Before I get flamed for not searching, yes, I have read through no less than 500 posts and a ton of technical documentation on merits of various oils, viscosities, other properties, etc. Despite all this, I still have questions and thoughts to discuss regarding the
BMW branded 0W-30 vs 5W-30.
I have a 2015 335i with MPPK and MPE for which I will do all my own maintenance. I want to take this car past 100k miles and do all I can to keep the engine/turbos healthy. The sticker under the hood specifies using BMW 5W-30 oil; however, the owner's manual specifies a variety of different oils as long as they are LL-01 or LL-01FE. TIS also confirms this:
https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/f...enance/1PSryV8.
I used the 5W-30 oil in my e46 for 12 years without problem. However, it seems BMW released 0W-30 to supersede 5W-30, and in fact, on Bimmerworld's website, they mention 5W-30 will only be available "while supplies last", which makes me think BMW may phase out 5W-30 over time. I found this picture from 1addicts, and it appears as though 0W-30 is "better" than 5W-30:
Similarly, Lubrizol has a nice
tool you can use to compare oils and comparing BMW LL-01 to LL-01FE also seems to indicate 0W-30 is better (although with a lower
HTHS):
My thoughts:
1. 0W-30 seems "better" for short city driving and/or for colder weather (sub-20F); however, I am concerned it may be less ideal for long-term engine wear (I plan to keep the car 100k+ miles) or for hard driving (which I enjoy). However, I have seen no tangible evidence to support this.
2. 0W-30 is less viscous when cold, which means the car may consume more oil and there is an increased potential for leaks (conversely, from what I read it is supposed to be great for seals and gaskets).
3. 0W-30 is supposedly better at cleaning engine parts and reducing sludge buildup.
4. Both 0W-30 and 5W-30 are 30 oils when hot, so in theory, they should have the same properties when hot; however, the
HTHS of the 5W-30 is higher than the 0W-30.
5. The 0W-30 oil is API SN (latest generation) vs the 5W-30 API SL (older generation).
6. The 0W-30 is ACEA A5/B5, whereas the 5W-30 is ACEA A3/B4.
I did email BMW-NA and they confirmed a 5W-30 recommendation for my 2015 335i; however, a dealer I spoke with suggested the 0W-30.
I am annoyed with the ambiguity. It seems like there should be a more definitive answer on this. I am interested in hearing from the masses and also what the statistics say (hence the poll). Plus, who doesn't love a good oil discussion?
NicB.