I checked 2 Local walmart for oil.
Cant find any 5w30 that is approved by BMW Longlife 01
The ONLY Jug i found that was approved is the Castrol European Formula 0W40 or 30. Dont rememebr which one, can the F56 take anything other than 5W30?

 

I order all of my oil online for the Mini and get exactly what I want; ECS Tuning offers a great deal and fast shipping.

However, according to the Mini Owner's Manual:
Viscosity grades for engine oils - When selecting an engine oil, ensure that the engine oil belongs to one of the viscosity grades SAE 0W-40, SAE 0W-30, SAE 5W-40, and
SAE 5W-30 or malfunctions or engine damage may occur. The engine oil quality is critical for the life of the engine.
Approved oil types - You can add oils with the following specifications:
Gasoline engine:
BMW Longlife-01 BMW Longlife-01 FE
Additional information about the approved types of oils can be requested from the service center. Alternative oil types If the approved engine oils are not available, up to 1 US quart/liter of an oil with the following specification can be added: Gasoline engine API SM or superior grade specification
Engine oil change: The vehicle manufacturer recommends that you let the service center change the motor oil. Mini recommends Castrol.

 

Thanks for the above info!

I decided to do my first oil change past weekend at 2700 miles on my a-month-old MCS using the two access panels AFTER reading the above.
I gave a brief thought about removing the complete panel (like I have to on my Mustang 5.0 w/ no access panel), but determined it was a bit too much PIA.

IMO, the two panels are more than adequate for accesing the crankcase oil drain plug and oil filter.
Wait! Those 2 panels are exactly what they are desingned for!

 

I used Mobil 1 full-synthetic 5W-30 with API rating of SN which is specifically designed for turborcharged egniner accroding to Mobil website.

 

jtoddpaul - Thanks for the nice words.

 

just a thought on oil changes. For those of you that want to change your own oil and save money or just enjoy doing it, more power to you. But I suggest that you find an effective way of documenting it regarding the date and the type of oil, etc. Maybe a video tape of the process with the receipt of the oil, etc.?

The reason I don't do this is because of the nature of the Mini. It is critical that oil be changed and properly done. That is why I go to the dealer, even if I have to pay more.

I have a 2007 R56S, which is low mileage and not driven hard. It is my weekend car. But I change the oil every 5K miles at the dealer, no matter what.

I happened to be at the dealer the other day, when I heard about an owner who had an engine failure, and claimed the cost with Mini. But they could not show that the oil had been changed over a period of 27,000 miles, even though they claimed that they had. I doubt that they will get Mini to pay for much, if anything.

These cars are high performance cars, and they can have issues They have to be maintained well. But there also has to be proof that they were maintained. That is why I go to the dealer. My car is long out of warranty, but if a defect shows up like a timing chain issue, etc; they said they would have my back, if I keep changing the oil like I have. It is worth it to me.

 

I own a 2000 Porsche 911. I change my own oil in that vehicle. There aren't many more "high performance" vehicles than made by Porsche that are in the somewhat affordable range. I will NEVER buy that you have to take your car to a dealer to get your vehicle maintaned well. That's just simply drinking the kool-aid! They are sales and marketing franchises that make you feel like you are spending your money wisely. You aren't!

To each his own however.

 

I never said you shouldn't change your own oil. I said more power to you if you do so. But I also said that there are good reasons to document it well in case you have a component fail that might be covered by the manufacturer if you have done all of the recommended maintenance.

 

True.
But also true for today's many cars if not all (with internal combustion engine that uses oil).

Completely opposite here.
That is why I do it myself .

 

Does anyone know if above oil is whether API SM or SN rated?

 

Similar result seen after my oil change.

I added only 5 qts and the dash indicated 97% full.
So, I'm guessing 5.3 qts would make 100% or little higher (dunno).
Would the electronic dip stick indicate higher than 100% on the dash if added too much?
For example, if someone puts in 6 qts total, would it indicate something like 118%?

I'm still at 97% right now after driving about 100 miles.

 

Sheet I found indicates 0W30 is CF; the 0W40 and 5W40 are SN/CF; and the 5W30 is SL/CF.

The 5W30 is not rated LL01, all the rest are.

