Photo: bmw
A lot of people out there have been complaining that their cars, and we mean only the F10 M5 models here, are sipping quite generous amounts of oil. After some research, it seems like this is a common thing after all and that it might be due to a variety of reasons.
However, according to most drivers/owners, the problem is really pesky, especially in some cases. Sure, with the M5’s S63Tu engine as it is the case with any other powerplant in this world, some oil consumption is normal in between maintenance checks but when you have to top off every 500 miles (800 km) it becomes an issue.
After a quick glance over the most popular forums for the F10 M5, it appears that while some people have to top up their cars at even as low as 700 miles (1,100 km) others don’t have to add anything in between service intervals (15,000 miles or 25,000 km). Most of the owners though, claim that they refill once every 5,000 miles (8,000 km).
You realize the hard (or beautiful) truth once you cover a couple miles with your new car though. If the lights start popping up asking for oil, you’re one of the unfortunate souls that bought a car that wasn’t properly broken in.
To solve the issue, there’s little you can do. The best way to go about it is buy the car new and make sure you drive it correspondingly in its first days. That means that you basically have to drive it as if you were stuck in heavy traffic all the time.
That’s right, breaking in you car’s engine means you have to avoid running it at constant speeds as much as possible. If you can, take it to a nearby mountain and enjoy the roads without revving the engine too high (most new cars won’t let you anyway). A few seconds of wide-open throttle in a high gear every here and there should do the trick.
What’s the issue then?
It would seem like the way the car’s engine was broken in plays a huge part in determining how much oil will be used during its lifespan. Obviously, some are luckier than other when it comes to this.After a quick glance over the most popular forums for the F10 M5, it appears that while some people have to top up their cars at even as low as 700 miles (1,100 km) others don’t have to add anything in between service intervals (15,000 miles or 25,000 km). Most of the owners though, claim that they refill once every 5,000 miles (8,000 km).
Does BMW know about the issue? How can I avoid it or fix it?
BMW seemingly knows about the issue but doesn’t openly admit it. However, if you do your break-in as it says in the manual you shouldn’t experience any issues later on. The main problems show up when you buy a second-hand car and you can’t possibly know how the first couple hundred miles were done.You realize the hard (or beautiful) truth once you cover a couple miles with your new car though. If the lights start popping up asking for oil, you’re one of the unfortunate souls that bought a car that wasn’t properly broken in.
To solve the issue, there’s little you can do. The best way to go about it is buy the car new and make sure you drive it correspondingly in its first days. That means that you basically have to drive it as if you were stuck in heavy traffic all the time.
That’s right, breaking in you car’s engine means you have to avoid running it at constant speeds as much as possible. If you can, take it to a nearby mountain and enjoy the roads without revving the engine too high (most new cars won’t let you anyway). A few seconds of wide-open throttle in a high gear every here and there should do the trick.
Google News