there is no such thing as remanufactured engines dear sir... brand new puppies... and we are discussing possibilities of much sooner than 6000 miles refil... (specifically you said they wont do anything if it is qt every 1000 miles, thats crazy).

 

I'm sorry but I lost track of the original topic.

Wasn't the original issue regarding usage of 1 quart of oil in 6000 miles on a new BMW M3 engine?

(I'm just trying to get back on track with the original discussion and yes I realize what the boilerplate written by lawyers in the owners manual says).

 

...crazy. My 10 year old Lexus GS4 doesn't burn that much oil (or any at all perhaps...according to the dipstick). Oil changes every 4000 miles or so and I drive HARD!

Is oil consumption really the norm for new(er) cars?

 

it was actually 1.3 qt per 5000 miles... and question was when does it become an problem, because if you look at M forums, it is common for them to spend oil and you should often actually do oil check manually as it informs you only when you are too low.

 

Thanks for the clarification. Let us know if the oil usage decreases as miles accumulate.

 

I would be very surprised if that information was not in one of the owners manuals. Due to the high RPM redline of the M3 V-8, 8,000 RPM I believe, it will use more oil than most engines

 

Not the norm for new cars but it does happen. Even in the old says, many muscle cars burn oil, as long as it’s a controlled amount, then it’s not really a big deal.

 

The oil-usage issue back then, instead of just the fact of being a muscle-car, was due more to the fact that, in general, engines of those days didn't last as long as today...their rings, bearings, and valves wore out quicker. For most engines, 90-100K miles without an overhaul or rebuild was about the limit, with reasonable care. The durable Chrysler slant-six and smaller V8s were exceptions to the general rule...many of them went well over 100K and some approached 200K.

 

So OP is not getting any corrective action from BMW at this point on a new M3 engine burning 1.3 quarts in 5000 miles. Have any other posters with recent BMWs had similar situations/outcomes?

 

All engines burn oil. It's inescapable. Every time the piston goes up, the cylinder walls get an oil coating. Every time the piston goes down the oil rings scrape off as much as they can but they're not 100% efficient, so a tiny bit gets past the oil rings, 2nd compression ring and top ring. It gets burned along with the air/fuel mixture.

The rate of burn depends on the piston/ring/cylinder fit. If the cylinder is out of round, expect the engine will burn more oil than one with round cylinders. If the ring end gap is toward the wide end of the specification, expect the engine will burn more oil.

There is no such thing as zero oil use between changes. MMarshall nailed it - contaminants will artificially raise the oil level and make you believe your engine is tight when it's not. Also, the higher revving the engine is, the more oil it will use because the amount it burns on each cycle is the same, but if the engine is turning more cycles per unit time (higher rpm) it will burn more oil over time.

To directly answer your question - I have experienced both ends of the spectrum. I had a '93 GTS Celica with a 5F-SE burning a quart every 1000 miles, and Toyota said it was normal. My Supra burns about a half a quart every 10k miles before I change the oil. My IS-F burned a quart of oil at a track weekend, but does not normally burn enough between 10k oil changes to need additional oil. The wife's Scion also does not burn sufficient oil between 10k changes to warrant adding oil. Keep in mind, I replace the filters at 5k and top them off, so saying they don't need to be topped off for 10k is a bit misleading.

If you drive the car hard at all, I'd just call it pay to play and be happy.

 

Well said lobuxracer, all car burns oil. Its just that some car burn so little that you dont need to top off in between oil changes. I dont think BMW, or even Lexus is going to take give you a brand new engine just beacuse it burns a quart of oil every 7000 miles.

 

Or uses 1.3 quarts every 5000 miles per OP on a brand new engine.

 

Ive owned my 430 from 91K to 119K now and I check my oil once a week and I have never seen a drop in the dipstick and the oil is always clean after 3K (when I change it, there's some short trips in my driving). Not honey clean but not the same color as my car either lol.

 

With that said, it is still unknown if the car/engine was under filled at the 1st service, and despite the fact that an engine is broken in at whatever low mileage, engine builders and used oil analysis say that engines can take up to 10k-20k or more before they are fully worn in and reach a happy medium, before they start the other process of wearing out

Another thing to keep in mind is how much oil is actually needed in the engine, sure it's filled with 8 quarts but it probably only needs 5 or 6 to run on, the other 2 or 3 is for additional cooling and long interval oil changes.

and finally to the OP, why are you running 15k changes on a 65k M3, you did say you purchased the vehicles, I know BMW tells you when to change the oil, but having been around cars for years especially all the German car nuts, and especially a couple guys who run a BMW performance shop, their belief is to change the oil every 5-7k and not wait it out until 15k with the BMW recommended oil changes.

 

Thanks. It seems like burning a quart for 6k mile is within a normal acceptable range. I will just carry a qt in my trunk and fill it up when necessary.