Where are you Located?

North State Auto is a mobile operation, so we come to you. Currently there are no plans to have any fixed location. North State Auto serves Shasta County and Tehama County areas

What Brands of Vehicles Do You Service?

We provide service for BMW and Mini Cooper vehicles using our factory dealership training. We also have factory dealership training on Volvo, and we offer services for Subaru as well. Often, clients reach out to ask if we can help them with a brand of car other than what we specialize in. We take those on a case by case basis depending on the nature of the problem.

What Type of Car Repair Services do you Offer?

We specialize in diagostic services. To be more specific, Check engine light, ABS, DSC, and all other types of warning light diagnosis and repair. We're also very proficient at electrical circuit diagnosis and repair. We regularly perform cooling system repairs, maintenance services, fluid leak repairs, door latch and window regulator problems, air conditioning system diagnosis and repair, brakes, spark plugs, fluids, engine and fuel system cleaning procedures, filters, and more.

Is There Anything You Can't Do?

Yes. Since we are a mobile operation, we don't have the luxury of having your vehicle on a lift like a shop would. Therefore we're limited on the amount of undercar service we're able to provide. That means we're often times unable to provide some suspension repairs, transmission repair, or anything extensive that must be performed strictly underneath the vehicle. Nor do we provide any body panel repairs, paint, windshield replacement, wheel or tire replacement, vehicle accessory installation, and we cannot code or program used control modules. Obviously there are exceptions, and if there's anything we can't provide, we can at least point you in the right direction in helping you get your issue resolved.

Do You Use OEM Parts?

Yes and No. It really depends on the situation. In an urgent situatiuon where you need your car fixed ASAP, we'll often get what we can get quickly. The difference between us and other shops (even the specialty shops) is, rather than lie to our clients and tell them "we only use OEM parts" while they install some cheapo chinese parts, we believe in transparency. There's nothing wrong with some aftermarket brands, however the knowledge of knowing which brands to use, and which not to use comes with the territory when you've been in the business for 25 years.

What type of payment methods do you accept?

We accept all major credit cards (with a 3% processing fee), cash, and in some circumstances we accept barter. We do not accept personal checks.

BMW Engine Oil Specifications Explained

North State Auto • Oct 17, 2022

What Type of Engine Oil Should I Use In My BMW or Mini?

What Viscosity of Oil does your car Call For?

This is the first factor to consider. Most BMW and Mini Cooper vehicles will have a sticker under the hood that indicates which viscosity of engine oil to use. It will say 5w30, 0w30, or 0w20. BMW ONLY recommends synthetic engine oil.

Although most people don't know this, or vaguely remember, BMW vehicles built before model year 1999 all called for 15w40 non synthetic engine oil. The specification for this oil was referred to LL98, or "Long Life 98. Starting in 1999, with the introduction of the Dual Vanos system, BMW changed the specification of ALL their engines to 5w30 synthetic, and thus introduced the LL01 engine oil specification. So although owner's manuals and dealerships were telling everyone "you must use LL98 15w40 oil in your BMW" up until 1999, all of a sudden they said, "oh nevermind, now you must use 5w30." This is not the last time they will make these sweeping changes in their oil recommendation, which makes you wonder, is it really that important?

What Are the Different Specifications of BMW Oil?

BMW Longlife-98 (BMW LL-98)

Special long-life engine oil, approved by BMW. Also meets ACEA A3/B4, API SJ/CD, EC SAE 15W-40. Usually required for BMWs manufactured before MY 1999. Obsolete since 2005.

BMW Longlife-01 (BMW LL-01)

Special BMW approval for fully synthetic long-life oil. Product meets ACEA A3/B4 and API: SJ/CD EC-II. Usually required for BMWs built after MY 2002. Can also be used where a BMW Longlife-98 oil is recommended.

BMW Longlife-01 FE (BMW LL-01 FE)

Fully synthetic long-life oil with fuel economy properties. ACEA A5/B5 Oils meeting this specifications must have a low HTHS viscosity to meet the manufacturer's fuel economy requirements. These oils are only suitable for the following engines: N1x, N2x, N54, N55, N63, N74.

