# Anybody read the long-term M3 review in latest Car and Driver



## Jeff_DML (Mar 13, 2002)

Pretty harsh review, IMHO.

Does your guys M3 burn that much oil and have that many problems?

TIA
Jeff


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## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

Haven't read it, but I know I just bought a case of oil to top up the car between changes. Just put in the fifth or sixth quart. (29K, three changes.)


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## Jeff_DML (Mar 13, 2002)

Nick325xiT 5spd said:


> *Haven't read it, but I know I just bought a case of oil to top up the car between changes. Just put in the fifth or sixth quart. (29K, three changes.) *


You have a M3 or are you referring to your wagon? I have had no measurable oil burning in our wagon in the 20k miles we have put on it.


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## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

I wish I had an M3.  Does that count?


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## JPinTO (Dec 20, 2001)

Nick325xiT 5spd said:


> *Haven't read it, but I know I just bought a case of oil to top up the car between changes. *


That can't be for your 325? Mine hasn't burned a drop in 70k miles.


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## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

JPinTO said:


> *That can't be for your 325? Mine hasn't burned a drop in 70k miles. *


Yep, my 325. It seems to burn a lot more during the winter. (I've put in three quarts during this one, and two during the last one.) Never had to add anything during the summer.


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## Mr. The Edge (Dec 19, 2001)

not even close. I've burned 2 liters in 17,000 miles--

they also had 50% tread left on the tires at 28,000 miles :yikes: :yikes: :yikes: 

Mine were shot at 16,000, and I am one of the longer ones.


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## The HACK (Dec 19, 2001)

Man, I wish I would've published that letter I wrote to Mike Miller.

At the time I wrote it, Stuka just had a blown M3 motor and I wanted to keep my mouth shut about his engine problems. But apparantly some M3s that was burning an excess amount of oil wasn't burning oil at all. One of the head gasket bolts was coming loose and it was leaking out oil. Depends on the severity of the leak, you can be going through as much as a quart every thousand miles and never see it (it evaporates/gets burnt off in the engine bay).

Anyone suffering excess oil "burning" on the S54 motor should have their head gasket bolt checked by a competent dealer. It's only torqued to 18ft-lbs and will tend to rattle loose allowing oil to slowly leak through during operation.


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## Plaz (Dec 19, 2001)

I seem to be burning about a quart every 5,000 miles on my 330's M54. 

I just keep telling myself it's because I drive the piss out of my car on a daily basis.

Yeah, that's why.


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## SONET (Mar 1, 2002)

The HACK said:


> *Anyone suffering excess oil "burning" on the S54 motor should have their head gasket bolt checked by a competent dealer. It's only torqued to 18ft-lbs *


A head torqued down to just 18ft-lbs?! I think you must mean the _valve cover_, which would make more sense at 18ft-lbs. An aluminum head is typically torqued down to 50-80ft.-lbs. I don't see how 18 could ever hold one in place.

Besides, if the head was loose enough for the bolts to be rattling around, the motor would be losing compression to the point of hardly running and would probably be burning quite a bit of coolant... oil loss would be the least of your concerns. Does oil even pass between the head and the block on the S54? This usually done with hoses anymore, not passages between the head/block.

Just a guess. :angel:

Tightening down the valve cover is an easy fix. What I can't understand is that people aren't smelling the oil cooking on the block or that they aren't noticing the spots on their driveways. :dunno:

--SONET


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## DINANISR3 (Aug 16, 2002)

atyclb said:


> *not even close. I've burned 2 liters in 17,000 miles--
> 
> they also had 50% tread left on the tires at 28,000 miles :yikes: :yikes: :yikes:
> 
> Mine were shot at 16,000, and I am one of the longer ones. *


ey ATY.. i burned my rears out at 6,000 miles.. i only have about 7000 on the car, but how do u know if the cars burning an excess of oil.. i never put more oil in it.. i look at the dip stick and it looks ok.. is there some kind of warning lamp or light that goes on when oil is low?


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## SONET (Mar 1, 2002)

DINANISR3 said:


> *is there some kind of warning lamp or light that goes on when oil is low? *


Yes, but by then it is probably too late. Check it every-other fillup and you should be fine.

--SONET


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## nate (Dec 24, 2001)

Plaz said:


> *I seem to be burning about a quart every 5,000 miles on my 330's M54.
> 
> I just keep telling myself it's because I drive the piss out of my car on a daily basis.
> 
> Yeah, that's why.  *


Not a drop here 

I'm not exactly gentile


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## nate (Dec 24, 2001)

I can't believe how much they complained about the ride and how "exreme" the car was...


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## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

Well C&D has dumbed down over the years.

WRT oil consumption, the BMW standard is 1L per 1000 miles. Anything MORE than that is considered excessive. :dunno: 

But they vary, a lot. Mine used 1/2L in about 8000 miles, and that included 4 track days. Some people report none used, other quite a bit.


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## johnlew (Dec 25, 2001)

nate328Ci said:


> *
> I'm not exactly gentile  *


Are you jewish?

P.S. 18k on 330 burns 0 between changes. 93k on 540 burns 0 between 15k changes.


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## jeffnnj (Feb 6, 2003)

I have never checked my oil and have almost 19,000 miles. Guess that is not the brightest idea. Bought the car with 16,000 from the dealer simply because the extended bumper to bumper warranteewas just too attractive to pass by. I am surprised the dealer didn't warn me. Can I only buy the correct oil at the BMW dealer?? Oh, and thanks to you guys for alerting me.


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## Mr. The Edge (Dec 19, 2001)

jeffnnj said:


> * Can I only buy the correct oil at the BMW dealer?? Oh, and thanks to you guys for alerting me. *


yep--Castrol 10w60 is only available at the dealership. Don't pay more than $9/liter


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## nate (Dec 24, 2001)

johnlew said:


> *Are you jewish?
> 
> P.S. 18k on 330 burns 0 between changes. 93k on 540 burns 0 between 15k changes. *


just a type-o, but it is also valid

from the OED

gentile- obs. form of GENTEEL, GENTLE.


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## bmw325 (Dec 19, 2001)

2001 325i burns 0 oil (even during break-in period when I was driving it at 100mph on the autobahn! I had it up to travelling extended periods at 120 after the break-in too). I know BMW says that 1L/1000 is accceptabe, but on a properly manufacturered modern engine I just don't understand how that could ever be right. BMW prides themselves on "precision manufacturing"-- and burning oil is definitely not a sign of "precision manufacturing".


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