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<MISC> First "OIL SERVICE"

On Thursday night, at 9,100+ miles, the OIL SERVICE light came on.  As
such, I'm schedule to take my '95 318ti in to the dealer next week for its
first scheduled oil service, in which they'll also replace the rear axle
fluid and no doubt will also perform some other visual "checks."  This, by
the way, isn't the first oil change for the car, as I've had two done
already.  The first was at 1,247 miles after the break-in period, and the
second was at 5,779 miles.  I know the whole issue about oil change
frequency vis-a-vis the oil service indicator is as controversy as the
ZYMOL/Bon Ami discussions <grin>, but at $29.95 per oil change at the
dealer, I think I'm comfortable with the plan of having an oil change done
in between the "scheduled" service intervals. 

Apparently the detail of work performed varies from dealer to dealer, as
I've been quoted anywhere from $110 to as high as $150 for the first OIL
SERVICE.  My dealer, Tischer BMW, here in the Washington, DC area, charges
$115.

I also plan to ask them to check the A/C about the recurring "howling"
noise that comes on when the car's running at slow speeds with the A/C
turned on, especially in the rain.  Is this the compressor?  Purge valve?
I don't know if the service advisor will be able to duplicate the problem
when the car's in there.  Any suggestions on what else I should get them
to check?

Thanks in advance,

- --
  David Tay               http://www.taysystems.com/pub/tsr/tsr.html
  Tay Systems Research     Email: tsr@domain.elided / dtay@domain.elided
  3554 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 100           CompuServe: 74213,2471
  Fairfax, VA 22030-2709, USA  TEL.(703)760-9022 / FAX (703)893-1154