just get used up faster and may not provide the required protection.
The quality of an oil is tested by the API and the ACEA. The API grades for petrol engines run from SF (crap) to SL (best). For diesels, the best grade is CF. Castrol GTX is SJ rated (pretty good). The ACEA grades go from A1 to A3 for petrol engines and B1 to B4 for diesels. Good oils also have recommendations from manufacturers. So a totally kick-arse oil would be API SL, ACEA A3/B4, recommended by VW and BMW, for example.
Whether it's mineral or synthetic is not really important in itself - a good semi-synthetic is better than a poor fully synthetic oil. Personally, I wouldn't run an older engine like mine on synthetic, because it's not available in a high enough viscosity.
Also, the brand is not really important either - the quality certifications are what you should go by. |
Lol, Halfords brand fully synthetic 5w/40 conforms to kick-arse standards!
It's API SL CF and ACEA A3 B3 B4. Not bad for £25 for 5 litres, especially compared to the £35 for 4 litres they charge for Mobil 1. I wonder who actually makes this Halfords stuff. I think it's what I'll be using from now on anyway. :D
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Alex
Senior Member I
SW Region Member
Joined: 15-January-2003
Location: England
Status: Offline
Points: 148
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Posted: 19-November-2003 at 00:44 |
For even more information, you could check out this website I've just remembered:
http://www.chris-longhurst.com/carbibles/
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Alex Shirley
1990 E30 325i
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lozlee
Groupie
Joined: 04-August-2003
Location: Indonesia
Status: Offline
Points: 76
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Posted: 19-November-2003 at 04:52 |
"I wonder who actually makes this Halfords stuff. I think it's what I'll be using from now on anyway."
Whoever makes it, I say it'll be less money for the Hakkinen's and Coulthards of this world!
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Jakarta M5
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What Oil???