So, you have a BMW. It’s a beautiful car and you want to make sure that you maintain it so that it runs in tip top shape for a long time to come. You know that this means regular, consistent maintenance and catching problems early so that they can be fixed before causing too much damage. You probably have a lot of questions. Questions like “where is a good mechanic for foreign cars/BMW’s?” or “can I take my BMW to any mechanic or does it have special requirements?” or “can I get my BMW oil change anywhere?” probably come to mind. All of these questions are good questions and they are the right questions. These and other questions may indeed come to mind as you are thinking about how to properly care for your car.

There are many simple things you can do to care for your car and make sure that it runs well for as long as you own it. Among these things are regular (i.e. yearly) check-ups with a trusted mechanic. having a friend who can make recommendations is a good thing. Word of mouth is the best way to find the best mechanics. Also, paying attention to how the car feels when driving it and how it’s running. What is meant by this is simply that you drive the car everyday. That’s consistent driving over a long period of time. You know how the car normally handles and how it normally feels. If something is not right or feels different, you should be able to pick up on that if you’ve been paying attention to what your car is telling you. And your car is definitely talking to you in a sense. Learn to pay attention to what it is saying and you can learn to catch things going wrong a lot sooner. When it comes to car care, catching things sooner rather than later is important. It’s always cheaper to fix the problem before it becomes to serious. It’s also better for the car with less wear and tear. Of course, that’s the main thing that drives up the expense.

Another idea is to keep a log to make sure you know when you’ve gone the requisite number of miles when it’s time for an oil change or some other type of regular maintenance on your car. You can find apps for your smart phone that will help you do this. They can also help you put the mileage for a given day or trip under certain headings whether business or personal. This helps when it comes to tax time. The main thing is that this keeps it at the forefront of your mind so you don’t forget.

When it comes to yearly check-ups with a trusted mechanic there are certain questions you need answers to. One of the biggest is whether or not the mechanic is properly trained and certified to work on BMW’s. This is because, as with so many things in our world, there are so many differences between the types of cars that mechanics have to be trained on those differences. Many things will be the same or similar across the spectrum and general principles can be applied to those things when hiring a mechanic to work on your car. However, each type of vehicle, whether you are talking about Ford, Chevy, BMW, Porsche and etc., will have their own particularities that need to be known to the mechanic when working on these types of cars. This is especially true when speaking about foreign made luxury cars like a BMW.

Another question is whether or not the business (i.e. the garage) you are taking your car to in order to get it fixed is reputable. What does the Better Business Bureau say about it? Does it have many complaints against it? Many, if not most business’s will have some kind of complaint filed against because no single business can make everyone happy. But, if you notice a significant amount of them and it shows a consistent record of customer dissatisfaction, you might want to think twice about taking your car to that business.

Taking these ideas and applying them to the central question, we again ask, can I get my BMW oil change anywhere? And that answer is probably. This is because BMW’s are fairly common in the U.S. now and most mechanics, even if not directly certified to work on them, still have at least some experience working on them. There are special tools that are needed but they are easy to get even if they have to order them online. Recommending caution is always in order when using a mechanic that not necessarily certified. But, if you have one that comes recommended by someone you trust, they can probably do the job. Check websites and ask local friends if they know anything about the business. That’s always a good place to get information.

What about the cost? Does an oil change on a BMW cost more, less or reasonably equal to a normal oil change on another type of car? According to this article an oil change for a BMW (in this case a BMW 328i) will be about $150 to $175. Compare that to the average cost (per Angieslist) of $46 and you see that an oil change on a BMW is pretty pricey. Granted, they were specifically talking about a BMW 328i. But, the cost for other BMW models is probably pretty comparable. If you go to a dealership you are probably going to be on the high side of the average. So, yes, you can get your BMW’s oil changed anywhere most likely but with average prices like those, it’s going to cost you. Remember that you get what you pay for. You may be able to find a cheaper oil change somewhere but it may not be quality work. You could end up with oil leaks and so forth. You may decide that you want to not skimp on the better (i.e. higher cost) oil change. If you want to remove as much doubt as possible just take it to the dealership. They will be able to do the job no doubt. But, that is, probably, the most expensive solution.

In conclusion, there are many things to consider when thinking about how to care for your BMW. Car care is mostly a matter of applying common sense and getting things looked at as soon as they are discovered. There is no value in procrastination. Find a good mechanic. Make sure you have your car examined closely at least once a year. Keep up with regular oil changes every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. Even though, these days, some oil manufacturers have certain oil brands that they say can go much longer than 3,000 to 5,000 miles in between oil changes. It’s just a matter of good research and asking your mechanic what the best brand is for your particular car. The central question of the article is whether or not a person can get their BMW’s oil changed anywhere. As was said earlier, the answer is that you most likely can these days. Considering the proliferation of the BMW brand and the desire of most mechanics business’s to be able to expand their base of knowledge to attract more customers, most mechanics will have someone certified to work on BMW’s or at least with experience in the type. So, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find a good mechanic to change your oil in your BMW. It’s quite a costly endeavor, compared to oil changes on other types of cars. But, it’s worth it to keep your BMW running in tip top shape.