Tag Archive for: oil

A Quality Oil Filter is Important

At Meister Werks, we only use the highest quality oil filter on your vehicle. In this demonstration you can see the difference between high quality and low quality oil filters.

Both filters were removed from the same car, using the same oil. However the interval was drastically different. The one on the top left is a quality oil filter manufactured by Mann, a German company. The other filter pictured has clearly collapsed, which makes it much less effective at filtering oil. These lower quality oil filters can also start disintegrating and get in your oil system, which creating larger problems down the road. The bottom right filter was only used for 1,000 miles, while the other one was used for over 5,000 miles.

Despite what the dealer or manufacturer recommends, we suggest changing your oil and filter at 5,000 miles on all your vehicles. Some manufacturers recommend changing the oil and filter every 10,000 miles, this is a national average and does not take into account our local climate, the driver’s driving style, or the manner in which the vehicle is used. For example, a vehicle that is used mostly for short trips in stop and go traffic means you may need your oil changed more frequently, such as 3,000 miles. Some people who do a lot of long distance freeway driving might be able to go longer than 5,000 miles. Our standard recommendation is 5,000.

At Meister Werks, we help you keep track of your vehicle’s oil service intervals and make sure your vehicle is in tip top shape with our courtesy 30 point inspection. We also use the highest quality oil and filters on the market for your European or import vehicle. Sometimes a quick change oil service company seems convenient, however they might not use quality parts or proper oil which can result in damage or breakdowns and they may not perform inspections which could uncover additional maintenance and repairs your vehicle needs.

Contact us today and get your oil and filter service appointment. To make an appointment, call 425-254-0627 or email us. Meister Werks European & Import is located one block south from The Renton Landing in Renton, WA.

Dueling BMW X5

As we’ve said, we always get the same cars in twos. Last week it was two BMW X5 SUVs. The black BMW X5 was in for oil leak on the drain plug, brakes and brake fluid flush. The silver BMW X5 was in for misfiring. After a thorough inspection we found that most of the coil packs were failing.

Dueling BMW X5

BMW X5

The X5 is a mid-size luxury crossover produced by BMW. The first generation of the X5, with the chassis code E53, made its debut in 1999.

Repair

These platforms are known for their cooling system issues. Water pump, thermostat and coolant reservoirs are a common fail point. Next issues we see are oil leaks. Valve cover gaskets are very common and should be taken car of ASAP. If you don’t, you will have oil leak all over the engine which can break down seals, hoses and other engine components. Using the correct coolant is very important. If you don’t use the correct coolant, it could corrode everything in your cooling system.

Brake wear tends to be higher than other vehicles. We commonly do brakes on these platforms. Due to their weight, they tend to wear out rotors faster than other vehicles as well. Modern day rotors are made with a softer compound and the pads with slightly harder. This increases brake wear requiring you to replace all of the components when we do brake jobs.

The last thing we see a lot of is coil packs. They are notorious for coil packs failing. Bad coil packs will cause misfires and is very common.

Call 425-254-0627 or email us to make your appointment. Meister Werks European & Import is located one block south from The Renton Landing in Renton, WA.