# Can I use 10w-30?



## Silver328i (Aug 22, 2004)

I have a 1998 328i sedan with a 2.8 I-6 that I just got, with 60,000 miles. The used car dealer put in regular old fashioned (not synthetic) 10w-40 Pennzoil in it. 

I wanted to know if I could use Pennzoil 10w-30. The manual says to use 5w-30 regular old fashioned oil if not using synthetic, but I usually run Pennzoil 10w-30 on my other vehicles (a Chevy Caprice and a Ford Ranger) that also suggest 5w-30 in their manuals. I have read somewhere that 5w-30 is just for new engines to assist in break-in and a heavier oil like 10w-30 would be ok for higher mileage BMW's. I just like 10w-30 better. Is it ok to use 10w-30, and change oil and filter every 3,000 miles? 

Thanks.


----------



## Andrew*Debbie (Jul 2, 2004)

Silver328i said:


> I have a 1998 328i sedan with a 2.8 I-6 that I just got, with 60,000 miles. The used car dealer put in regular old fashioned (not synthetic) 10w-40 Pennzoil in it.
> 
> I wanted to know if I could use Pennzoil 10w-30. The manual says to use 5w-30 regular old fashioned oil if not using synthetic, but I usually run Pennzoil 10w-30 on my other vehicles (a Chevy Caprice and a Ford Ranger) that also suggest 5w-30 in their manuals. I have read somewhere that 5w-30 is just for new engines to assist in break-in and a heavier oil like 10w-30 would be ok for higher mileage BMW's. I just like 10w-30 better. Is it ok to use 10w-30, and change oil and filter every 3,000 miles?
> 
> Thanks.


BMW Synthetic or Mobil 1 would be better. Synthetic oil when the 'oil service' indicator lights up would cost you less than Penzoil every 3,000.

The car is out of warranty, so I suppose you can do whatever you want. If it gets cold where you live, sticking to the factory recomendation is a good idea.

BMW I-6s aren't high mileage untill they are past 200,000. Your car is still a baby.

and enjoy the car :drive:


----------



## KrisL (Dec 22, 2001)

> I have read somewhere that 5w-30 is just for new engines to assist in break-in and a heavier oil like 10w-30 would be ok for higher mileage BMW's.


Why do you simply "like it better" ??

First, you must understand what the oil viscosity number means. At operating temperature, 10w30 is NOT heavier. SAE 30 is SAE 30 no matter what the "W" prefix number is: 0W, 5W or 10W. This viscosity in centistokes (cSt) @ 100 degrees C is with the minimum of 9.3 cSt and a maximum of 12.5 cSt.

The prefix (XW) on multigrade oils is a measurement of how the oil performs at cold temperatures. In other words, multigrade oils are formulated to pass viscosity tests across a range of weights. For example, 10W30 meets the requirements for 10-weight at cold temperatures and 30-weight at high temps.

Therefore, 5W30 oil will be thinner, allowing your car to start easier and be easier on your oil pump when cold. Since you say you are from the "Eastern US", I'm going to guess that you have colder temperatures than say... me, on the west coast. It's probably more important for you to follow the manufacturer's recommendations than me.

Does it matter *that much*? Probably not. If the manuals of all three of your vehicles call for 5W30, why don't you use it? I don't think there is a price difference.....

All that being said, you'll never catch my car without 5w30 synthetic in it. BMW calls for 15,000 mile service intervals. Once I'm outside of the free maintenance, I may change it every 10,000 miles.


----------



## Silver328i (Aug 22, 2004)

I guess I will switch to Mobil 1 synthetic 5w-30. It would save having to change oil all the time, especailly since filters run around $14 to $17 at Advance Autoparts. 

The reason I have always used 10w-30 is that it is easier to find around where I live for some odd reason, and the 2 mechanics we use for major repairs recommended 10w-30 on my vehicles since the old Ford Ranger has 150,000 miles and the Chevy Caprice police car has 240,000 miles, both on their original un-rebuilt engines (they said it would help "seal them up"). We put most of the mileage on ourselves.

I guess it is just habit. We did get a newer 2001 Ford Ranger Edge and use 5w-30 in it, so it's no big deal. I just have a lot of 10w-30 laying around, but I like the idea of going synthetic and 5w-30 better (with longer change intervals). 

I don't know why the used car dealer used 10w-40. They did it before it hit the sales lot, and I didn't notice until I saw the oil change decal later. But it seems to run great so far, even with non-synthetic 10w-40, but I will switch to 5w-30 synthetic. 

Thanks eveyone.


----------



## Andrew*Debbie (Jul 2, 2004)

Silver328i said:


> I guess I will switch to Mobil 1 synthetic 5w-30. It would save having to change oil all the time, especailly since filters run around $14 to $17 at Advance Autoparts.


$17.00? Ouch. I don't know about your 328, but filter kits for our 535 and 318 were closer to $10 each at the dealer. Mail order should be about $8.00

Join BMWCCA and you will get a 10% or 15% discount at the dealer parts counter. Dealer prices for oil vary a lot, but sometimes you can get BMW synthetic for less than Mobil 1.


----------



## Tanning machine (Feb 21, 2002)

Silver328i said:


> I don't know why the used car dealer used 10w-40.


Uh, because they're a used car dealer. That's probably what they stock and put in everything. Deal at costco.

Anyway, a summer-weight oil like 10W-40 won't be as much an issue in the summer as it will in the winter. Used to be you were supposed to change your oil for summer and winter weights.


----------

