If you relied on the dashboard service lights to time your service, how many kilometres would you be doing between each service?

Thanks for your advice, Jim. I suppose one could follow both principles! Mary

OK- this is a pretty generalized question on a very sensitive machine- I would say to change the oil more often, 3000 miles- keep up to date on all other service items- find a good BMW technician and have the garage evaluate the condition of your car and find out all problem areas of your model- be very proactive with the BMW's maintenance, or you will find some very expensive problems stalking you- they already are-

I wouldn't rely on the service indicator. I change my oil every 5,000-7,500 miles using full synthetic.

Thanks, everyone. It's an interesting topic. I agree about being 'proactive' with maintenance. I do love the sensitivity and superiority of these superbly-crafted engines & I feel they deserve respect. (Anyone who drives a BMW like a hot rod has no sense of style!) I have a 735i that is over 30 yrs old. I've had doubts about the reliability of the service indicator lights, especially on the older models (is this unreasonable of me?) so I've been changing the oil every 5000 KMS & the engine has never skipped a beat. But I'm looking at buying a used BM & hoping the former owner has been as meticulous as us! (Mary)

You can't always rely on Carfax for service, though. Many people change their oil and perform various jobs themselves. I'll only go to a mechanic when something needs to be done that I don't want to do or can't handle.