Only the 0W30 carries the A3/B3 rating.

 

Its great to have a shop that you can trust, whether an Indy or a dealer.

 

I have a 2015 Mini Cooper Hardtop S. I live 150 miles from the nearest dealer and will be doing the oil changes.



Can the Service Interval Light (SIL) be reset by other than Mini and what is the procedure.

 

I like your logic. I will be doing the same thing. I don't have the time to mess around with oil changes. Don't want the potential oil mess on my garage floor (it happens!). Don't want to be bothered taking the used oil to someone who will take it. I don't mind spending $50. for a 6-month oil filter/oil change followed by the dealer footing the bill at the 12-month mark. Motor on!

 

There's nothing one can really tell by the color or smell of used oil. If the engine isn't functioning properly, early oil changes can help but will not prevent eventual damage. A properly functioning engine can have better oil condition at 10k than a faulty one at 5k change interval.

Oil analysis shows more than metal wear, it gives you an idea about filtration integrity, presence of antifreeze (faulty head gasket), fuel dilution (faulty injectors), water (moisture), viscosity, insolubles, flash point, remaining Base number and the strength of the additive package. These things aren't measurable by the human eye and nose.

IMO, early oil changes, without data to back up its benefits, has more of a placebo effect. It's like using expensive dietary supplements without relying on blood tests to find out if the body actually absorbs them.

 

I also plan on getting my oil changed as above.

I was curious: would the Conditions based service indicators change (date or mileage for service) if oil was changed more often?

Since MINI pays for the service when the indicators dictate service be performed, I was concerned that I'd be receiving fewer MINI paid for services by going the above route.

FYI, I had the oil changed at around 1000 mi (post break in), and I plan on having it changed again at 5000 mi (paid for by me), then MINI at 10K or when the service indicators dictate, then at 15K (paid for by me), etc...

Has anyone located a service milestone's list (ie. mileage, and the services to be performed?) I can't seem to locate any such document for the F56 apart from "look at the conditions based indicators", which doesn't tell the user anything.

 

This is what I'm leaning towards, BRG with the white roof and mirrors.

Does anyone have an idea on what the maintenance program extension costs? I'm thinking about that too.

 

Classic color combo.

I didn't get it, but my dealer's extended warranty was almost $2,900. Extended maintenance was about $1,800.

 

Hm, going to have to think this one over. Hopefully I can find employee pricing or something of the sort to save some money and put it back into the extended maintenance.

 

Here are some more info for F56 Justa. I found a PDF file from MINI somewhere while searching technical specs some time ago.

F56/F56S:
Engine oil 4.25 L (4.49 US Qt) / 5.0 L (5.28 US Qt)
Coolant 5.3 L (1.4 Gal) / 5.8 L (1.53 Gal)
Fuel tank 40 L (10.56 Gal) / 44 L (11.62 Gal)

Some other noticeables:
Battery capacity 70 Ah vs 80 Ah. I'm guessing the starter motor requires more power for the 4 cylinder.
Drag coefficient 0.28 vs 0.31, along with slightly larger surface area for F56S. Might be from the chin and fake air intake on the hood?
Transmission oil really says "lifetime" fluid. I would drain and fill on 60K at the latest.

 

Yes I just reset mine the other day because the Scottsdale Mini dealership forgot to reset mine a few weeks ago: Press both buttons on the tach (trip reset button on right and guage/moodlighting intensity on left in my car) for several seconds. Menu on screen straight ahead (not center screen) shows oil can, front brakes, rear brakes. Push center stalk to highlight the one you want to reset, then press/hold center stalk button until something happens. Remember I don't have the same car as you, but it might work the same.

 

My F56S doesn't have anything on the hood?


Let us know if you know how.
I couldn't find the drain nor the fill location on mine.

 

You don't have that fake air intake? I'm talking about the hole that is actually blocked. The lower drag coefficient might also be from the shape of the rear butt.

I'm pretty sure somebody will figure out the ATF drain and fill later on. They put it in so there's got to be a way in.

 

Uh, every pic I've seen of an MCS there's a hood scoop (fake evidently). Just scroll up a few posts to #32, you'll see a white car with one in their sig between the stripes above the Mini emblem.