BMW engines are equipped for life with synthetic oil. There is no need to use an inferior quality motor oil, even if it’s cheaper than the recommended engine oil.

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There are several types of engine oils available on the market today, but all of them fall into one of two general categories: conventional or synthetic. Conventional oil is made up of naturally occurring hydrocarbon chains and groups that are bonded together to form larger molecules; this is also known as a base stock. Synthetic oil is man-made through a chemical process that breaks down (cracks) large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller ones, then reassembles them into new molecules that have different properties than those found in nature; these are called “finite” or UOAs (unfinite or polyalphaolefins).

BMW engines are designed with the best possible power, efficiency, and longevity in mind. The use of synthetic motor oil is what allows them to meet these high standards. Keep in mind that all BMW models are designed to be operated with the engine oil specifically recommended for your model by the manufacturer. Using anything else will void your warranty.

To make sure you understand why it is so important to follow the specific oil requirements for your BMW, here is a short explanation of some basic concepts:

A lubricant’s viscosity refers to its resistance against flow under shear forces at a given temperature. Essentially, this is an indication of how thick or thin a liquid is compared to water. Given two oils of different viscosities, the one with a lower rating will flow more readily when in a liquid state. In contrast, the one with a higher rating will be much thicker and may even appear to be solid at room temperature. It is generally accepted that engine oil should have a viscosity rating that falls somewhere between SAE 5W-20 and SAE 5W-30.

A viscous motor oil thins out when put under high shear forces because it contains polymers (molecules made up of repeating structural groups) or molecules known as “compounded base stocks”. These bonds can stretch during extremely high speeds and temperatures, allowing for easier flow throughout the engine. Synthetic oils contain no large compounds that can stretch, thus maintaining their initial viscosity levels at all times. Likewise, synthetics feature a much lower rate of volatility, preventing them from thinning out by increasing in volume as they are exposed to high heat. This keeps the oil within the engine where it belongs rather than allowing it to “burp” or “flash-off” into the combustion chamber.