BMW Oil Change: Turbocharged BMW vs Naturally AspiratedTurbocharged BMW engines need to have their oil changed every 5k miles. A turbo can get super hot, oil then will pass through the hot turbocharger, and the excessive heat causes the oil to break down faster. The bearings inside of a turbo have very tight clearances, this makes it a lot less forgiving when it comes to dirty or occasionally low oil.
For a non-turbo BMW, based on what we’ve seen, we’ve found that a 7,500-mile interval is the sweet spot. At this mileage, the oil is still doing its job efficiently and it is vital to replace the engine oil before it’s too worn out and dirty. 7,500-mile oil changes are a great interval to properly maintain a naturally aspirated engine for many years to come.
Make sure your engine oil stays consistently clean. Play it safe and receive an oil service every 5k miles on your Turbocharged BMW and every 7,500 miles on your Naturally Aspirated BMW!