At our dealership’s service center, we often hear our customers throughout the Meridian, Philadelphia, and Laurel area ask, “How often should I change my oil filter?” For BMW model years starting with 2014, the answer is generally once every 10,000 miles.
Of course, your individual driving habits might change that answer. Certain models or cars made by other manufacturers will also need different oil filter change frequencies. To answer this question with confidence, join BMW of Meridian on this page!
Starting at the beginning, you might be wondering why vehicles require regular oil filter changes at all.
Clean, smooth oil needs to circulate through your car’s engine whenever it runs to ensure that its small metal parts slide against each other without getting stuck. You don’t want dirt or debris in that oil; it won’t work as well. The oil filter catches that debris.
The gunk that the filter catches stays trapped inside. Eventually, it’s too full to do its job well, and you replace it.
BMW recommends periodic oil changes for all of their vehicles, and that drivers get their oil filters swapped out at the same time. Because the two tasks go hand in hand, it’s easy to keep track of your last maintenance appointment.
The year that your car was manufactured is important for determining when these services should be performed:
These requirements represent the minimum recommended frequency. Cars that are seldom driven should still receive oil service at least once a year.
We find that peak performance is achieved with more frequent attention to your vehicle’s oil. Intervals ranging from every 5,000 to every 7,500 miles are often suggested. Talk to your automotive service provider for their individualized assessment.
While we are a BMW dealership, our technicians perform oil filter changes for an array of vehicles. Across the board, the most general recommendation for recent model years encourages an oil filter change every 7,500 miles.
The car is just one factor. You should also keep in mind your driving environment and practices. Certain types of severe conditions lead to increased amounts of debris entering the oil filter. The faster the filter reaches its limit, the shorter the lifespan.
These severe conditions affect your oil filter:
Additional severe driving conditions are not as directly linked to your oil filter but do necessitate more frequent oil changes. These include extreme temperatures, stop-and-go traffic, and towing. If you fall into this category, continue changing your filter at the same time as the oil itself.
By now you’ve crunched the numbers and determined how often you should change your oil filter. With the “when” squared away, it’s time to find out where to get that service performed.
This question is easily answered for the drivers in the Meridian, Philadelphia, and Laurel region—our dealership welcomes you. Get in touch with BMW of Meridian now to schedule your oil filter change.
