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[Jim Bassett <jimbassett@xxxxxxxx>]

>Hi,
>   I have a '99 M3 with about 4500 miles driven in 3.5 months.  I have
>consumed 2 to 2.5 quarts of oil so far.  There are no spots in my driveway
>or my spot at work.  I have not noticed any smoke while driving (only by
>observing the rear view mirror).  I broke the car in carefully and rarely
>exceed 5k rpm.  I have hit 6k rpm only a few times.  About 1/3 of my
>driving is up and down windy mountain roads, 1/3 on freeways and 1/3 on
>traffic light controlled streets.  Initial comments from the service
>department indicated that this is "normal" and that there is nothing they
>care to do for me now.  

Actually, it is normal. The BMW spec on oil consumption is, I believe,
1qt/900 miles.

My 98 M3 consumed a bit of oil during it's first few months (I, too,
followed the break-in procedures). But recently the consumption has tapered
off, plus I regularly keep a check on the oil level as I do an auto-x or
track event about every other week.
Even if you don't do these types of events, it's good idea to keep taps on
the oil level.

I have no hard records, but after 13 months and ~32,000 miles the oil
consumption seems to have pretty much disappeared (*maybe* 1/2 qt every
couple of thousand miles?). I can't recall when I started noticing the
smaller consumption, but it was definitely after 10,000 miles.

Hope that helps,


- --------------------------
Jim Bassett
Pleasant Hill, CA
1998 M3/4 - X'd, BL/SS'd, Shark'd, and Harness'd
BMW CCA #131681

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