Low Mileage Oil Change Before 1200 Mile Service

[alex2364]

I have a 2020 M4 built in September 2019 with ~700 miles and the car computer is saying I need an oil change this month (September 2020). Problem is I don't want to do the 1200 mile service yet and the dealer SA said it has to be done if I want the oil change. I thought BMW offers a yearly oil change no matter the miles. Does anyone have experience with this?

[DPHTOY]

The first Service is 1,200 miles or one year whichever comes first. My M4 sat on a dealers lot for months and after owning for three months and less than 600 miles on it the system called for maintenance. Dealer was adamant they had to do the 1,200 mile service because it had reached a year.

[doug_999]

Why exactly do you want to wait?

[Slowphiveo]

Drive the car 500 miles before the end of the month. Problem solved.

[Poiseuille]

the 1200 mile service is not part of the CBS schedule, as you can see in the attachment below. the first "oil service" is at 10K miles or 12 months. the 1200m service is done for break-in purposes and includes oil service and diff service.
the "12 month" period, and all subsequent service intervals, commence on YOUR in-service date. the build-date is irrelevant to CBS.

so, regarding the engine oil change: how many months have you actually owned the car?

the important thing here is the diff service. that MUST be done as close to 1200 miles as you can manage because the diff is factory filled with break-in fluid.
remember at delivery they warned you not to exceed 108mph? did it seem odd that a limit would be on ground speed and not RPM? the only drive train parts governed by ground speed are the half shafts, the prop shaft and the diff.
the diff is VERY EXPENSIVE. failure to perform the 1200m service will void your warranty.
dealer should have explained all this to you in detail but, sadly, not all SAs created equal.

[alex2364]

Originally Posted by Poiseuille

the 1200 mile service is not part of the CBS schedule, as you can see in the attachment below. the first "oil service" is at 10K miles or 12 months. the 1200m service is done for break-in purposes and includes oil service and diff service.
the "12 month" period, and all subsequent service intervals, commence on YOUR in-service date. the build-date is irrelevant to CBS.

so, regarding the engine oil change: how many months have you actually owned the car?

the important thing here is the diff service. that MUST be done as close to 1200 miles as you can manage because the diff is factory filled with break-in fluid.
remember at delivery they warned you not to exceed 108mph? did it seem odd that a limit would be on ground speed and not RPM? the only drive train parts governed by ground speed are the half shafts, the prop shaft and the diff.
the diff is VERY EXPENSIVE. failure to perform the 1200m service will void your warranty.
dealer should have explained all this to you in detail but, sadly, not all SAs created equal.

I’ve owned the car since end of May, so about 4 months. So do you recommend for me to not to get an oil change until I reach 1200 miles? The dealer SA is saying they can’t do an additional oil change before my break-in service.

[doug_999]

Originally Posted by Poiseuille

... the build-date is irrelevant to CBS.

Not 100% correct. The brake fluid is changed at 3 years from your build date, not the in service date.

Originally Posted by Poiseuille

the important thing here is the diff service. that MUST be done as close to 1200 miles as you can manage because the diff is factory filled with break-in fluid.

Definitely not correct - nobody has ever been able to prove that they use break-in fluid in the diff.

But, people have proved that a diff sheds parts and it can help to change the fluid - but the 1,200 miles? nothing magical there. At 700 it is ready.

Originally Posted by Poiseuille

remember at delivery they warned you not to exceed 108mph?
the diff is VERY EXPENSIVE. failure to perform the 1200m service will void your warranty.

The speed limit is so you don't kill yourself and you don't void your warranty by not doing the 1,200 mile service unless they can prove that doing that late caused the issue.

You do make the car in-eligible for CPO of course by doing it late.

but seriously... only M cars have this "requirement" - and this "requirement" was removed from the rest of the cars when BMW started with their "free" maintenance program way back when. Odd

[Poiseuille]

Originally Posted by alex2364

I’ve owned the car since end of May, so about 4 months. So do you recommend for me to not to get an oil change until I reach 1200 miles? The dealer SA is saying they can’t do an additional oil change before my break-in service.

you are not confused, your SA is.
you're due for CBS based service in May 2021 , or at 10K miles, which ever comes first.
do the 1200 mile service at or about 1200 miles.
SA seems to believe that the 1200m is build-date measured in some way, but even if that were true there is NO TIME component in scheduling the 1200m. instead, as its name implies, it is distance dependent.

[n_ac]

Originally Posted by alex2364

I have a 2020 M4 built in September 2019 with ~700 miles and the car computer is saying I need an oil change this month (September 2020). Problem is I don't want to do the 1200 mile service yet and the dealer SA said it has to be done if I want the oil change. I thought BMW offers a yearly oil change no matter the miles. Does anyone have experience with this?

Why are you avoiding the 1200m service? I had mine done around 800-900m.

This thread may be of help and also if your car is a DCT, then you get access to launch control.

There's a photo at the end of the first page that also references that and why they can't just change your oil.

https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1321372

[ChuMpion3]

First time I have ever heard the build date in reference to service. That is odd.

Weird build date info aside, no reason to wait. Just get it done and avoid any headaches with possible misinformation.

[doug_999]

Originally Posted by n_ac

This thread may be of help and also if your car is a DCT, then you get access to launch control.

I've read that even if you have the service done, launch control will not activate until 1,200 miles. But no personal experience there (#savethemanuals)

Originally Posted by ChuMpion3

First time I have ever heard the build date in reference to service. That is odd.

Yep, staring at my car telling me I need a brake fluid change... and yes, car was built 09/2017 and delivered to me in December 2017....