oil change

i just got a new 2002 325i the car said to get the first oil change at 15000 miles is that true?

A lot of newer engines run particularly and efficently for long periods of time. This is especially true about our favorite german car. synthetic oil can also prolong the time you need to get an oil change, with shorter carbon chains it breaks down much slower then conventional oil. the combination of these can get the oil interval change around 15000 miles easy. i myself would not allow my bimmer to get that high; i dont see any negative reasons to get it changed every 3000.

:)

sorry that was supposed to be particularly clean. . .

:)

Most people that have bmw's will tell you not to wait for the 15000miles.I changed mine at 6000 at my cost and they change again at 12500 at the regular service time,I had mine done at 12500 because the car was 1 year old.I'll have it done again at 18500. I f you have it done before the regular service tell them NOT to reset your computer.Hope this helps you.
good luck
vern

I would go with the manufacturers recommended interval. For one,
having oil with a little fine suspended grit in it is actually a good thing - it promotes fine wear and wears the engine in nicely. Secondly, I don't
think BMW would risk their reputation with the cost of an oil change.
They use very good filters and oil, and the thermal management of the engine is such that breakdown is almost impossible.

I don't know where you got your information about fine grit breaking in the engine nicely but you got my attention ,I would like to hear more about this theory.
thank you
vern

A friend of mine is an engine design engineer for Honda and said they actually do this. I don't know if BMW does as well. Finishes on reciprocating engine parts are very good, probably on the order of 5-20 microinches RMS, but they still don't fit perfectly. A little grit in the several micron range would promote mild wear and actually help fit.
I don't know what the pass-size on the BMW oil filter is, but if it's like
everything else they design, it's very good.

But I think the 15k interval has more to do with lack of thermal breakdown.