# Adding Synthetic Oil Between Oil Changes

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/adding-synthetic-oil-between-oil-changes/48805>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** bmw, oil, 530\
**Created:** [May 13, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/adding-synthetic-oil-between-oil-changes/48805 "2010-05-13T20:10:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ron71au](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/50afbb/32.png) [@ron71au](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ron71au)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/adding-synthetic-oil-between-oil-changes/48805/1 "2010-05-13T20:10:32Z")

</div>

I sometims need to add oil between oil changes. My garage uses BMW 5W30 synthetic. If I add oil, do I need to use BMW oil or can I use Mobile 1 or Castorl Syntec 5W30 synthetic oil.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/adding-synthetic-oil-between-oil-changes/48805/2 "2010-05-13T20:16:01Z")

</div>

BMWs are very specific on their oil requirements, I would buy several quarts of an oil that fully meets their specs. I imagine some synthetics do, some may not.

What year is your BMW?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![andrew\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@andrew\_j](https://community.cartalk.com/u/andrew_j)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 10:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/adding-synthetic-oil-between-oil-changes/48805/3 "2010-05-13T22:31:17Z")

</div>

Depends how close you are to your oil next oil change 🙂 If under 2000 miles in a large sump of a BMW anything oil will work. If you are at the start of the oil interval you likely want to add the proper stuff that meets spec.

Mobile 1 and Castrol likely make a synthetic that meets spec.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Al\_in\_MD](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/al_in_md/32/1658_2.png) [@Al\_in\_MD](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Al_in_MD)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 5:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/adding-synthetic-oil-between-oil-changes/48805/4 "2010-05-15T05:29:05Z")

</div>

If BMW thought that they could get away with it, they’d sell cans of BMW Spec tire air. Their oil should have a spec number. If you can get a synthetic that matches that spec number - and most likely you can - you’re in! If BMW is so picky about their specs, how come their cars breakdown so often? Could it be you really do need their spec air in the tires?