You can get a block heater as an option on most (all?) new BMWs, its not on the normal option sheet but your dealer will be able to specify it.
Along with a marten repeller!
www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=GE42&mospid...4
Theres tons of random stuff in the full catalogue. Including the worlds most over-engineered flag carrier!
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I think I've mentioned before, a large oil company I worked for were developing a filly-synth oil, we analysed all the competing oils some (particularly a big brand beginning with C) aren't actually full synths, just clever semi's. the only oil that held together in terms of anti-sheer properties and hot viscosity beyond 4,000 miles was Mobil 1, every other other - including ours was effectively shot by then - that didn'tstop us coming up with all sorts ofclaims for it - like everyone else. The cold-pour figure gives away what is and what isn't really a fully synth. If you can afford it, buy Mobil 1, one of the only products in the world where you can say with confidence it is the best of its breed.
Modern cars have such stretched service intervals because the engines themselves are built to tight-enough tolerances to tolerate such abuse, they spend the majority of their lives running on knackered oil and the oil itself contains additive packages to keep the oil chemically stable - including suspending particles of swarf and soot a certain size in the oil rather than allowing it to sink and sludge to form. Neither the additives or the rubbish suspended in the oil are helping lubrication! Oil filters only filter out relatively large particles.
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When I worked for NATO, we had a slight engineering dillema with a satellite antenna system gearbox and its lubrication. The system was designed to be used everywhere from Saudi to Greenland and other parts of the Arctic Circle.
We couldn't find a normal gear oil which could stand these extremes of temp without causing unnaceptable gear 'sticktion' in the cold.
The US Military finally settled on Mobil 1 5w-50 to do the job even though it was normall an automotive product.
All of the other oils we had used could not be drained out from any of the systems in the Arctic Circle !!
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Steve, I use "C" Edge 5W-30 in my Passat and Golf. I use this expensive oil because I think it is the best. Am I wrong?
I have used "C" oils for 44 years on cars, tractors, vans and combines. I have never had a problem with engines in any of them. Am I just lucky?
My dad changed from "C" oil in his tractors to Silkoline because it was cheaper. Soon after his International B414's engine went kaput. Was he just unlucky?
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I use "C" Edge 5W-30 >>
caveat: The internet is not a very reliable source for up to date information, unless you can go to the expert direct and get their current knowledge direct.
So, having said that, I understand that Mobil1 and Castrol Edge and possibly many other mainstream "synthetic" oils may have changed their base stock. I gather that it is difficult to get the manufacturers to give clear information on what exactly they mean by "synthetic", and which base stock they use.
Such information is apparently extracted by independent chemists by testing the oils using chromatography instruments.
I believe that few if any oils available on the retail market now are "pure synthetics".
But then I may be wrong.
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The local "oil man" in my neck of the woods *hates* castrol, not just dislike btw!
I understand he worked for Lucas oils for a number of years so might go some way to explaining it.
He's claimed a few times that the "magnetic" stuff was a face saving exercise as their previous revision which was very similar makeup, didnt cling to valves or something and thus was not up to scratch. So they changed the formulation very slightly and came out with a name similar to magnetic.
He's also claimed that most other brand makes were already meeting this spec before the "magnetic" stuff came out, but C's advertising budget means joe punter knows magnetic clings to engine surfaces when all brand names have been required to do this to meet a certain spec, and were available before C's attempt.
Either way he recommends Mobil 1 for a lot of applications and Lucas for BMW longlife compliant stuff. That seems to fit with a lot of what i've read around the net on places like www.bobistheoilguy.com/
Mods: not sure if im within guidelines about no name & shame, have 0 objection to deleting this post if im not
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his b414 engine probably went kaput because the oil pump drive went kaput first.
used to be a known prob when these tractors were in common use back in the 50s/60s
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Steve I use "C" Edge 5W-30 in my Passat and Golf. I use this expensive oil because I think it is the best. Am I wrong?
It's perfectly good oil, it's just not the fully synth you're paying oddles of cash for, the pour point of this oil is -38C, the pour point of equivalent mobil 1 is -48C, as the yanks say - go figure!
