Last BMWs with oil dipsticks

[PhilH]

What are the last few BMWs with engine oil dipsticks?

Here's what I think:

550i - the 4.8 liter V8 engine is still in production, and seems to have a dipstick (confirmed in a few posts on E60 forums like this one: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=345043).

Similarly, the E60 545i had a dipstick until it was replaced by the 550i. You can see the 545's dipstick just barely in this pic:
http://www.canadianautoreview.com/545ismg-2-%20engine.jpg

M Coupe / M Roadster - the S54 engine was used, which first appeared in the E46 M3, and I know that engine has a dipstick. Production of the Z4 based M Coupe / M Roadster ended in 2008

The 3 Series hasn't had a dipstick since production switched to the E9x series in 2005-2006.

The six cylinder E60 5 Series had dipsticks in 2004 (and 2005?) in the 525 and 530 when they had the M54 engines. They switched to the N52 and N54 engines in 2006, which do not have dipsticks.

The Z4 switched to the N series engines when they added "si" to the name in 2006.

The X3 swiched to the N series engine when the added "si" to the name in 2007.

So, is the 550i the last BMW being made with a dipstick (disregarding some of the European market diesel engined BMWs that I think may still have dipsitcks). Have I missed any other recent BMWs that have an oil dipstick?

[Idriftane30]

i think its stupid that the cars arent coming with dip sticks now

[Eryan36]

"Let's remove a perfectly fine, mechanically and historically sound method of checking the oil level and replace it with an electrical sensor. We are Germans."

Solid plan.

[deathwarden5]

http://www.canadianautoreview.com/545ismg-2-%20engine.jpg
.


Hideous!!!

[PhilH]

I'm with you guys. I'm basically doing research on what are the last BMWs I can buy. :(

Actually, I'm going to wait quite a few years to see how many problems there are with the oil level sensors, and how many of those problems result in either major engine work or complete engine repalacements. However, in the meantime, I might need another car. I could always get an Infiniti, Mercedes, or Audi, or I could get a used BMW with a dipstick...therefore I figured I needed to do a little research.

There's no need to turn this into a dipstick/no dipstick debate. I just want to clear up which models have them and which don't.

So, the V8 in the new E9x M3 doesn't have a dipstick, right?

[Balthazarr]

IMO, they should have both a sensor and a stick.
Just additional confirmation of level. Nothing wrong with that.

[Kevlar]

Screw dipsticks...

The average driver didnt even know it was there or how to use it.

[Balthazarr]

Screw dipsticks...

The average driver didnt even know it was there or how to use it.

How would you know what the avg driver knows?
What is an avg driver?

[MrBen]

How would you know what the avg driver knows?
What is an avg driver?

That would be the Majority of drivers, most of which never open the hood.

[DrewDude320i]

There's way too much plastic on that engine.


While the average driver may not know what it is, it's still nice to be able to check it. One of my friends works at a AAA call center, and when they are diagnosing a problem, they frequently ask drivers to check the oil level to help determine what kind of service to send them (small quick-respond service van with oil vs wrecker, etc). And on older cars, it's nice to be able to check and see if it's using oil - and when these things get old, that's not something we'll be able to do.

[PhilH]

We're back onto the path of a normal "dipstick" thread. An endless debate of who thinks they're needed, and who doesn't. I appreciate the debate and the interest in the topic, and it's been talked about in a bunch of threads on various BMW forums.

However, this thread was created to just list the cars that have them, and those that don't.

E9x M3?
E6x M5?
any recent 6 Series?
any recent 7 Series?
any recent X5?

These are the cars I'm not sure about. Any corrections to my list above would be appreciated too. Thanks.

[MrBlah]

"let's remove a perfectly fine, mechanically and historically sound method of checking the oil level and replace it with an electrical sensor. We are germans."

solid plan.

rotfl

[TheM3nsah]

i think its stupid that the cars arent coming with dip sticks now

+1 its one of the most basic monitoring systems and has more uses than just a dipstick :mad progress sucks.

[PhilH]

OK, cross the E90/E92 M3 off the list. No mechanical dipstick on it according to this post:


Got my 1200 mi service done a few months ago -- now 1300 mi later and I was almost a quart low on oil. Had to swing by for the service guys to top her off. I thought the drop was kinda swift but the service guys said it's common early on. The warning light won't come on until you're at the minimum level, so keep an eye out -- or keep the electronic dipstick on display. I still can't fathom why they wouldn't have also left a standard dipstick for something so important. Maybe it was the weight!

http://m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=231235

No dipstick for the E60 M5 either based on this thread:


Finally! I guess they spent too much time and money with customers (myself included) coming back and having their excess oil drained. Now if they just re-invented something clever called "dipstick"!

ha ha..now if they could only figure out how to not overfill the other 20 model variants that they have, that on a constant basis i hear of being overfilled.

