BMW motor oil

[JGood]

Anyone use the 15w40 non-synthetic BMW motor oil available from the dealer? It's only ~$3.50 from the dealer, so I'm curious if it's a quality BMW product, a rebranded crap-brand oil, or what. It's price is competitive with Castrol, Pennzoil, Valvoline, etc... And with the CCA discount, it's the cheapest of them all.

[CorvallisBMW]

Pretty sure it's just rebottled Penzoil, at least that's what brand the 15w-40 conventional at the dealership I used to work at was.

edit: I believe the standard 5w-30 synthetic stuff they put in every car is Castrol. The 10w-60 they put in M engines is Castrol Motorsport or something like that.

[Jand3rson]

so I'm curious if it's a quality BMW product, a rebranded crap-brand oil, or what.

Of course it's a re-branded oil. BMW doesn't have their own oil refineries.

[JGood]

Of course it's a re-branded oil. BMW doesn't have their own oil refineries.

OK, I meant I didn't know if it was a specialty oil developed for BMW with a specific additive package by one of the major oil companies, or just an off the shelf oil with a different label. Better?

[xwill112x]

probly like valvoline or some walmart brand bs

[JGood]

^thanks?

Corvallis, are you saying the dealership used Pennzoil, or you guys had a tank filled with Pennzoil, or you just know the bottled oil is made by Pennzoil?

[CorvallisBMW]

^thanks?

Corvallis, are you saying the dealership used Pennzoil, or you guys had a tank filled with Pennzoil, or you just know the bottled oil is made by Pennzoil?

We had a big ass tank of Penzoil.

[ChaseN]

Every dealership uses some sort of bulk oil, typically whatever they can get the lowest price on when buying in quantities of 150 gals +.

It has nothing to do with who BMW AG buys their oil from and subsequently brands/bottles as their own.

BTW the guy at my dealership told me it was Castrol. IDK whether to believe that or not, at any rate, I'd imagine BMW wouldn't put their name on something thats complete crap.

Also, you can get 20w50 BMW brand oil at BMW motorcycle dealerships, equally as cheap.

[e34john]

Thats a good price. And it is Castrol, I think it says it on the back or bottom of the bottle somewhere. I used to use it until I saw that it was just Castrol so now I buy that whenever I see it on sale.

[e30Matt]

My dealership was Castrol, I think a lot of the dealers are switching to Pennzoil now, though. I know Benz changed their bottler to Pennzoil sometime in the last year or two, I called trying to source oil for a Sprinter van and the parts guy informed me.

[ChaseN]

My dealership was Castrol, I think a lot of the dealers are switching to Pennzoil now, though. I know Benz changed their bottler to Pennzoil sometime in the last year or two, I called trying to source oil for a Sprinter van and the parts guy informed me.

Like I said, the oil that the dealer uses and the oil the OEM bottles don't really have anything to do with each other. There may be coincidences where they are the same, or the OE may force dealer to use a certain brand in bulk (the only manufacturers I'm aware of that currently do this are Porsche and Audi). For example, the dealer I work at uses Valvoline in bulk, but the oil we sell in bottles is made by Castrol. We'll put Valvoline bulk stuff in 90% of the cars that come in (comes out of a giant 700 gal tank we have in the back), and use the pricier bottled stuff on the certain cars that spec' it, or by customer request.

At any rate, I use the 20w50 motorcycle oil in my iX, mostly because there is a BMW 'cycle dealership conveniently located on my drive into work.

[e30Matt]

I've been using 20W50 VR1, we clearanced it and I bought two cases worth.

[SpecM]

I've been using 20W50 VR1, we clearanced it and I bought two cases worth.

dang dude, what did it go out for?

I just switched to Kendall GT-1 20w50, my price is 2.80/qt

[e30Matt]

1.95 I think? It's been a few months.