My 2005 BMW has been idle for 6 months does it need an oil change? last one...

[MichaelDungey]

...5500 miles ago? Only used during Arizona Winters, snowbirding from up north, car only travels less than 6K during November through April.

[CountryBoy]

BMW brags about their 12,000 mile oil change schedule *providing you're using full synthetic motor oil.

If I owned an expensive car like yours, I would have the oil changed with the factory recommended 10W-40 viscosity full synthetic motor oil. Your motor will spin-over faster in sub-zero temperatures. Mobil1 is the best selling full synthetic motor oil in the world today.

[Johnka]

If it has not been started for 6 months it is well worth getting rid of all the gunge from the oil.

[shinobisan1]

Really we cant answer this question you need to send it to get the oil analyzed.

The best place to send it to is blackstone labs its perty cheap to send it to them and they will keep a record of you so you can track what your engine is doing and could possibly tell you if something will be going bad soon.

But typically if the car sits for longer than 3 months or so with some miles in the oil you should change it but again who knows it could be perfectly good.

[portlandkid990]

Oil changes are need approx. every 3,000 miles. Its best to get a tune up. You can do it yourselfvery easy. Oil change: undo dran bolt, let drain, put back bolt to neccisary torque. Change oil filter and refill! Simple. fuel filter can be a little more tricky having to take more things off. Change spark plugs, maybe transmission oil/filter (its over looked more often but could be done every 10000 miles i think?

[HarleyDrive]

regular oil =change , synthetic oil= look at color of oil only needs change if dark or black

[Dennis]

Being from above the 49th I think Arizona weather is usually hot and dry, therefore no moisture in the oil. Change it at 6K and relax. I love all these answers about sending oil samples off to labs and such, do they really do that with their own cars??