Question on BMW 3-Series E36 Oil Change

"Still, some people swear by synthetic oil. In practice, I don't recommend using synthetic oil if you have an older car with old seals in the engine. There have been many documented cases in which the addition of synthetic oil has caused an otherwise dry car to start leaking. If you own an older BMW that doesn’t have fresh seals in the engine, I would stick to the non-synthetics".

Thank You for Your Article. I own a 2002 BMW 330I with Sports Package. My research online and manuals only specify synthetics oil, preferably BMW's brand. So my question is what brand and type of 5w-30 non-synthetic oil do you recommend? Should I change this non-synthetic oil more often? What if any problems could using non-synthetic oil in my car cause over using synthetic oil in my car? Performance issues? Thanks for your help as I was unaware that non-synthetic oil could be used in BMW's. I know my car's seals are aging with 96,000 miles.

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This post was auto-generated based upon a question asked on our tech article page here: Pelican Technical Article: BMW Oil Change

[Nick at Pelican Parts]

When choosing an oil for your engine, no matter what make or model, use this tip to get the right stuff. Always buy an oil that says it is approved by your vehiclem anufacturer, in this case BMW. Avoid oils that "meet" standards.

- Nick