Dealer Servicing - Oil Warning

[sproggy]

From my dealers mouth this morning:

If the bike is under warranty, they have to use the Castrol synthetic, if it's not under warranty, you can have what the feck you like.

I wouldn't have though this affcets any 1150's so just ask them to put whatever slippery stuff you would like into the old girl

Many dealers are still selling later 1150s (particularly Adventures) with 'BMW Approved' warranties and I suspect the same rules regarding oil apply to bikes with used warranties as those with new ones. So not only do you pay through the nose for a 4-6 year old bike, you keep getting shafted when you go back to get it serviced too

[EDIT]I wonder how many dealers try it on and use the synthetic by default even if the bike isn't under warranty? It certainly sounded to me as if my local one does.[/EDIT]

 

[Paul Wakefield]

From my dealers mouth this morning:

If the bike is under warranty, they have to use the Castrol synthetic, if it's not under warranty, you can have what the feck you like.

Well my bike is under warranty and my dealer (NOG) were quite happy to use Castrol mineral oil.

 

[sproggy]

Sounds as if it's at the dealer's discretion irrespective of what B*W might say the rules are.

 

[Mzokk]

What is the oil change frequency

A friend of mine did 300K despatch miles on his 1150GS using mineral oil.

Er 6K

 

[Mzokk]

With 6k mile service intervals it's highly unlikely that a mineral oil will degrade significantly before you change it. And the oilhead motors are not air-cooled - they're oil-cooled (that's why they have an oil cooler with a thermostat) and this keeps the operating temperature far more even than in an air-cooled motor. OK, so they're a bit air-cooled but the oil cooling does a lot of the work in terms of keeping the temperature stable and taking excess heat away from the heads.

That and having 3.75 litres of oil in the sump. I qualified my statement by suggesting that it might take more than 100k to work out the difference. I use Comma SF spec 20-50 Mineral oil in my bike at the moment as the local motor factors has it in stock £11 for five litres.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

From my dealers mouth this morning:

If the bike is under warranty, they have to use the Castrol synthetic, if it's not under warranty, you can have what the feck you like.

I think you have been very misinformed.....................certainly not on any BMW Boxers

Only Castrol Synthetic is mandatory for the K1300s and even then it doesn't have to be Castrol via a BMW part number

 

[mac163]

Correct Castrol link

Hi,
Sorry about the link error, opens ok on the preview post - but compresses on the actual reply
Try this - www.motorcycleinfo.co.uk

Then open folders on left -
- BMW & R1200GS Stuff
- How to and Faqs
- Castrol Engine Oil Q & A
Cheers,
Mac

 

[sproggy]

I think you have been very misinformed.....................certainly not on any BMW Boxers

Only Castrol Synthetic is mandatory for the K1300s and even then it doesn't have to be Castrol via a BMW part number

That's not what my dealer told me at the weekend - fully synthetic (£60) for all oilheads unless the owner requests mineral (£20).

Clearly there's a huge inconsistency between dealers......or between dealers' understanding of B*W instructions.

 

[Rushy]

Many dealers are still selling later 1150s (particularly Adventures) with 'BMW Approved' warranties and I suspect the same rules regarding oil apply to bikes with used warranties as those with new ones. So not only do you pay through the nose for a 4-6 year old bike, you keep getting shafted when you go back to get it serviced too

Probably not in fact because when the bike is new it comes with a "manufacturers warranty" when a used bike is sold it comes with an Approved Used BMW warranty (AUB) which is completely different and is actually just an insurance policy just like the one 2nd hand car dealers sell . I think it might be covered by the same outside company who do their breakedown recovery insurance.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

That's not what my dealer told me at the weekend - fully synthetic (£60) for all oilheads unless the owner requests mineral (£20).

Clearly there's a huge inconsistency between dealers......or between dealers' understanding of B*W instructions.

Yes sir, there is

I'd bet yours in a joint BMW car/bike dealer........................would I be right?

 

[sproggy]

I'd bet yours in a joint BMW car/bike dealer........................would I be right?

No - bikes only. No excuse for confusion or not understanding these funny two-wheeled cars that fall over when you stop.

 

[hughguzzi]

'01 1150 oil

Do my own servicing, buy bits from James Sherlock in Devon, he recommends Millers Classic Sport 20/50 semi synth. should be good from a BMW specialist ?