Ive searched several threads and noticed that some do it and some dont perform this break in service...The ones that did do the service did it themselves....Isnt this oil and diff service supposed to be covered by the 3 year maintenance warranty??

i recently bought a brand new BMW in December and the dealer did perform a 1200 mile break in service. Is this not required for MCS??

 

I'm a new mini owner myself so my answer might be wrong but my understanding is that mini only does the first oil change at either 1 year or whenever the maintenance indicator says it's due. Personally I'd wait until about 5K or 6K to do the first oil change which is what I plan on doing. I'm definitely not waiting a year or 15K miles. If you do it yourself it should cost less than 70 bucks and I found a shop here that specializes in minis that will do it for about 80 bucks.

 

I'm a BMW and Mini owner. Both did a oil service at one year since I hadn't driven enough miles on each for the computer to indicate that a service was due. Definately no 1200 mile service at BMW. Maybe that BMW dealer is doing something extra to help spur sales?

 

No "break-in" on a MINI

 

as posted by others, the 1200 oil change was done by people, myself included, who want a peace of mind. we paid out of our pockets.

 

Isn't the 1200 mile service just for BMW M cars?

 

I did not know it was only for M cars...but the 1200 mi service i got done was for a M3.

i say this because years ago i purchased a 2003 330ci and i remember distinctly as well that the dealer performed a break in service on that.

 

Same here. I've had to do the break-in oil change myself. As part of the deal for my second and third MINIs, I asked them to "throw in" 5 quarts of oil and a filter.

 

Great idea to ask for the oil and filter. I don't believe in this 15k until the first oil change either. In fact, I just hit 2,200 miles and I feel like I am little behind in changing the oil.

 

Jiffy Lube loves you . . .

 

Never been to Jiffy Lube or any other oil change joint other than to dump my used oil. I do subscribe to the theory that all those moving pieces of metal inside a new motor, loose tiny shavings or pieces of metal at the beginning of their life. So the first oil change certainly shouldn't be at 15k. But with that said, Grandpa Charlie used to say, "A spark plug will last the life of the engine."

 

I haven't been to a jiffy lube since I had a pontiac sunfire piece of crap that I didn't care about. My last couple of cars I've always taken to the dealer to change the oil. I suppose I could do it myself but I've calculated the cost of the parts + the cost of my time + stuff I'd need like ramps or jack and jack stands and having the dealer do it was actually either cheaper or right about the same overall cost.

I found a local shop that specializes in Minis and I'm having them do all my inbetween oil changes and maintenance.

 

Paid for it myself to have dealer do it at 400o miles. Just cannot see going to 15,000.

Oh, last time I used a Jiffy Lube, they brought me the air filter out of my car to show me how dirty it was and they would like to replace it for a bunch of money. I said no thanks. A couple of days later i just got this feeling and checked, yep no air filter at all in my car. They had failed to put old one back. I've never been back to one of those places

 

Wouldn't the intake be pretty loud without an air filter? Just changing my stock panel to a K&N panel made it pretty loud.

 

It takes a little shopping around, but some dealers will perform a "low mileage initial oild change service" at the customer's request. I was able to have mine done and covered by the warranty, without affecting the service indicator.

 

NJMini,

I doubt your "low mileage initial oil change" was done under warranty. I'm not doubting you got it done no charge though. I would suspect the dealer just absorbed the cost which really is not that much anyway when they agreed to do it. Because a low mileage initial oil change isn't a warranty item.

 

I'm simply relaying what was stated to me by the dealer. Perhaps they chose to absorb the $90 for the oil change, as you're right, it isn't a huge cost. But I went in fully expecting to pay for the oil change and when they called me to the service desk when the oil change was complete, they said that a low mileage service is actually offered, but only at the customer request and that not all dealers were honoring it. I went to MINI of Monmouth. Feel free to give their service department a call and ask. Hopefully others will be able to take advantage of the savings asl well.

 

They lay out the parameters for when an oil change is allowed. Simplifying, it nets to the one year rule if CBS doesn't otherwise call for it.

Just had it done at SF Mini the other day at the mid point roughly to my next expected CBS based service. No hassles. They said as long as CBS doesn't predict it is due in next 3 months, they will do it upon request w/out charge if the one year has run. Sounded like they fielded it fairly frequently.

To be clear, I am referring to an early change at the one year point pre-CBS inicator on, not a 1200 mile type change. Haven't seen any low mileage first change recommendations since my 1985 Audi. Of course, back then you paid for service separately. Now with it all bundled w/ the pice of the car, no surprise manufacturers buried the recommendation. I did my first DIY as soon as I bought the car--used at about 4500 miles.