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/e60-m5-e61-m5-touring-discussion/68327-bmw-revises-e60-m5-oil-service-procedure.html

[95325i]

My fathers 2006 E60 already has had an oil level senor give him issues and the car is only 3yrs old. Also I am not sure if the cars without I-drive have a dip stick or not. The 1 series and some 3 series do not have I-drive in them so i wonder about that.


Screw dipsticks...

The average driver didnt even know it was there or how to use it.

+1 most people that own a new BMW do not even know what the motor looks like.

[mattjw916]

I like the low oil warning personally.

[Mad Machine]

it's not a new idea. Lancia was playing with it with the Beta back in the early 70s.

Granted those cars had an actual guage to show you the oil level AND had a dipstick. You also had to be parked on a level surface

[MrBlah]

bmw has had oil level sensors for many years, my e30's both had them

but they still gave us a dipstick

[Balthazarr]

+1 most people that own a new BMW do not even know what the motor looks like.

I'll differ on that.
Most people RENT their BMW's when new and never have to look under the hood.
They just take it in for servicing when time is due.

That still doesn't negate the need for a manual way of checking.

[WolfStrong]

I like the low oil warning personally.

Me too...although even my M50 e34 has that and a dipstick...

I honestly don't mind the electric dipstick when it actually comes to checking your oil level, but my big complaint with it is that when you add oil, you have to start the engine, wait at least 3 minutes for the level to reset, just to make sure that the level is ok again whereas a car with a dipstick takes what, 10 seconds?

PS: All BMWs now have an electronic dipstick. Now as far as the 550i or X5 4.8 having a mechanical one or not, I do not know, though I thought they didn't off the top of my head.

[gary88]

My fathers 2006 E60 already has had an oil level senor give him issues and the car is only 3yrs old. Also I am not sure if the cars without I-drive have a dip stick or not. The 1 series and some 3 series do not have I-drive in them so i wonder about that.



+1 most people that own a new BMW do not even know what the motor looks like.

Doesn't make a difference if it has iDrive or not, still no dipstick.

[Balthazarr]

That would be the Majority of drivers, most of which never open the hood.

You're making an assumption never having spoken to other drivers, I'd bet.
Being a member of an automotive enthusiasts' forum doesn't make anyone an expert on what other people, who aren't, know.

Don't mean to be argumentative, but people really need to drop the superior attitude.

[windnsea00]

You're making an assumption never having spoken to other drivers, I'd bet.
Being a member of an automotive enthusiasts' forum doesn't make anyone an expert on what other people, who aren't, know.

Don't mean to be argumentative, but people really need to drop the superior attitude.
And there is no attitude in this post? You can always argue with assumptions but from my experience life, very few people understand or care to know about checking fluids, etc. That's what the oil change places/dealers are for.

[PhilH]

Now as far as the 550i or X5 4.8 having a mechanical one or not, I do not know, though I thought they didn't off the top of my head.
That's the point, no one either seems to know which models have a mechanical dipstick, or they don't care to share that information when this topic comes up.

Maybe they're too embarrassed to admit their newfangled POS BMW doesn't have a dipstick? :devillook

Having elimated the E9x M3 and E60 M5, I think I'm down to wondering if the newer 7 Series, 6 Series, X5 and X6 have dipsticks. Frankly, I'm not sure if I even care if they do or not, because they're all too big and heavy for me to buy anyway. :D Seriously though, I guess the 650i with a manual transmission would be the last car I'd truly care about. It might have a dipstick too, if the 4.8 liter V8 has one.

[mattjw916]

Why would I pull the dipstick if the car reports it has plenty of oil? Seems obsessive/redundant to me.

My S54 M had one, but the reason I know that is that I didn't have free maintenance on that car lol.

[mryakan]

If anyone asks me where is the dipstick, my answer is I am staring at it :devillook:alright.

[SilverBeam]

How many times must we cover topics like this? 95% of people don't check their own oil so it doesn't matter. Sensors will let you know if anything is broken. It's covered.

so can we let it go?

[Balthazarr]

And there is no attitude in this post? You can always argue with assumptions but from my experience life, very few people understand or care to know about checking fluids, etc. That's what the oil change places/dealers are for.


No, there's not.

[SilverBeam]

Here's an opinion from an owner of a dipstickless car Alan:

I love it. I can check the oil while driving and I don't have to get dirty to do so. Which means that I end up checking the oil more frequently than I do with my Z4 that has a dipstick. It is great. If the sensor goes bad, guess what? A light comes on telling you so.

It really isn't a big deal.

[Kevlar]

Critical items such as this have a redundant way of checking in the event the oil level sensor goes bad. I know on the E46 m3 should the oil level sensor go bad, it reverted to another method as a backup until you could get it replaced.

I don't have my shop manual for the E46 M3 handy, so I can't look it up, but they have thought about it.

[Pooch]

Well great. I guess now the dipsticks will be driving the cars.

Pretty soon you won't be able to do any of the maintenance on your own car.