Motorcycles are a good barometer for oil quality, the gearboxes of my bikes feel awful with Castrol oil (or Halfords which is rebadged Castrol) stick Mobil4T in and the boxes feel like silk!
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SteveLee - thanks for the informative and highly interesting post. I've always believed Mobil 1 to be the best, certainly it was believed to be so in the 80s - today there may be other oils that now match the spec, but I dont know what they are.
What is also interesting is the mileage that you mention and the reason why we can now get away with using shot oils - all makes perfect sense to me.
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Most engines these days are all alloy. How effective is a 'magnetic' oil in a non ferrous engine?
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Most engines these days are all alloy. How effective is a 'magnetic' oil in a non ferrous engine? >>
www.volvoclub.org.uk/engine_oil_history.shtml
" .... Poly-ol ester based lubricants have the advantage that your engine will never wear them out. They are as useful in a old wrecker with piston rings hanging off and bearing shells dropping out as in a multi-thousand pound race engine. Another useful property of the oil is that it does not break down in storage, as does a mineral oil. A vehicle may be left for years with the oil in the sump, and started up as fresh as a daisy when needed. Added to this is the extreme stickiness of the oil, which coats all parts with which it comes into contact and does not creep off, as do other 'synthetics'. For this reason many invaluable vintage, veteran and classic vehicles use nothing else. High street oil companies use poly-ol esters as additives - a very recent marketing exercise suggests that a wondrous new breakthrough in chemical engineering has developed this sticky oil additive, indeed magnet like, which when added to a mineral oil base produces a significant lubrication technology break-through! This semi-synthetic product retails at virtually the same price as poly-ol ester based lubricants! The synthetic brand leader, Mobil 1, is 'tri-synthetic', a mixture of PAO, di-ester and poly-ol ester and indeed brags on the can about jet engine technology. Unfortunately for the discerning motorist, the marketing men have decided that in the small UK market we only deserve one of the wide range of Mobil 1 synthetics available in the US, which cannot suit all engines. ... "
Edited by jbif on 22/01/2010 at 00:01
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The old argument about what's the "best" oil is, for many MODERN engines, now largely irrelevant.
It's about which oil meets the specifications demanded by the manufacturer for that engine.
For example, the Mobil 1 'turbo diesel' labelled oil does NOT meet VAG specs for its PD diesel engines.
Sure, it may be great synthetic base stock, but without the particular anti-scuff additive the PD engines require, it may not stop a PD motor lunching a camshaft in 20,000 miles.
Another example is cars with DPFs. These need low-ash oils, otherwise the DPF will block up with oil ash that cannot be 'coked'. My new Mondeo manual is very specific about ONLY using oils that meet a certain low-ash spec.
For latest-generation cars, the brand name is increasingly irrelevant. It's the specs that matter.
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>>>Mobil 1 'turbo diesel' labelled oil does NOT meet VAG specs for its PD diesel engines.
The Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30 has the 507.00 spec for VW/Audis.
I still say that "C" oil is very good. It seems that some firms are jealous of their reputation. The stuff from the Volvo forum is years out of date.
Since when can you get Lucas oil? I've never heard of it.
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not of the Loose Unsoldered Connections And Splices brigade. They're mmmmerican --> www.lucasoil.co.uk/products.php?page=products&subp...7
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Indeed it does - but my point was that you can buy a Mobil 1-branded "turbo diesel" oil which actually doesn't meet the required VAG specs.
Buying on brand alone, without checking the relevant specs, isn't a guarantee.
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The Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30 has the 507.00 spec for VW/Audis.
The stuff from the Volvo forum is years out of date.
Yes, there's more than one grade of Mobil 1 available these days. My Audi dealer claims to use Mobil 1 5W30 in TDIs needing VAG 507 spec long-life oil.
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a large oil company I worked for were developing a filly-synth oil ...
Helped the engine develop more horse power, did it ?
Boom boom !
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In those days garages weren't full of rubbish so people could actually get their cars in them.
Helped by the fact that cars were smaller.
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Helped by the fact that cars were smaller.
And garages were bigger. The garage on our 90's built house is a joke. You might just get a Fiesta- sized car in there, but you ain't getting out of it unless you go through the sunroof or tailgate.
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