BMW Longlife-04 (BMW LL-04)

Special BMW approval for fully synthetic long-life oil. Viscosities are SAE 0W-30, 0W-40, 5W-30 and 5W-40. Usually required for BMWs equipped with a diesel particulate filter (DPF). Can also be used where a BMW Longlife-98 or BMW Longlife-01 oil is recommended.

BMW Longlife-12 (BMW LL-12)

Special motor oil for certain approved gasoline engines and the following diesel engines only: Nx7K1, Nx7U1, Nx7O1 from model year 2013. Not suitable for engines with 2 or 3 turbos.

BMW Longlife-14+ (BMW LL-14+)

Special 0w20 motor oil for the following gasoline engines only: N20, Bx8 from model year 2014. Not allowed for diesel engines. ACEA A1/B1

BMW Longlife-17 FE (BMW LL-17 FE)

This specification requires a low SAPS, usually ACEA A1/B1 compliant, 0W20 oil. Oils meeting this specification are usually recommended for the newest gasoline and diesel-powered BMWs. The base oil is typically from Group IV (polyalphaolefines).

Does the BMW Oil Specification Really Matter?

Yes and No. It really depends on how often you change your engine oil. BMW created these brand specific oil specifications to be able to handle their very long oil change intervals. If you intend on changing your engine oil every 10-15k miles as intended by the manufacturer, absolutely, yes it does matter. However, if the BMW oil specifications were really as important as they would have you believe, engines would be failing left and right every single day after visiting these discount oil change businesses.

These "quick lube" type places have no idea whatsoever when it comes to the intricacies of these oil specifications. They only carry a few different viscosities in bulk. If your car calls for 5w30 synthetic, that's what they fill it with, regardless if it meets the very stringent demands of the manufacturer specification.

That being said, if you're using "house oils" from these quick lube locations, and you're stretching your oil changes out to 10 or 15 thousand mile intervals, you're absolutely not doing your engine any favors. These oils are not rated to go that long. If you're changing them every 5k miles, you have a much better chance of your engine surviving a very long time.

How do I Choose the Right Oil for My Car?

This is a fantastic question that gets asked a lot. Many people swear by whatever their favorite brand is. "My uncle has always used <insert brand here> and he's a car guy," or some such statement is normally followed up by their proclamation of knowledge. In reality, the brand doesn't matter. What's more important when considering which oil is a good choice is the ACEA rating.

ACEA is the European engine oil specification. Although here in the US, we have the API ratings for engine oil, which are overly simplified, the ACEA ratings are much more stringent, and they have different ratings to classify oils that fall into different performance categories. "A/B" ratings are for gasoline oils, and "C" ratings are for diesel oils.

What you'll notice in the list above, is that the different BMW specifications of engine oils also carry ACEA ratings. However, there are many engine oils out there on the market that carry these same ACEA ratings that aren't "technically" rated by BMW. For instance, Mobil 1 0w40 "European Formula" carries ACEA A3/B4 and A3/B3 Ratings, however it doesn't carry any BMW specification. It's a great oil that has been used by BMW owners for decades without any problems, and is far superior to any bulk house oil at a quick lube shop.

So, in summary, that's the most important specification when considering an engine oil for your european car.

If your engine calls for 5w30, the best oil spec is A3/B4, followed by A3/B3. If it calls for 0w30, the ACEA rating you'll want to look for is A5/B5. Keep in mind that the A5/B5 rating is the "lower emissions" version of A3/B4 and A3/B3. You can consider these specifications to be interchangeable for all intents and purposes.

If your engine calls for 0w20 oil, the ACEA rating you'll want to look for is A1/B1.

Will your engine explode if you don't use a European rated oil, no. However if you want to protect your investment and give your vehicle the best chance of living a long and happy life, spend a few minutes of your life and check for these specifications when choosing an engine oil for your car.

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