Not F30 specific, so posted here.
I know the "what oil do you recommend" topic has been beaten to death and ashes scattered several times. But now at least three major oil companies (possibly others) have readily available BMW approved oil at the same time.
So two things:
LL04 vs LL-01? I know, both are fine, but based on comments by Bimmerworld a while back (see on bottom) the LL-04 was not certified to be used in the USA until a few years ago. It is
primarily a diesel car oil, but was only certified for the European market. But now BMW certified it in the US too and is a
lso certified for gasoline engines. And it has some advantages compared to the older LL-01 spec oil for 4cyl turbos (says Bimmerworld).
US availability concurrently by major brands: how come suddenly Mobil One, Valvoline, and Castrol (possibly others) all have products on the shelves with the LL-04 and LL-01 label? Been using Mobil One 7-8 years ago as the only BMW spec oil available, then Castrol LL-01 A3/B4 for the last 2-3 years, now Mobil One is back with LL-04 ACEA C3 and LL-01, and so is Valvoline with LL-04 (maybe others?).
https://shop.valvolineglobal.com/pro...w-30?Size=5+QT
https://www.walmart.com/ip/seort/1222098962
https://www.walmart.com/ip/seort/492328178
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Castrol-E...saAoLQEALw_wcB
I may have not been very observant in the past, but
BMW approved specs oil rating labels rotated from oil company to oil company's product label every year or so. So Mobil had theirs labeled as such for a couple of years, then Castrol for a while, then another. Based on comments by others, these oils were still BMW-approved even if no labels were saying it so on the bottle. Just that the oil companies supposed to have BMW certify their oil for that label...and some decided not to so. So I kept switching every so often to another brand.
LL04 vs LL-01:
https://www.bimmerworld.com/BMW-Engine-Oil/
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LL-01 & LL-01 FE (2001 and 2018). API SJ/SL. ACEA A3/B3. SAE 0W30, 5W30, 5W40, 10W60. The first revision with detergents and additives brought in to work with the ridiculous 15,000 mile oil change interval that BMW promoted at the time. However, once cars and engines were out of warranty and mileage accumulated the nasty effects of extended oil changes were realized (i.e. oil sludge). This was also the start of the decline of ZDDP levels with more additives brought in to take its place. LL-01 is compatible with engines approved for LL-98. LL-01 is still coveted as the best of the "old" oil, and the most compatible with sulfur levels of US fuel. Revised standards were applied in 2018 so that more modern engines could meet the LL-01 rating.
LL-04 (2005). API SM/SN. ACEA C3 (similar to A3). SAE 5W30, 5W40. The LL-04 oils have been greatly misunderstood in the past but this is now in greater demand. Most LL-04 oils are intended for Diesels, although it was also approved for gas engines in Europe and other world markets. BMW never certified LL-04 for the US (see next paragraph). Diesel oil has long been valued by engine builders and tuners because of its higher levels of ZDDP content. LL-04 also has a lower SAPS value which is good news for direct-injection engines (all BMW turbo engines since 2007). You won't find Genuine BMW LL-04 sold here but Red Line Euro-Series oil and Pentosin SP III are produced around this spec.
BMW never certified LL-04 for the US market because a) there weren't many Diesels for sale here, b) it was incompatible with the high amounts of sulfur and Ethanol in US gasoline. However, since 2014 our gasoline more closely matches European sulfur levels and since 2017 it's been lower than the past European levels. Oil analysis can give you more insight how your local fuel is interacting with the oil. LL-04 and LL-01 are interchangeable/compatible but LL-04 is preferred for BMW turbo engines for its higher ZDDP and low SAPS. Food for thought: the official BMW Motorsport oil recommendation for the M4 GT4 race car is a LL-04 spec oil. Our race team has used the Red Line Euro Series 5W40.
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